Experience At Coorg

As said in the earlier post and as planned we visited coorg last weekend. It was an amazing trip if I could say. We (me, my husband, my son and the honey couple my BIL and my co-sister) started early on Saturday morning. We planned such a way that we touched almost all the important places we could visit on the way. We packed our breakfast (nice idlis with molgai podi on it) and started from home by 5.00 am. (me and my husabnd didnt sleep the last night as we were really excited and kept planning). We picked up BIL and Co-sis on the way from mym MIL's place and left teh city around 5.30 am. As it was early morning, no traffic. So we reached Mysore road and Mathur by 7.00 am. We had our share of morning cup of hot beaming coffee at Mathur Tiffany ( which is our usual stop whenever we head towards Mysore or via Mysore). No one felt hungry. My BIL driving, me and my hub and the back seat had a nice nap. But the rain was also showing its face to us every now and then. The cliamte was so nice (but little worried as we felt the rain may upset our trip).

We first reached Bylakuppe at about 10.00 am and visited the Golden Buddha temple and did a little shopping for the exotic Nepali things available there. What a nice place. Then on we reached the Dubbare Elephant camp. We took a ride in the boat and touched the other side of the river and came back. They said that we cannot see the elephants as it was just 12.30 pm and we can have a look only after 4.00 pm. So we decided to leave the place and reach Madikere so that we can have lunch and take some rest and then move off to our evening site seeing. As our care taker at the cotage informed us over phoen to have lunch and come we decided to have lunch on the way. We had our lunch on the way in Kushal Nagar as we all didnt have our breakfast properly. Then we reached our Cottage "Pompei Valley" by 1.30 pm (the route, contact details and the rates will be given at the end). The place is really exotic and very simple. The Couple Ms. Saritha and her husaband MrTom are really hospitable people. Ms.Saritha Showed us the cottage. It was very simple with two double bed rooms and one bathroom and toilet attached and a sit out provied with chairs. The rooms are really clean and you get hot water in the morning as well as in the evening. If you want in between you can ask them and they will switch it on. The place is situated in about 50 acres and these people have almost all the farm animals in their farm and a big pond behind with tortoise and fish. It was raining every now and then and the site of the clouds and rain dripping was really amazing and soothing to our eyes.


Then as we all felt tired we wanted a cup of coffee( after all its coorg the place where coffee plantation is done. And how could any coffee lover miss it). So we ordered for it and Ms.Saritha provided it. It was really aromatic. Then we all had a wash and were chatting for a while, while my son was asleep. As planned we left the cottage for our evening sight seeing by 5.00 pm. If you want dinner you can order with Ms.Saritha. They have a very simple menu with both Veg and Non-veg (but little costly). We decided to pack our dinner or have it outside. So we went to Raja's seat. It was covered fully with clouds. There is also a park and there is a toy train over there. It is said that in Olden days the King used to come here everyday and enjoy the view of teh whole city. Yes and actually you may see the whole city if the view id clear. But we couldnt see as it was raining , not so heavily. Then we had a cup of coffee again outside and a bowl of bhel which tasted really nice. My husband had got the tickets for us all to enjoy the toy train ride along with my son. We went and stood in the huge queue. They charge about Rs.10 per person and take us 3 rounds around the park. We enjoyed it and decided to pack dinner and go back and have rest as it was already 7.30pm. We packed some dinner (make sure the food items are very costly) and something to drink(as we wouldnt be anyhow sleeping as we had planned).

We went back and it was already 9.00pm. Then I fed my son and made him sleep and we all watched some Hindi movie and chatted and went off to sleep. The next day as planned we went started early by 8.00 am. We planned to Thala Kaveri and back to "pompei Valley" as it was in the middle to Thala Kaveri and Madikere. Thale Kaveri is about 45kms away from Madikere. You may see a lot of boards as it is one of the most visited and important place in the whole of coorg. On the way we had our breakfast at Bagamandala. It was a small Vegetarian Restaurant but the food was very nice and very affordable. If you are really religious you can visit the temple at Bagamandala. It is quiet big and nice. Then we heeded towards Thala Kaveri. It is an amazing place and such a huge and big river comes out from a small hole. Such is the miracle of nature and no one till date can never predict where the water comes from. This is a very holy place and they do pooja here. If you want you may take a bath here in the pond. They also do a lot of special pooja for the last rites of the people who passed away in the family.My Co-sis took a bath.(I didnt as I have done it in my earlier visit and the climate was also not good).

We started from that place and reached back the cottage by 12.oo pm. (Actually 12.00 is the check out). But Ms.Saritha was very nice so she gave us more time. We had already packed everything in the morning. So all we had to do was to freshnup and change. We vacated by 12.30pm. We didnt go to Abbey falls as it was raining and the place would be slippery and we also had to reach back Bangalore that night as my BIL had office the next day. So we planned our trip through Nagarhole wildlife Sanctury which we missed out last time. We reached Nagarhole at about 3.00 pm. If we had been a little late we cannot go through as they close the gates by 4.00pm. It was very nice, but we could only spot deers, antelopes and wild dogs. To our disappointment the safari ride was cancelled due to heavy rains. The forest department authorities told that it will be open only after the monsoon. But if we had gone we could have seen Tigers, cheetas, wild boars, elephants, tuskers and many more and it would have really been fun.



We drove back through Mysore road and had our dinner at about 8.30pm in Adigas at Mathur.(But be careful you carry cash as they dont accept card. otherwise you need to travel 2kms into Mathur to draw cash). The food was really tasty. Then we left Adigas at about 9.15pm and reached home by 11.30pm ( we drove very slowly as we were all very tired). It was a nice experience and a little disappointment as we missed out a lot of places like Abbey Falls, Omkareshwara Temple, Irrupu Falls, etc. due to monsoon and lack of time.

Coorg and Madikere : Is about 255kms to be precise from Bangalore. There is no railway connection or airway connection. The only way to reach is through road. It is better to arrange your own vehicle as you need soem vehicle to go from place to place after you reach Madikere. Nearest Railway station is Mysore and Mangalore. Nearest Airport is Bangalore and Mangalore. Hill station and perfect Honeymooner's paradise.

Pompei Valley: Ms. Saritha- 08272222909. They charge about Rs.1500 for the whole two bedroom cottage (with breakfast if you are a couple.) If two couple are sharing one cottage you will not be provided with breakfast or you need to pay for it. Coffee and tea is really good. After reaching Madikere, you need to take Mangalore route and exactly at 2.5kms you will find a junction where you have to take the turn towards Thala Kaveri route and at about 200mts you may find this place. There are two petti shops in the junction where you can enquire for Mr.Tom's place and they will guide you. Better you call the above number and confirm for a place.

Have a nice and pleasant journey!