10 Best Places to Visit in Coorg | Madikeri (Coorg) Tourist Places
Madikeri or Mercara, the capital of Coorg is a beautiful large hill town situated in Western Ghats. This hill station stands 1452 meters above sea level. The green woody slopes, colourful scenery, misty mountains, cascading falls, dense tropical forest, tea, coffee and spice plantations made this place a paradise of nature lovers.
This enchantingly beautiful place is popularly called as the ‘Scotland of India’ and also ‘Kashmir of South’. There are so many attractions in and around Madikeri, we have compiled the list of the best places to visit in Madikeri:
01. Abbey Falls, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Abbey falls or Abbi Falls is situated 1 km from the town of Madikeri. This waterfall is famous for its natural beauty. This is a famous picnic spot and is called as Jesse falls in the olden days.
Abbey falls located between the natural greenery of coffee plantations and spice estates is blessed with stunning beauty and serene calm. The falls has a wild beauty. Water cascading over rocks into the pool. The roaring sound of the waterfalls can be heard from the road.
During Monsoon the water flow is very high and in dry seasons the flow is low. There is a hanging bridge here providing the amazing sight of this waterfalls. The best time to visit Abbey falls is early winter.
02. Chiklihole Reservoir, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Chiklihole Reservoir is place to be visited if your time permits. The place is away from the usual crowd at popular tourist spots and offers some calm and peace to its visitors. The water of the dam flowing beautifully and the lushness of area around create a refreshing atmosphere.
The Chiklihole Reservoir, pronounced as 'Chikli-holey’, is located between the towns of Madikeri and Kushalnagar of Coorg district. The reservoir is at a distance of approximately 15 km from Kushalnagar and Madikeri and is nearest to the town of Nanjarayapattana.
On one of the tributaries of the River Cauvery, the reservoir offer tourists with seclusion and privacy unlike other tourist spots. The dense forest along with the rich flora and fauna add on to the charm of the place. It is a great picnic spot and thus perfect for family outing as well. The place with amazing scenic beauty is nothing less than paradise for photographers. Sunset view is mesmerizing from here and an experience in itself.
The place has no shops nearby and thus tourists are required to carry all the basic amenities with them while visiting the reservoir. The best time to visit the place is during the month of June to March that is in the monsoon and winter season.
The reservoir is located quite close to the Dubare forest reserve which is just few kilometers away. One can visit the forest reserve as well which offers good opportunities for trekking and nature walks.
03. Dubare Elephant Camp, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Dubare Elephant Camp is situated on the banks of River Kaveri in Coorg district of Karnataka state. A popular tourist spots, the camp attracts tourists, especially wildlife enthusiast from all over the world. It presents tourists with an opportunity to be close to elephants and engage in various activities related to them.
Elephant Camp at Dubare is the project undertaken by forest department and jungle lodges and resorts. Not just interaction with elephants, tourists also get mesmerizing natural settings consisting of lush greenery and refreshing environment to spend some memorable days.
Earlier at this place elephants used to be trained for Mysore Dussehra but now they are mostly used to jungle rides and other purposes. They are trained under naturalists. These trained naturalists assist tourists with details on Elephant history, ecology and biology. What makes this camp unique is the fact that tourists can participate in various activities with elephants which is three hour elephant interaction.
They can indulge in activities like 45 minute bath where they are allowed to give bath to elephants in River Cauvery, feeding them with ragi, jaggery, sugarcane, banana and coconuts. After this, they can go on a 45 minute elephant ride into the jungle.
Elephant rides for tourists are scheduled between 10 am to 12 noon and in evening from 4pm to 5pm. If interest one can stay here as well at the cottages which are part of Jungle lodges & resorts. These cottages offer comfortable stay amidst lush greenery and wild nature.
