Chikmagalur : A Dreamy Misty Coffee Heaven

The Untourists
The Untourists - Discovering the beautiful world we live in.

I never thought, for some reason, that I would like Chikmagalur, having been to Madikeri earlier. And I was more than happy to be proven wrong. Located in the foothills of the Mullayanagiri Hills, Chikmagalur has a mild climate suitable for coffee plantations. Nestled amongst the hills and valleys of the fabulous Western Ghats, Chikmagalur has, apart from its beautiful climate, excellent bio-diversity.

If you are seeking a green escape, Chikmagalur is for you!

What to do in Chikmagalur: Stay at a home stay or a coffee estate. Go for long walks. If you have a bicycle handy, ride the beautiful winding canopied roads of Chikmagalur. Visit the nearby Bhadra Tiger Reserve. Go for a trek in Mullayanagiri. Do not throw plastic or litter this heavenly place. With more than 260 species of birds recorded here, birding is another thing to indulge in.

Where To Stay : There are plenty of stay options at Chikmagalur in all budgets. We stayed at the Tata Plantation Trails. They have excellent 100 year old plantation bungalows that are let out. These are not suitable for children or family groups (thankfully) but greatly suitable if you are looking for peace and introspection along with great food.

 

The Bicoloured Frog or the Malabar Frog, (Clinotarsus curtipes) found amongst the dense greenrey of Chikmagalur

In the moist climate of the undergrowth, one can find plenty of moss.

These green herbs form a nice chutney made as a traditional recipe.

A wild flower in Chikmagalur forests

What looks like the common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa),

These beautiful trails full of greenery will seduce you into coming back…

In these lovely under-growths I found the the orange-headed thrush (Geokichla citrina)

A placid lake amidst dense greenery

We were staying at this lovely place…

That’s me walking with the estate naturalist in Chikmagalur

Coffee plantations on either side of the trail and these tall silver oaks and african orchids provide shade. Coffee needs 50% shade to grow properly…

Some of the trails are carved by tractors doing their work..

Coffee grows best in 50% shade and on slopes…

The living room of our stay

The dining room was clean and had wonderful natural light…

This sweet estate doggy wanted a portrait shot…

The food was delicious and made to order.

You know you are in heaven when the view from the window is as gorgeous as this…

Expoloring Chikmagalur…

Long winding roads with the sun playing hide and seek…

And then we would hit the clouds and it would be misty all over again.

Heading towards Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary

We were at 1448 metres above mean sea level…

It was misty and cold… and with the passing clouds, wet as well…

Near Mullayanagiri, the highest point in Karnataka

The roads were beautiful, gently winding, and splattered with petals of Gulmohar and African Orchids…

The wide vistas of the plateau are gorgeous, especially in the shade of the thick monsoon skies

We stopped for for coffee and sandwiches at this cafe in the Halle Berri Estate in the Baba Budan Hills.

The Halli Berri Coffee cup. It was truly good coffee.

The hotel staff were sweet and prepared a romantic candlelit dinner, complete with rose petals for us.

We went out the nesxt day again near Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary.

Through dense winding roads and wet glistening trees…

Wit hevery passing cloud, the blades of grass would pick up some dew drops…

And through these tall silver oaks…

And the undergrowth is still wet with dew….

With the abundant rains, moss soon covers everything…

Unseasonal ripe coffee berries.

A tilled farm, ready for sowing…

Another tiny pond amidst the plantatins, with betel nut behind…

Betel nut is a vital cash crop of these regions

On the way back, on the Bangalore – Mumbai Highway you will come across this stop over. Looks so neat, but the food is bad. They have a fantastic property, but need to up the food…

How to reach : Chikmagalur is roughly 250-300 km from Bangalore. Driving down is an option though you can also take a train.

When to visit: Monsoons are divine. That’s the time from around June to August. Winters can get very cold here.

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