Coorg
State rank: 2 out of 52 Places To Visit In Karnataka
Weather:
Ideal duration: 2 - 3 days
Best time: October - March (Read More)
Nearest Airport: Mangalore (Check Flights)
"The Scotland of India"
Coorg Tourism
Located amidst imposing mountains in Karnataka with a perpetually misty landscape, Coorg is the place to be for all nature lovers. This popular coffee producing hill station is not only popular for its beautiful green hills and the streams cutting right through them. It also stands as a popular destination because of its culture and people. The Kodavas, a local clan specialising in martial arts, are especially notable for their keen hospitality.
Coorg, officially known as Kodagu, is the most affluent hill station in Karnataka. It is well known for its breathtakingly exotic scenery and lush greenery. Forest covered hills, spice and coffee plantations only add to the landscape. Madikeri is the region's centre point with all transportation for getting around starting from here. On a visit to Coorg, cover the beautiful towns like Virajpet, Kushalnagar, Gonikoppal, Pollibetta, and Somwarpet, and experience the beautiful concept of "homestays" to make your experience more memorable!
Top Things To Do In Coorg
Top Hotels in Coorg
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Taj Madikeri Resort & Spa Coorg
Staring from INR 12,500
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Three Hills Coorg
Staring from INR 2,250
Coorg Reviews
For me, Coorg provided the perfect weekend away from my fast-paced city life with its several historical and cultural tourist attractions. Raja’s Seat, a favourite of the Kings of Kodagu, is a sunset point where you can view all of the surrounding green hills. Madikeri Fort, another must-see landmark, was built by Muddu Raja, and houses within it a church, a temple, a prison, a library and a museum. The Abbey Falls, a personal favourite, is where the water of the Kaveri river falls from a soaring height of 70 feet. I highly recommend carrying your walking shoes – walking will give you the best view of the town’s beauty!
I visited Coorg in 2016. The place looks like a fairyland. Calm and serene verdant hills. If you are accompanied with children, must try a ride in children's train at the Raja's seat.
- If you are visiting Coorg in wet weather seasons, beware of leeches especially while walking through wet grass and in bathrooms/toilets.
- Watch out for traffic (locals warn about overloaded lorries"") along the main highways leading into Madikeri and the winding roads of the region. Speedbreakers on some roads tend to be unmarked. Wild animals are reported on some roads at night, and domesticated herds by day too.
- Along with Kannada, English and Hindi are also spoken in Coorg, so language should not be a problem here.
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What's Great?
Coorg is an evergreen place owing to its weather which remains pleasant throughout the year. You can visit this place at any time of the year.
What's not so Great?
The place is not easily accessible, as it does not have an airport or railway station of its own. Public transport for commuting in the local areas is also a problem.
For Whom
Meant for nature lovers who love to explore nature. Coorg is also a honeymooner's paradise. For those enjoy some adrenaline rush, Coorg is again an ideal destination with its number of adventure sports. It is an ideal place for coffee lovers!
Kodava Culture
The Kodavas (a local clan in Coorg), are considered to be absolutely the most hospitable people. What makes Coorg as a tourist destination better, is the fact that the Kodavas are markedly different from other cultures. For instance, it is said that attending a Kodava marriage, wherein the ceremony is conducted not by a priest but by the elders of the two families, is considered as an enriching experience. The marriage takes place after the cutting of banana stumps by a representative. Dancing commences on tribal beats and instruments post the feast. The concept of "Kanyadaan" is absent. The Kodavas also happen to be different because of their different dressing style. For instance, the women wear their saris in a different way wherein the pleats are tucked at the back, and the loose end of the sari is drawn under the left shoulder and secured over the right. This community also happens to be animal and ancestor worshippers, and have a number of festivals celebrated, the most important of which are: Puthari (harvest festival), Kail Polud (celebrating end of the paddy transplanting season), and Kaveri Sankramana (celebrating the birth of the river Kaveri). The Kodavas, a martial arts race, lay a lot of importance on their weapons, and hence have a festival dedicated to them - Keil Podh.