04. Harangi Dam, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
An interesting tourist spot, Harangi dam is situated in the Hudgur village near Kushalnagar if Coorg District. Built across the tributary of River Cauvery, Harangi dam is the first dam that has been built across River Cauvery. It has a height of 47 meters and length of 846 meters creating a marvelous view of forceful streams of water.
A popular picnic spot, it is good even for family outing where one can relax and spend some calm moments with his or her loved ones. It is located at a distance of approximately 36 km from Madikeri and can be reached without much difficulty.
It is a good place offering some seclusion and privacy as it is comparatively less crowded. So it you are looking for some break from usual hustle bustle of tourist spots, Harangi dam is the place for you. Calm setting and cool gentle breeze makes your time even more enjoyable. It is best to visit the dam is during the months of August to September as the water is more in the reservoir at time of the year.
If you like to stay over for a night or more, you can opt for the accommodation facilities available here. Tourists can opt for Guest house facilities are available here where tourists stay after reservation from the public works department.
Not just nature lovers, there is something for religious tourists as well. There is a Cauvery temple located quite near to the dam is a place worth visiting.
05. Honnamana Kere Lake, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Honnamana Kere (Honnama Lake) (Kannada: ಹೊನ್ನಮ್ಮನ ಕೆರೆ) is a popular tourist spots in Coorg. Being the largest lake in the region of Coorg, Honnamana Kere attracts hordes of tourists every year. It is located in Daddamalthe, near to the village of Sulimalthe which is at a distance of 6 km from Somwarpet town. Somwarpet is one of the taluks of Coorg.
The lake doesn’t attract just nature lovers but also religious tourists. It has religious importance and is named after the after Goddess Honnamma. One can also see a temple dedicated to Goddess Honnamma, located near to the lake.
It is believed that Goddess Honnamma sacrificed her life for the wellbeing of the people. The temple sees many visitors especially during the festival of Gowri Pooja. Many newly wedded couples visit the lake and pay their offerings and seek blessings of the Goddess.
The Lake offers captivating scenic beauty as well. It is a place where one can just relax and enjoy some quality moments with their loved ones. It is surrounded by mountains, cliffs and huge expanse of coffee plantations along with two hills named Gavi Betta and Mori Betta. Along with sightseeing, one can also engage himself/herself in various kinds of outdoor activities such as boating and fishing.
After having some good time at the lake, tourist scan visit other beautiful tourist spots in the town of Somwarpet. Some of the places worth visiting are Mallalli Falls along with wild life sanctuaries named as the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.
06. Omkareswara Temple, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Omkareswara Temple, the famous Siva temple in Madikeri is built by Linga Rajendra in 1820. The temple located at a distance of 1 km from Madikeri is an architectural beauty. The temple has both Islamic and Gothic style of architecture.
There is a wonderful pool in front of the temple. There are four Minarets around and a dome in the centre of the temple. A footpath leads to the Mandap. Here the Sivalinga was named as Omkareswara. Regular rituals were performed here.
07. Kotebetta Trek / Peak, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
One of the popular tourist spots in Coorg, Kotebetta is third highest peak in Coorg region after Tadiyandamol and Brahmagiri. At a height of approximately 1620 m above the sea level, Kotebetta is situated in Madapur which is located between the Somwarpet and Madikeri towns. It is at the border between the Dakshina Kannada and Coorg districts and can be easily reached without much of a hassle.
The name of Kotebetta has been derived from word Kote Betta which means Fort Hill. This is because the hill resembles a fort in its appearance. One can also find a temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva at the peak of the hill.
Kotebetta offers tourists with amazing trekking opportunities. It is 10 km away from Hattihole. Tourists start their trek from the Hattihole and ends at the peak. Along with lush greenery and especially huge expanse of coffee estates accompany you on your trekking.
The captivating natural settings make trekking all the more enjoyable and refreshing. The peak offers mesmerizing view of the area around making the trekking worth all the efforts.
