Coorg—officially Kodagu—has been called the Scotland of India for its rolling hills, cool mist, and emerald coffee plantations. Coffee arrived here in the 17th century, and Kodava families turned it into an art. You’ll taste that heritage in every cup, scented with pepper and cardamom grown under the same canopy.

Madikeri, the hilltop capital, anchors your 3-day itinerary: a fort layered with history, a sunset garden once favored by kings, and waterfalls thundering through rainforest valleys. Day trips unfurl easily—from Mandalpatti’s cloud-washed ridges to Dubare’s elephant camp and the Tibetan monasteries at Bylakuppe.

Expect cool mornings, brief mountain showers, and hearty Kodava cuisine: smoky pandi (pork) curry with kadambuttu (rice dumplings), akki rotti, and noolputtu. Monsoon (June–September) is lush but slippery—carry good shoes and a light rain jacket. Dress modestly at temples and monasteries, and choose ethical wildlife interactions.

Madikeri

Madikeri is the gateway to Coorg’s coffee country—a hill town ringed by estates and forest. Its compact center makes it perfect for a car-free day, while the best viewpoints and plantations sit 15–60 minutes away by road.

Top highlights include the 17th-century Madikeri Fort (reworked by Tipu Sultan and the British), the Indo-Islamic Omkareshwara Temple with its serene fish pond, and Raja’s Seat, a cliffside garden renowned for fiery sunsets and rolling-valley views.

• Why base here: Short drives to Abbey Falls, Mandalpatti, Dubare Elephant Camp, Nisargadhama, and Bylakuppe; great dining; lively spice and coffee shops.
• Coffee culture: Estate tours explain shade-grown arabica/robusta, pulping, drying patios, and roasting—often ending with a cupping session.
• Fun fact: Kodavas are a distinctive community with martial traditions; festivals like Kailpodh and Puthari revolve around harvest and arms.

Getting to Coorg (Madikeri): Fly into Bengaluru (BLR), Mangaluru (IXE), Mysuru (MYQ), or Kannur (CNN), then drive 3–6.5 hours to Madikeri. Search flights on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. If you prefer rail, ride to Mysuru or Hassan, then continue by taxi; see Trip.com Trains for options.

Estimated transfer times and costs: Bengaluru–Madikeri: 5.5–6.5 hrs by car (₹6,000–8,500 private sedan). Mangaluru–Madikeri: 3.5–4 hrs (₹5,000–7,000). Mysuru–Madikeri: 3–3.5 hrs (₹4,000–6,000). Road conditions and monsoon showers can add time—depart early.

Where to stay: For plantation vibes and views, look for cottages and boutique resorts around Madikeri/Kaggodlu/Suntikoppa; in-town stays are walkable to markets and eateries.

• Browse hotels: Hotels.com – Madikeri
• Private homes and villas: VRBO – Madikeri

Day 1: Arrive, Fort Stories, Abbey Falls, and a Sunset Fit for Kings

Morning: Travel to Coorg and settle into your stay. If arriving via Bengaluru or Mangaluru, plan a mid-day check-in to refresh after the scenic drive through forests and coffee estates.

Afternoon: Start at Madikeri Fort (about 45–60 minutes). Built by Muddu Raja in the 1600s and later rebuilt by Tipu Sultan, its ramparts and museum hint at battles that shaped Kodagu. Walk 10 minutes to Omkareshwara Temple (1820), a rare blend of Islamic dome and Gothic arches—note the peaceful pond with hefty catfish.

Evening: Head to Abbey Falls (7 km/20 minutes). A brief forest walk leads to a roaring cascade, most dramatic just after the monsoon. At golden hour, drive to Raja’s Seat for sweeping valley views and a musical fountain after dusk (nominal entry fee). Dinner at Raintree (restored bungalow; order Coorg pepper chicken, noolputtu, and mushroom pepper fry) or Coorg Cuisine (a local institution for smoky pandi curry with kadambuttu; veg standouts include bamboo-shoot curry in season). Nightcap at Big Cup Café (Madikeri)—single-origin Coorg pour-over or a robusta cappuccino, plus chocolate cake.

