Coorg Travel Guide

Coorg or Kodagu, also popular by the name of Madikeri, is a charming hill station situated in Karnataka. Close proximity and excellent road connectivity make it an ideal weekend getaway from Bangalore and Mysore. Perched at an average altitude of around 4200 feet above the main sea level, the highest point in the region is the Tadiandamol peak, which rises to a height of 5740 feet. Coorg exhibits a typical tropical climate that remains pleasant throughout the year.

Coorg At A Glance

State - Karnataka
Destination Category - Hill Station,
Famous For - Nature, Adventure, Honeymoon, Wildlife,
Total Area - 4102 Square KM
Average Elevation - 4200 Feet
Lowest Elevation - 3050 Feet
Highest Elevation - 5740 Feet
Average Summer Temperature - 28° C
Average Winter Temperature - 14° C
Ideal Trip Duration - 3 Days

Coorg Travel Guide

Surrounded by the mountains ranges of Tadiandamol, Pushpagiri and Brahmagiri belonging to the Eastern edge of the Western Ghats mountain ranges, it is an excellent tourist spot that attracts both nature lovers and adventure seekers in huge numbers. It is equally preferred by the newly-married couples as a honeymoon destination. Fondly referred to as the 'Scotland of India', Coorg's verdant landscapes, undulating hills and charming weather can mesmerize you like no other.

This charming hill station is also popular for being the 'Adventure Capital of Karnataka’. Coorg's diverse topography consisting of mountain peaks, hilly terrains, rocky ravines, dense forests and gurgling rivers offer a wide range of adventure activities suitable for the beginners as well as the expert level adventurous minds. Right from white water rafting to canoeing, kayaking, trekking, camping and microlight flying, you will have a handful of thrilling adventure prospects at this lovely place.

How To Reach Coorg:

Road transport is the only mode of transportation to Coorg. It has good road connectivity with major South Indian cities including Mysore, Bangalore, Mangalore, Coimbatore, Kochi and Trivandrum. Both government and private buses ply frequently to Coorg from all the places mentioned above. If you are adverse to travel in public transport, then renting a cab/taxi can be a good option. You may also travel in your own vehicle as the roads are mostly in good shape.

Coorg doesn't have a railway station of its own. The nearest major railhead is in Mysore and Mysore is well connected by the Indian railways to the rest of the country.

If you are coming from other parts of India or abroad, then it makes sense to get air-dropped to Bangalore and then hire a cab to arrive at Coorg. Mangalore airport can be an alternative option for air travellers.

Best Season to Visit Coorg:

Coorg is a all-season tourist getaway. The weather remains pleasant throughout the year, so you can plan your trip at any time. Summer season is preferred by lots of tourists to get reprieved from the extreme heat conditions in the plains, but the Winter is arguably the busiest tourist season of the year. Having said that, the lush greenery at Coorg gets livelier right after the monsoon season, making September-October the best period to enjoy the region's unmatched scenic beauty.

Tourist Attractions at Coorg:

1. Madikeri Fort:
Originally built by King Mudduraja of Haleri Dynasty in the 17th century, it used to be a mud fort before being converted to stone in the 18th century. Located at the centre of Madikeri town, this historic fort is one of the prime attractions at Coorg. The fort complex houses a palace of the Lingayat rulers, a temple, a museum and a prison. Situated on an elevated hillock, you can catch eye-catching landscapes of the region from this place.

2. Raja's Seat:
A view-point that offers sublime sunset views, the Raja's Seat is a spot that should not be missed. According to the folklore, the Kodagu Kings used to spend their evenings at this beautiful spot, from which it derived the name of Raja's Seat. There is a recreational park adjacent to the view-point where you can enjoy colorful musical fountains in the evening.

3. Abbey Falls:
This is a magnificent waterfalls located inside a privately-owned coffee estate. You need to walk for close to a kilometer through the lovely coffee and cardamom plantations to arrive at this famous tourist spot. There's a nice little hanging bridge constructed in front of the falls (over the streams of water) for you to catch a better view of its majestic elements. There is no way to get down to the bottom of the falls and play in the waters, but it's a favorite photo-shooting spot for the tourists, so don't forget to take along your camera.

4 Talacauvery:
The birthplace of River Cauvery, it is located on the Brahmagiri Hills. Set amidst picturesque surroundings, the place attracts lots of trekking enthusiasts. There are two temples situated near to Cauvery's point of origin and the huge water tank over there is considered to be sacred - hence the place also attracts religious devotees in huge numbers.

5. Honnamana Kere:
It's a huge natural lake surrounded by beautiful landscapes consisting of coffee estates and green valleys. There is an ancient temple on the left bank which attracts religious tourists.

6. Dubare Elephant Camp:
This is an elephant capturing and training camp of the Forest Department located between the south bank of River Cauvery and the Dubare Reserve Forest. It's a place to watch elephants engage in a host of activities. You can feed the elephants and scrub their bodies during the bathing time. However the highlight of the trip to Dubare is the 30-minutes elephant ride. It's really exciting to climb on top of one of the trained taskers and go for a spell of elephant ride around the lively forests.

7. Mallalli Falls:
This smaller but lovely waterfalls formed by the Kumaradhara river is situated at a distance of around 25 km from Somwarpet. It's a sight to behold to see the streams of waters gushing down through the rocky terrain and falling into a deep gorge with lush green mountains around. It's a safe place to have some fun in the waters.

