Say Ciao to Coorg!

Coorg is well-known as a hill station having coffee plantations. As soon as one thinks of Coorg, a pretty picture of hills going up and down, covered with green forests comes to their mind. There are streams flowing across the hills. And not only that, if you book a trip to Coorg, you will see coffee plantations, orange groves and also tea gardens! If you want to go somewhere which will be a treat to your sore eyes and jarred soul, you should seriously consider going to Coorg. 

Coorg is one of Karnataka’s landlocked districts. It covers an area of 4102 square kilometres. Comparatively, it is bigger than the whole state of Goa! Many people go to Coorg to have a look at the vast and rolling coffee plantations and obviously to be amidst forest-covered hills. There is in fact just one flat land or plain area, which is the Kushalnagar town and the area immediately surrounding it. All other regions are hilly or mountainous with valleys on the landscape too. 

Coorg is approximately three to five thousand feet above sea-level. As a place. Its ecosystem is quite fragile but the biodiversity is rich and plentiful. UNESCO has listed one reserved forest and three of Coorg’s wildlife sanctuaries as a World Heritage Site. The powerful Kaveri river and the cascading waterfalls like the Abbey Falls of Madikeri are true attractions of Coorg. The misty blanket covering the hill station makes it a great place for a workation too! 

Coorg’s physical features:

Coorg is dotted with deep valleys, rice fields, gorges, grassy lands and glades. The district receives a good amount of rainfall every year. This has resulted in growth of the lush green forests, which is a distinctive feature of all the mountains located on the Western Ghats of India. As your car moves towards your accommodation in Coorg, you will see the lovely sights of a vast expanse of mountain areas just filled with green. Driving through canopies of trees will be such a rewarding experience. 

Suddenly after a wide area being covered with trees, you will see areas with patches of grass. The forest regions mainly have mathi, rosewood and teak trees – which are all tall timber trees. Because of the heavy rainfall, the shrubbery is thick and dense. There are few drier areas in the forests that have trees growing like Dindalu, Flame of the forest, Indian Laburnum and bamboo – basically trees which are shorter. 

The villages in Coorg are located in the depth of the valleys and have mountain ranges all around them. 

Environmental surroundings and fauna:

There is the presence of four kinds of vegetation in Coorg. The pasture covering the mountain folds has different kinds of forests based on the different parts of the district. In the northern and western parts, there are evergreen forests. In the district’s central and southern region, you will see deciduous forests, both of the dry and moist kind. And then there are the scattered evergreen/Shola forests. 

Coorg is blessed with a national park and three wildlife sanctuaries. The national park is the famous Nagarhole or Rajiv Gandhi National Park. The three wildlife sanctuaries are Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary. Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Coorg’s northern part. The flora and fauna found here is not only rare but they are unfortunately endangered too. It has been marked as one of the world’s important places for birds. This sanctuary also has the Kadamakal reserve forest within its premises too. The word ‘Pushpagiri’ incidentally is the name of Coorg’s highest peak, and the wildlife sanctuary has been named after it. Another peak which is smaller but present here is the Kumara Parvatha. The Kukke Subramanya forest ranges and Bisle reserve forest surround the sanctuary. 

Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across an area of 92.65 square kilometers and has semi-evergreen and evergreen vegetation. The surface covered by Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary is 181.29 square kilometers with Shola, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary has tropical evergreen vegetation and has a span of 105.01 square kilometers. 

The Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) covers a wide area of 644 square kilometers. The vegetation is tropical dry and moist forests. This wildlife reserve is very well-known and is a section of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Nagarhole park is a shelter for Royal Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Elephant. Once upon a time, the kings of Coorg and the Mysore Maharajas used to hunt in this region. The national park houses the Project Tiger and Project Elephant schemes, two of India’s prestigious wildlife protection schemes. If you are a wildlife enthusiast and bird watcher, a visit to this national park is a must for you. Many species of birds are found here, including rare birds. 

The diverse range of flora and fauna is almost unmatched in the whole of India. The three wildlife sanctuaries, the two reserved forests and the National Park are important parts of Coorg tourism and are huge attractions for nature and wildlife lovers. 