Day 2: Mandalpatti’s Cloud Kingdom and a Coffee Estate Immersion

Morning: Pre-dawn jeep to Mandalpatti Viewpoint (leave 4:45–5:30 am; 20 km total; last stretch requires 4x4). Hire a local jeep at the forest checkpoint or Mandalpatti junction (₹1,500–2,500 per jeep round-trip; entry fee extra). On clear days you’ll watch veils of cloud spill across ridges of the Pushpagiri Reserve; in monsoon, misty drama steals the show. Return to town for breakfast: try Big Cup Café for waffles and estate-roasted coffee, or classic East End Hotel for South Indian thalis and dosas in old-school surroundings.

Afternoon: Join a coffee plantation tour (2–3 hours) at an estate near Madikeri/Suntikoppa. You’ll walk shaded avenues of arabica and robusta, see pepper vines twisting up silver oaks, and learn wet and dry processing before a guided tasting. Many estates sell beans and spice packs—look for washed arabica for filters and robusta for moka pots. Late lunch in town: Habba (Taj Madikeri) for refined Kodava plates with valley views (reserve), or Udupi the Veg for crisp masala dosas, sambar, and filter coffee.

Evening: Browse Madikeri Market for pepper, cardamom, wild honey, and local chocolates; compare fragrance and color of peppercorns before buying sealed packs. For dinner, return to Coorg Cuisine (also try koli curry and akki rotti) or book a plantation-resort barbecue if your stay offers one. If the sky’s clear, take a brief post-dinner drive to a dark overlook for stargazing—the highlands can be wonderfully inky on dry-season nights.

Day 3: Elephants, Monasteries, and River Islands — Then Depart

Morning: Early start to Dubare Elephant Camp via Kushalnagar (35–40 km; ~1–1.25 hours). Morning sessions typically run 8:30–10:30 am. Opt for observation, feeding, and bathing (as allowed) over rides; check on-site guidelines and be patient—crowds peak on weekends. Across seasons, calm Kaveri stretches here also offer short coracle or raft trips (rafting is seasonal; monsoon/just-after monsoon is best; ~₹1,200–1,800 pp).

Afternoon: Continue 20 minutes to Bylakuppe, one of India’s largest Tibetan settlements. At the Namdroling Monastery (Golden Temple), step into a vast prayer hall glinting with gold deities and murals of protector gods; dress modestly and keep voices low during prayers. Lunch nearby on Tibetan specialties—try Tibet Kitchen for steamed momos, shabalay (fried pies), and thukpa, or detour to Levista Café (Kushalnagar) for estate coffee and sandwiches. If time allows, stroll Kaveri Nisargadhama (bamboo groves and deer enclosure; small entry fee), then drive back to Madikeri.

Evening: Pack up and depart in the afternoon as planned. If you have an extra hour, a quick stop for souvenirs—fresh-roasted beans at an estate outlet or handmade treats at a local chocolatier—makes for easy gifts. For transfers back to your gateway city, arrange a reserved taxi or ask your hotel to book; if flying, search same-day options on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Dining quick list (saveable):

• Breakfast/Coffee: Big Cup Café (estate roasts, waffles); Udupi the Veg (idli–vada–dosa set, strong filter coffee).
• Lunch: Raintree (pepper chicken, noolputtu), East End Hotel (veg thali), Tibet Kitchen in Bylakuppe (momos, thukpa).
• Dinner: Coorg Cuisine (pandi curry + kadambuttu), Habba at Taj Madikeri (elegant regional plates; reserve).
• Snacks/Souvenirs: Market spice shops for pepper and cardamom; estate outlets for beans; local chocolatiers for pepper dark chocolate.

Practical tips: Carry cash for rural checkpoints and jeeps; ATMs are in central Madikeri. Good walking shoes are essential—trails can be slick after showers. Respect monastery etiquette and forest rules; at wildlife sites, follow staff guidance and avoid crowding animals.

Where to book stays: Hotels.com – Madikeri or VRBO – Madikeri. Getting there by air: Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

In three days, Coorg reveals its essence: the hush of coffee forests, the grandeur of monsoon-fed falls, and sunsets that linger over blue-green hills. You’ll leave with a bag of beans, a new respect for Kodava flavors, and the quiet promise to return when the first mists roll in again.