A friendly warning to all concerned: One trip to Coorg (Kodagu) and it'll haunt you for the rest of your life. You might leave Coorg, but Coorg will never leave you. Incomparable scenic beauty, lush green valleys, coffee plantations, teak wood forests and majestic mountain ranges are just some of Coorg's virtues. Add to that a strong, brave martial race of Coorgs (Kodavas) that reveres tradition, has a distinct culture and lives life to its fullest.
Coorg is situated on the Western Ghats of Karnataka. For the adventurous at heart, it is an absolute treat. Trekking, golfing and angling are some popular options. Religious trips abound on Hindu and Buddhist circuits. Visitors can trek to the top of Tadeyendamol, the highest peak in the region, and view the Arabian Sea in the distance. Alternatively, one may simply follow the mountain trails dotted with little shrines - some beside waterfalls and others on the banks of rivers. You can also relax your body and mind with special Ayurvedic massages. But the predominant entity here is nature at its best. Coorg is the dreamland of a philosopher. If you're the type who likes to mingle with nature, romance in the mountains, feel the tingle of a cool and gentle breeze, watch leaves flutter and dance, and hear bird-song fill the air, then Coorg is just the place for you!
In March and April it is coffee-blossom time in Coorg. Stretches of these snow-white flowers waft a heady fragrance and their magnificence is an unforgettable sight. When the blossoms turn into berries, the bushes are cropped. The cherry-red fruit is then pulped, the separate coffee seeds dried and sent to the curing works. Stay on a coffee plantation can provide for a heady first-hand experience. Besides coffee, cardamom, pepper, paddy, orange, timber and honey form the major products of this district.
Coorg is a very eco-conscious place. Coorgs are environmentally aware of their responsibilities towards nature and take great care to preserve it. They are highly appreciative of efforts made by anyone to conserve nature.
Getting to Coorg
Air: The nearest airports are at Mangalore (135 kms) and Bangalore (260 kms).
Train: The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan (146 kilometers).
Road: From Bangalore, there are two routes to Coorg. Both routes are almost the same distance (around 250-260 kilometers). The route via Mysore, is the oft-frequented route. The stretch after Hunsur is scenic and the drive through the coffee plantations is absorbing. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal, Chanrayapatna, all of which are located on the National Highway. After Chanrayanapatna, the state highway route takes you to your destination
Bus: The bus service in Madikeri has connections to almost every place in Coorg, except Kushalnagar, for which you have to hop onto a bus to Bangalore. Alternatively, there are regular buses to Mysore, Mangalore, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Shimoga.
