Reservations had been done 2 months in advance. But I just couldn’t gather enough courage to ask my boss for leave. Work load went on increasing, and I had almost decided to cancel my ticket. But my friends who were accompanying me and my husband to Coorg, just would’nt take no for an answer. They brainwashed me for 2 hours and made me feel guilty for spoiling the plan. So I gave it a shot and my dear boss was kind enough to grant me the 5 day leave. Bombay to Coorg is a 20-22 hours journey one-way, if one plans to travel by train n bus. We took the Matsyagandha Express from Kurla Terminus(Bombay) to Mangalore(16 hours journey). Then from Mangalore it took us 5 hours by bus to reach Madikeri(Capital of Coorg). It was the month of December. And from what we’d heard about Coorg, we’d expected a chilly weather. We’d even done the last minute thermals shopping. But we didn’t need to wear any of those, as the weather was just enough cool to make us feel pleasant. Normal sweaters kept us warm enough during the nights. Located 5000 ft. above sea level, Coorg boasts of being the’Kashmir of South’, ’Scotland of India’ etc. Hmmmm. well, thats bit of an overrating I would say, albeit you’ll definitely return with some evergreen memories in your mind. Blessed with the beauty and bounty of forests and mountains, Coorg is also the birthplace of river’Cauvery’, the lifeline of Karnataka. We’d hired a sumo to travel to different points. The journey was quite an enchanting experience in itself. The charm of the misty woods, our eyes relishing the lush green valleys, passing through the Coffee, Pepper and Cardamom plantations for which Coorg is quite famous. Coorg is also well known for producing the tastiest honey. On our way back, we took a halt at this shack like shop right next to the fields to buy these Coorg specialities. To cover all the spots in Coorg, you need at least 4-5 days. But we just had 2 and half day in hand. Following is the lowdown on whatever spots we managed to cover.
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ABBY FALLS:** A thrilling 8 km drive from Madikeri(Capital of Coorg) through the forests and coffee plantations leads to this popular attraction and picnic spot. The gushing sound and beauty of the falls can be experienced from the hanging bridge. This is the closest spot from Madikeri.
DUBARE ELEPHANT FOREST: 40 km from Madikeri, this forest which shelters around 20-25 tamed Elephants is spread across 11 acres of land. We had to cross river Cauvery by a boat to reach this forest. Ideal place for nature lovers. One can easily spend a few hours in this calm and peaceful place. The veterinarian who is tha main care-taker of these elephants, gives an hour long enlightening information about Elephants and their behaviour. Its like watching a live discovery channel show. I really wished I had carried a tape recorder or something to record it, so that I could hear it again later. My friends went for the Elephant Ride while me and my husband sat on the bench by the river watching the elephants bathe and stroll around freely. Being animal lovers, we really wished we could dwell in this forest forever.
TIBETAN GOLDEN TEMPLE: This mind-blowing, humongous temple is absolutely a jaw-dropper. Hats off to the architects, sculptors, the creators of this magnificent, awesome monastery. This extremely well maintained premise, is situated in Bylakoppa, the Second Largest Tibetian settlement in India. The 3 majestic gold coated 40 feet high statues are the main tourist attraction. We just lost track of time in this calm and peaceful enchanting place.
NISARGADHAMA:**30 km from Madikeri, this beautiful ecological park, where river Cauvery splits forming an island and bamboo forest. A hanging bridge, boating, elephant ride, tree top shelters, deer park etc. are the main attractions.
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The places we could’nt visit due to shortage of time, but are supposed to be good are Irpu Falls, Nagarole National Park and Harangi Dam. Though I experienced this place in December, I personally feel that the charm of Coorg must be at its best during the monsoon.