The best time to go for trekking at Kotebetta is during the months of October to March. One doesn’t require any official permission from authorities to go for trekking at this place. While going for trekking, it is better to have a guide with you.
Do carry all the necessary equipment as well such as torch; wear proper shoes, insect repellents along with a first aid kit.
08. Madikeri Fort, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Madikeri Fort is one of the tourist spots in Coorg which you can’t afford to miss. First built in the last quarter of 17th century by Mudduraja, Madikeri Fort was later renovated with stones and bricks by Tipu Sultan who named the fort as Jaffarabad. The fort has rich history and has seen many battles and successions.
It was under the control of Doddavira Rajendra in 1790. Later it was renovated by the King Lingarajendra Wodeyar II. British also reconstructed the fort twice. In the year 1933, British added a clock tower and a portico to park the commissioner's car in the fort’s complex. Now, the fort is being used as the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
At ten entrance of the fort, you will see two life-sized elephants which are made of mortar. There was a temple as well inside the fort dedicated to Virabhadra which was later removed in the year of 1855 by the British. They built an Anglican Church in its place which is also a beautiful architectural work.
The Church presents beautiful architecture with Gothic style. The church is not a museum presenting tourists with different kinds of antiques and is run by the state archaeology department.
The fort has many other buildings as well such as Mahatma Gandhi Public Library, the Kote Maha Ganapathi temple and the district prison. The temple Kote Maha Ganapathi is one of the temples that participates in the Madikeri dasara festival.
09. Mallalli Falls, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Located at the foot of Pushpagiri Hill Ranges, Mallalli Falls are one of the best places in Coorg to spend some time. It is situated in Bettadahalli Gram Panchayat of Somwarpet which is one of the taluks in the district of Coorg. Mallalli Falls are created when River Kumaradhara drips down from the peak of Pushpagiri Peak, which is over a height of approximately 200 feet.
These falls are also good for trekking. Trekkers will come across interesting routes with beautiful settings around them which makes the experience all the more interesting and enjoyable. However, there are many leeches on the routes so it is better to be prepared for them while trekking. The falls at the foot of Pushpagiri peak and trekking till the peak, enhances your overall Coorg experience.
To reach the Mallalli Falls, one can hire a private taxi well from any of the nearby towns. The falls are 25 kilometres away from Somwarpet and 42 km away from Kushalnagar. If not interested in private transportation, you can also take public transportation.
You will get buses from Hanchinalli, the nearest village to water the falls from Somwarpet. Another village Bidalli is also just 2.3 km from the waterfalls and can be reached from any of the towns.
The best time to visit the falls in during the monsoon season and between the months of July to December. During monsoon season, there is more water in the falls making it look more beautiful and refreshing. Even the greenery around is at its best during this time.
10. Mandalpatti Trek, Coorg
- Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
- Entry fee and Timings
Located 4 km before Abbey Falls, Mandalpatti is at a distance of 25- 30 km from Madikeri town. Offering amazing scenic beauty and perfect opportunities to be amidst the best of natural settings, Mandalpatti is increasingly become popular amongst tourists.
The place offers tourists with some seclusion and space away from the usual crowdedness of the tourist spots. The place is perfect for trekking lovers and who like some adventure and seek best of natural settings. In order to go trekking, trekkers are supposed to take entrance tickets from the authorities at the base of Mandalpatti.
The trek presents trekkers with beautiful scenery and rich flora and fauna. However, you won’t find any facility on the route. So it is better to carry items like water and food as well other equipment for trekking with you.
For reaching Mandalpatti, tourists must take the deviating road which is 4 km before the famous Abbey Falls. No bus service is available for Mandalpatti and thus one if required to hire his or her private vehicle. Visiting during the rainy must be avoided as the route is not completely developed and thus can be risky and slippery.
It is best to visit during the months of November to January. Although the place is covered with the mist during this time, Mandalpatti offer picturesque setting. You will be amazed with view of the area around from the top of Mandalpatti.