Scotland is one of the most scenic and beautiful places on earth, and I wish someday I will surely go there; it is on my bucket list. But I have visited our own Scotland a couple of times and I must admit it is as picturesque and scenic as you cannot imagine. Confused?
Let me take you on the guided tour of Coorg. It has an abundance of beautiful greenery, coffee plantations, scenic views and some adventure activities. The beauty of this place is unparalleled and that is why it has rightfully got its crown as being called Scotland of India.
A beautiful overview of Coorg from my hotel.
If you love beautiful greenery; dense forests, and if you are a connoisseur of coffee, then Coorg is the place for you.
How to reach Coorg?
Coorg is most easily accessible by road. As for the air and rail travelers the nearest airport is Bangalore International airport which is 265 km away and the closest railway station is Mysore which is 107 km from Coorg. You will get plenty of private taxis or buses from outside the airport and station to take you to Coorg. However, if you love driving as I do, hire a car and drive down. The drive is beautiful, peaceful and surrounded by pine trees, valleys, mountains and plenty of greenery; it is one of the most beautiful road trips I have come across which will soothe you even before touching Coorg.
Best time to visit
There is no specific best time or best season to visit Coorg; it is amazing all year round as throughout the year the weather is pretty cool with the temperature ranges between 10 0 c and 250 c. The monsoons can be harsh as it gets very heavy rainfall and few tourist attractions may get out of bound but the greenery cover just gets better in monsoon. However, if adventure activities like trekking are on the agenda, then October to March is an ideal time to visit Coorg. Due to the beautiful weather, it is an ideal place for relaxation.
Tourist spots to visit
I love adventures and trekking is something I always look forward to. Some of the most beautiful trekking spots in Coorg are the Tadiandamol trek which has scenic views of coffee plantations and streams. Pushpagiri is another beautiful trekking point surrounded by forest and mountain views. It is simply breathtaking. I suggest carrying your water bottle for the trek since you would need to stay hydrated. Another essential item you should surely carry is a Polaroid camera to capture nature in its glory and for memories that would never fade. I would suggest checking out this link to get the best stuff
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera – https://amzn.to/3g3vJ0R
White water rafting is another activity I wanted to try but lack of time did not permit it. It has gone to my to-do list for my next trip here.
As I mentioned before if you love coffee and you don’t visit Coorg then you are missing on some of the finest coffee you can ever sip onto. The place is one of the biggest coffee suppliers in India and has plenty of coffee plantations to explore. I am a huge coffee geek, so this is something I thoroughly enjoyed. It was such an amazing experience to see how it all comes together. I went to Ama Plantation Trails and enjoyed their bean to cup safari. There are many other plantation trail tours like Old Kent estates & spa, Mercara Gold estate coffee plantation tour and many others. Coffee plantation visits should be in your have-to-do itinerary.
Photo of coffee plantations. Credits: Pixabay
For many of you who don’t know yet, Coorg is also known for its spice plantations which are another must-visit while in this city. Also, don’t forget to buy your stock of fresh spices to carry back home.
Another popular tourist attraction is Madikeri fort which holds plenty of architectural designs and history in it. Many battles have been fought and there is a museum showing relics of colonial times. The fort is huge and houses a museum, church, district prison and a temple. Today it is used as municipal headquarters but is open for tourists on all days except Mondays.
Frontal view of the Madikeri Fort, photo courtesy – by Hitha Nanjappa -wikimedia.org
Raja’s seat
Raja’s seat – photo courtesy by Amarrg Wikipedia
Raja’s Seat which means a place where King used to seat. It is another beauty of a spot to go to in Madikeri, Coorg to get a bird’s eye view of the town. It was believed that it was a favorite spot of the Kings and Queens of yesteryear, who enjoyed sunsets sitting here.
Abbey falls
Photo courtesy: Priyanka Neve
This beautiful waterfall along the Kaveri River is a treat to the eyes with a thick green cover of coffee plantations surrounding it.
Dubare Elephant camp
Photo courtesy – mouthshut
If you are an animal lover, then Dubare Elephant Camp should include in your list, where you can be around, play and watch these majestic animals from close quarters like never before.
Coorg has plenty of trees and greenery. Along with greenery, come the most dreaded mosquitoes. I would suggest carrying a patch with you for your stay to prevent any unpleasant situations from hampering your enjoyment.
A few things that make a place worth visiting for me is the local culture and people. I love when I come across friendly locals who are willing to guide you through unexplored territory. Coorg locals are some of the friendliest people I have met. They are more than happy to help you out with anything you need. Conversing with them is not much of an issue since most of them understand English and Hindi language.
So next time you want to have a relaxing vacation sipping the best of coffee soothing your eyes with the green cover, plan a trip to the Scotland of India, Coorg.
