Coorg offers everything an ideal holiday getaway should consist of. Great location, fascinating history, numerous tourist attractions, various activity options, timeless leisure opportunity and fabulous cuisine. Could anybody ask for more? Described as the Scotland of India, Coorg lies at an altitude of 1,525 m on the Western Ghats. It lies on Karnataka's south-western end, covering an area of 4,102 sq.km. Coorg has the reputation of being the Scotland of our country, but honestly, the place is so unique in its enchantment that it does not really need any foreign tag to qualify its beauty.


Coorg district is known as Kodagu and comprises different communities like Kodava, Tulu, Gowda, Moplah, etc.
One of the many versions of the name is that Kodagu or Coorg is derived from the local version “Kodavu” and its people the Kodavas. According to mythology the land of initial settlement was called “Krodadesa” (literally meaning land of anger). It is also said that Kodagu is derived from the word Kodava, 'Kod' meaning 'give' and 'avva' meaning 'mother', that is mother Kaveri, the river. The region nestles the origin of River Cauvery and is noted for the picturesque quality of its natural splendour. Now a flourishing agricultural centre, Coorg produces cash crops of coffee, rice, orange, pepper and cardamoms.


The coffee plantations in Coorg account for almost half of Karnataka's coffee production as the state continues to be India's largest producer of coffee. It is evident that Coorg had taken the fancy of the British while they had lived in India from the many reminders of the colonial past that have now become a part of the place's identity. There are spacious estate bungalows, some of which have been converted for the sake of convenience but many still have British names engraved on quaint gates and are lined on the roads that wind through the locality.


Perhaps the main attraction of Coorg is its coffee plantations. March and April is coffee blossom time in Coorg when the air is filled with the wafting fragrance of white flowers just as their clusters are a visual delight for eyes. Naturally, this is the best time to visit the place. 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. It is an excellent idea to stay in one of the coffee plantations that provide facilities for accommodation and personalised service.


Other Attractions in Coorg

Madikeri: The biggest tourist attraction in Coorg, a land of unmatched natural beauty with hills, verdant forests and sprawling coffee plantations. Madikeri Fort (19th Century) is also worth a visit.

Omkareshwara Temple: Built in 19th century by King Lingarajendra, the temple sport a unique mix of Keralite, Gothic and Islamic architectural styles.

Abbey Falls: A favourite tourist haunt. Water plunging down creates a misty cloud and gushing noise.

Somwarpet: The sprawling coffee plantation with towering trees is a fabulous treat to the eyes. The smell of cardamom and pepper is a bonus.

Nagarhole National Park: Like many national parks in India, this one was also created out of the hunting reserve of the royals of Coorg. You may take an elephant safari through the forest.


Reaching Coorg


Air: The nearest airports are 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 more popular as the drive takes you through coffee plantations. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal, Chanrayapatna on the National highway before you take the state highway route via Chanrayanapatna.

Bus: The bus service in Madikeri has connections to almost every place in Coorg, except Kushalnagar for which you have to take a bus to Bangalore.


Staying there

All kinds of accommodation from luxury resorts to plantation homes to budget hotels are available. You must try out the cuisine of Coorg, which is pretty famous and simply delicious. The various masalas are blended in a special way. Some of the typical Kodava dishes are the Pandhi Curry (Pork Curry), Bamboo Shoot Curry, Jungle Mango Curry and Rice Roti or Otti as they are called locally. Make sure you bring back a jar of Coorg pickle.