COORG: SCOTLAND OF INDIA

Visit Exotic India !!

VISIT COORG : LAND OF ORANGES, COFFEE AND TEA
 Coorg is one of the many 'hill stations' developed by the British during their rule in India. Such small and beautiful hill stations served as an ideal retreat for the English population in order to escape the very hot and oppressive heat of the Indian plains during the summers.

Situated at a height of 1525 m above the sea level, Coorg is called the 'Scotland of India'. Surrounded by luxurious forests, misty hills and acres and acres of tea, coffee plantations and orange groves, Coorg is delight for tourists.

It is 252 kms from Bangalore and lies in the southern state of Karnataka. Taking a stroll through teak wood forests amidst breathtaking mountains is enough to make one experience the bliss of  being so close to nature!!

It lies on Karnataka's southwestern end, covering 4,102 sq.km. The river Cauvery, worshipped by the locals, originates from Coorg.

HOW TO REACH COORG:


Closest Airport   :  Mangalore   (135 km)
                             Bangalore    (260 km)

Closest Railway station :  Mysore (146 km)
                                       Mangalore (150 km)

Road               : The Mysore- Mangalore highway passes through Coorg. The distance from Mangalore to
                         Coorg is 136 km. From Mysore to Coorg 120 km and from Bangalore to Coorg 260 km


Accommodation :

A plethora of accommodation is available in Coorg to suit every budget. Some of them are as follows:

1. Amanvana Spa Resort  : Tariff Rs.11,000/-

2. Dubare Elephant Camp, Coorg

3. Gowri Nivas Homestay, Coorg : Tariff Rs.3500/-

4. Heritage Resort, Coorg : Tariff Rs.10000/-

5.Hotel Coorg International, Coorg : Tariff Rs.3500/-

6. Hotel Rajdarshan, Coorg :  tariff Rs.1200/-

7.Merry Scot Hotel, Coorg : Tariff Rs.1500/-


Activities galore: What to do in Coorg:


Coorg offers a host of activities to keep a tourist preoccupied:-

1.Trekking
2. Golf
3.Angling : The river Cauvery is full of the famous Mahaseer fish.
4.White water rafting
5.Food : Coorgi non-veg food is very mouth watering and famous.
6.Festivals: The Festival of Arms is a colorful one. During this festival weapons are polished and worshipped.


LOCAL SITES WORTH VISITING :


Mandikeari fort
Raja's seat
Nagarahole National Park: One can see tigers, leopards, elephants in their natural habitat.
Abbi falls, Irrupu falls
Tala-Kaveri - the source of River Cauvery
Dubare Elephant capturing & training camp.

Visit Coorg and rejuvenate yourself.


Raj Prateek Verma







. 

Heavenly Sikkim, India

SIKKIM ::


A wonderfully exotic state ! Nestling in the Himalayan range, Sikkim is a hilly state located in Eastern India. God has endowed it with beauty beyond imagination. This small Himalayan mountain state of India, with its pristine beauty and peace-loving people, offers a life-time opportunity to a visitor to rejuvenate his tired mind and body.  Those who visit Sikkim, can only marvel at The CREATORS ingenuity.

The capital, Gangtok is situated at an altitude of 5840 ft above the sea level, is well connected by all weather motor able road from New Jalpaiguri (125 kms).  Mount Kangchendzonga, the third highest peak of the Himalayas is clearly visible from Gangtok. This is a sacred mountain of the Sikkimese and is worshipped as the guardian deity to this land.

HOW TO REACH :
In order to reach Gangtok, the capital, the nearest city is Calcutta from where a number of trains and buses leave for New Jalpaiguri.
The nearest station is NEW JALPAIGURI.. It is well connected by railways to all the major cities of India. Otherwise, one can easily avail a number of scheduled flights from Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati and reach BAGDOGRA, the nearest airport to Gangtok(125 kms).

From Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri there are innumerable taxis to ferry tourists to Gangtok. Although the road is winding and through a very hilly terrain, one tends to forget all his worries and simply get immersed in the breathtaking scene that folds in every curve that he encounters. It is a visual delight that one doesn't want to miss even for a second!! River Teesta is a constant companion through out the journey. The water of this river is delightfully sweet and pure. One can always drink this cold, pure water to quench his thirst without any inhibition. I was tepted to take a dip into it but as the water was frightfully cold, I was forced to retract my feet.

MAJOR HOTELS:


There are hotels galore to suit every pocket. Some of the very renowned hotels with extremely affordable tariff are listed below:

1. HOTEL MOUNT SIMYA  10 mins from town
    TADONG
     Tariff : rs.900/- +

2.HOTEL GOLDEN PAGODA
   M.G.Marg, Gangtok
    Tariff : Rs.900/- onwards

3. THE HIDDEN FOREST RETREAT
   Middle Sichey, Gangtok
   Tariff : 1300/- upwards

4. TIBET HOTEL
    Paljor Stadium Road, Gangtok
  
5. KEWZING HOME
    Centrally located, Gangtok
   Tariff : rs.450/- to Rs.950/-

6 HOTEL TASHI TAGAY
   Tadong, Gangtok

Places of tourist interest:


1. Government Institute of Cottage Industry.
2. Do-Drul Chorten (Stupa)
3. Changu Lake (Must see)
4. Premayangtse(Must See)
5.Pelling(Must See)
6. Thangu (Must See)

Adventure sports offered:

1. River rafting
2.Mountain biking
3.Mountaineering
4. Trekking
5. Yak safari




Wishing you A Happy Journey



Raj Prateek Verma