The land of Cofee, Cardamom, Oranges and great warriors. The land of Hills, Waterfalls, lush green rain forests where nature still survives in abundance. Situated in the western ghats at about 1400 mtrs above sea level, it is an ideal setting for an exotic holiday. Coorg is also home to the Kodavas, the famous warriors. The Kodavas still follow a life style full of rich traditions and culture. Unlike the other Dravidians, the Kodavas are distinctly tall and fair complexioned.

The hilly district of Coorg in Karnataka is land locked. It is a comfortable 05 hours drive from Bangalore - 242 kms. The nearest rail head is Mysore - 100kms. The coastal town of Mangalore is just 132 kms. Coorg offers pleasant temperate climate throughout the year. Even in peak summers the mercury does not soar beyond 30 degrees Celsius. That makes it an ideal getaway for a holiday throughout the year.

Tourist attractions in Coorg

Talakaveri: the place where the River Kaveri originates. The temple on the riverbanks here is dedicated to lord Brahma, and is one of only two temples dedicated to Brahma in India and Southeast Asia.

Nisargadhama: An island and picnic spot near Kushalanagara, formed by the river Kaveri.

Iruppu Falls: A sacred spot in south Kodagu in the Brahmagiri hill range. The Lakshmana Tirtha River flows nearby.

Abbey Falls: a scenic waterfall 5 km from Madikeri.

Dubare: mainly an elephant-capturing and training camp of the Forest Department at the edge of Dubare forest; on the bank of the river Kaveri along the Kushalanagara - Siddapur road.

Nagarahole: a national park and wildlife resort.

Bhagamandala: situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Kaveri and the Kanika. A third river, the Sujyothi, is said to join from underground.

Dargah Sharief of Yemmemadu: Dargah Sharief, the Holy Tomb, of Yemmemadu is one of the most sacred shrines for Muslims in Kodagu district. (35 km from Madikeri; Madikeri-Bettageri-Napoklu-HaleTaluku-Yemmemadu)

Mandal patti: 28 km from Madikeri. On the way to Abbey Falls, before 3 km from Abbey Falls take right, from there 25 km.

Local Activities

Coorg is an ideal place for outdoor activities, food and shopping!

Trekking: Coorg has many verdant trekking routes in the midst of forests and hills, and it's best to go in the months from October to February. Some of the known trails are in the hills of Brahmagiri, where you could trek your way to the Irrupa Falls. You could also consider trekking to Pushpagiri, the second higest peak of Kodagu and Tadiandamol (the highest peak).

Golf: Avid golffers can tee off at the 9-hole course of Virajpet.

Angling: Valanoor is the backwater of the river Cauvery. It draws fishing lovers from all over India. You can try and catch the famous mahaseer and the best season is from October to May. White Water Rafting: There are few good camps around Coorg that offer rafting down the Cauvery river. For some fast paced action, visit the Upper Barapole River to the south of Coorg in Brahmagiri.

The best time for rafting is from mid-June to mid-September.

Food: Coorgi cuisine is famous and unique, especially for non-vegetarians as it is based on game meats, pork and other delicious ingredients. Popular dishes are pandhi (pork), koli (chicken) and yarchi (lamb) spiced with pepper, kokum, bamboo shoot, red chilly, bembla curry, kadumbuttu, noolputu, voti and excellent coffee.

Shopping: Some of the popular items to buy are coffee, honey, spices, cardamom, pepper, pineapple papads and oranges ( season). Coorgi silk saree are also very famous and they have a different style of wearing them.

Fairs & Festivals: Schedule your visit to coincie with one of the colorful festivals of the region. The festivals of the Kodava community are largely around agriculture military activities.
1). The 'Festival of Arms - Keilpoldu' is held in the months of June to September. During this festival the weapons are polished and worshipped before resuse.
2). Cauvery Shankaramana is based around the river Cauver is held in October.
3). The harvest festival 'Puthar' is celebrated in November or December. The festival is accompanied by folks songs and dances, performed by the different villagers at their temples.