Coorg: Of coffee, wilderness and our first travel together

India
Karnataka, trekking

“The most beautiful places are at the end of really bad roads”. Coorg had fit this bill quite correctly back then. With its lure of coffee plantations, exotic homestays and the wild Western ghats, we knew Coorg had to be our honeymoon destination.

We want to share with you some highlights of our visit to Coorg.

Coorg is synonymous to Indian coffee

While talking about Coorg, coffee deserves the first mention. Besides visiting a coffee plantation, we could first hand see the various stages that coffee seeds go through before getting into our cuppa. Carpets of coffee seeds laid to sun dry outside the houses is a common sight in Coorg.

As are these mountains.

Many coffee estate owners have opened up their homes to tourists. So one can experience the local life and hospitality of Coorg while staying on a coffee estate.

Which brings us to the next most exciting part of our visit.

Exotic homestays of Coorg

We travelled through Coorg (officially known as the Kodagu district) from the north to the south. Our stay in the north was in this charming homestay called Windcrest in a tiny village called Galeebidu near Madikeri, the district headquarters. It is home to Girish and Bollu. They spend their winters at Windcrest. The rest of the year, they spend with their daughters’ families in US and UK.

We would greet the sun from the gazebo over our outhouse. In between the outhouse and the gazebo was Girish and Bollu’s beautiful bungalow. Our day began with coffee followed by a full-blown breakfast. Followed by the juice of the fruits that Girish grew here in the Windcrest gardens. Dinners were always some delightful local delicacies.

After a few days here in northern part of Coorg, we shifted to the south, to a homestay called Spice Garden near Kuta. While the north was all charming like a hill station, the south was raw and rustic. If the north was a well-manicured garden, the south was a wild forest.

Quite fittingly, we stayed in this tent on the grounds of Spice Garden. Tent with a personal porch, dining sit out and a tree house! Spice Garden is home to a modern 21st-century farmer Naveen Cariappa and his entrepreneurial wife Raina (You can call them on +91 9448504061, +91 9448313965. Ask for Raina as she looks into the homestay business.)

Their coffee plantations were just next to the homestay. Surrounding these plantations was a beautiful forest.

A passionate wildlife conservationist, who had also participated in the tiger census, conversations with Naveen were as delightful as they were insightful.

The tent accommodation was a surprisingly relaxing experience. Being in the outdoors, yet warm and cozy with all the privacy one would want, it was a perfect setting.

The Cariappa family would arrange our candlelit dinners on a dining sit out next to the tent. We feasted on organic home-grown ingredients in fresh local recipes supervised by Raina herself.

Post dinner, we would sit on the porch or by a bonfire, under a blanket of the star-studded sky until it got too cold to be outdoors, then retire to the warm indoor comforts.

These homestay experiences got us totally hooked on to the idea of staying with the locals, they are now a huge part of our travels.

Some options for homestays in Coorg are the

Green Pastures Homestay in Somvarpet, an interesting option for a homestay away from the crowds.
If you want something closer to Madikeri yet tucked away in wilderness, 4 C’s Little Paradise near Madikeri is another homestay option.

However, if you still feel that homestays aren’t your cup of tea, there is no dearth of super chic luxury resorts in Coorg.

5-star Evolve Back (formerly Orange County)
Tamara
Or the Windflower Resort and Spa, if your budget is somewhere in between.

With the stay sorted, you can set out exploring Coorg.

Bylakuppe, a little Tibet in South India

In the midst of all the coffee and forest is a surprising little Tibetan settlement in the form of Bylakuppe. Around 40 km southwards of Madikeri, the Namdroling monastery is located in Bylakuppe. It is built on the land donated to the Tibetian refugees by the Government of India.

The main prayer hall in the monastery has a series of such paintings on its walls rendering a very colourful feel to the prayer hall.

It also houses a religious college. Some monks were studying, preparing for their exams. Except for the maroon robes, it was a scene just like any other university campus!

Rich biodiversity of Coorg, thanks to the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats were added to the UNESCO world heritage list for their rich biodiversity. Being situated on the eastern slopes of these ranges, Coorg is a perfect spot to experience this biodiversity.

Everywhere we went, we could spot a variety of butterflies, birds and reptiles. Going on a nature trail with an expert in this field will be a highly enriching experience.

