The Tholpetty (Beguri) Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of the
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, is 15 km north of
Mananthavady and connected to
Muthanga in
Wayanad and
Nagarhole in
Karnataka. Flanked by towering mountain ranges on all four sides, Tholpetty is spectacular and serene, with a floating population of 900-odd elephants. These moist deciduous forests are rich in bio-diversity and form an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It was here that the renowned Malabar king
Pazhassi Raja fought the British.
Major tourist attractions around Tholpetty include the Thirunelly temple, Panchateertha, where the water from five rivers was supposed to have met in the past, the Papanashini River, which is believed to cleanse one of all sins, and Pakshipathalam, a natural rock cave in the Brahmagiri Hills. September-May is the best time to visit Tholpetty.