Scotland of India
Coorg was called Scotland of India by the Britishers during their visit in the 19th century to this quaint little town of Karnataka. Once you enter the geographical boundaries of this hill town, you will realise the place has done true justice to its nickname. Coorg is famous for the surreal beauty of nature and the hills of the Western Ghats covered by the mist of clouds and accompanied by the pleasant weather. To enjoy the best views that Coorg has to offer, you must visit Raja's Seat - a small garden adorned with the flowers affording a view of the majestic hills of the Western Ghats. Mandalpatti viewpoint is another spot which offers the awe-gaping view of the lush green beauty of Coorg along with the experience of trekking amid the hills of Western Ghats.
Coffee Plantations
If there is one thing that defines Coorg the best, then it has to be the infinite regal fields of coffee plantations. Coorg is one of the highest producers of coffee in India. You must visit the Tata plantation trails of coffee in Coorg and enjoy the freshly brewed coffee made from the fresh cocoa beans. To gain the best experience you can also choose to stay at one of the resorts located right in the centre of coffee fields. The coffee grown in Coorg is apparently the best mild coffee in the world, as it is grown in the shade. Coorg is popular for the plantation of 'Arabica' (which requires an altitude of 3,300 feet to 4,900 feet above the sea level), and 'Robusta' (requiring an altitude of 1,600 feet to around 3,300 feet above the sea level). It is necessary for coffee to be grown around a lot of trees and shade, as it would prevent soil erosion. Coorg has about 270 species of trees listed. An ideal rain of 60 to 80 inches is required for the plantation of coffee. Very cold weather is not suitable for the growth of coffee. The temperature ideal for the growth of coffee is between 23 degrees Celsius, and 28 degree Celsius.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Coorg, check-in at the hotel. Leave for the local sightseeing after breakfast at the hotel. Visit Raja's Seat: Elevated approximately at an altitude of 1500m, the Raja's Seat is famous for its picturesque sceneries of misty hills of Western Ghats. Abbey Falls: Located on the outskirts of the Madikeri district, the Abbey Falls are yet another popular destination of Coorg.
Day 2: Pay a visit to the religious Omkareshwar Jyotirling temple, which is famous for its ancient ghats and holds immense value for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Golden temple/Tibetan monasteries are one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in India. Visit this famous place to introduce yourself to the Tibetan culture.
Day 3: Visit Cauvery Nisargadhama: A beautiful island formed by the river Cauvery is one of the must-visit places near Coorg. Reaching here requires to trek to the rope bridges will give you an adventurous ride.
Day 4: Trip to Coffee and spice plantations. You can also add some experiences of adventure on your trip such as Camping, Rafting, trekking, microlight flying and paragliding in Coorg.
Coorg is the home of authentic Kodava cuisine. Like most areas in and around the town, the platter revolves around the staple rice. A speciality of the area is Sannakki, a fragrant kind of rice. Non-vegetarian preparations of pork, meat and fish are also popular.
Other local favorites include Akki Oti (Rice chapatis), a huge variety of Pattus (a steamed dish), Pulvas, preparations of pork, dried fish, crab meat, Baimbale Curry (a preparation of Bamboo Shoots), Kumm Curry (a preparation of wild mushrooms) and Chekke curry (made using unripe jackfruit). Also find a wide range of teasing chutneys here, as well as unique pickles of pork, fish, mushrooms, bitter orange and tender bamboo.
A number of restaurants also serve many vegetarian dishes along with typical Indian, Chinese, Continental and Tibetan cuisines as well as popular South-Indian cuisine consisting of dishes like dosa, vada, idli, sambhar and rasam.
Latest questions by travellers on Coorg
You can come to bangalore by any transport.. From there you have to catch a bus to madikeri which takes around 7hrs travel time. You can visit mysore on the way or while coming back.. Which is 3 hr from bangalore..