Chelavara Falls

A 1792 palace of the Kodagu (Haleri) kings tucked among coffee estates at the foot of Tadiandamol near Kakkabe, its wooden halls painted with faded murals; it was the last refuge of the Kodagu royals before the British annexation.

The highest peak in Kodagu at about 1,748 m, near Kakkabe, and one of the most popular treks in Coorg — a half-day climb through shola forest and rolling grassland to a summit with sweeping Western Ghats views; the historic Nalknad Palace lies at its base.

The most important temple of the Kodava people, near Kakkabe, dedicated to Igguthappa (a form of Subramanya/Kartikeya); a Kerala-influenced shrine that is the focus of the community’s Kailpodh and other festivals.

A hilltop fort in the heart of Madikeri, first built in the 17th century by the Haleri rajas and rebuilt in stone by Tipu Sultan and the British, now enclosing government offices, a small museum, a church and views over the town.

A private rainforest reserve of about 120 hectares near Brahmagiri in south Kodagu, created to protect Western Ghats forest and wildlife; it offers guided nature walks and eco-stays amid elephants, birds and rich flora.

An 1820 Shiva temple in Madikeri built by Lingarajendra II in an unusual blend of Kerala, Gothic and Islamic styles, with a domed roof, minaret-like towers and a central tank.

A garden viewpoint where the Kodagu kings are said to have watched the sunset over layered Western Ghats valleys — Madikeri’s classic sunrise-and-sunset spot, with a musical fountain and a toy train.

The Triveni Sangama where the Kaveri, Kannike and mythical Sujyoti rivers meet, with the Kerala-style Bhagandeshwara temple complex; a pilgrimage stop on the way to Talakaveri.

The Raja’s Tomb (Gaddige) — domed, Indo-Saracenic mausoleums of the Kodagu kings and a royal priest on a hill above Madikeri, with fine views.

A powerful waterfall about 8 km from Madikeri, set among coffee and spice estates and viewed from a hanging footbridge; fullest and most dramatic during and just after the monsoon.

The sacred source of the river Kaveri on the Brahmagiri hill at about 1,276 m, with a spring-fed tank (kundike), a temple and a stepped climb to a ridge viewpoint; the Tula Sankramana each October marks the river’s ceremonial rising.

A forest camp on the banks of the Kaveri near Kushalnagar where trained elephants are bathed and fed; reached across the river and known for its elephant interactions and coracle rides.