Experience Nature at Its Best: Visit the Heart Of Coorg, Here Are the 10 Best Places to Visit in Madikeri (2019)

Madikeri is an offbeat hill station in Coorg, Karnataka, and this is why people might get confused and consider it perfect for visiting throughout the year. However, contrary to the popular belief, this place remains quite hot in summer and hence the best time to visit Madikeri would be from July to September and from November to April.

The months of the rainy season and mild winters are perfect to visit this beautiful hill station when the weather is pleasant all around.

Madikeri is a rather small place to visit and generally covered along with the trip to Coorg. So, when you are planning to visit Madikeri in specific, you would also like to see some gorgeous places nearby too. You can give a visit to places like Chiklihole Reservoir, Harangi Dam, Omkareshwara Temple and many more.

Make sure to plan a trip of at least 4-5 days so that you can easily cover the places in and around Madikeri without having to rush from one place to another.

The coffee plantations aren't included in our 10 best places to visit in Madikeri, but if you find some leisure time, then you can spend it amidst the Coffee Plantations in Madikeri. The best thing about this small town is that it is entirely untouched by commercialization and human exploitation and hence you would get to see nature at its peak here.

The infinite fields of coffee and tea here looks surreal, and the aroma is simply mesmerizing. If you have never seen plantations of tea and coffee, then make sure to visit one in Madikeri.

The topmost amongst the ten best places to visit in Madikeri is Abbey Falls, which is undoubtedly the most loved tourist attraction near Madikeri. This place remains open to visitors from 9 am to 5 pm because of safety concerns, and it requires an entry fee of Rs. 15 to visit here.

You would have to drive 10 km from Madikeri to reach this place, and you need at least 2 hours handy to enjoy the beauty of the Abbey Falls.

Water coming down from a cliff at the height of 70 feet and creates a scene which looks spectacular. Apart from the waterfalls itself, you will get to spot lush greenery all across the area of the Western Ghats, and tourists are flocking around throughout the year. When visiting Madikeri or even Coorg, you can’t afford to miss out on this place at all!

Although it is going to take you about an hour or more to reach Talacauvery from Madikeri, trust us, this is going to be worth all your time. Talacauvery or Tala Kaveri is considered to be the source of the River Kaveri and hence sees a lot of tourists throughout the year.

It is located on Brahmagiri Hills in Coorg which is at a distance of around 48 km from Madikeri and offers so much for the tourists and travellers.

The Talacauvery Temple is a must-visit place here where you can watch the Abhishek at 7 am, and it looks quite beautiful. We would recommend you to visit this place in monsoon as the source is not always visible.

The main reason for visiting Madikeri for almost all the tourists is to see Raja’s Seat. It means 'set of the king' from where you can see a beautiful setting of nature and a soothing environment all around you.

This place has great historical significance as in the earlier times; kings used to visit this place to witness the scenic beauty of Madikeri.

You can visit Raja’s Seat from 5:30 am to 8 pm, and there are some charges to enter the park here. This place is perfect for watching the sunset as well as sunrise so make sure that your camera is ready all the times.

Located in Madikeri, Omkareshwara temple was built in 1820. You can spot Muhammadan Architecture here which is represented well by the dome in the center of the temple. This temple remains open for visiting from 6 am to 12 pm and then from 5 pm to 8 pm.

There is a Linga installed at the entrance door of the temple, but what catches the attention is the water tank in the middle inhabited by various fishes.

The beautiful temple not only has stunning architecture but also has a rich history and a story behind it too. The Shiva Lingam installed in the temple was brought from Kashi and named Omkareshwara, so the temple got its name from the Shiv Lingam. Make sure to visit this temple early in the morning.

This list of top 10 places in Madikeri would be incomplete without including stunning Madikeri Fort in it. Located on Stuart Hill, this fort was built in the late 17th Century by Mudduraja, and it is known to be a popular tourist spot in not only Madikeri but Coorg too.

This fort remains open for visitors from 10 am to 5:30 pm every day except Monday and there is no entry fee to visit this place. The Madikeri Fort has such an epitome of rich historical and cultural background as it has seen a lot of wars and battles, and it was renovated twice by Britishers for this sole reason. There is also a museum inside the fort which was converted from a Church and have some antiques to display.

Namdroling Monastery is a Tibetian Monastery located almost an hour away from Madikeri and is also known as Golden Temple locally. This monastery remains open for visitors from 9 am to 6 pm where the prayer time is 1 pm, and if you plan to visit here, you should attend one.