‘Must Go’ Places to visit in Coorg:

Apart from the Nagarhole National Park, wildlife sanctuaries, coffee plantations, there are some other attractions which should be on your excursion plan when you come to Coorg. Find nuggets of information on few of the most important ones below:

Omkareshwara temple – The architecture of this temple has both Gothic and Islamic style and it is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva! It is located in Coorg district’s Madikeri town.

Nisargadhama – The Cauvery river encircles this island  which is a 64-acre delta. It is a popular picnic spot with a hanging bridge. This forest park is really picturesque with its many medicinal plants,bamboo groves and sandalwood teak trees. 

Namdroling Monastery – More than six thousand monks and fifteen thousand refugees stay in this monastery, making it one of the biggest Tibetan settlements of India. Inside the colony, there is a Golden Temple where there is a Budhha statue which is forty feet tall! The monastery has a peaceful and calming ambience. 

Raja’s Seat – Raja’s Seat means ‘Seat of the Kings’ and in the ancient times, this used to be a relaxation spot for the Kodagu rulers. The royals used to sunbathe here, and view the sunset and sunrise, sitting on this structure made with mortar and brick. From a raised ground, you will be able to get a lovely view of man-made light fountains and a garden having seasonal flowers.

Abbey Falls –  This is one attraction which no visitor misses out on, as this cascading waterfall is seventy feet tall! The greenery all around the waterfall makes for outstanding scenery. Though you will not have much to do here, the waterfall dropping from a cliff will keep you busy clicking photos.

Mandalpatti – If your brain is overworked and you really want a break to regain your mental peace, do not miss visiting this pasture. It will give you a heavenly experience. The panorama scenes which you will see here will hardly be surpassed by scenic beauty you see anywhere else. Reach the top of the hill and be mesmerized as the mist and the birds welcome you.

Ideal time for a trip to Coorg:

The best time to come to Coorg is the winter season. That being said, the weather remains pleasant in Coorg the whole year. You just need to book your trip whenever you want to!

Getting to Coorg:

By air – The three airports nearby are the Kannur airport, the Mangalore airport  and the Bangalore airport.

By train – Mysore is the nearest railway station, followed by Mangalore, and the third is in Bangalore.

By bus –  There are buses from Madikeri and Mysore which come to Coorg. 

Wowsome Wayanad:

Wayanad is also located on Western Ghats’ mountains and is called ‘Green Paradise’ too. It is Kerala’s one of the most well-known tourist spots. It is situated at the Deccan Plateau’s southern point and on the state’s north-eastern part. This beautiful place has multiple names, all suiting it perfectly, like home of monsoon, spice garden of south, and the land of paddy fields. Wayanad is known for its unadulterated forests, peaks blanketed with mists and the cool hilly climate. It covers an area of 2132 square kilometers. 

An enchanting hill station, Wayanad is noteworthy for its forest wealth and the presence of different kinds of wildlife. Not only the diverse flora and fauna, Wayanad district is home for many tribal communities. It is an ideal trekking destination where adventure lovers will find lots of activities to do. The mountainous region has a pull for travellers because of the many streams, waterfalls, rivers and lakes. Spices, areca nuts, and both coffee and tea plantations can be found in the mist-covered hills here. Throughout this district, you will find paddy fields being cultivated too. Wayanad will be a delight for history buffs too. There are cave dwellings which go back to the Stone Age like the Edakkal Caves and other historical finds. 

Wayanad is a place filled with a spice-laden aroma and is a vivacious and beautiful place. The heart of Wayanad is a place called Sultan Bathery. Edakkal Caves and the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary are two notable Wayanad tourist spots. 

On the south-eastern side, Wayanad shares its border with the protected area network of Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai. It is also adjacent to Karnataka’s Bandipur on the north-eastern side. This gives the wildlife creatures here a big area to move around in. Wayanad is a very clean place and its natural beauty is encaptivating. The culture and history of this place is rich too. The splendour of Wayanad lies in the misty mountains, rolling green meadows and the valleys, white water springs, forests and the lakes where the colour of water is nicely blue. Wayanad Tourism is really buzzing with its homestays and resorts as accommodation for tourists, the caves, and the waterfalls. Some of the popular Wayanad tourist places are Chembra peak, Muthanga wildlife sanctuary, Pazhassi Raja Tomb, Soochipara Falls, Pakshipathalam Bird Sanctuary and Kuruva Dweep. 

