Coorg:An unforgettable experience

At that time we were second year students of engineering in Bangalore. The pooja vacations were short and to return home by flight was a little too expensive and thus it was concluded we would visit a nearby hill station Coorg. It was an unplanned trip, one that was born out of sheer randomness and yet it turned out to be an unforgettable experience.

Coorg is a hill station located in the Western Ghats of south western Karnataka. It is well connected by road to Bangalore and other places in Karnataka making it a convenient getaway destination for 3 to 4 days.

We stayed in a coffee plantation in Coorg. Every morning we used to set out to explore our estate. These explorations were always marked by numerous photo shoots amidst the plantation workers busy at work. In one of these explorations we found a tiny waterfall in a secluded corner of the estate. The water was shallow and we were allowed to bathe in it. As we splashed around the water playfully the sound of the waterfall drowned our happy laughters. The estate even had provisions for setting up bonfires. 

After a long day of travel, sitting around the bonfire with the estate dog was something that we oft looked forward to. It is advisable to opt for a home stay in a plantation or estate instead of a hotel. This is because the real charm of Coorg lies in staying right in the midst of its wilderness, its plantations. And for those worrying about the expenses, let me assure you that they are pretty much affordable too.

Waterfalls seem to dot the landscape. A number of large waterfalls such as Abey falls are popular tourist destinations. The air is always misty around it and the roar of the water fall can be heard from quite a distance. A hanging bridge built across the gorge offers an excellent view of the falls.

Coorg offers a wide array of adventure sports. Be it rafting or trekking or even quad biking you name it and Coorg has got it all. Coorg is one of the most sought out places for Whitewater Rafting, as the gradient offers the best conditions for speedy waters flowing over rocks causing  drops in the river known as rapids in rafting, running through these  rapids is what makes rafting an adventure to remember. We set out on an early morning trek right up to Rajas seat(A popular view point).The climb was steep and we had to deal with a few leeches on the way but that merely added on to the excitement and the view from Rajas seat was a worthy reward to crown our efforts. The sunrise amidst those rocky slopes was bewitching. And as we all stood hand in hand with a stiff wind blowing on our faces we knew that this moment would be permanently etched in our hearts.

Want to carry a little of coorg back with you?Coffee plantations in and around Coorg ensure that a variety of local brews are available and coffee from Coorg has a sharp nip to it. For those that dwell a little more in the lighter side of life along with local coffee ,there is an interesting variety of local wines too. I recommend both. Hand made chocolates and other spices make for interesting gifts to carry back home. And ya there is an elephant park too where you can go for a safari on elephant back.I know lucky me.Lucky us.

Coorg was amazing.

Swagata Dutta

I am a college student who writes as a hobby....

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