Coorg, Karnataka

Had a lovely time this weekend travelling and visiting Coorg, Karnataka

We went to Madikeri and also to Irpu falls.

Irpu falls was at its magnificient best.

Routes from Mysore to Madikeri.
Mysore - Yelwala Town - Bilikere - Hunsur - Periyapatna- Kushalnagar - Madikeri.
The roads are excellent from Mysore to Periyapatna.
However from Periyapatna to Madikeri they equally worse.
The distance would be about 115 kms.

Mysore -Yelwala town - Bilikere - Hunsur - Virajendrapet - Madikeri
The distance would be around 147 kms.
Comparitively this road is better.

Places to visit in Coorg are

Abbey Falls
About 10 kms from Madikeri. The waterfall is located between private coffee plantations with stocky coffee bushes and spice estates with trees entwined with pepper vines.

Irpu Falls
48 kms from Virajpet on the way to Nagarahole. Irpu falls would be a trekker's point.

Nisargadhama
Forest Resort - 2 Kms from Kushalnagar (30 kms from Madikeri) on the State Highway.
The cluster of wooden huts, Nisargadhama is built to blend with the sandalwood forest around.
Apart from the lodging, a small canteen, a deer park, children's playing area are added attractions.

Talacauvery
Origin of river Cauvery and is about 45 Kms from Madikeri.
This is the source of the holy river cauvery, captured in a small well, less than a meter square.
In October on Sankaramana day, thousands gather to see a miracle -the sudden bubbling and frothing of the small well, symbolising the appearance of the Goddess Cauvery.

Raja's Seat
At the Western End of Madikeri perched atop a hill, overlooking a wide valley, watching the spectacular sunset and mesmerizing view of the valley around can be wonderful. An early morning visit, bracing the chilly breeze gives a glimpse of the hilltops rising above the mist-covered valley to kiss the sky.

Bhagamandala Temple
36 Kms from Madikeri. Built in the Kerala style at the confluence of three rivers the Cauvery, the Kannika and the Sujyothi, this temple houses a variety of smaller shrines dedicated to various gods.

Kakkabe.
Famous for being the largest producer of honey in south east Asia, though most come here for the Padi Igutappa temple. This is Coorg’s most important temple and the presiding deity of the Puthari Festival. Built as a hunting lodge, the Nalnad Palace is used as a kiddies’ camp, though no one will really mind you pottering around. You could also visit the honey farms.

Accomodation

Government Guest House at Nisarghadhama
landline: 08272-228305

Holiday Homes
Mr. Cassy Ayappa
Murnad Virajendrapet Main Road,
Badaga Village,
Madikeri Taluk, Coorg - 571252
Email: http://www.blogger.com/info@holidayhomes.co.in
Mobile No. : 9342147137
Landline : 08272-232137

Irpu Home stay
landline : 08274-201324

Hill Side Home stay, Near Irpu
landline: 08274-246326

Tourist hotshop. This is an agent.
Cauvery Group Building,
Near Town Hall, Main Road,
Madikeri - 571021.
Mobile No. : 9342632813
9886665459
9886221589
Coorg Trails Website

Alath-Cad Estate Holiday Homes
Alath-Cad Estate Bungalow
Ammathi, near Virajpet
Tel. No. 08274-252190
E-mail: alathcad@yahoo.com

JADE HILLS
Telephone: (Mob) 98800-76737,
Landline: 080 - 25262304
E-mail: jadehills01@yahoo.co.in


Please check out the karnataka tourism website for details on homestays , hotels and resorts.

Complete Details about Bandipur

Bandipur

1. Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary is regarded as one of the most beautiful and the better-managed national parks of India.
2. Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km.
3. Together with Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates the India's biggest biosphere reserve popularly known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'.
4. Bandipur is 80 km from Mysore, and a similar distance from Ooty, and takes 2 ½ hours by road.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta

1. Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta can be accessed by a small road through the village of Hangala north of the national park.
2. Gopalaswamy Betta (betta is hill in Kannada) located inside the forest is a popular trekking spot.
3. There is also a motorable road to the summit of the hill.
4. The area is also frequented by herds of wild elephants.
5. The hill gets its name Himavad (fog in Kannada) due to the fog during most parts of the year.
6. Atop the hill is a temple of Lord Venugopala Swamy built centuries ago and a travellers' bungalow which remains locked now and belonged to the Ruler of Mysore. Nobody is allowed to stay beyond 6:00 PM.

Accommodation

Accommodation options in Bandipur include Forest guesthouses and KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) cottages. The forest resthouses here are deluxe bungalows and also have dormitory beds; both should be reserved in advance at the Forest Office in Bangalore or Mysore. Rooms at the resthouses cost between Rs 300 and 400 a night.

Further information on Bandipur can be obtained from the office of the
Field Director, Project Tiger, Aranya Bhavan, Ashokpuram, Mysore (Tel: 0821-480901) or
The Chief Wildlife Warden, Aranya Bhavan, 18th Cross, Bangalore (Tel: 3341993).

Details on private resorts can be found at

1. Jungle Lodges
2. Resorts near bandipur

Mysore, Karnataka.

Places in and around Mysore

Mysore is 140 Kms from Bangalore.

1. Bandipur National Park: Bandipur is 80 km from Mysore, and a similar distance from Ooty.
2. Talkad: 45 kms from Mysore is a strange phenomenon-an ancient town buried under centuries of sand.
3. Chamundi Hills: In Mysore city itself, best time to visit is in the evenings after sun set.
4. Brindavan Gardens: Located at a distance of 20 Kms northwest of Mysore.
5. Mysore Palace: Visit after 7 p.m. on a sunday. It'll be in all it's glory and splendour.
6. Gopalswamy Hills: About 80-90 kms from Mysore. Around 20 kms after gundulpet, you need to take a deviation from the mysore - ooty highway towards the right.

For further details on Mysore check out the following links.

1. Mysore Tourism
2. Details of Mysore
   
3. Around Mysuru
4. Hotels in Mysore
5. All Hotels in Mysore
   

Tellicherry (talassery), kannur District, Kerala.

It has a driving beach.
The name of the beach is Muzhappilangad.
It's about 10-15 kms from Tellichery.

There are actually 2 routes.

1) Mysore - Gundulpet - Sulthan Bathery - Mananthavady - kuttuparamba - Tellichery. This will be around 220 kms. The best part about this route is that the roads are good.

2) Mysore - HD Kote - Mananthavady - kuttuparamba - Tellichery.
The road from HD kote is very bad. The distance will be around 170 kms.


For details about homestay near the beach.
Contact Hussain: 09895234634.

Make sure you talk about the price for the stay.
We paid around Rs.300/- per person per night.
Also make sure about the arrangements for food.