One look at the pictures of the tourist places in Wayanad, all situated on Deccan’s southern tip, the charming lakes and the impressive ridges will convince you that it is one of the most-sought after weekend destinations of the state of Kerala. Kerala itself is called ‘God’s own country’ because of the natural beauty. Wayanad is one of its hypnotic places. Visiting the earth’s Green Paradise will be a great thing to do over a weekend. The airport which is closest to Wayanad is the Calicut airport which is 72 kms away. A standout feature of Wayanad is that to visit any of its tourist attractions, you will have to do trekking to reach the destination. You cannot reach any of the spots by a car as they are not beside the road and are all hidden amidst nature. All the wonderful spots of Wayanad district are located within a 50 km radius. We will try to go to the best ones on our mini visit. 

Top Wayanad Tourist Places you will regret if you don’t visit:

Kuruva Island – It is one of the best of Wayanad tourist spots and it is located in the middle of River Kabani’s tributaries. The place is a treat for the tired eyes and it is home to flowers, herbs and rarely seen birds. 

Pookode Lake – This is a freshwater lake which is cosily located between evergreen forests and the Western Ghats. It is an absolutely delightful place for anyone who loves to click photos of nature. A great place for both nature-lovers and photographers.

Wildlife Wayanad Sanctuary – This is one of the major draws of Wayanad tourism. The Wayanad sanctuary is an important part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and has a rich biodiversity.

Chembra Peak – If you have been wondering which is that one spot in Wayanad which looks like an artwork, it is Wayanad’s highest peak aka Chembra Peak. This peak is 2100 meter above sea-level! As you trek to reach the peak, lush greenery and beautiful waterfalls will keep your energy up. 

Banasura Sagar Dam – This earthen dam is the largest one in India. Among all the bewitchingly beautiful Wayanad tourists places, this dam is one of the top ones with its excellent natural beauty.

Edakkal Caves – The carvings on these caves go back to the Stone Age, specifically to the Neolithic Age and the Mesolithic Age. For tourists interested in history and archaeology, Edakkal Caves has plenty to offer. 

Thirunelli Temple – This temple has been built to worship Lord Maha Vishnu and is referred as the southern India’s Kashi. It is the sole temple on earth where rituals related to birth, events related to life, death and life after death are conducted. Try your best to include this temple in your itinerary. 

As it should be clear to you  by now, Wayanad is just an exceptionally good place for history enthusiasts, nature lovers and adventure-lovers. 

Book a package with us to enjoy the best Wayanad has to offer and it is possible to  cover over the span of just a weekend.

Ideal time to visit Wayanad:

For the best experience, you must plan your trip according to the time which is best. Throughout the year, the temperature of Wayand remains pleasant. Even during the summer, when it is hot and humid everywhere, Wayanad remains cool because of the thick forests and high elevation. There are many festivals, filled with colours, which one can be a part of if they come during winter. Because it is a destination for adventures and excursions, the months of monsoon should ideally be avoided. 

Monsoon in Wayanad starts in June and ends in October. Torrential rain ensures that there is flooding. So coming here during the rainy season will be futile as exploring the district and trekking will be interrupted. If you only plan to stay in your accommodation throughout your trip, you can visit during monsoon. But it is inadvisable.  

The best time would be September as it is towards the end of monsoon. It is not the peak tourist season but the beauty of the waterfalls, mountains and forests will be at their peak. This is the best time for a budget trip. As nature gets refreshed, you might be able to spot wild animals easily too. 

If you visit between October and February, the weather becomes cooler gradually and it will be a lot drier too. December to January sees large crowds and it might not be the best time if you want to travel on a shoe-string budget. For sports and outdoor activities though, this is the perfect time. 

Kerala’s summer is really hot and humid and the weather gets affected in Wayanad too. The weather conditions between March and May are not at all ideal for your Wayanad visit. But again, as mentioned earlier, because of its location, the weather can be refreshing to people who live in hotter climates. You can be smart, avoid crowd, high prices and do an off-season trip!