Journal · South India · India
Mysore, Kabini and Coorg: a first trip through southern Karnataka
Southern Karnataka fits a great deal into a small loop. From Bengaluru the road runs to Mysore, a city of palaces; on to the Kabini river at the edge of Nagarhole National Park; and up into the coffee hills of Coorg. Every leg is a short drive.
Why is this a good first trip in the south?
Because nothing in it is far apart. There are no flights and no long days on the road once the trip begins: a city, a forest and the hills, each a few hours from the last. Bengaluru has one of the busiest airports in the south, so arriving and leaving are simple.
Two nights in Bengaluru first give time for Malleshwaram, one of the old neighbourhoods, with its flower market and temples.
What should you see in Mysore?
- The palace. The seat of the Wadiyar kings, rebuilt in the early twentieth century in a grand mix of styles. On some evenings the whole building is lit with rows of bulbs.
- Devaraja Market. A covered market in the centre, with stalls of flowers, spices and fruit.
- Chamundi Hill. The hill above the city, with a temple at the top and a large stone bull on the way up.
What is Kabini?
A river and reservoir on the southern edge of Nagarhole National Park, and the name most people use for the lodges along it. Safaris here go by boat as well as by jeep, and the banks are known for gathering elephants when the water is low. The forest also holds tigers and leopards.
Three nights is right: it allows drives into the forest in the morning and afternoon, a boat safari, and a ride in a coracle, the round basket boat of the river.
What is there to do in Coorg?
Walk, mostly. Coorg, also called Kodagu, is a district of forested hills planted with coffee and pepper. The days are for a walk through an estate, birdwatching early in the morning, and a drive to Talacauvery, the source of the Kaveri river.
On the road in from Kabini, the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe has a large and richly painted monastery, and is an easy stop.
Quick answers
How many days do you need for Mysore, Kabini and Coorg?
About ten days from Bengaluru gives two nights each in Bengaluru, Mysore and Coorg and three at Kabini, with only short drives between them.
Is Kabini the same as Nagarhole?
Nearly. Kabini is the river on the southern edge of Nagarhole National Park, and the lodges there run safaris into the same forest.
What is Coorg known for?
Coffee, above all. It is a hill district of estates and forest, visited for walks, birdwatching and a cooler climate than the plains.
Before you book: check the whole trip at once
Four stays of unequal length are easy to miscount, and the return from Coorg to Bengaluru at the end is the journey this route most often lacks.
Trips by Manr.ai puts your hotels and transport on one timeline and checks for gaps, overlaps and missing legs. Type a booking in, drop in the PDF, or paste the confirmation email. With an account and sync switched on, you can also forward confirmations to trips@manr.ai from the address you signed in with. Nothing joins your trip until you have seen it and added it.