It was quite early morning, 4.15 am to be exact, in a fog filled we started our trip from Tambaram to Coorg via Bangalore and Mysore. After three and half hours we reached Krishnagiri where we stopped for the breakfast. The food was good. There was lot if parking space and some long distance buses also stopped for the tea. Then we crossed Hosur and reached the outskirts of Bangalore where we took the NICE road which was really a nice road. Having avoided the city traffic took the Mysore highway exit. The Mysore highway was crowded on many places added to that was a VIP visit. But the roads were mostly good and before noon we could reach the Mysore Madikeri road through the Brindavan garden road without going to the Mysore city.
It was lunch time and we stopped at Hotel Nava Green. The ambience was very good. The food was homely, taste average and variety is limited.
After lunch we proceeded towards the Golden Temple at Bylakuppe. It is a sacred place and beautiful place. A must visit. The Golden statue of Buddha and the peacefulness interrupted by the occasional chatter of the tourists were really awesome. We sat there for sometime and were wandering there for nearly half an hour in the small garden surrounding the temple. The car parking charge was Rs.30/- Then we were on our way to the Hotel in Madikeri.
We took a wrong turn while coming out of the Golden temple travelled couple of kilometers, realized the mistake and came back then we were off in the Mysore _ Mangalore highway. The roads were scenic with either trees or coffee estates lining both the sides of the road. We reached our
Hotel Coorg Regency which was at the beginning of the Town of Madikeri and on the main highway. The rooms were spacious, neat and clean. There is a separate restaurant downstairs. We did the check-in and then took rest for sometime after a pretty long drive.
Hotel Coorg Regency which was at the beginning of the Town of Madikeri and on the main highway. The rooms were spacious, neat and clean. There is a separate restaurant downstairs. We did the check-in and then took rest for sometime after a pretty long drive.
In the evening we took a stroll to Raja's seat, nice views and a very good place to relax in Madikeri. The views of the many hills around Madikeri and further down is magnificent. We were in time for the sunset. After spending nearly two hours in the park we walked down to Hotel Shri Shanthi Sagar. It is in the first floor next to Hotel Mercara. The food taste was excellent, especially the Kadai Mushroom.
It was a good nights rest after a tiresome day especially for me since I was the first one to wakeup and then drive for the next eleven hours and accompany my family for the two tourist spots.
In the morning we woke up and planned to have breakfast in the restaurant downstairs next to the Hotel, the Hotel Green Land. Food was tasty and the ambience was good but during the lunch time this place gets crowded since it is on the Mangalore highway.
In the morning we woke up and planned to have breakfast in the restaurant downstairs next to the Hotel, the Hotel Green Land. Food was tasty and the ambience was good but during the lunch time this place gets crowded since it is on the Mangalore highway.
After breakfast and a light cleaning of the car we proceeded towards our first place of interest the Dubare Elephant camp. I took the Chettali road instead of the NH275, it was a narrow long winding road but beautiful forest and country side, driving my I 10 automatic was a joy. We reached Dubare Elephant camp in time for the bathing of elephants. The car park is huge and by the banks of the river Cauveri. We crossed the river in small boat paying a fee of Rs.30/- per person. On the other bank the entry fee to the elephant camp was another Rs.30/- per person. The whole place was beautiful and we were excited to see the elephants bathing and now it was time for food. All elephants were lined up and you are allowed to feed the elephant by paying Rs.20/- We paid Rs.20/- to feed a baby elephant and another Rs.20/- to feed an adult elephant. We took photographs. The whole area was with the visitors filled with joy. Then some of the elephants had not taken bath earlier were led to the river for bathing. One corner had a wild elephant which was getting domesticated, that was little painful to watch.
It was nearly 11.30 am and the Elephant camp was closed for lunch and will open again in the evening 4pm for visitors. So with a happy heart we went to our next destination Nisargadharma. The entry ticket is at the left side of the entrance and we entered the Nisargadharma forest through the hanging bridge. Once you are inside you are greeted by the statue of Mother Cauveri and then into the vast expanse of trees. There are lively statues, deer park which now seems to have less deers. Further down you can climb down into the Cauveri river if it is not rainy season. Walk down further into the trail you can trek for more than a kilometer of forest, but this portion is less frequented by visitors, but if you choose to walk then after nearly 1 1/2 km you reach back near the entrance.
It was lunch time when we completed our light trek and after a few minutes rest we came out and proceeded towards the Fish Curry Rice restaurant nearby. It is a Mangalore style restaurant and specialty is Fish curry and rice though other varieties are available. I took biryani while my wife and daughter ordered fish curry rice. The ambience is very good, food tasty and the price though not cheap is not very expensive either.
Our next stop was Abby falls, Though this place was really beautiful now there is lack of maintenance. The hanging bridge is broken and inaccessible. There was some trash left by the visitors. Still it is a beautiful falls though one cannot take bath here.
We were back in Madikeri after the somewhat narrow and winding road to & from Abby falls. We went to the Madikeri fort and museum in the heart of the town. The museum though small houses some pretty old artefacts. The fort is huge and houses many Government offices, there is a small temple for Lord Ganesha also.
After a visit to Rajas seat once again, dinner and a good nights sleep we were off to Baganmandala nest day. The road to Bagmandala is a mixed lot, some stretches good and some bad, but re-layering was going on when we went. There were not many visitors in Bagmandala, in the Sangam the water was very less. We went to the temple and worshipped the god.
Just out of the Bagamandala is the checkpost of the Talakaveri hill and one has to pay Rs.30/- for the car. It is a uphill winding road which one has to drive carefully. There are couple of shops on the way up selling honey, coffee and home made wine. There are two small restaurants. There are three parking lots and cars can be parked in the last one close to the steps. It is a beautiful temple and holy. If you climb up 300 steps then you can reach the top of the Brammagiri hill where the access is limited to barren patch but the view is good.
We were back in Madikeri a little late for the lunch and I was little bit hungry and tired. After lunch and some rest we went for shopping and the Omkareshwara temple. Architecture of the temple is a fusion of Hindu and Islamic traditions. So it is worth the visit. We went just before closing and there was very little crowd and the calm and peace penetrated us.
The dinner was at Coorg cuisine and ethnic restaurant serving authentic Karnataka cuisine. We ordered Akki roti and local flavor Chicken gravy. The food preparation was different. This was our last day in Coorg and the next day we were to travel to Wayanad....