COORG “The SCOTLAND of INDIA”
COORG, the SCOTLAND of INDIA is one of the most popular and favorite tourist spot in Karnataka, India. Coorg is the smallest district in Karnataka and is also know as “KASHMIR OF KARNATAKA”. Coorg is well known for Tourism ,Coffee plantation,Black peppers, Orange, Ginger, Ext. The Major festivals in coorg is Puttari (puthari), Kaveri Sankramana, Kailpodu(kail mahurtha), Madikeri Dasara, and many local festivals celebrating in this district. Kaveri is the main river in Coorg which starts at Talakaveri.Coorg is best place to trekking, there are dozens of beautiful places to trek, the main trekking spots are Tadiyandamol (1745m, this is the coorg’s highest peak), Peak of Igguthappa (1590m), Pushpagiri (1712m), Nishani motte, Brahmagiri hill and many trekking places situated in coorg. Pandikari (pork), kadabu, Kuglet, Aatti payasa, Akki rotti are the special cuisine that prepares in the special occasion and sometimes in the festivals.
Coorg is main spot to many beautiful water falls, some of the falls are known well, that is Abbey Falls (situated 4 km from madikeri town), Irppu falls (35 km from madikeri), Mallali falls (situated in somwarpet taluk).
Wildlife in Coorg richer than other district in Karnataka, there are three wildlife sanctuaries and One National Park that is Nagarahole National Park and the Sanctuaries are Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. Common flora of the jungle includes Toona ciliate, Diospyros, Champaca, Calophyllum, Canarium, Artocarpus, Dipterocarpus, Garcinia, Euonymus, Cinnamomum, Myristica, Vaccinium, Rubus with three kinds of species. The fauna are Tiger, Dhole, Gaur, Boar, Asian Elephants, Leapard, Wild Dogs, and Deer. Common Reptile includes Wolf Snakes, Vine Snakes, Rat Snakes, Bamboo pit viper, Russells Viper, Krait, Python, Monitor Lizard, Toad, Cobra and King Cobras.
Coorg is dotted with several towns like Virajpet, Kushalnagar, Somwarpet, Gonikoppal and Pallibetta, merely Madikeri has well brought-up tourist facilities. Tourism also the main business in the recent days, Most of the Coffee planter and land owners focusing on providing facility such as Resorts, Homestays with good services. Currently thousands of Homestays with touch of visitors. Almost Homestays and resorts stands within the Valleys, Mountains, Forests, Coffee and Cardamom Plantations.
How to reach Coorg
Coorg is accessible by road only. Coorg does not have Air transport and Railway Transport. Nearest airport is in Mysore (Mysore Airport) and Mangalore (Mangalore International Airport). Bangalore International Airport and Kozikkode International Airport is secondary option apart from nearest airport to Coorg. Puttur is the nearest rail station to coorg (train travels through Mangalore to Bangalore), It is just 1 Km away from puttur town. Government and Private buses are available frequently. New Mangalore Port is the nearest seaport to Coorg, situated at Panambur in Mangalore, about 145 km from Madikeri town.
Some of the main cities of Karnataka connected well to this place, they are Mangalore, Hassan, Mysore, Bangalore and Kannur, Thalassery and Wayanad of Kerala.
Distances to coorg from major cities: Bangalore to coorg – 250km (KSRTC government buses available frequently on this route with all ranges of fare), Mangalore to Coorg- 120km, Mysore to Coorg – 120km, Hassan to coorg – 140km.
