Travelling with no pre-fixed itinerary leaves you with opportunities for impromptu visits to interesting places that are mostly known to locals only. We got a few such opportunities during our one-week in Wayanad. Makkimala hike was suggested to us by Gopa Varma, owner of Pugmarks Jungle Lodge. He and his friends had visited the place previous day and had a nice time. Thomas, our guide for the hike, waited for us at the roadside. He had taken half-a-day leave from his job as a driver to be our guide. The unremarkable mud track at the beginning does not give any…