Enchanting Kerala

KERALA TOURISM NEWSLETTER

A road less travelled by

Are you a nature lover? If your answer is a YES, you cannot resist this offer to go for a pilgrimage into the pristine heart of nature. It’s a pilgrimage to a hilltop where trees, the inheritors of the earth found an empire for themselves. This pilgrimage is a salute to the single minded devotion of a person whose relentless efforts made way for establishing an impressive botanical garden. We are talking about the V.M.K. Botanical Garden, a private botanical garden owned by V. Mohammed Koya.

When an acre of land was inherited from his father, Muhammed Koya took a different decision. He kept it exclusively for trees. It was a road less travelled by and it  made all the differences that we see today. He made many arduous journeys across the country and abroad in search of rare species of trees to be planted in an acre of land on a hilltop overgrown with cashew trees. Thus began the genesis of V.M.K. Botanical Garden in 1991 and the story of a true lover of nature, a jeweler turned environmentalist.

Located 20 km east of Kozhikode on the Kozhikode - Wayanad State highway, the garden has trees featured in the classics of Indian and world literature. Step into the garden with the spirit of a pilgrim and saunter beneath 250 varieties of trees. These include various types of bamboo, palms, medicinal plants, ficus, sandalwood, olive, chestnut tree, kadamba tree (Antheocephalus Indicus) and cinchona. 

Researchers, teachers, students, environmentalists etc. find the garden enormously informative and as nature’s laboratory. The hoardings with quotes from great philosophers and writers make it more impressive. Botanical names and names in Malayalam for each of the 250 plus trees are exhibited. The garden houses a small hut near the pond and it is meant for those enthusiasts who would like to stay over.

A walk through the winding ways within the garden is a delightful experience, enriching your love of nature. Here, in this garden, trees get priority over the lush inner growth. However, countless species of shrubs, bushes and creepers bearing beautiful flowers with sweet fragrance grown underneath the trees, making the journey a never-before experience. The presence of butterflies, bees and little birds make it a wonderful place, leaving lasting impressions. The door to the garden is open for any visitor, any time.

Contact details

V. Muhammed Koya
Ph:  + 91 495 2800553
Mob: + 91 9847910355

Getting there

Nearest railway station: Kozhikode, about 24 km.
Nearest airport: Karipur International Airport, about 37 km.