Welcome to the Mackimalai Tea Estates Private Limited

- Project Developers and Investors in Tourism

The booming Tourism industry in Wayanad, acclaimed as the new bustling upcoming Tourism destination, clamoured to be the best of Malabar in Kerala has been attracting multitude of nature lovers, travelers of varied interests because of its pristine nature abundant in flora and fauna!

Once the Kannur & Mysore airports are opened as promised by this year end the commercial value of these plots of land are going to be spiraled up manyfold!

Investors are already vying each other to grab land of high future commercial value to be there at first and Makkimala of Fringe Ford is one of its kind of vast arable land with vantage points of high altitude and wet in-land valleys.

The Sprawling 300 acres, previously part of Fringe Ford Tea estates started by Britisher Fringe Ford in 1912 have the following advantages for easy development as commercial plots:

• Nearly 150 acres of plateau land which is the only one of its kind in Wayanad terrain of ups and downs-hillocks & valleys
• 12 blocks with natural boundary of rivulets and roads - good for township development, hospitals, public schools, Golf course, Golf club, water theme park, second home
• Rivulets of perennial water  source through streams that can be utilized for cultivation-gardens of varied types-spices, coffee, orchard – water sports like kayaking, rafting , sorbing of any other innovative sports of modern world of amusement to enhance tourism
• The land borders  nearly 30000 acres of pristine rainforest in Kerala and nearly 90000 acres on Bandipur Wild Life Sanctuary in Karnataka and Nilgiris biosphere where quite often wildlife –elephants, bison, deer, etc-  are spotted at arm’s length which if innovatively managed can attract tourists of selective nature lovers of flora and fauna of myriad colours and varieties!
• The land is now equipped with 3 phase electrical connection including transformer and has the potential to generate electricity from its own water sources and wind.
• The contour level line road developed by the British provides eagles eye in each and every corner of the estate.

History:

It all started a few millennia ago, when the forces of Nature scrunched together and the land mass that became India, threw the Western Ghats into a turmoil of highs and lows like a piece of crumpled silk and later, these hills covered themselves with satiny grass and towering trees, hiding in their folds some of the most beautiful hideaways known (or unknown). Fringe Ford lies hidden in one of these valleys.

A British settler discovered the beauty of the country in 1912, and its huge potential as cultivable land, and acquired the property which he turned into estate, cultivating the local pepper, cardamom and coffee on its slopes. He built the house that still stands there. He named it Fringe Ford. The name stuck, but nothing else. Now, Fringe Ford stretches out over a 1000 acres on all sides, some of it still chalked out for cultivation but a large portion of it turned over to the elephants, the leopards, the squirrels and the other species that call it home. The forest has long grown over the cultivated slopes, and unique species of plants, ferns and massive, rain-giving trees now thicken the hills.

Fringe Ford has come full circle, and today, is one of the few pieces of Malabar rain forest that the world has to show. 

Fringe Ford later divided into Makimala Tea Estates Private Limited and Saroja Estate.

The Mackimalai Tea Estates Private Limited owns 563.17 acres of land in Fringe Ford. Out of this legally cleared land is about 298.57 acres.

Location: 

Cherrakarra P.O., Talapoya Post,

Mananthavadi, Wayanad Dist.

Kerala

Geography: 

The property lies between North latitude 11* 27’ and  15* 58’ and East longitude 75* 47’ and 0* 21' at an Elevation of 700 – 2100 metres. The temperature shows a minimum of 17 ^oC to Maximum 29 ^o C, with rainfall of 5000 to 7000 mm. It has a round-the-year water source, with 1 waterfall, 7 perennial streams and 19 seasonal streams, assuring a continuous sound of running water through your stay.

Flora    

Rose wood, Anjali (artocarpus), Erthrina,  Caussia, Silver oak, Jack fruit, Herbs and Medicinal plants, Wild orchids and Ferns.

Plantation crops 

Tea, cardamom, coffee, pepper, lemon grass, medicinal plants and herbs. 

Fauna

Indian Wild Dog (Dhole), Elephants, Gaur, Sambar, Barking Deer (Muntjac), Wild Boar, Giant Malabar squirrel, Nilgiri Langoor, Lion Tail Macaque, Cobras, Pythons, Malabar hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Imperial pigeon, Sun birds, Parakeets, Lorikeets, Drongos, Wood peckers, Thrushes, Jungle fowl, Tree pies and Bats. 

ABOUT THE WAYANAD STRETCH

The Wyanad range undulates at 700 to 2100 metres above sea level, and sports a lavish collection of trees, so that your view is of a palette of olive and teal, emerald and sapphire, with a sudden brilliant crimson tree thrown in for effect, or a startling ochre cutting across a slope of grass. Clamber into the forest, on one of its many trails, and you’re walking into the looking glass. This is a world of vines dropping from above, thick stalks and leafy branches, trees that have outlived your great-grandmother, twisting roots rising up from the ground, and dark nooks through which two eyes follow you. Or is that your imagination? But suddenly, a shaft of sunlight cuts through the foliage, touching the green with gold, and you sigh at the unbelievable beauty of the place. 

