Kodagu
Discover Kodagu
Kodagu, also called Coorg, is a district in Karnataka State. Coorg is known for its hospitability of people and beautiful scenery. This is one of the best destinations for nature lover in India. Tourists get fascinated by colourful scenery, wooded slopes, undulating landscape and quaint villages of Coorg. There are endless mountain ranges which attract thousands of tourists every year. The nearest airport and railway station is Mysore, some 100 km away. But buses are frequent and connect Kodagu to nearby Karnataka cities such as Mysore and Mangalore, among others. The bus journey is about 4-5 hours away. Be prepared for a rough, winding and inexpensive ride. If you are coming from Bangalore/Mysore, it is better to rent a cab from either city. This is recommended as public transport is not very effective in Coorg district and the tourist attractions are spread across the district. Taking a cab from the city will help you get better rates as it is always difficult to bargain in tourist spots. If travelling from Bangalore/Mysore, you should plan to cover Bylanakuppe (Tibet monastery), as it is en route.
Taste of Kodagu...
Coorgi food is an elaborate mix of Indian pepper, curry leaves, and, simply putting it, a lot of other magical ingredients. With a tendency to be a little too hot for the foreign tourist, it does have a great potential to compete with Andhra cuisine. Since the people of Kodagu have a warrior background, their food is a little different from the mainly vegetarian cuisine of the rest of India with an abundance of pork, chicken and meat in it. Many dishes reflect a melding of meat, particularly meat and pork. Stews are common, and rice is the main staple diet. If you are visiting Coorg in wet weather seasons, beware of leeches especially while walking through wet grass and in bathrooms/toilets. Watch out for traffic (locals warn about "overloaded lorries") along the main highways leading into Madikeri, and the winding roads of the region. Speedbreakers on some roads tend to be unmarked. Wild animals are reported on some roads at night, and domesticated herds by day too. B.S.N.L. (Cellone) mobile connections are available at many places in this district.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe nearest airport and railway station is Mysore, some 100 km away. But buses are frequent and connect Kodagu to nearby Karnataka cities such as Mysore and Mangalore, among others. The bus journey is about 4-5 hours away. Be prepared for a rough, winding and inexpensive ride. If you are coming from Bangalore/Mysore, it is better to rent a cab from either city. This is recommended as public transport is not very effective in Coorg district and the tourist attractions are spread across the district. Taking a cab from the city will help you get better rates as it is always difficult to bargain in tourist spots. If travelling from Bangalore/Mysore, you should plan to cover Bylanakuppe (Tibet monastery), as it is en route. Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport to Kodagu district. Rickshaws (autos) and four-wheelers can be hired, the former for short pay-by-the-trip journeys and the latter by the day too....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Rickshaws (autos) and four-wheelers can be hired, the former for short pay-by-the-trip journeys and the latter by the day too. Buses connect Coorg with the rest of Karnataka state, and also ply locally (less frequent). Trekking is a healthy possibility; cycling for fitness freaks in this hilly terrain. For local information, the only easily-available texts in Coorg appear to be Glimpses of Kodagu (Coorg): Places of Interest by Dr K.U. Ashok (available for ₹40, including at the main bus-stand bookshop), and a Kodagu Tourists Spots Map, priced at ₹30, and also available locally, including at the local tourist office near the main bus stand. Abbey falls are a big attraction 8 km from Madikeri. Even during the summer there is plenty of water in these falls. The roar of the falls can be heard from the main road, from where a path goes through lovely coffee and cardamom plantations right up to them.
Money & Budget
Coorgi food is an elaborate mix of Indian pepper, curry leaves, and, simply putting it, a lot of other magical ingredients. With a tendency to be a little too hot for the foreign tourist, it does have a great potential to compete with Andhra cuisine. Since the people of Kodagu have a warrior background, their food is a little different from the mainly vegetarian cuisine of the rest of India with an abundance of pork, chicken and meat in it. Many dishes reflect a melding of meat, particularly meat and pork. Stews are common, and rice is the main staple diet. If you are visiting Coorg in wet weather seasons, beware of leeches especially while walking through wet grass and in bathrooms/toilets.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
If you are visiting Coorg in wet weather seasons, beware of leeches especially while walking through wet grass and in bathrooms/toilets. Watch out for traffic (locals warn about "overloaded lorries") along the main highways leading into Madikeri, and the winding roads of the region. Speedbreakers on some roads tend to be unmarked. Wild animals are reported on some roads at night, and domesticated herds by day too. B.S.N.L. (Cellone) mobile connections are available at many places in this district.