Travel & Living

7 Must-Dos When Holidaying In Coorg!

A travel guide!

Avian Haven

Coorg is a bird lover’s paradise and is home to a staggering 300 types of birds. When you consider that there are a total of 1300 different types of birds in the entire subcontinent that number assumes more significance. The dawn saw us, a motley group of tourists, set off on an avian trail. We did not have to leave the vast expanses of the Cotabetta estate in our quest to spot all those early birds and in a little under an hour we had spotted about 20 different exotic birds including the spunky ‘racket tailed Drongo’ that can mimic other birds’ voices. It is one of those times when you cannot choose between your binoculars and your favourite camera lens.

Pachyderm Paradise

As we walked through the estate in the morning haze there was enough evidence to suggest that elephant herds had traversed the same paths. Elephant sightings are not uncommon at these estates. Thankfully the first elephants I spotted in Coorg were later that same morning at the Dubare Elephant Camp that is about 25 km from the estate. The camp that is co-managed by Karnataka’s Jungle Lodges is on the banks of the River Cauvery and is the perfect setting to interact with these majestic creatures. Whether you want to admire them from afar or feed them or take a swaying ride on one the elephants it is a fun experience. But Dubare’s best experience is for those who are willing to get their feet wet, stand in knee deep water from where you can actually bathe the elephants.

Spiritual Serenity

Just 30 minutes from Dubare and just outside Kushal Nagara town is one of India’s largest Tibetan settlements. The Namdroling monastery is located there and also the stunning Golden temple where a 60 feet tall gold-plated Buddha occupies centre stage. The imposing statue is one of three large statues and located in a gigantic yet serene hall. The outer fringes of the temple have small gift shops with Tibetan and Feng Shui souvenirs. The next stop was the district’s main town Madikeri (formerly Mercara) that is also the halfway point to Talacauvery where the river Cauvery originates and close to Abbey Falls, another scenic spot. It is a lovely experience to embrace Nature at her purest in these picturesque and spiritual sites.

Charismatic Cuppa

Plantation Trails offers panoramic vistas of the surrounding highlands. Relaxing on the lounge chair in the cottage I soaked in the stunning views of the hills. An invigorating cup of the finest Coorg filter coffee is enough to complete the incomparable experience.

Coorg might be a hill getaway or a wildlife hub or a foodie’s fantasy but above all it is coffee country; this is after all India’s highest coffee producing region and Coorg coffee is world famous. The last item on the itinerary was also the most fascinating – a drive through a coffee plantation and a quick show and tell on the bean to cup process.

A couple of days are certainly not enough to explore Coorg’s myriad experiences but enough to whet one’s appetite for more on your next visit. Pay a visit to this valley town and travel back in time. Get reacquainted with an era when life stood still to let you enjoy the little moments, when the birds tweeted melodiously, the trees swayed rhythmically and pace was just a word in the dictionary.

 

You May Also Like: Varkala: The Best Beach Destination For Your Family!

 

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