The highway from Mysore to Coorg passes through the forest. We didn’t have to wait for a wildlife safari to be enthralled by the forest life.

At one spot, we drove past this wild elephant. Naveen was driving us around and he informed us that this was actually a tuskless male elephant. Female elephants look down upon such males, so he lives a pretty isolated life.

We were glad we didn’t disturb this Chital’s early morning yoga routine!

Another great place to see the animals up, close and personal is the Dubare Elephant Camp

If you get your timing right, you can even participate in the bathing and scrubbing of the elephants in the Dubare camp. We got a little late getting to Dubare, so missed out on the elephants. But spent a lovely time by this section of the Cauvery river.

Meet the tiger at the Nagarhole Wildlife sanctuary

We didn’t, but many have. We did see the Indian bison, wild hogs, mongoose and the famous Malabar giant squirrel. But the early morning air, and the smell and sounds of the forest – that’s what overwhelms!

Sighting or not, it’s a highly recommended experience. Nagarhole has a variety of safaris to suit every budget. The quality also varies accordingly. Whatever the budget, just get into the forest. It’s a feeling words and photos can not do justice to.

Coorg has several one day/multi day treks for the more outdoor inclined

Its location makes Coorg a perfect starting point for treks in the Western Ghats. From simpler one day treks to the more arduous multi day ones.

One trek we went for was in the northern part of Coorg. On a clear day, the waters of the Arabian sea can be seen from the peak here. Our caretaker at Windcrest accompanied us as a guide for this trek. His trivia filled stories about the landscape and the flora-fauna made it a fun outing in the woods.

The second trek we did was in the southern part of Coorg. This was through the forest where the river Lakshmanteerth originates, near the Iruppu waterfalls. We had to get permission from the forest department for this trek. This time, our guide was a forest guard.

The trek started off in a bamboo forest, and went through some deciduous and later an evergreen section. Witnessing the rapid changes in the forest was amazing. And sightings of snakes, wild hogs running (escaping a wild elephant, the guide told us) and hairy droppings (indicating a predator’s habitat) was exciting!

Another popular trek is to the highest peak of Coorg, the Tadiandamol. Moderate levels of fitness and lots of water are a must to finsih this trek comfortably on your own. We didn’t do this trek, but on next visit to Coorg, we definitely will!

Time to spend with nature

Even outside of the mountains or forests, Coorg offers a bountiful of rejuvenating nature time. There are several small islands, perfect for a casual stroll, some canoeing or just a picnic.

Or walk through farmlands.

You know you are in a special place when a walk around town involves sights like these.

Coorg is not your typical “tourist destination”. It is also a far call from the regular “honeymoon spots”. But if walking through stunning landscapes or under star-studded skies – with just you and that special someone – is your idea of a romantic holiday, by all means, go ahead and plans your honeymoon to Coorg!

Top tips for travel to Coorg:

Coorg is a relatively easy weekend getaway from Bangalore and Mysore and easily one of the best places to visit in July in India. For getting here from most other major cities in India will involve some planning ahead.
We got to Madikeri via the coastal town of Mangalore in Karnataka. This route has been under repairs and expansion for a long time now. If you plan to take this route, check on its condition around your travel time.
KSRTC has good connectivity from cities like Pune and Mumbai to Mysore, Bangalore and Mangalore. There are regular buses from these big cities in Karnataka to places like Madikeri and Kushal Nagar in Coorg.
There are many homestays in Coorg. They are a wonderful way of experiencing a slice of life in Coorg. Do consider these for your stay in Coorg.
If you are travelling solo, or travelling on a budget or if you like staying with the traveller community, an excellent stay option is Zostel Coorg. It’s an absolutely drool worthy property!
Your local contact in Coorg will be able to guide you to some really offbeat places around. They can also arrange for local guides and drivers. As tourists or visitors to a new place, it is great to participate in the local economy this way.
Make sure you get your stash of coffee from Coorg. Or some organic spices. And if you are so inclined, a variety of wines (gooseberry wine, yum!) made from the local fruits.
Try at least one outdoorsy activity in Coorg. It is a great setting to get back to climbing, swimming or cycling.
The Western Ghats – the “star attraction” of Coorg – have been crowned with a UNESCO world heritage designation. It is our responsibility to make sure we do not hamper this. As we always say, respect nature.

Map of Coorg

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