Almost on cue, the tinkle of water starts, and you turn a corner to see a fresh natural waterfall. 27 streams, some of them perennial, criss-cross the property, and 2 waterfalls are just a walk away. The Nilgiri range traps the generous doses of rainfall that it gets, and tunnels it into perennial streams that run throughout the year. Kabini, the tributary of the river Cauvery, begins its journey from Fringe Ford, as well. 

Nestled into the blue mountains, the Nilgiris, shoulder to shoulder with the great wildlife reserves of the South, a short drive away from the getaways of Coorg, Ooty and Kerala’s coastline, this land of the marshes (Wyanad takes its name from Wayals, or marshland), is the easiest way to enter paradise without leaving this planet.

TREKS

Lagoon

Distance 1/2 km.

Time 10 mins.

Level: Easy

Gushing gurgling water slopping into clear as crystal pools. Blue lagoon, step aside. Set out on a leisurely stroll through the  Pug Dandi to your right, walk through coffee and cardamom plantations, cross a small brook and then enter the thick forest. Clamber down to the gushing water below. Hurdle no. 1 : A muddy stretch of elephant playground. Take a small detour and then walk upstream till you come across the lagoon. Water falling into 2 jungle pools in a thicket of protective trees. Worth every step.

Waterfall

Distance 3 kms.

Time 30 -  45 mins.

Level : Medium

More adventure, more streams, more wildlife sightings expected but an awesome reward. Take the same Pug Dandi, cross the stream and continue down the same path. Soon, you cross another stream and 1 km down,  you will come to a junction where another two streams meet. Cross this wilderness junction and tiptoe up the road through the abandoned cardamom plantation, because if you are quiet enough you can see more wildlife than just birds and butterflies. Now, you come across a 'Y' . Take the path to your right. Further down, wish the road and your security blanket goodbye, and continue straight on the jungle path in front of you. Yet another wild stream. As you plod on, with the rustling of leaves another sound becomes evident. The gushing of water. You hurry on and then stop and gasp. At the sheer beauty of this natural waterfall pouring 90 feet down the hillside. Walk into the curtain of water, and drink up. It's recommended to be therapeutic.

On the way back, if you're feeling adventurous, ace your steps to the road, and then take the left path back through thick shola and rainforest. A shorter route to the bungalow, though often populated by a family of elephants that does not welcome uninvited guests

Checkpost

Distance 3 km

Level : Hard

Not for the faint-hearted or the faint-legged. But the view is worth dying for… (hopefully not literally). Cross the wooden bridge near the bungalow, continue up the road through the cardamom plantations till you reach a clearing. Take a left 'U' turn and climb through some thick rainforest. You meet the friendly stream which will be your guide thereon. Follow it till its source, and then take a sharp right.  By now you will be on all fours holding onto anything that can pull you up, including our guide. It's even more disquieting when you come across other four-legged denizens, who seem much more confident than you. After the forest boundary line, it's another steep climb to the checkpost.  Elephants use the same route when they feel like a view. And the view is magnificent ! You can see all of Wayanad from here, hill after rolling hill, and the comfortable bungalow you've left behind is a dot of red in the palette of green. It's tough to tear yourself away from such peace and such beauty . But survivors who still wish to go home, may follow the boundary line to the gate of the estate and follow the long road home.   Praise yourself for having reached heaven and come back.

GET THERE

The nearest cities to The Mackimalai Tea Estates Private Limited are Thalassery (60km) and Canannore (75 km), Mananthavady (14 km), Kalpetta (45 km)

By Air 

Presently the nearest airport is Calicut (135 km)- 3hrs drive through scenic beauty of coastal Calicut to wyanad high ranges is an experience to be experienced. Calicut  – Kalpetta – Mananthvadi – Talapoya - Fringe Ford.

Once the Kannur & Mysore airports are opened as promised by this year end the commercial value of these plots of land are going to be spiraled up manyfold !

An airport is proposed at Panamaram in Wayanad and acquisition proceedings are going on about 27 km away from the Makkimala Tea Estate Private Limited. 

By Rail 

The nearest rail stop is Mysore (130 km) and Kozhikode (117 km). The road connect Mysore , through Gundelpet – Sultan Bathery – Meenangadi – Mananthvadi – Talapoya to Fringe Ford. Drive time is around 3hrs. There is also a train stop at Calicut . 

By Road

Route 1

Calicut - Kalpetta – Mananthvadi – Talapoya –Makkimala(Fringe Ford) --3hrs drive only. 

Route 2

Mysore -Gundaelpet – Sultan Bathery – Meenangadi – Mananthvadi – Talapoya –Makkimala( Fringe Ford) - 3hrs drive.

Ooty : The road connect Ooty (150 km), through Gundalpet – Sultan Bathery – Meenangadi – Mananthvadi – Talapoya to Fringe Ford. Drive time is around 4 hrs. 

Coimbatore : Travelling from Coimbatore (250 km) involves hitting the Ooty road, and then making the usual route through Gundalpet, Sultan Bathery, Meenangadi and Manantavadi. Drive time estimated at 7 hours.