- Mercara, also known as Madikeri, is a famous hill-station in Karnataka. Popularly called the Scotland of India, this is the main town as well as the headquarters of Coorg or Kodagu district. Mist-clad hills, emerald green forest, vast tea and coffee plantations, and picturesque orange groves adorn Mercara.
- Mercara, located 1170m above sea level, is 252 km away from Bangalore, 136 km from Mangalore, and 120 km from Mysore.
- For a Tour to Mercara, the best time to visit is between the months of October and March.
- Since 1600 AD, the Lingayat kings ruled over Coorg and established their capital at Mercara where they built a mud fort. In 1834 AD, the British took over reign here.
- Madikeri Fort: Positioned in the heart of Mercara, this 19th century fort houses a temple, a chapel, a prison and a small museum.
Madikeri Fort
- Raja’s Seat: The legend goes that the kings of Kodagu spent their evenings here. The place is unique for the captivating sunset that you can enjoy from here.
Raja seat Coorg
- Raja’s Seat, literally meaning Seat of the King, is a well maintained garden with a great views of the hills and the valley below and having a small pavilion inside.
Raja seat
Sunset view from Raja seat
- Nagarhole National Park: This 640 sq km park at the foothills of the Brahmagiri hills, and its animal life is part of India’s first bio-sphere reserve. The park is covered with dense tropical forest, grassy swamps, and several water bodies.
- 299 Km – Distance from Madikeri to Nagarhole National Park via Iruppu, Talakaveri
- Talakaveri: This place in the Brahmagiri hills is the origin of River Cauvery, one of the 7 sacred rivers of Sapta Sindhus of the Hindu scriptures, situated at about 4,500 ft above sea level.
- Talacauvery is the most important Goddess for the people of Kodagu or Coorg and worshipped by one and all. It is located by the Brahmagiri hills and is considered generally to be the source of river Cauvery.
- Abbey Falls: Located 8 km from Mercara, this is a major attraction for tourists.
- Nestled between a private coffee plantations and spice estates, this waterfall descends into the Cauvery River
Abbey falls
- Just opposite the fall, there is a hanging bridge, which can be accessed by tourists. Visitors can view the Kali Mata Temple as well as coffee and black pepper trees from the bridge.
- Dubare: Situated at the edge of Dubare forest, on the bank of River Cauvery, this is primarily an elephant capturing and training camp of the Forest Department.
Dubare elephant camp
- Nisargadhama: This is a perfect picnic spot, known for its tranquil beauty, visited by several tourists throughout the year.
- Irupu falls: The place is very serene and unspoilt. The trek up the falls is mind blowing. Not much crowd so less littering happens.There is so much of greenery around.We can actually get into the waters and take a shower in the falls.
- It is a fresh water cascade and is situated at a distance of 48 km from Virajpet on the highway to Nagarhole
Irupu Falls
Irupu Falls
- Golden Temple – Coorg : Bailkuppe near Kushalnagar is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in south India.
- The gold-coated Buddhist statues in the monastery are imposing and unique, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Tibetans. The statues are of Guru Padmasambhava, Buddha Shakyamuni and Amitayus. They make handicrafts, carpets and incense. Tourists can shop for sweaters, dress material and other accessories.
Golden Temple – Coorg
Fairs And Festivals
- Keil Poldu: It is day in September when the weapons from the martial race that produced two great Indian soldiers- Cariyappa and Thimmaiah – is worshipped.
- Sankramana: On a day in October, several people assemble at Talakaveri to witness the rise of the fountainhead of River Cauvery.
- Huttari festival: This festival is celebrated by the cheerful Kodavas on the occasion of paddy harvesting on a full-moon night in November or December.