This place might be a little far away from Madikeri but definitely worth your time and there are no charges to visit it either.

We would say that the unique life of the Tibetan colony here is way more peaceful than the hustle and bustle of city life. It is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India having more than 6000 monks and nuns and 16000 refugees out here. The beautiful monastery is a perfect place to seek education and enlightenment for Tibetans, and you will feel ultimate peace out here. You need about 2-3 hours to visit this place altogether.

Gaddige or Raja’s Tomb is a beautiful monument located in Madikeri, a place which keeps the mortal remains of Royal Kodavas. What attracts visitors the most out here is the old age architecture of this place depicting Indo-Saracenic style.

They have used Muhammadan Style to make these tombs, and on the top of the corners, Nandi figures are carved beautifully. You can spot the carvings on all over the places at this tomb.

Since the king of earlier times was a Hindu king, Lord Shiva is placed and worshipped inside this monument. You can find three of such tombs here belonging to different Hindu kings of different times. There is also a burial place nearby these tombs of two royal officials of earlier times who fought along with Tipu Sultan.

If you thought Abbey Falls is the only serene waterfalls Madikeri has to offer, then you are wrong! It is located just a few km away from Madikeri Bus Station and looks absolutely surreal. It is nicely tucked between tropical forests and coffee estates, making it a perfect sight for all the tourists looking for an adventurous place.

You should better visit this place at the time of monsoon to witness the beauty of Chingara Falls at its peak. You can also go for a tropical trek from Honey Valley to Chingara Falls which is about 5 km for a round trip. The stream of the Chingara Falls cross the roads and this is why it is so easy to spot it even amidst the lush greenery. If you are planning to go for the trek, then make sure to stay safe from the leeches that you might catch in the way.

If you do not believe in taking the traditional path, then this Kote Betta trek might interest you more. You can go for trekking from 6 am to 6 pm, and it is such a popular tourist spot in Coorg. The primary reason for taking part in this trek is to witness the beautiful nature’s sights that would come along your way.

The trek is located between Somwarpet and Madikeri in Madapur and situated at the height of about 1620 m above the sea level.

You would have to reach a distance 22 km away from Madikeri to get here, and Kote Betta is also the third highest peak in Coorg. There is also a temple of Lord Shiva on the peak which you should definitely visit once you reach out there. You are going to come across beautiful fields, bridges, and lush greenery, which would make you appreciate nature's beauty even more.

Cauvery Nisargadhama or Kaveri Nisargadhama is a delta which is called 'island' by the local people. It is formed by river Kaveri near Madikeri and has a beautifully developed forest park on it. It is one of the top places to visit in Madikeri, and you are going to love planning a picnic out here.

This place remains open from 9 am to 5 pm every day, and there are some varying entry charges here. You can even find night accommodation here, which would be a great idea to see the beauty of this place from a closer perspective.

This forest park was established in 1989 and spread over an area of 64 acres. There is even a rabbit park and a deer park inside, and you can always spot some fascinating species of birds out here. When visiting this park, don’t forget to enjoy the elephant ride too.

If you are done with visiting Madikeri tourist places and want to do something different, then we have a few suggestions for you. These activities are perfect for people looking for something exciting to do, in and around Madikeri. Especially when you are visiting this place with your friends, you people are going to have the time of your life.

There are a lot of adventure activities you can try out in Madikeri. It is even hard to imagine that you can find something exciting to do in this region. Some of these activities include rainforest walk/adventure, twin cable walk across a gorge, wobbling bridge, treetop adventure, zip-lining, giant hammock, rock climbing, and many more. You just need the time as there are many adventurous activities to do.

It is time for you to go that extra mile and enjoy some camping in Madikeri with your friends. You will get to stay amidst the coffee estates, and you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of nature all around you. You can go camping in Nishani Betta, a hill in the Talacauvery ranges. There are ten camps available allowing 20 people at a time.

Trekking is one such activity which fills your soul with adventure and adrenaline rush, and it is so peaceful too. Apart from visiting the 10 best places to visit in Madikeri, you can also go trekking here. Trekking and camping go hand in hand here at Nishani Betta hill, and the 60 degree of latitude gives a fun hike here for the trekkers.

And finally, you have the option to enjoy some off-road jeep driving, which is full of adrenaline rush and thrill. You get to enjoy 2 hours long heart pumping jeep driving session where you can see the forest greenery with the expertise of a professional driver. It is a fun thing to do if you want to get away from busy city life and explore something unusual.