Distance : 288kms from Bangalore
Route : Bangalore – Mysore Highway – Turn right at Srirangapatna (towards K.R.S Dam / Ranganatithu Bird Santuary) – Hunsur – Madikeri- take left at General Thimmaiah Circle towards Bhagmadala / Talacavary Road -Appangla – Bettageri – Kargunda - Cherambane
On entering Cherambane, towards your left, you will notice an old wine shop, named Mithra Wines. Take left Immediately after Mithra Wines. You can call your host to guide you to the place.
Also, please call the host Hem or Uday on the following numbers the moment you reach Madekeri. There is very sporadic signal after you cross Madekeri. Specially if you are new to Coorg. 
Hem Madappa: mobile number – 93417 35972 / 98450 01463. Residence – 08272 235441.
Uday Muthanna : mobile number – 93413 05423. Residence: 08272 235126.
Coorg has been a regular haunt for us and I am not sure how many times, we have visited this place and it always had something or the other special for us. A wedding where we were served hot water and rum, a hike to different waterfalls, an early morning safari, elephant rides in Dubare, walking through Nisargadhama, hiking up to Talacauvery, spending a moment in Bhagamandala, riding, driving through various other places, and exploring many more rustic beauties of this rich place. And how can we forget the food… ? East End, West End, shady joints but some amazing food with biker friends, you name it… Coorg has been close to our heart… so much so that when I did my Nadi Shastra for the heck of it… .and if one believes in this, it seems I spent my last past life here with the name Parvathy go figure !!! :) … Well… I cannot remember anything if you ask me now.. but the beauty of the place always pulls me… again and again…
This time, Dad wanted to visit Coorg and we had this long holiday coming by. We had a choice between Goa and Coorg both being on the wish list of Dad. Now Goa is also a place which we have been to so many times that we wanted to club it with some other places we have not been so this was out.
Cloud Valley was highly recommended by the RTMC fellas and it was their favorite haunt. We have incidentally missed this so thought we would check this out. Made the booking very much in advance so that I did not anything in the holiday rush.
The roads were good besides when we reached town limits, KRS, shortcuts, etc.
We spent some time in Bylekuppe, it was time for their prayers and hundreds of monks were chanting verses which made me want to just be there.. lost in the bliss… the power of a large group chanting is awesome and very uplifting.. and very powerful.. I think we got to experience this since we were there kind of early..
As we made our way to our destination, the weather was getting wetter and wetter… and well I thought all cool..
The hosts were surprised that we made it without calling them.. we were among the rare ones who found them at one go… well I thought, we have been lost so many times, that good directions made things very simple.
We wanted to stay in the old ancestral place which was there from 1859 but it was full and we were directed to a newer house which was also very welcoming. Surrounded by coffee plantation, it was pretty romantic..
As we settled down, the hosts made us comfortable with some hot food and we spent the afternoon just lazing around. I finished one book. Coffee in the evening was awesome… and we got the bad news that the rains would just get worse and worse since the west was hit by a major depression from the Arabian sea.. I sighed.. and breathed in the tall silver oaks waving their branches in the wind, watched the rains coming in and out, in and out…
We went to Bhagamandala and Talacauvery but could not do much as visibility was really low but yeah enjoyed the drive.. if not anything. So curves and all, with rains heavily splashing, it was good just driving up and down..
Cauvery was in spate and we could just admire its beauty… and respect it, the fact that nature can be so beautiful even at a fierce moment.
Now for Cloud Valley, I loved it, would have loved it more, if we got some sun… but still it was lovely.. and the service was impeccable. Food aplenty, all local dishes, enough for vegeterians and non vegeterians ( dont miss the pork and the chicken) …
The hosts are very hospitable.. and they also gave us some books to read on Coorg history which we did, while waiting and waiting for the rain to subside…
So an adventure of a different kind… got to know many more details about Coorg and its sad history…
We got two neighbors to stay with us in the big home… and it was nice chatting up with them. One of them walked around in the rain, got a leech up his leg I think because it was bleeding and the other couple, well they were sedate enough.
My birds were the celebrities in the midst of all. They played with the neighbors and provided enough distraction from the rainy weather… The hosts also spent some time with my little ones… hahaha.. leave it up to them to liven up things… and so they did…
Even Dad and Rocky got immersed in the history of Coorg. But we could not do much, besides, soak in the rain.. and the weather.. which got worse by the hour..
So rains, rains and more rains, it never stopped, and we cut short our holiday and drove back to Bangalore.. and was I glad to be back… to blue skies, grey skies and for a change, no rain… Sigh…..
So if you want to read more of Coorg, you can do so, from my old travelog…
For detailed and very good information on Cloud Valley itself… please check out their website.
Thank you Hem and Uday for the wonderful hospitality and the impeccable service, the great food, the great coffee… and the overall experience inspite of the weather… :) It was lovely meeting you and we will catch up soon… again..
We definitely plan to go there again… and experience more of what was in that side of Coorg… when its not raining so heavily
