Coorg, Karnataka
Largest Buddhist monastry in India
Trip Taken June 2009
Coorg is one of the most scenic and romantic places in Karnataka. Kodagu, as the Kannada name goes, is one of the southern most districts in Karnataka, bordering Kerala, is made up of the eastern side of the Western Ghats. Coorg is no secret. It is around 250km from Bangalore. The roads are good most of the way there and back and it’s a pretty scenic one for the most part. So, more as less, as a beautiful hill station, it is quite a popular weekend get away for those near it especially.
The coffee plantation we stayed at
As I was researching like a dumb foreigner for a hotel, I stumbled across more home stays in the form of coffee plantations on the internet than hotels. After I recovered from my confusion because they weren’t called “bed and breakfasts” like they are where I’m from, I called a couple of friends to get the scoop on this. Apparently, that is the thing to do, so I did… book a stay at a coffee plantation and do the drive from Bangalore to Coorg. The mistake I made, though, not to be repeated, is that you got to get to the destination before dark, especially if the coffee plantation you picked is in south Coorg because those can get to be pretty dark deserted back roads with no signs.
But over all it was a relaxing long weekend for us. The first day, we hiked up onto a mountain with a guide and his gun. I guess there is enough danger there that these guys are licensed to carry and advice it; as our guide told us, there are leopards, elephants, and tigers, to name a few. The view of the Western Ghats is breath taking not only for the mountains but it is rare to see, in a crowded country like India, nature and blue skies beyond for as far as I could see. That is where I realized I was standing in Karnataka and looking at Kerala… my next destination.
Iruppu Falls
Back to Coorg, there is the beautiful morning and home cooking and fresh air and camp fire dinners. There is no lack of things to do, but not to miss a walk in a coffee plantation and relax and learn. Then, move along to Iruppu falls, a sacred spot. The Nagarhole Forest Reserve offers safari rides in the early morning hours and also treks on foot with a guide.
The Dubare Elephant Camp is a popular tourist destination, almost due east of Madikeri, the capital of Coorg. It is to raise awareness of the most popular animal in that region, but one can’t stray too far from the beaten path because most of these elephants are held in captivity for a while and no animal is safe to go too close to without proper knowledge. So after a quick ride on an elephant, we crossed the river back the entrance area and headed north back to Bangalore.
There was one thing we heard of that I definitely wanted to see because it was intriguing and I had never seen one before: a Buddhist monastery. It is on the Mysore Madikeri Highway, about 90km from Mysore. I read that it was the largest Tibetan refugee camp with almost 18,000 Tibetan refugees who created a mini Tibet there. Also, 7000 monks, called “Lamas” live in the monastery and pursue their education with a steadfast belief in The Holiness The Dalai Lama. It was a day dream for me, one of the most peaceful and truly eye opening places I have ever been to. It is true that internal calmness and a peaceful lifestyle exude a quiet physical nature amongst them.
Rafting across to Dubare Elephant Camp
There are many more falls, more treks and more driving through the hill station, if one has time. It’s hard to make this trip a hectic one, but one can definitely push one’s physical abilities to the limit here. Beware, same as Kerala which is not too far off, once it rains, there are plenty leaches that will find you!
