Coorg: How to Get There, What's to See, Where to Stay and What's to Eat !

About Coorg 

Madikeri or Mercara, the capital of Coorg is a beautiful large hill town situated in Western Ghats. This hill station stands 1452 meters above sea level. The green woody slopes, colourful scenery, misty mountains, cascading falls, dense tropical forest, tea, coffee and spice plantations made this place a paradise of nature lovers.

This enchantingly beautiful place is popularly called as the ‘Scotland of India’ and also ‘Kashmir of South’. There are so many attractions in and around Madikeri, we have compiled the list of the best places to visit in Madikeri.

Coorg is known as a coffee producing hill station located among the mountains in Karnataka with the misty landscapes. It is known for its amazing green hills and streams, which makes it the top tourists places in India to visit for its culture.

Coorg is known as Kodagu, the rich hill station in Karnataka, known for its gorgeous scenery and lush greenery. The landscapes stand out because of the forest covered hills, spice and coffee plantations. Virajpet, Kushalnagar, Gonikoppal, Pollibetta, and Somwarpet are some of the towns to visit in Coorg. One should make their trip a memorable one as it is a once in a life time experience that should never be forgotten. It is worth a visit and so, should be on the list of things to do in India.

Best Time To Visit: 

September- June

How To Reach:

By Air

Mangalore International Airport is one of the closest international airports which is about 140 kms from the city center. People can easily travel by air and bus without any problems.

By Rail

As the city is well connected by rail, one can easily travel by train without any problems.

Ideal Duration: 

2-3 days

Nearest Airport: 

 Mangalore Airport

Places to Visit: 

Abbey Falls, River Rafting, Raja’s seat

Brief of some places

01. Harangi Dam, Coorg

• Recommended Duration: 2 Hours

An interesting tourist spot, Harangi dam is situated in the Hudgur village near Kushalnagar if Coorg District. Built across the tributary of River Cauvery, Harangi dam is the first dam that has been built across River Cauvery. It has a height of 47 meters and length of 846 meters creating a marvelous view of forceful streams of water.

A popular picnic spot, it is good even for family outing where one can relax and spend some calm moments with his or her loved ones. It is located at a distance of approximately 36 km from Madikeri and can be reached without much difficulty.

It is a good place offering some seclusion and privacy as it is comparatively less crowded. So it you are looking for some break from usual hustle bustle of tourist spots, Harangi dam is the place for you. Calm setting and cool gentle breeze makes your time even more enjoyable. It is best to visit the dam is during the months of August to September as the water is more in the reservoir at time of the year.

If you like to stay over for a night or more, you can opt for the accommodation facilities available here. Tourists can opt for Guest house facilities are available here where tourists stay after reservation from the public works department.

Not just nature lovers, there is something for religious tourists as well. There is a Cauvery temple located quite near to the dam is a place worth visiting.

02. Dubare Elephant Camp, Coorg

Earlier at this place elephants used to be trained for Mysore Dussehra but now they are mostly used to jungle rides and other purposes. They are trained under naturalists. These trained naturalists assist tourists with details on Elephant history, ecology and biology. What makes this camp unique is the fact that tourists can participate in various activities with elephants which is three hour elephant interaction.

They can indulge in activities like 45 minute bath where they are allowed to give bath to elephants in River Cauvery, feeding them with ragi, jaggery, sugarcane, banana and coconuts. After this, they can go on a 45 minute elephant ride into the jungle.

Elephant rides for tourists are scheduled between 10 am to 12 noon and in evening from 4pm to 5pm. If interest one can stay here as well at the cottages which are part of Jungle lodges & resorts. These cottages offer comfortable stay amidst lush greenery and wild nature.

03. Chiklihole Reservoir, Coorg

• Recommended Duration: 2 Hours

Chiklihole Reservoir is place to be visited if your time permits. The place is away from the usual crowd at popular tourist spots and offers some calm and peace to its visitors. The water of the dam flowing beautifully and the lushness of area around create a refreshing atmosphere.

The Chiklihole Reservoir, pronounced as 'Chikli-holey’, is located between the towns of Madikeri and Kushalnagar of Coorg district. The reservoir is at a distance of approximately 15 km from Kushalnagar and Madikeri and is nearest to the town of Nanjarayapattana.

Things to Do: 

Trekking, hiking, camping, to river rafting

Adventures to Try: 

Trekking, hiking, camping, to river rafting

Best Places to Stay: Woodstock resort, Uttuhunga

Best Shopping Markets: Municipal Market, Super Market