Ever wondered of going to Scotland but found it to be time as well as money consuming? Then you should definitely have a look on the pictures of the Coorg. For a reason it has been named as Scotland of India. It has the mountains covered with fog, the meadows covered with mist and waterfalls everywhere. Not to forget waking up in the middle of coffee estate. Coorg is a small town in Kodagu district of South Karnataka. One of the mesmerizing places in the Western Ghats in the rains! Coorg is covered by dense Nagarhole National Sanctuary, Iruppu falls, Dubare elephant camp and of course the coffee estates. What can be the best time other than the after rains to visit Coorg when it would be lush greenery everywhere and the atmosphere so pleasant?
From wildlife to coffee estates one can experience everything! Starting with the Iruppu Falls, this is also known as Lakshmana Tirtha Falls. It is said that when Rama asked Lakshmana for water on the way to find Sita, Lakshmana shot an arrow in the Brahmagiri range, which made this waterfall. It takes a small trek to reach till this wonderful waterfall. After playing in the waterfall, wouldn’t it be amazing watching elephant’s bath themselves up? Dubare Elephant camp has been training elephants to bath themselves. What an amazing view it is to watch group of elephant’s bath! Now let’s see something more than elephants. Nagarhole National Park is the most beautiful spot in the whole of Coorg. It is packed with waterfalls, hills, valleys and varied flora and fauna! Interesting fact, Nagarhole literally means snake streams. Of course there aren’t any streams of snakes. It simply means that the water streams are so twisted and turned that it looks like snakes! With a variety of trees, bushes, herbs, shrubs and what not, the forest is covered by tress like Rosewood, teakwood, sandalwood and many more. The central region of the forest is covered mostly by Bamboo trees and golden shower trees. Now talking about the fauna, there are tigers, leopards, sloth bears, elephants, languor’s, the giant flying squirrels and more on the list. Usually, one requires hiring a jungle safari to travel around in this huge vicinity. After a wonderful forest trail, now is the time for a small trek. Tadiandamol Peak is the highest peak in the Kodagu district. It is situated at the height of 1,748 meters. The trek is so small that an amateur can easily complete this trek. No guide is required and one can reach at the top all by himself. To reach the top while crossing small streams and waterfalls on the way to see the lush green hills covered with mist all around!
Raja’s Seat at Madikeri is the most recommended spot in the Kodagu region. As the name suggests, it was used by the former King’s to watch the beautiful sunset in the opposite mountains. It is constructed high on the hill with deep valley below. It is the most enjoyed spot by the tourists now. Also not to forget the Madikeri Fort, that was built by the King Mudduraja in the 17th century. It was later renovated by the king Tipu Sultan. Madikeri fort has a beautiful palace inside constructed by Mudduraja. People usually visit this marvelous fort to see the beauty of the ancient times. The architecture of the fort and the palace is worth the time. How could one forget the birth place of the holy river Kaveri, Talacauvery! Talacauvery is the place where the river Kaveri originates. It is situated on the Brahmagiri hills at a height of 1,276 meters. At the top of the mountains, there is Temple of Goddess Kaveramma. The flow of the Kaveri can only be seen the rainy season. In the rains, the place is covered with mist all the time. After such a hectic journey one would want to relax in a quiet and calm place. Namdroling Monastery is a Buddhist monastery situated in Bylakuppe. It is astonishing to find a Buddhist monastery in this part of the country. It was established in 1963 over here. The monastery serves to teach the lamas, Buddhism. People usually visit this place to find inner peace and sit there for as long as they want. People can meditate or just relax and be themselves over here!
Here comes the deal. While visiting any place, accommodation and food is the main concern for any traveler and tourist. Coorg offers various home stays in the middle of Coffee farms! Yes! There are huge coffee estates all around Coorg. One will wake up to a beautiful view with a hot steaming filter coffee. Coming to the food, being a hot tourist’s destination, Coorg has many restaurants all over. All type of cuisines is available for throughout the year. One can try different local dishes like Pundi Curry, Akki roti, Kadubittu, Paapittu and pork pepper dry. The home made chocolates are way too delicious.
Get ready to witness the amazing Scotland in India itself! So what are you waiting for? Book the tickets, book a stay and wait for the rains to end.