Red Earth and Pouring Rain




Last one month has been a bit hectic at work ever since I got back from my long vacation. Was thinking of heading out of town the last two weekends and it finally happened this week. A friend called around noon on Saturday and we quickly packed our backpacks and headed to the lovely coffee plantations of Coorg(Kodagu).

Coorg(Kodagu in kannada) was an independent state before independence and was made a part of Karnataka after independence.

Getting there :
Driving time:Approx 6hours. Distance:270kms
Driving Directions to Honey Valley: Bangalore->Mysore Highway->Take the bypass from Srirangapatna to Hunsur->Virajpet->Take a deviation to Madekeri(5kms)->20kms to Kabbinakadu Junction->Park your vehicle/bus stop->3kms by jeep /1hour walk to HoneyValley

Honey Valley is situated in the Western Ghats in the lush evergreen rain forest and surrounded by misty hills all around. You can walk around the green estate,go for treks around or just relax!Honey valley was one of the largest honey producing apiaries in India till 1994 when the Thai sac attack reduced the possibility of it!Currently it has coffee,pepper,cardamom cultivations all grown in an eco friendly way.

We left Bangalore around 4pm on Saturday and reached Honey Valley around 10pm that night. Suresh ,the owner of the coffee estate was there to pick us up about 3kms from the estate in his jeep and his wife Susheela had a piping hot dinner waiting for us. They are one of the most unassuming and simplest people i have ever met. I would love to go back there again.


The next day, I woke up on a misty early morning, had my morning cup of tea and headed for a short trek up the hill. It was a wonderful walk in the rain and even though I had an umbrella to protect my camera , by the end of the trek I was almost completely drenched. It was wonderful walk across the rain forests and the pouring rain.





After a hearty attack on the home cooked lunch we headed to the nearby waterfall( most of it by jeep). Met two British girls Brenna and Helen here . They were taking a break away from the developmental community and creative teaching course they were studying at Mysore.We could have trekked the way if it was drizzling but it was pouring all the way and the fear of leech bites meant we took the easy way out :) . The waterfall was gorgeous!

After another good vegetarian dinner and a chat , we were off to bed early(midnight) since we had to head out early next morning to be able to make it to work.

Hope to get back there next time with my cycle, the paths around the plantation is perfect for mountain biking. I was also told that the plantations turn into a sea of white flowers during the coffee blossoming season. I hope to head there soon !

Pics from my trip

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