Kodagu is an administrative district in Karnataka. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State. The district is bordered by Dakshina Kannada district to the northwest, Kasargod district of Kerala to the west, Hassan district to the north, Mysore district to the east, Kannur district of Kerala to the southwest, and the Wayanad district of Kerala to the south. Agriculture is the most important factor that upholds the economy of Kodagu and the main crops cultivated in this region are rice and coffee. Coorg is rich in natural resources which included timber and spices. Madikeri is the headquarters of Kodagu. Kodagu is known for its coffee and its people. The people include indigenous (Kodavas) and other ethnic groups (Are Bhashe Gowdas and Kodava subgroups). The chief languages presently spoken in Kodagu are Kodava, Are Bhashe, Tulu and Malayalam. Kodagu is home to the native speakers of the Kodava language. Kodagu is located on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. It is a hilly district with Tadiandamol its highest peak at an altitude of 5740ft.
History: The Kodavas were the earliest inhabitants and agriculturists in Kodagu, having lived there for centuries. The Haleri dynasty, an offshoot of the Keladi Nayakas, ruled Kodagu between 1600 and 1834. Later the British ruled Kodagu from 1834, after the Coorg War, until India’s independence in 1947. A separate state (called Coorg State) until then, in 1956 Kodagu was merged with the Mysore State (now Karnataka).
*(All the above information are from Wikipedia.)
Transport:
Airport: Kannur International Airport is the nearest airport from Madikeri in the state of Kerala. In Karnataka, Mysore (130km) and Mangalore (140km) airport are the nearest to Kodagu district.
Rail: The nearest railway stations are Thalassery and Kannur in Kerala and Mangalore, Mysore and Hassan are the nearest in Karnataka.
Road: Madikeri is well connected by road with Mangalore, Hassan, Mysore, Bengaluru and Kannur, Thalassery, and Wayanad of neighbouring state Kerala. There are three Ghat roads for reaching Kodagu from coastal regions of Kerala and Karnataka: the Sampaje–Madikeri Ghat road from Mangalore, the Panathur–Bhagamandala Ghat road from Kasaragod, Kanhangad, Malom and Chittarikkal and the Makutta–Perumbadi/Virajpet Ghat road from Kannur and Thalassery through Iritty.
Local: Auto rickshaws, buses and cabs are available for transportation within the city. Tour operators provide vehicles on hire.
Tourist Interest:
Abbey Falls: Situated withing the green surrounding this is a river falls and a part of the Kavery River which is best seen after the monsoon.
Talacauvery: This is a sacred place and is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri. It is located on Brahmagiri hills near Bhagamandala in Coorg district, Karnataka.
Raja’s Seat: Raja’s Seat (Seat of the King) is a seasonal garden of flowers and artificial fountains. It is one of the most important tourist spots in Madikeri of Coorg District.
Namdroling Monastery or the Golden Temple: The Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery is the largest teaching centre of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world.
The other places of interest are Dubare Elephant Camp, Coorg Fort, Brahmagiri Peak, Truppu Falls, Coffee Plantation, Nagarhole National Park and others.
Tour Planner:
This tour planner is made on the basis of the location of the destinations. One can make changes as per their interest, convenience and accessibility and duration of the trip.
Day 1: After reaching Coorg in the morning the rest of the time can be used to tour the locations within the Madekeri region like Coorg Fort, Raja’s Seat and the temple.
Day 2: The Dubare Elephant Camp, the Namdroling Monastery and the other distant places can be covered in the other day.
Hotels: There are many hotels in Visakhapatnam and most of the hotels are located within the city area. Online booking facilities are available in most of the hotels.