One fine day, I was lying in bed with my mind full of thoughts regarding my work life. I was stressed, and a few days of a break was much needed. Suddenly, the idea of planning a trip struck my mind. I thought there was nothing better than tripping to refresh my mind.
I was searching for the Best places that would take me into nature’s beauty. But suddenly, I remembered about Coorg and decided to visit. Immediately, I checked for the available tickets and booked them.
I live in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, and Coorg is located in Karnataka. I took my car to travel from Haldwani to Delhi and a flight from Delhi to Bangalore, the silicon valley of India. The journey was very long.
I was running short of time and couldn’t explore Bangalore. Well, I booked a cab from Bangalore to Mysore, which was a distance of 142 km approx. The journey lasted for around 4 hours, full of lush green on both sides. This was a very refreshing experience.
Since childhood, I have heard much about Mysore Palace and desired to visit once. So, I was at the place on my bucket list – Mysore Palace.
Mysore Palace
A cultural heritage known as Amba Vilas Palace, Mysore Palace, was magnificent and mesmerizing. I was frozen for a while to see such a breathtaking place with the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.
The palace belonged to the royal family of Mysore and was built in 1912 for the 24th Ruler of the Wodeyar Dynasty.
I want to share a picture of the palace infrastructure and its aesthetic.
I was amazed by the architecture, intricate design details, colors, and everything inside the palace. Also, I got to know about the history of the ‘Raja’ who lived there and all about his wars.
After exploring the palace for around 2 to 3 hours, I went to Coorg by cab. The distance was approximately 120 km. Again, it was like going through a path surrounded by tall trees and bushes.
Blue sky, refreshing air, green trees, and birds chirping. The whole has made me experience the essence of peacefulness.
Day 1 in Coorg
Coorg is the most famous hill station in Karnataka. It is a weekend gateway place for people living in nearby cities.
Popularly known as the Scottland of India, Coorg is filled with everything a tourist seeks on a trip – scenic beauty, waterfalls, adventurous activities, spiritual temples, and many more!
Coorg District is divided into three talukas: Madikeri, Virajpet, and Somwarpet. Madikeri is the main town and district headquarters of Coorg or Kodagu. Other major cities of the Kodagu are Virajpet, Kushalanagara, and Somwarpet.
There were four friends with me, and we opted for a homestay in Madikeri – Ishwari Cottage. It was located at the serene pathway of a well-known spot in Madikeri – Raja’s Seat.
I had a great experience staying there as greens surrounded the cottage in nature’s lap.
As the cottage was near Raja’s seat, my friends and I decided to visit that place. It was a refreshing place with a soothing environment. Well, I will describe it later in the article.
Onkareshwar Temple
The first spot we visited was Onkareshwar Temple. Built in 1820 by King Lingarajendra, the temple depicted Islamic and Gothic architecture. The king was a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
It has a small water tank housing fish in the middle of the temple. The Muhammadan style of architecture makes the temple more classical and aesthetically pleasing.
Madikeri Fort
Situated in the center of the town, the fort provides insights into the history of Coorg. Muddu Raja, in the first half of the 17th century, constructed half of the fort.
After being taken by Tipu Sultan, this fort changed ownership several times. As a result, the fort's construction and design underwent extensive adjustments, most of which were undertaken by the British. The Madikeri Fort houses the deputy commissioner's office and other tourist-attractive items.
Gaddige Raja's Tomb
The tomb dates back to 1892. It houses the mortal remains of the Kodavad Royalty. It has an Indo-Saracenic architectural style.
There were three tombs - the central one was for the Kodava King Doddaveerarajendra and his wife, Mahadeviamma. The other two tombs are for Chikkaveerarajendra's father and his guru, Rudrappa.
After visiting three spots, my companions and I strolled the streets of Madikeri. Every other store on the streets of Coorg sold homemade wines and locally brewed coffee.
We stopped at a restaurant called Fort Mercara in the midst while strolling the streets. The restaurant served the best-in-class and delicious food.
Finally, after dinner, we made our way to the cottage.
