Trip to Coorg

Coorg also called as Kodagu was our Destination this time. Below are quick info before we go in details...

Date of Travel: 5th Feb 2011 from Bangalore

Company: Myself and my wife Vandana. Harsha and his wife Chaitanya.

Duration: 2 nights - 3 days

Places Covered: In and around Coorg and Mysore (Just palace and zoo)

Places covered near to Coorg: Dubare Elephant Camp, NisargaDhama, Golden Temple(Tibetan camp), Abbe Falls, Thalakavery, Bhagamadala, Omkareshwara temple, Raja Seat

Total journey: 750km



Stay in Coorg: Raksha Homstay, Sidhapura. This is an excellent homestay with yummy food. Nice location in 30 acres of Coffee plantation. Very lovely atmosphere and great hospitality from host. Check out http://www.homestaykodagu.com/home_stay/raksh%20cottage.htm




Travel Mode: Drive my own car

Occasion: My 4th Marriage anniversary

Day-1:

Ok let me come to more details. Journey started at sharp 5am from Bangalore. We packed home made breakfast as we were not sure on hotels on the way.

From Bangalore join Mysore road and travel on Mysore express highway till you reach Srirangapatna (just 20km before mysore).

From Srirangapatna take the diversion (not that good road) towards Ranganthittu Bird sanctuary. Continue on that small road till you reach ilivala. Any person on road can guide you the route. Even if you don;t know the language, just tell the name of place and he will explain you. Not much complicate way actually.

At Ilivala you will reach highway again. Now take a right on highway and move towards Hunsur, Periya patna.

Just after Periyapatna, you need to take a first left (Check out Orange County Board) and move towards Sidhapura road.

Raksha Homestay in just half a km from Sidhapura(35km from Coorg) , a small town. Even if you don't take this homestay, rest of my travel guide will remain same.

We reached homestay around 10am (so it is just 5 hours journey). We had small refreshment and started our journey again.

Dubare Elephant Camp:

From Sidhapura it is just ~10km away. This is the place where Elephants are tamed and trained. Try to reach here by 9am to see how elephants take bath. You can even see at 5-6pm. You need to take a boat ride to cross the river to reach the actual elephant camp (just 10Rs per head). Enjoyed few snaps with elephant and if you wish you can take a rise also. Then crossed the river back and went for river rafting (100 per head) in the same place. The rafting was for about 2 km and it was really great experience. Finaly swim in river for some time.

NisargaDhama:

From Dubare a route towards KushalaNagar for ~5KM. you can see it to your right. Here the Kaveri river just divides and joins again to form a small island. There is nothing much to see except a bamboo tree forest where you can walk for some time. Enjoyed few pics and some time sitting with full peace.








Nyingmapa Tibetan Monastery and Golden Temple:

After NisargaDhama go towards Kushalanagar and after Kushalnagar with in ~5km you will find this golden temple. This is second large Tibetan settlement in India. You can see many monks and a beautifull Golden temple. Huge Buddha statue is the biggest attraction. felt very peacefull and silence in the temple. Spent some time just sitting inside the temple. Outside there is a small shopping place. We didn't buy anything as nothing much special.





Return to HomeStay:

All the above places will come in single stretch of road one by one as said in above order. After Golden temple we returned back to homestay in the same route what we followed. Spent rest of the day enjoying the place. Had a great dinner and slept.

Day-2:

Had breakfast and left the home stay at sharp 10am for next round of places. From Sidhapura ~35km you will reach Madekeri (Coorg). From madekeri again 48km is our next destination Thalakaveri.

Talakaveri:

River Kaveri which is one of the 7 sacred rivers of Sapta Sindhus of the Hindu scriptures, originated at a place is called Talakaveri (head of Cauvery) in the Brahmagiri hills, at about 4,500 ft above sea level. This place is marked by a tirtha kundike or Brahma kundike (small spring/pond) from where the river emerges as a small perennial spring, but flows underground again to emerge a short distance away.

Very beautiful place because of its view. Enjoyed some time and returned back towards madikere.

Bhagamandala:

From Talakaveri, it is just 8km down the hill towards madekeri. This place is also called as "Triveni Sangama". There is a small temple to see. Nothing special. You can skip it also. But it was just on the way and hence we dropped here for some quick view.

After Bhagamandala we came back to madikere and had lunch in small hotel (athithi hotel). It was tough time to place get hotel. Athithi was one of the suggestions from local people and we went there. Hotel was ok.

After food next place is Abbe Falls

Abbe Falls:

Abbe mean "waterfall" in kodagu language. This is again a beautiful waterfall and must see place. About 4km from madikere. Need to take few steps to reach the falls. We were completely upset as they are not allowing to enter the falls. We just saw the falls and took few pics and left from there.








Omkareshwara Temple:


From Abbe falls, came back to Madekeri. This temple is in heart of the city. Temple will open after 5:30pm hence we just spent some time in front of the temple and left from there. Nothing special place but we visited this place as it is one of the common place to visit by all.








Raja Seat:


Again this is in heart of the city. This is again must watch place and all ways make sure you reach here by 5pm. Very beautiful view. Watched the glorious sun set where sun say bye-bye at the edges of green mountains. After sun set there was a musical fountain (6pm-7pm).

This ended our places in Coorg. reached homestay around 8pm and again slept for the day.




Day-3:

Woke up at 8am and celebrated my 4th wedding anniversary. Thanks to Harsha and Chaitanya for cake arrangements. Had breakfast and checked out the homestay around 10am. We will never forget the stay in homestay. It was one of the best part in entire trip.

Started journey to Mysore. Around 130km from Sidhapura.

We we wanted to reach Bangalore by end of day-3 only, we choose only 2 places to visit in Mysore - Zoo and Palace. There are many other places to visit which again takes one more day.

Mysore Zoo:

A typical zoo with most of the animals. Very poorly maintained. If you are first time visiting zoo or if you have kids then this is must watch.












Mysore Palace:

No words to say. This Palace shows the royal life of Wadayar Family. This will be closed by 5pm so be sure you catch it. Almost 1 hour spent in palace. Took a audio guide to help us in knowing the history of palace and few important places inside the palace. After you exit the palace don't miss the musiam where you can see lot of things related to kings.







END:

So by this we end of trip and back to Bangalore. 130km from Mysore. Had a great trip and we will cherish this for ever.



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