Lakkidi hill is covered with fog. The green hills are clear to the edge through the white hills that kiss the valley in the rhythm of the cool wind. The grass huts of the unique Gotra village can be seen standing in rows like mushrooms. The first tribal heritage village in Kerala can be reached by climbing the winding paths bordered by mud and waxy dykes. En Ooru is a tribal heritage village located at Pookode in Wayanad district of Kerala. The main objective of starting this heritage village is to introduce people to diverse tribal traditions. It will give knowledge to the urban dwellers about how the tribals live in their villages and what their means of livelihood are. There are many tribal communities with different cultures living in the forests of Kerala.But access to them is not so convenient. En Ooru is conceived as a solution for that. Jeep service is available to reach there as private vehicles have to be parked 2 km away from the destination. 20 rupees per jeep ride and 50 rupees per person as entry fee.
Initiatives similar to the En Ooru project exist in other states of India. Examples of this are Shilparaman in Hyderabad in Telangana, Muziris Heritage Project in Kodungallur in Kerala itself, Dakshinachitra in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Auroville Project in Pondicherry. The first phase of En Ooru project was completed at a cost of Rs.3 crore. 4.5 crore was also spent on the second phase. A tribal village is being recreated through En Ooru. Once both the phases are completed, it will become the gateway for tourism in Wayanad district. A tribal market, tribal restaurant and felicitation centre are included in the first phase of the project. Adivasi Huts, Comfort Stations, Art Museum, Amphitheatre, Art Centres, Stalls The second phase of the project will include tribal handicrafts, forest products, bamboo handicrafts, medicines, traditional tribal weapons, musical instruments and a children's park with natural and traditional toys. There is a marketplace for tribal artists to sell their products in En Ooru. Traditional knowledge of food processing and other allied sectors, and Training in organic farming is also provided here. Bringing tribal products to the market under the En Ooru' brand is a major objective.
En Ooru Charitable Society is the Chairman in charge of management. The Chairman is the District Sub Collector. Moreover, 13 tribal leaders of Vythiri and Pozhuthana panchayats are members of the committee. It is spread over 25 acres on the slopes of Pookode Hill.Through the project, 50 people are directly employed and 1000 people are indirectly employed.The project is jointly implemented by the Department of Tourism and Scheduled Tribes Development. To escape the hustle and bustle of cities, people seek the simplicity of rural life and prefer eco-tourism during their vacations. In order to fulfil these needs, En Ooru has been conceived with the aim of exposing the people to the culture and lifestyle of these communities in Kerala. This heritage village is dressed up for tourists at Sudhangiri, right next to Lakkidi after went up the Wayanad Pass.Due to covid, the tourism sector is facing a very bad time in the last two years. Now the moment Kerala is improving tourism, if you want to experience a tribal life you can book tickets to En Ooru Wayanad online and take advantage of this opportunity to visit with your family and friends. After visiting this place you can increase your knowledge about tribal traditions here. You can learn What they eat and other tribal customs. You can share their food with you and live together.
Best Time to Visit En Ooru
The best time to visit En Ooru is outside the monsoon season. Kerala generally experiences heavy monsoons in the months of June, July and August. Almost most of the tourism centres are not open during these months. Similarly En Ooru will not be opened. En Ooru is located in a mountainous region. So it is not safe during heavy rains. Avoiding extreme summers is also a good idea. Because En Ooru is a place worth walking. If you are going as a family, children are likely to get tired. Public holidays tend to be very crowded.
Tips for Visiting En Ooru
Private vehicles are to be parked at the Pookode Veterinary College bus stop premises.
Private vehicles should be parked on the sides of the NH 766 road.
Vehicular facility is available from Pookode Veterinary College gate to En Ooru.
20 is charged for vehicle facility.
As En Ooru is a heritage village, avoid the use of plastic as much as possible.
Visitors are not allowed to consume alcohol or any such intoxicants during the trip to the heritage village.
Do not throw away food items or other leftovers and place them in the designated disposal containers.
Timings
9.00 AM - 5.00 PM
Entry Fee
Infant: Free (0 - 5 Years)
Child: ₹20 (5 - 10 Years)
Adult: ₹50 (10+ Years)
How to Reach En Ooru
By Air
The nearest airport to En Ooru is Kozhikode Airport at a distance of about 71 km. You can easily take a cab from the airport to Wayanad or take a bus from the airport (or nearby) to Wayanad. Or you can rent a vehicle, look for short En Ooru directions on Google Maps and drive yourself there.
Kannur Airport is not far from En Ooru and is about 117 km away. It is possible to take a cab from the airport (or nearby) to Wayanad. Or you can rent a vehicle, look for short En Ooru directions on Google Maps and drive yourself there.
By Rail
Kozhikode Railway Station is the nearest railhead to En Ooru, at a distance of about 62 km. The Kozhikode Railhead is well connected to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, as well as to several regional cities and towns in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Once your train arrives, you can easily take a cab from there (fares will be higher) or take a bus from the railway station(or nearby) to Wayanad. Or you can rent a vehicle, look for short En Ooru directions on Google Maps and drive yourself there.
By Road
Wayanad is served by various KSRTC buses and private buses from various districts of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Wayanad is easily accessible by road.
En Ooru - Directions
From Mananthavadi
En Ooru is 46 km from Mananthavady. From Mananthavady you can reach En Ooru via Panamaram - Kalpetta - Chundale - Vythiri.
From Sultan Bathery
En Ooru is 39 km from Sultan Bathery. From Sultan Bathery you can reach En Ooru via Meenangadi - Muttil - Kalpetta - Chundale - Vythiri.
From Kalpetta
En Ooru is 16 km from Kalpetta. From Kalpetta you can reach En Ooru via Chundale - Vythiri.
You can purchase tickets through offline and online modes. Offline tickets can be purchased directly from the ticket counter located near the entry gate. Online tickets are available through the e-ticketing and m-ticketing facility. For booking a slot, please visit the website