Day 2 in Coorg
New day, new excitement, and new locations. As we planned to visit places a few kilometers away from Madikeri, we booked a cab, had breakfast, and started our journey to Abbi Falls.
Abbi Falls
Also known as Abbey Falls, the spectacular waterfall is located just 10 km from the city. A pathway to the waterfall took us through coffee, cardamom, pepper, and other spices plantation. The pathway from the entrance to the waterfall was about 15 minutes.
We covered the pathway, and a breathtaking view it was – water falling down the cliff from a height of 70 meters. The rhythm of the waterfall brought peace of mind. There was an over-bridge opposite the falls.
Shri Bhagandeshwara Temple
Located 22 km from Madikeri in the Bhagandeshwar town in Kodagu district, Shri Bhagandeshwara temple reflects the typical Kerala style architecture. The temple is devoted to Sri Bhaganda Maharshi, a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
Here is the entrance to the temple.
Here is how the temple looks from the inside.
Beside the temple is a river well known for the confluence of three rivers, Kanika, Cauvery, and Sujyothi, called Triveni Sangam.
TalaCauvery
We moved further for eight more kilometers and reached TalaCauvery, the birthplace of the river - Kaveri. It is a holy place for Hindus. It is located on the Brahmagiri hill near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka.
The tank that the Kodavas built is today regarded as the river Kaveri’s origin point. The river is thought to start as a spring feeding a tank or a klondike and then run underground until resurfacing as the Kaveri a short distance distant. There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Kaveriamma.
To experience this, you need to climb the hill of 407 steps. The peak offers a beautiful sight of Coorg's misty highlands and evergreen wooded terrain.
We sat for hours at this place and experienced the beauty of the sky, misty hills, and evergreen trees.
Finally, we made our way to the homestay, and our day 2 in Coorg ended.
Day 3 in Coorg
It was our last day in Coorg, filled with adventures. After our morning routine, we decided to head toward Cauvery Nisargadhama and Dubare Elephant training camp.
Dubare Elephant Training Camp
Situated 19 km away from Madikeri, there is Dubare Elephant Training Camp.
It is a must-experience place for kids and elephant lovers. There is a forest of trained elephants as well as a river camp. Both are the best and most pleasing places to experience.
We enjoyed river rafting at the river camp, where trained elephants played in the river. We enjoyed river rafting.
Cauvery Nisargdhama
There was a place 12 km away from the elephant camp – Cauvery Nisargdhama.
This is one of the most delightful picnic areas in the neighborhood, replete with a deer park, a peacock park, a rabbit park, and the river that runs through the center of the island. In this location, boating and swimming in the river are additional options. This is a must-see place in Madikeri, particularly if you are traveling with children.
Chiklihole Reservoir
At a short distance of 7 km from Dubare Elephant Camp, the Chiklihole Reservoir Dam was located near the town of Nanjarayapattana.
Chiklihole flows through the Cauvery basin in Karnataka and is crossed by the Chiklihole Reservoir. For the goal of irrigating the local settlements, it was constructed in 1985.
The dam is round in shape and has no crest gates. Visitors are treated to a fantastic sight as the water overflows like foam over a curved structure due to increased intake.
A pleasant location for spending a few memorable moments with your family and friends can be found in the region surrounding Chiklihole Reservoir due to its abundance of lush foliage and the rich fauna and flora of the forest nearby.
After enjoying the view from this place, we returned to Madikeri to enjoy the sunset at Raja’s Seat.
Raja’s Seat
This means the Seat of the Kings, Raja’s Seat, is in Madikeri town. It is a pleasant and refreshing place where you are treated to a breathtaking view of Coorg’s hills covered with greens.
The view from this place at the time of sunset is unforgettable. The sky attains a tricolor, as seen in the image below.
A Treasure of Memories!
Coorg has a lot to offer. If you are planning to visit a place close to nature, full of adventure, a little of the essence of history, and spiritual, Coorg is perfect. The best time to visit here is from November to February.
This was my whole experience visiting Coorg. Please let me know whether my experience made you plan a trip to Coorg.
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