Friday, January 7, 2011

The Land of Pristine Beauty Coorg - Karnataka, India

Coorg is a land of bounty and lush greenery that never seems to end. Mainly a land of agriculture, Coorg or Kodagu is a small hill station in the state of Karnataka. Coorg is one of the cleaner regions of Karnataka with environment conscious natives.

Coorg was originally known as Kodaimalenadu or the land of dense forest on steep hill. Coorg district is very beautiful with scattered villages, hamlets and a few townships. Coffee and pepper are the most cultivated crops here and driving / walking around Coorg is indeed a delightful option.

Reaching there
By Air: The closest airport is Bangalore

By Train: The closest railway head is Mysore

By Road: The Mysore-Mangalore highway passes through Coorg. The district headquarters Madikeri is located 260 km from Bangalore and 120 km from Mysore. You may reach Kutta from Bangalore in 6 hours via Mysore.

Besides the rich greenery and pleasant weather experienced throughout the year, the important places of tourist importance are not to be missed. Coorg is mainly divided into South Coorg and North Coorg.

Main places to visit in North Coorg are as follows:

Madikeri: Madikeri is the headquarters of Coorg. The main places of tourist importance are:

Madikeri fort: It is located in the centre of the town which houses a temple, a chapel, prison and a small museum.

Raja Seat: The Raja seat is a small pavilion located at the western end of the city. It offers a magnificent view of the valley below. It is exceptionally beautiful at sunset. As the name denotes the then Raja of the region spent his evenings here. Mist capped mountains and the cool breeze is indeed a real treat.

Omkareshwara Temple:
Abbey Falls: Do not miss the mesmerizing water fall while you are in Coorg. You may reach the place from Madikeri on local transport (7 kms) and walk a short distance to enjoy the mystical beauty of the place.

From Madikeri, you may plan excursions to a few places nearby:

Talakaveri: This is a holy place for all Kodavas. Better known as the birthplace of River Kaveri, the Brahmagiri hills is situated 1276 m above sea level.

Kushalnagar
A connection between Coorg and Mysore districts, this place is renowned for the Tibetan monastery and well kept surroundings.

Tibetan Monastry: The monastery is a renowned tourist destination. You may also visit Bylakuppe, one of the biggest Tibetan settlements in India. It is well known for its handicrafts and Buddhist monasteries. The 40 feet idol of the Namdroling Monastery (also called the Golden Monastery) is unquestionably a popular attraction.

Cauvery Nisargadhama: Nisargadhama is an island on the river Cauvery. Access to this beautiful and serene island is through a hanging bridge. It is densely covered with huge bamboo plants and a walk through this greenery, discovering huts, tree houses and bird nests can be a real treat. You may go on elephant rides or visit the small zoo for amusement. It’s a popular picnic spot and the perfect place to chill out with friends and family. You may go on a boat ride to view some really exotic birds if you are here during winters.

Dubare Forest: This is a perfect picnic getaway with crystal clear stream and thick woods. A visit to the elephant training camp is a must. For adventure lovers there is river rafting and for those who are not, there is the lazy elephant ride.

Harangi dam: A famous water reservoir located in Kushalnagar across a small stream of Dubare forest and offshoot of river kaveri.

Places to visit in South Coorg
Madikeri is well connected to most tourist destinations in Coorg and is no doubt a tourist's paradise. There are a few lesser discovered places in Coorg which are mushrooming into famous tourist destinations. One of these lesser discovered places, is Kutta. A small village in South Coorg, it is about 236 kms from Bangalore and can be easily reached on road. The route traversed is Bangalore – Mysore – Hunsur – Nagarhole – Kutta and it takes about 6 hrs to cover the distance.

Places to visit in Kutta
While you are in Kutta you may hire a jeep and visit places nearby. The hospitability of Coorgs will bowl you over during your stay at one of the ‘home stays’.
Nagarhole

The ‘Nagarhole National Park’ is about 10 km North of Kutta. If you are a wild life enthusiast, then make sure to visit Wyanad wildlife sanctuary as well, which is located 8 kms south. The Nagarhole park is open between 6 am to 9 am and remember, earlier the better. Early mornings are the best to spot animals. In the evenings the park opens from 4 pm to 6 pm.

If you have never spotted the Indian Gaur or jungle bison then Nagarhole is just the place where you will spot one. Elephants are a common sight at the jungle. It is interesting to note that the total population of elephants in southern India is about 6500. And almost all of them live in the area where Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala join in the shadow of the Western Ghats.

Irpu falls
This is a famous water fall located within the Brahmagiri wild life sanctuary; the fall is 58 feet high. The river ‘Lakshman Thirtha’ flows as an ejection of crystal clear water. You may bathe and swim around the water fall and adjacent low lying areas filled with water.

The most enchanting thing about Coorg is the ‘home stay’ facility available here. It is a welcome change from the hotels and suites that urbanites are accustomed to. It gives you a truly ethnic experience with unmatched hospitality and mouth watering cuisine.


Staying in North Coorg
Hotel Coorg International
Convent Road
Madikeri

Hotel Rajdarshan
Near Raja Seat
Madikeri

Capitol Village
Located 5 km from Madikeri, it is located within beautiful coffee and cardamom plantation. There are trekking, plantation tours and angling trips on offer.

Gowri Nivas Homestay
PO Box138, New extension,
Madikeri,
North Kodagu

Rather then these, many home stays ae easily available.

Staying in South Coorg
Jade Homestay
Manchalli, Kutta

Bethel Homestay
Bethel Estates,
Bhiruga Village,
Srimangala,
South Coorg

Treasure resort
Kutta Village
Ph: 9880658176

Best Time To Visit: April to November.



1 comment:

  1. every weekend i would like to vist some new places this time i choose to visit this place before i vist i read your blog really thanku your inforamtion helps me a lot act i am very new to that place ...next week i am planning to visit Bandipur Resort

    ReplyDelete

 
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