Nagarhole National Park

A 52 m waterfall on the Lakshmana Tirtha in south Kodagu near Srimangala, sacred for its Rameshwara Shiva temple and set at the foot of the Brahmagiri hills; it is the starting point of the Brahmagiri trek and is fullest during and after the monsoon.

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.

A shola-grassland peak and wildlife sanctuary on the Kodagu–Wayanad border, trekked from Iruppu Falls in south Kodagu; the ridge marks the state line, with rich birdlife and views over both Karnataka and Kerala (forest permits required).

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.

The Golden Temple at Bylakuppe near Kushalnagar, the largest teaching centre of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism in the world, with gilded 12–18 m Buddha statues, vivid murals and hundreds of resident monks.

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.

A 64-acre river island of bamboo, sandalwood and teak on the Kaveri near Kushalnagar, reached by a hanging bridge, with a deer park, boating, a treehouse and easy forest walks.

A cascade on a tributary of the Kaveri near Cheyyandane, close to Kakkabe, tumbling over a broad rock face; a short walk from the road (the descent to the base is often restricted), it is best just after the monsoon.

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.

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.

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 dam across the Harangi, a Kaveri tributary, near Hudgur about 10 km from Kushalnagar, with a garden and boating; the reservoir and its spillway are busiest and most scenic when the gates open after heavy rain.