Indulge in Wilderness : Coorg

After soaking my feet in sand and feeding my soul with the view of vast ocean in Gokarna & Varkala, my heart wanted more, but this time I wanted to go to the mountains.

With the time constraints we had, Munnar and Kodaikanal were off the list, in no time me & my friends headed for Coorg in a Tempo Traveler at 1.30 am in night (Name & Number), taking tea breaks in between.

It takes 5-6 hours from Bangalore to Coorg.

The drive from Bangalore to Coorg is very scenic, watching the splendid sunrise paint the sky with soothing colours, and the beautiful landscape full of coconut trees, no wonder why it's tagged as The Scotland of India. Apt Indeed.

In need of a refreshing break, we booked a homestay amidst the Coffee Plantation in Madikeri. Admiring the vast stretch of lush green plantation, we were welcomed with freshly brewed coffee, which was enough to wake us up.

Needless to say, homestays are cost effective when travelling in group, plus you get to have home-made food cooked with their local spices. (Name & Number and cost)

Though there were eight beds in two rooms of the ground floor that we booked, but we all accommodated in one big room.

Soon after few matches of Badminton, we decided to head to Abbey waterfalls and Mandalpatti for the evening.

Abbey Waterfall is one of the biggest and famous waterfalls in Coorg, quite picturesque. But we thought of leaving little early as it was a Saturday and overcrowded also we were excited more about our next destination - Mandalpatti.

Mandalpatti is one of those hidden treasures with breathtaking view of green hills located at a distance of 20 kms from Madikeri town.

You need to park your vehicle at Mandalpatti forest checkpoint and take entrance tickets, now either you can trek all the way to the hills or take a jeep to reach the top.

After bargaining, the jeep costed us 1500 to and fro for 6 people. It took half an hour from the check-point to the view point. Since there are no shops around there so better to take food and water along while trekking.

By the time we reached the top, it was quite late in the evening so we couldn't stay there for more than an hour and a half since the roads are quite steep and scary.

Once on top, the beauty of the hills will start unwrapping itself, giving you a 360 view of lush greenery. You can climb from one hillock to another and feel the fresh air hitting your face, such serene view.

Set amidst Pushpagiri reserve forest, you can enjoy the charming gardens of Raja Seat from the top and the Sun setting in panoramic view of the valley enough to enchant you. Ohh!! It's marvellous!

Moments like these makes you realise, there is so much for your eyes to see. My Safarnama of Coorg seemed complete and satisfying.

Darkness started to creep in and it was time to head back, we started from the hilltop to the check- point, and it was so splendid to see fireflies glowing in the dark.

The whole experience was wild and weathered.

Excited to have homemade dinner after a long day, we reached back to our homestay with some wine and we were surprised by a bonfire in the front yard. Cherishing old memories and stories while sipping wine around the fire, our tired bodies gave up and we called it a night.

We woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the fresh air. Buzzed with the green, John Mayer made our Sunday morning. After taking a tour of the coffee plantation, we chilled for a while and started packing to leave in the evening. We started at 6pm in the evening, had dinner in the mid-way and reached Koramangala, Bangalore at 1.30am.

Coorg is like Jim Corbett of South India, extremely refreshing and serene. If you are planning to take a break from the daily hustle bustle, without even giving a second thought, go for a road trip to Coorg with your friends and indulge in the wilderness.

https://youtu.be/ML-UX5W18K0