Coorg, the Awe-Inspiring Hill Station of Karnataka

Coorg is a scenic hill station, situated in the south western part of Karnataka bordering Kerala.
The natural splendor and the picturesque views of this place make it one of the top hill stations in India. Placed among the lush green surroundings of the Western Ghats, this hill station attracts hundreds of domestic as well as international tourists all around the year. The magnificent beauty of Coorg is such that it is largely famed among the tourists as the ‘Scotland of India’ and as the ‘Kashmir of the South’. Perched at an altitude of around 3500 ft above sea level, the hill station offers a pleasant climate throughout the year, which is also the reason behind its popularity as the summer resort. Coorg is also known as Kodagu and the name is derived from the local inhabitants of this place called Kodavas.

Coorg is also known among the tourists for its various scenic trekking routes, as the hill station includes densely wooded teak forests, lush green valleys, picturesque coffee plantations and rolling mountain ranges. These features also make the place a popular one among the natural lovers.

Attractions

There is plenty to explore in Coorg, as the place is filled with historical, natural, religious and adventurous attractions. Tourists from every age group can visit this place and enjoy the exquisiteness of Coorg. Some of its attractions are mentioned below.

Gaddige Raja’s Tomb – The tomb is one of the historical structures of Coorg. Gaddige Raja’s Tomb attracts tourists due to its indo-sarcenic style of architecture. The chief highlight of this place is the mortal remains of the Kodavad royalty and the court officials. Close to this tomb are o9ther tombs of major historical significance. To the right of this tomb is the tomb of Lingarajendra, which was built by his son in Chikkaveerarajendra in the year 1820. While to the left of Gaddige Raja’s Tomb is the tomb of Royal priest Rudrappa, which was structured in the year 1834.

Iruppu Falls- This beautiful falls is situated in the Brahmagiri range and is one of the chief attractions of Coorg. The falls is about 48 km from Vurajpet, which can be reached on the way to Nagarhole. The falls from a height of about 60 m and is very much pleasing to the eyes of a nature lover.  The falls is at its peak glory during the monsoon season which is also the best time to visit this falls. There is also a renowned Shiva temple at a close distance to Iruppu Falls which attracts a huge number of pilgrims during the Shivaratri festival.

Omkareshwara Temple- The temple was structured by King Lingarajendra in the year 1820 and is situated at a close distance to Madikeri. This temple exhibits a fine style of both Islamic and Gothic architecture. According to the legends the king had killed an honest and religious Brahmin whose soul started troubling the king. Lingarajendra got rid of the Brahmin’s torturous soul only after installing a Shivalinga in the temple, which he had brought from Kashi. This Shivalinga was named as "Omkareshwara" and frequent rituals were performed, which continues till date.

Adventure Activities- Coorg provides a variety of adventurous activities which makes it a favorite destination among the adventure enthusiasts. Rafting in Kaveri River is one of the major adventure attractions of the place. Few good camps that are located around Dubare provide rafting facilities in this river. Rock climbing is another adventure activity of the Coorg region which gaining popularity at a very high speed. Thadiyendamol in Kakkabe offers some of the best spots for rock climbing. It is a challenging sport which is highly craved by the adventure enthusiasts. The most popular adventurous activity is trekking in the Coorg region. There are various trekking routes at this place but most of them are avoided during the monsoon season as these trails are parasite infected. The most popular trek route among the ones available in Coorg is the one that leads you to the beautiful Thadiyendamol peak. It is the second highest peak in the state of Karnataka and which offers a fascinating view from the summit of the peak. 

Best Time to Visit

As Coorg is blessed with a pleasant climate throughout the year, the place can be visited at any season of the year. Still, the best time to visit this place is from October to April.

How to Reach

By Road: Coorg has a very good network of roads and is well linked many major cities of the country through road like Mysore (118 km), Bangalore (255 km) and Mangalore (139 km). 

By Air: There is no airport in the Coorg region and the nearest airport to this place is Mangalore, which is at a distance of about 135 km.

  

By Train: This scenic hill station of Karnataka also does not have any railway station and the nearest railway heads to this place are Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan.