I won’t repeat that Coorg is the Scotland of India, as every other travel guide to Coorg must have already touched upon that point already! Well! I don’t know anything about the landscape of Scotland since I’ve not been there. However, from my experience of Coorg, I can certainly talk about this quaint town nestled in the Western ghats of South Karnataka. Rolling green hills, aromatic coffee, tea estates, silky waterfalls blending into the Kaveri, old temples, and ancient monasteries all make Coorg a must-visit! For us millennials who work a 9 AM – 9 PM setting, getting an opportunity to run away from the maddening rush of Bangalore city to a more natural setting to Coorg is always a good idea. Especially when you have your parents traveling with you. A 5:30-hour drive from Bangalore, Coorg offers the much-needed natural respite we long for. A kind homestay, a coffee estate to stroll about, delicious Coorgi cuisine, lush greenery all around, and a cup of steaming coffee rejuvenated us like no other. Another location that offers the same experience is Chikmagalur – you can read about our experience there.
Day 1:
Check-in at our estate stay
Lavish Lunch at a valley view restaurant
A visit to the Abbey Falls
There are plenty of homestays in Coorg to choose from. However, we always wanted a plantation stay and zeroed in on the Aanchal Homestay – one of the most economical and gorgeous places in the lap of nature. A 15-minute drive from the center of the town and nestled amidst hectares of coffee & cardamom plantations, this is surely the place to be.
We started our journey from Bangalore by 6:00 AM and reached on-time by 12:00 PM, with a couple of chai stops (Duh! India runs on chai!) Post-check-in, Day 1 was spent leisurely by having a lavish lunch at Mayura Valley View, Madikeri. Located on the edge of the mountain with spectacular views of the valley below, this is one of the best properties for a stay as well. Post enjoying lunch with a view, we headed to one of the most populous waterfalls at Coorg – Abbey Falls. The Abbey Falls are located between private coffee plantations with coffee bushes and spice estates in Kodagu, around 8 KM’s away from Madikeri, Coorg. Earlier known as Jessi Falls, (after the wife of a British officer), Abbey Falls is a sight to behold! Falling from a height of 70 feet, surrounded by lush greenery is indeed a sight to experience. The waterfall is a combination of multiple streams that falls into a pool of water finally merging into the river Kaveri. Aromas of coffee and spice intermingled with the refreshing coolness of the air make this visit pretty memorable. Post the visit to Abbey Falls, we made it back to our estate to spend a leisurely evening witnessing the sunset and gorging on the Coorgi delicacies served for dinner. While we hit the bed at night, we were already looking forward to the next day of sightseeing!
Day 2:
Harangi backwaters
Nisargadhama
Chiklihole Water Reservoir
We kickstarted the second day with a drive to a lesser-known destination at Coorg – the backwaters of the Harangi reservoir. The Harangi Dam is built across the river Harangi, a tributary of Kaveri. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, a majority of the pool is off-limits to tourists now. Hence, we decided to try out a bit of an off-roading experience to reach our destination. And when we did, we were spellbound. With vast stretches of landscape with close to zero tourists, we felt like having the entire place to ourselves! Furthermore, you can drive along the water bank, roll down the windows and take in all the fresh air. Rejuvenated.
After having spent leisure time at the backwaters, we decided to move forward to Nisargadhama – which is a delta formed by the Kaveri, near Kushalnagar (Kodagu, Karnataka, India). This is also one of the most visited tourist attractions with a rope bridge, bamboo trees, and a deer park to boast of! Entry tickets are INR 20/-. The entrance is through the hanging rope bridge and is quite an experience to cross once filled with hordes of people. Post entering the park, it’s more of a leisurely stroll amidst bamboo trees, eucalyptus plantations, and ceremoniously trimmed shrugs. One can also hear the gushing Kaveri flowing by your side. The stroll of the entire park can be done in roughly an hour, with an opportunity to dip your feet into the cool waters of Kaveri as well.
It was almost late afternoon we exited Nisargadhama and quickly made our way to lunch. Post gorging on some Coorgi food, we made our way to the third stop in our itinerary. The Chiklihole Reservoir is made on one of the tributaries of Kaveri and is not a crowd puller like the other hotspots. However, the calming influence of water, surrounded by lush green surroundings, the seclusion, and the privacy offered to make this a must-visit as well. Pro-Tip: This place offers spectacular sunsets, so make sure to time your visit appropriately.
Day 3:
Talakaveri Temple
Madikeri Fort
Raja’s Seat
The third day started with a visit to one of the most popular tourist spots located in the Brahmagiri hills. Around 48 KMs away from Madikeri and a 1:30 Hour drive, Talakaveri has high religious importance. Located at a height of 1276 meters above sea level, there is a small spring called Tirtha Kundike. It is said that this is the source of the river Kaveri. It is generally believed that the spring flows underground and emerges after a short distance. Having huge religious significance, there is a shrine located near the Kundike along with a huge tank for the devotees to sprinkle water before offering prayers. The drive to the Talakaveri temple is also pleasant – with alternating mountains and lush greenery to keep one company.
Post offering our prayers to Lord Shiva, we made it back to Madikeri to visit the Madikeri Fort. Built-in the last quarter of the 17th Century by Mudduraja, Madikeri Fort was later renovated by stones and bricks by Tipu Sultan who renamed the fort as Jaffarabad. The fort has been witness to many battles and successions. The British have reconstructed the fort twice and added a clock tower as well. Currently, the fort is used as the office of the Deputy Commissioner. Even though there is not much to explore, the Madikeri Fort is indeed one of the places one shouldn’t miss. After strolling about the Madikeri Fort, we made our way to one of the famous viewpoints at Coorg to experience the sunset. Offering mesmerizing scenic beauty and an enchanting environment, Raja’s Seat is a very popular tourist destination at Madikeri, Coorg. Golden sunlight falling on the lush greenery offers amazing photographic opportunities as well. Just sit tight and witness the glorious sunset over the hills. Who said chasing sunsets isn’t a thing? When we returned to our homestay after watching the sunset, our minds were at peace and our hearts rejuvenated at the wonderful experience that Coorg had been. However, the day was not done yet. Our hosts had arranged for a bonfire and some delicious Coorgi food to tingle our taste buds further. Alls’ well that ends well!
Day 4:
The day to return back to our base is always a dampening one. But our hosts ensured we had a good walking tour of the entire estate in the morning, to take back pleasant memories. And with God’s grace, the walk turned out to be spectacular! Being an early spring morning, we had fog descend down on the coffee plantation and made the entire experience erringly beautiful. The birds chirping, a few drops of rain falling on our shoulders, and coffee & cardamom fragrances bestowing their presence – all made for an amazing experience. After having a sumptuous breakfast and freshly brewed aromatic coffee, we slowly started our way back to Bangalore. Overall, the visit to Coorg was highly fulfilling and gave us the opportunity to escape from our mundane routine!
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*Fin*
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