The Only Ultimate Guide To Things To Do In Kodagu (Coorg), Nation's Coffee Fix

Kodagu can only be accessed by road as the nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport and the nearest railway station is Mysore Junction Railway Station. From Bangalore, Kodagu is around 260-odd kilometres or about 4.5-5 hours drive. There are private and government buses that do regular trips to Kodagu as well.

Madikeri is one of the main townships of Kodagu and it's where the Madikeri Fort is located. The 17th-century palace was later fortified by Tipu Sultan and currently houses the Commissioner's office. Within the palace compound, there's also the St. Mark's Church that should not be missed out. You can walk around the palace and check out the architecture as well as the statues. The Madikeri Fort Museum is inside the church and houses weaponry and historical artefacts. 

Stuart Hill houses one of the most popular tourist spots in Kodagu, Raja's Seat. It is said that the king would go up here to survey his kingdom and that's how the name came to be. Currently, it's been made into a park and it's a great spot to catch the sunset. 

Also known as Gaddige, the complex houses several tombs of the rulers and their wives. The complex was built during the 19th century in a very Indo-Islamic style with lots of Hindu architectural elements. The tombs have the remains of Veerajendra, Lingarajendra, their wives, Biddanda Bopu, Biddanda Somaiah and the royal priest Rudrappa. 

Mallali Falls is located in the foothills of Pushpagiri Hills and is one of the best waterfalls in Coorg along with Abbey Falls. The falls originate from the River Kumaradhara and plunge to 200 feet below. The small pathway to the falls makes for an easy hike. You can take a dip here, enjoy nature, and relax for a bit. 

The falls cascade down from a height of 70 feet and the beauty of this falls is that it's located inside coffee plantations. The short trek to the falls is through coffee, cardamon, and pepper plantations. The falls can be best enjoyed from the hanging bridge and there's often a crowd since it's a popular tourist spot in Coorg.

A trip to Kogagu is not complete without visiting Nagarhole National Park. The national park is home to a rich diverse set of wildlife that includes tigers, leopards, spotted deer, and elephants. The national park has an amazing forest cover, waterfalls, and hills as well. 

Coorg's famous outdoor activity is perhaps plantation walks that will have you trekking through coffee and pepper plantations. At estates like Tata Estate, Old Kent Estate, and The Tamara, you can opt for plantation tours that will have you go through the winding paths and of course learn all about the bean-to-cup journey of coffee. 

The place in Kushalnagar has one of the largest Tibetan settlements outside of Tibet and the place is home to a lot of Tibetan monasteries and schools including the main Namdroling Monastery. The place is truly like a mini Tibet with handmade trinkets, momo, religious accessories, and clothing and accessories being sold here. 

This monastery was started by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche with the blessing of His Holiness Dalai Lama and is home to over 5,000 monks and nuns, the temple complex is a sight to see. It features the typical Tibetan architecture and style with pagodas, gold and red paint, tiered gates and Zen gardens. Inside the temple are the statues of Padmasambhava, the Buddha and Amitayus. It makes for a great peaceful break from the city life.

Dubare Elephant Camp is where you can catch the gentle giants of the forests having their breakfast, bath, and just being themselves and playing around. There are daily baths and feeding times that you can take part in. Nothing like feeding a pachyderm or better bathing one. Expect to get completely drenched as the elephants can get rather playful especially the calves and young ones.