Situated on Ambukuthi hills, the caves are 10 kms from Sultanbathery, in Wayanad district. F. Fawcett, the then Superintendent of Police, who was also a pre-history enthusiast, accidentally discovered the caves in 1894. Archaelogists consider the caves as one of the earliest centres of human habitation.

Formed by a large split in a huge rock, the two natural rock formations represent the world's richest pictographic gallery of its kind. The caves contain several paintings and pictorial writings of the New Stone-Age Civilization which speaks volumes of the bygone life and civilization.

Edakkal caves are located at a height of 1000 m on Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavayal. The New Stone Age pictorial writings on the walls of these natural caves at Edakkal are evidence of the civilisation that existed in these regions in prehistoric times. The caves can be accessed only by a 1 km trekking trail from Edakkal. Morning hours are the best time to visit the caves.