8. Iruppu Falls:
Coorg has a number of beautiful waterfalls and Irupu falls is one of the most popular ones. Located in the Brahmagiri Hills, this 60 meter tall waterfalls is a great place to have some real fun in the water. Surrounded by the Brahmagiri Reserve Forest, this area is a trekking hotspot too. If you decide to take the trekking trail that leads you to the wildlife sanctuary from the falls, then there's high probability of sighting wild animals like deers, bisons, wild boars and peacocks.

9. Nisargadhama:
An island formed by the meandering streams of Cauvery river, Nisargadhama boasts of serene natural landscapes. It serves as a popular picnic spot and is frequented by lovebirds in good numbers.

10. Namdroling Monastery
A Tibetan Buddhist abode situated at Bylanakuppe, you should not miss out on visiting the beautiful Namdroling Monastery. The distinct and colorful Tibetan architecture and the peaceful ambience is sure to ignite your spiritual instincts.

Must Do Activities at Coorg:

White Water Rafting:
The gushing Upper Barapole River at Coorg serves as the ideal setup for an eventful campaign of white water rafting. It's short distance rafting course of 3 KM is dotted with rapids of varying difficulty that would test your rafting expertise. Although the distance is on the shorter side, it makes up for the deficit with tricky and challenging rapids. You can experience Grade 2, 3 and 4 rapids along this rafting route.

River Rafting Organizers:
1. Coorg White Water Rafting (PH - 9449657768)
2. Paradise Coorg (PH - 9481883745)

Kayaking and Canoeing:
You can experience a ride on a kayak or a canoe on the Kakkabe River. Dubare Elephant Camp is another place where canoeing and paddle-boating facility is available.

MicroLight Flying:
A must do activity at Coorg is the MicroLight flight. If you are looking for a thrilling, totally unique experience, then a MicroLight flight is definitely for you. An awesome sky adventure, you will experience a huge dose of adrenaline rush on this 2-seater open aircraft which takes you to a height of over 3500 feet above the ground.
This is strictly not for the faint-hearted souls and you are required to sign an indemnity form before taking the flight. Coorg Sky Adventures is the organizer of MicroLight flying. You can get in touch with them at 9448954384.

Trekking and Hiking:
When it comes to trekking, you will be spoilt for choices. Tadiandamol trek is a short but demanding trek which can take you on top of the second highest peak in Karnataka. Although it is just a 5 KM long trail, it takes an entire day to settle the distance owing to the extremely difficult terrain. Trekking to the Brahmagiri Peak through the dense tropical forest, with an overnight camping at the hill-top, can be a thrilling experience.

Wildlife Safari:
There are as many as three wildlife reserves in and around Coorg. Nagarhole National Park is arguably your best bet to spot a variety of wild animals including elephants, leopards, deers, sloth bear and sambars. Nagarhole offers morning and evening Jeep safari to designated parts of the wildlife reserve. You may also decide to take wildlife safari trips at the Pushpagiri and Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctury.

Outdoor Camping:
Harngi Dam is an excellent camping site to pitch your own tent and also enjoy kayaking in the backwaters. Some of the cofee estates also have their own camping sites where you can enjoy overnight camping with bonfire.

Quad Biking:
Quad biking is another possibility at Coorg that can drive you wild. Being an adventurists, wouldn't you love to take a 250 CC quad bike off the road through forests and slushy tracks? If yes, then head straight to Coorg and have an intimate tryst with adventure. You can contact Hwak Adventures (PH - 9845937143) or Juegos Adventure (PH - 9845006313) for arranging quad biking rides.

Where To Stay?

Being a popular tourist destination, Coorg has accommodation options to suit budget and comfort of all levels. Right from budget lodges, to standard hotels and luxury resorts, you can take your pick and choose one that suits you the most. Most of the larger cofee estates have their own tourist bungalows to provide you a comfortable stay. You can also opt for home-stay facility to enjoy the warm hospitality of the localities.
Listed below are a few of the reliable and popular accommodation options at Coorg -

No	Hotel	Location	Minimum Tariff	Contact
1	Hilltown Hotel	Daswal Road, Madikeri	INR 850	(+91) 82722 23801
2	Green Haven	Kohinoor Road, Madikeri	INR 1000	(+91) 82722 20666
3	Hotel Madikeri Heritage	Daswal Cross Road, Madikeri	INR 1350	(+91) 87622 23030
4	Prestige Residency	GT Road, Madikeri	INR 1600	(+91) 99018 98301
5	Castle International	Kushalnagar	INR 1800	(+91) 82762 73999
6	Bota Royal Hotel	Golden Temple Road, Bylakuppe	INR 2150	(+91) 82232 54777
7	Hotel Crystal Court	Madikeri	INR 2500	(+91) 82722 21543
8	Coorg Lagoon Resort	Harangi Dam Road, Kushalnagar	INR 3500	(+91) 94805 57616
9	Misty Woods Resort	Kakkabe	INR 5000	(+91) 82722 38561
10	Vivanta By Taj	Galibeedu, Madikeri,	INR 8500	(+91) 82726 65800

So what are you waiting for? Blessed with unmatched scenic beauty and tons of adventure options, Coorg can bring you one of the most memorable holidays of your life. Visit Coorg, enjoy the scenic nature, experience the thrills, relish the delicious Kodagu cuisines and bring back a bunchful of wonderful memories to cherish for years to come!

Regards,
Deb

 

Thank you for the travel guide to Coorg. This place certainly offers a lot of things to do while you are visiting. Does the microlight flying require that you already know how to fly or do they send you off with someone who knows how to maneuver and land the thing?

 

That's a 2-seater aircraft and you will be accompanied by an experienced trainer.