Coorg (Kodagu) Complete Travel Guide

If you are looking to plan a trip to Coorg and looking for some tips, you are at the perfect spot. This post shares all you need to know about visiting Coorg.

First, quick list of what all you can visit/do in Coorg or Kodagu district. These are compiled from my 6 short trips to Coorg so far over past 14 years.

Reasons to visit Coorg- Major attractions & things to do

Temples	Waterfalls
1 Omkareshwara temple 2 Golden  Temple 3.Talakaveri	Abbi Falls Surlabhi Falls Onti Falls Iruppu Falls Mallalli Falls Kote Abbi Falls Chelavara falls Coorg waterfalls trail
Hilltops & Viewpoints	Adventure
Mandalapatti Nishanibetta Pushpagiri Raja Seat Brahmagiri Kote Betta	Rafting in Dubare Rafting in Balepore river Elephant feeding & bathing in Dubare Microlight flight flying Offroad driving to hilltops
Activities	Other attractions
Coffee Plantation Tours Coorg dress photo op Coorg Cultural activities Cycling Trek to Tadiyandamol	Chaklihole Reservoir Kaveri Nisarga Dhama Tea Plantation Visit Harangi Dam
Luxury Resorts	Budget Hotels & Homestays
Evolve Back Coorg Club Mahindra Coorg Ibni	Igloo Residency Cool Cache Estate Stay Kings Cottage & Palace Estate-Kakabbe

Next, let us look at a few viable itineraries if you are visiting Coorg from Bengaluru/Mysuru or Bengaluru

Itinerary 1: Ex-Bengaluru, 3 Days, most important places

Day 01: Start from BLR early (or litter later if from Mysuru) [Map link]

• Stop at Golden Temple
• Kaveri Nisarga Dhama
• Dubare Elephant Camp
• Chiklihole Reservoir
• Abbi Falls
• Madikeri (Omkareshwara temple & Raja seat)

These would take 7 hours/300 kms and will keep you busy till evening. Check into your hotel by evening, if getting delayed you can move Raja Seat, Omakareshwara temple and Abbi falls to next day.

Day 02: Mandalapatti & more waterfalls [Map link]

Plan an early morning visit to Mandalapatti and from there proceed to explore more waterfalls in the area - 

• Kote Abbi Falls
• Surlabhi falls
• Onti Falls
• Mallalli Falls
• Abbimatta falls

While these are just 150 kms round trip from Madikeri, a lot depends on what time you start and how much time you wish to spend at each spots. Some of the waterfalls need extra time for trek/hiking. Refer this waterfalls trail for more detailed review. If short of time skip a few falls. Also if rainy season is over (after November) best to skip waterfalls as water levels will be low.

Day 03: Adventure, Shopping and return to home

Try Microlight flying, plantation tour, water rafting, ATV Rides and various adventures available in coorg, depending on your interest and time. You can plan a visit to Iruppu falls and proceed to Mysuru from there, without returning to Madikeri. Depending on where you stay and what interests you plan your day. You may need half a day to return to Bengaluru/Mangaluru, so not much time post lunch.

Extension of Coorg trip

If you have few more days, you can extend your trip to explore Sakaleshpura or Mysuru or Mangaluru (Subramanya, Dharmasthala, Mangaluru, Udupi etc)

Where to book your stay for Coorg trip?

Keep following guidelines in mind

• If you wish to stay in one place and do not travel much you can select nice home stays in remote part of Coorg- Coorg Tree House, Cool Cache Estate Stay are some options
• If you want to minimize travel time, stay in Madikeri town or nearby
• Luxury resorts, budget hotels and homestays are all available in Coorg. Pay attention to their location before booking.
• Public transportation is NOT available to visit most tourist places in Coorg. You will need own vehicles or cab. A few attractions can be reached only by hiking or 4x4 jeep ride. Bike rentals are available or you can rent a car in Mysuru or Bengaluru on self drive.
• Your itinerary will have an impact on which part of Coorg you are staying. Plan well.

Above: Bike and Jeep rentals in Coorg

Other things to keep in mind

- Road conditions were OK in September 2021. Main roads are good, interior roads are OK with few bad patches.

- Except popular tourist places, finding a restaurant/toilet might still be tricky if you are on the road full day in Coorg. Plan well.

- Avoid visiting between June and August due to heavy rains and possible landslide risks. September to December is best, Coorg being hill station remains cool even in March/April, but all waterfalls will be dry.

If you have any questions about visiting/exploring Coorg do ask, I will try to answer.