Coorg, famously known as ‘The Scotland of India’, is mountainous, misty and cool. The beauty of Coorg has made it one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the recent past. While most people go to chill in Coorg and indulge in having the Kodagu cuisine with local fruit wines, there are others who choose to trek and explore the hills of Deccan. Kopatty is a small town in the Bhagmandala district of Coorg, which also presents adventure junkies with the option to trek.
Day 0
Day 1
Day 2
Following are the pick-up points & timings:
An overnight bus journey of 280 km commences from Bangalore to Coorg. We shall have a brief orientation followed by a fun-filled ice-breaking session where you will get to know your fellow trekkers better.
The trail for this trek starts from a local school premise and is much on a jeep track. As you’ll walk up the trek trail, you’ll get to see the coffee plantations, spice gardens, and amazingly beautiful flowers. Not just that, but you can spot different kinds of birds as well. After a stretch of approx 2 km, the road will take a gradual ascend, and it might be soggy and muddy. There’ll be a local tribal settlement on our way as well. As we pass the settlement, we’ll walk into the woods, which will be an absolutely stunning landscape. (Photo junkies! Be prepared!)
On the way, there are a few streams, which are usually gushing during the monsoons but are exceptionally beautiful throughout the year. Another hour’s stretch and you’ll get to see the Kopatty peak. In the midst of nature, breathe freshness as much as you can, and fill your lungs with oxygen. The climb up the Kopatty peak is worth the effort, and from the top, you’ll have an excellent view of the lush greens all around. We’ll halt there for some time, until each one of us is saturated with the aura of the place. Then, we’ll start to descend, following the same trek trail.
After the trek, we’ll head to Triveni Sangam which is in the town of Bhagamnadala. Here, the Kaveri River is joined by two of its tributaries – the Kannike and the mythical Sujyoti River. The confluence of the rivers at ‘Sangam’ is considered to be holy by all. If you want to take a dip in the waters to get rid of the trek exhaustion – then you can just jump in!
Located in the Hudgur village near Kushalnagar, Harangi dam makes for an interesting visit for anyone looking for some seclusion and private time with nature. The dam, built across the tributary of River Cauvery has a height of 47 meters and is 846 meters in length and is a popular picnic spot with mesmerising natural settings and a relaxed atmosphere all around. Located at a distance of roughly 36 km from Madikeri, Harangi dam is the first Dam to have been built across River Cauvery.
A soothing environment accompanied by a gentle breeze greets as you enter the area around the dam with its backwaters spread across several acres with small islands in the middle and thick forests on its banks. It almost seems like an ocean, filled to the brim with small hidden trails around the reservoir, where one can take a leisurely walk far away from traffic woes and tourist crowds. The best time to visit the dam is during the monsoon months when the reservoir is completely filled and the floodgates are opened, creating for a picture perfect setting.
Namdroling Monastery in Kushalnagar is considered as one of the largest Buddhist centres dedicated to the study, practice, and preservation of Vajrayana Tibetan Buddhism, this place is totally worth a visit. With 300 residing monks within the premises, you might just get lucky to attend one of their prayer sessions, which is beyond mystical.
The return journey back to Bangalore will begin soon after this visit.
So, what is the wait for? Make the most of your weekend – and set out for the Kopatty Peak trek.
It was my 3rd trek with PTU and the more I am doing treks with PTU groups, the more I am getting encouraged and motivated for next one. Started with Kopatty, then Gokarna and now Kodachadri, I feel internal satisfaction and much inspired. It’s always awesome with you guys. We start each trek as individuals and comes back like a family. Itineraries were really good. Thanks a lot for adding few more places in your trek list. Coming back soon.
Went on a trek to Kopatty, Coorg with these folks! Simple, genuine & fun set of people out here and that’s what we need when we are on a nature trail!
Somehow they managed to bring together an absolutely amazing bunch of people from different walks of life over a fun-tastic trek in the midst of nature at its best (including leeches ? ). Really enjoyed it to the hilt being totally cut off from our caged worlds and its un-relenting man made news (though partially thanks to Vodafone).
The trip it appears just whizzed by in a jiffy but as they say – weekends it seems are made in china, they don’t last long!
Looking forward to many more exciting treks/trips with PTU in near future!