Wild About Coorg

Best places to visit in Coorg, sightseeing & tourist attractions in Coorg

Coorg’s array of rustic pleasures are many: aromatic spice and coffee plantation, dark and mysterious forests brimming with wildlife and exotic bird, charming settlements, picturesque waterfalls… its even got a Tibetan settlement.  The British called this sylvan hill station in southwest Karnataka the Scotland of the South, thanks to its fish speckled streams, misty blue hills and its air of being unravaged by tourist hordes.

 

Map of Coorg

Madikeri, the district capital of Coorg in southwest Karnataka is located 260 km southwest of Bangalore, 90 km west of Mysore, 170 km south east of the coastal town of Mangalore and around 50 km north of the Kerala border.

 

Why Coorg 

Trekking safaris, plantation tours, boating in the Cauveri River, a dip in pools at the base of waterfalls, pilgrim trails, a Tibetan settlement… The south Karnataka hill station has more to offer visitors that its equable climate.

 

What to see and do in Coorg:

PLANTATION TOURS

Stroll through aromatic spice and coffee plantations, learn how to distinguish between different kinds of spice and coffee beans and feel one with nature.

 

FOREST TREKS AND BIRDWATCHING

Go on a wildlife trek through Dubare forest and feel the magic of nature. Coorg has around 25% of bird species in India and is a bird watcher’s delight

 

CORACLE RIDE ON THE RIVER CAUVERI

Ride a traditional round boat on the sacred river which is the life giving force of the region. Hop off on a river island and feel the embrace of nature. Maybe even cast a baited line and hope a fish will bite.

 

DABARE ELEPHANT CAMP

Drop by the riverfront Dabare Elephant Camp and help bathe and feed the elephants. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a short elephant back safari into the neighboring forest.

 

VISIT THE TIBETAN SETTELMENT AT BYLEKUPPE

Bylekuppe is the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet, complete with a Buddhist monastery, 7,000 monks, a Tibetan village and a flea market.

 

MEET A VILLAGE WITCHDOCTOR

Go native and drop in on a tribal village and meet the village witchdoctor who claims to have cures for everything from common colds to snake bites and cancer. He will also show you his medicine chest which has exotic ingredients like scorpions, spiders and mysterious roots.

 

EXPLORE MEDIKERI

Located in the district capital which is surrounded by Tippu Sultans fort is the city museum housed in a structure that was once the Veerabhadra Temple, then an Anglican Church. Likewise Omkareshwara Temple is a sangam of Catholic, Islamic and Hindu architectural influences. Then visit the Abbey Falls, 7 km outside the town and the Islamic style Raja’s Tombs. Come evening and head for Raja’s Seat where in the old days the Kings and their concerts watched the sunset.

Local Languages: 

Kannada and English

Best time to visit:

 

This hill station is an all season destination with equitable climate right throughout the year.

In winter (Oct to Jan) the temperatures range from a minimum of 14* C to 26* C. The rest of the year it ranges from 20* C to 30* C.

Although it is quite wet during the monsoon months (mid June to September) there is a magical quality in the air as mist sweeps across the hills draped with forests and plantations.

 

Travel to Chanderi

AIR: The nearest airports to Madikeri the district capital are at Mangalore (170 km) and Bangalore (275 km).

 

RAIL: The nearest stations are at Mysore (90 km), Mangalore (170 km) and Bangalore (275 km)

ROAD:

Distances from major cities

Mysore (90 km)

Mangalore (170 km)

Bangalore (275 km)

Nagarhole National Park, Kabini (120 km)

Hassan, hub for Belur and Halebid (135 km)

Wayanad, Kerala (150 km)

Kozhikode / Calicut, Kerala (170 km)

Udagamandalam / Ooty, Tamil Nadu (160 km)

 

Excursions from Coorg: Coorg is part of a larger South India tourist circuit which could include the rain forests of Wayanad (150 km) and Kozhikode / Calicut in Kerala (170 km) to the south; Udagamandalam / Ooty in Tamil Nadu (160 km); Nagarhole National Park, Kabini (120 km); Hassan the hub for temple towns of Belur and Halebid (135 km); Mysore (90 km) and Bangalore (275 km)

 

Hotels in Coorg: 

In addition to Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation’s Mayura Valley View complex in Madikeri there are a number of private properties that cater to all budgets, from shoestring to five-star resorts

Coorg Travel Packages:

 Helpful Tips

• A pair of good walking shoes is a must if you are planning to do plantation and jungle treks.
• Since the public transportation system is not up to par in this region, it might be a good idea to hire a car. More so if Coorg is a stopover on a larger tour of South India.
• If you have shopping on your mind then make sure you have spices, coffee and local handicrafts on your list.