Reclaiming Mercara (Madikeri), Coorg, Kodagu

[dadu]

My wife had been thinking for Coorg for a long time and with the holidays coming we were finally able to formalize on the days, 30th Aug- 2nd Sep, 3rd being kept as a rest day before heading back to work. So here are the details.

Homestay

I gave 2 options to wifey, Honey Valley & Palace Estate, she chose Palace Estate, good enough.


Route

Bangalore - Srirangapatanam - Hunsur - Thithimathi - Gonikoppa - Virajpet - Kadnoor - Cheyandane - PALACE ESTATE

Took the kanakpura road, NICE, Joined Mysore road, started at 1:30 PM on Saturday after lunch, covered the distance in straight 5 hrs with 1 stretch break inbetween since I wanted to reach the Palace Estate (PE) before it gets really dark in an unfamiliar hilly location. In total the Odo read 660Kms Door-to-door.

Just after Sringapatnam, there is a bridge, cross that and stay on the right lane.Take the first right onto Rangathittu Bird santuary.

Once on this road (Ilwala Bypass) you will touch the SH88 to hunsur at a T-sort of intersection but the road curves towards Mysore and you tend to get confused. Take the right turn, you have a "BEML" board on the right at the intersection. Go straight towards Hunsur.

Just after Hunsur town (4 kms), take the left fork on a Y-Intersection. There are some sign boards marking towards the plantations. This goes to Virajpet.

Once you enter Virajpet town, you will see a Mosque on the right and the KSRTC Bus stand(slightly hidden) on the left with a T-Intersection in the front and a small circle.Take the left.

Now you will be facing a Clock Tower, take the first right much before the clock tower. Go straight till you see two bridges one old and one being in service, take the Immediate left, this will take you to Kakkabe and the
many homestays around it.


Now let the pictures speak for themselves.

[dadu]

Way back

You cannot come back through the same way in Virajpet as its made one way during the first half of the day, take the right and cross the clock tower, then take the left towards bus stand (marked one way, wrong board) and the road on the right. This will bring you to the Virajpet- Hunsur road.






We stopped on the way back for Lunch on this resort on the KRS road (1 min deviation to the left, after the overhead railway crossing) after the Mysore Industrial area, Ilwala bypass. Mind you, I couldn't find a decent eating joint till Maddur after this.


Palace Estate Rating : 5 Star, mind you its a Homestay and you are as comfortable as at your own house. Don't forget to take a nature walk with Prakash around the estate.

[mjothi]

Very nice and detailed description. It will certainly help our fellow members to reach without hassles

Mind sharing financial details?
How much they charge in Palace estate for a night?

[Dragonov]

Fantastic pictures dadu ! Looks like I must visit your part of the country

[kutlee]

Wonderful pics. Your truck looks clean and tidy.
the naland paclace and the greenery around it reminds me of Kerala though. What is in there?
Liked the private waterfall (did you enjoy shower under it?) and the ladies at the temple.

[dadu]

Various options, details on their website

Originally Posted by mjothi

Very nice and detailed description. It will certainly help our fellow members to reach without hassles

Mind sharing financial details?
How much they charge in Palace estate for a night?

[HappyWheels]

Good one Dadu!

Are the water falls a good place to get into or is it just for viewing?

And did you, at any point of time, wish your truck was a 4x4?

[snaronikar]

Nice travelogue and good pics, dadu. The one with the dump truck looked cool.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by dadu

Various options, details on their website

Thanks dadu. I checked and bookmarked

[dadu]

Yes, but it was not so clean from the bottom once it came back due to the mud and rains in kakkabe.

This is enroute palace estate, near kakkabe, you will have to cross Nalknad palace before reaching the estate, it was the hideout for the last Kodagu king.

Originally Posted by kutlee

Wonderful pics. Your truck looks clean and tidy.
the naland paclace and the greenery around it reminds me of Kerala though. What is in there?
Liked the private waterfall (did you enjoy shower under it?) and the ladies at the temple.

You can get into the private falls, if you can bear the coldness of water and the leech bites (I got three).

4x4 was not required wherever I went but Thadiyanmol peak (didnt go there) would require 4x4 now and under rainy conditions.

Surprisingly on the way back my wife complained "you should've bought a 4x4", I was like

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Good one Dadu!

Are the water falls a good place to get into or is it just for viewing?

And did you, at any point of time, wish your truck was a 4x4?

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by dadu

Surprisingly on the way back my wife complained "you should've bought a 4x4", I was like

Good that you have a supporting wifey. If I tell my wifey that I'am going in for a new car, an SUV, she will be damn furious.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by dadu

...You can get into the private falls, if you can bear the coldness of water and the leech bites (I got three)...

Even the waters we went to were supposed to have leeches and we were prepared with salt, but luckly faced none!

Originally Posted by dadu

...Surprisingly on the way back my wife complained "you should've bought a 4x4", I was like

that is a good one! So, did you also think about it?

[abhinav.gupta88]

Nice pics and description . I would love to have a private waterfall for myself

[dadu]

Next change will be a 4x4

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

that is a good one! So, did you also think about it?

Who wouldnt !!!

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

Nice pics and description . I would love to have a private waterfall for myself

[akroy]

Nice description and pics dadu !!

I dont miss the food at Heritage shelters whenever I pass from there. I like the food a lot there.

Abhi