Karnataka > Coorg > Trekking in Coorg (Kodagu)
The finest of Kodagu's treks lie to the south of the region along the Keralan border, where an ancient path snakes through forests and across mountain ridges linking Nagarhole to Talakaveri in the southwest. The trek, which takes around a week, starts at the entrance to Nagarhole National Park and continues, with tempting diversions, to Talakaveri. Passing by the Shri Ramneshwama Temple with a side-trip through forest to the Irpu Falls, the trail runs to Nalaknod Palace, an old hunting lodge now used as a camp and for bee-keeping. It continues to the hill temple of Nishani Motte before amving at Brahmagiri Hill and Talakaveri. From Kakkabe. the small town near the Nalaknod Palace, there are two alternative routes to Talakaven - one takes a more gentle, lower route while the other tackles chal¬lenging high ground over Kodagu's highest peak. Tadiandamol (1745m). and the peak of Iggutappa (1590m), where there are a couple of old temples. Vou are best advised to take a guide to help avoid elephants, and for route-finding through some¬times difficult terrain. 
Kakkabe, 50km to the south of Madiken, is a good base for climbing both Tadiandamol and Iggutappa. wrth excellent accommodation and food at the Palace Estate . where Mr A.P. Pooramma will assist in planning treks and negotiating guides (around Rs15Q/day). One direct bus leaves Madiken at 7am for Kakkabe. Other possible treks in Kodagu include a climb to the hill of Devasi Betta close to Irpu Falls, through the Brahmaglri Wildlife Sanctuary, for which you will need permission from the sanctuary office. Elsewhere, connecting trails from Talakaveri can be taken to the top of Kodagu's second highest peak. Pushpagiri (1712m), to the north of the region. Pushpagiri can also be climbed via the village of Heggademane to the north of Madikeri, and is accessible by bus.
Walking routes are best explored with the help of the handful of specialist agen¬cies, some working out of Madiken. such as Ganesh Aiyanna at the Hotel Cauvery , who is very informative and helpful, or Coorg Travels at Vinayaka Lodge. If you want to try to arrange your own itinerary, approach the Conservator of Forests. Deputy Commissioner's Office, at the fort. for permission to enter the forests and to stay at their forest bungalows, and for a mandatory guide (Rs150-300/day). Even if you intend to do it yourself, it is well worth talking to Ganesh Aiyanna and to the helpful Kodagu Wildlife Society, PO Box 111, Chain Gate Road, 2km east of the centre. Although not local, expe¬rienced Clipper Holidays, with offices in Bangalore and Cochin have been organizing forest treks in Kodagu for years, while Madhushudan Shukla at Woody Adventures in Bangalore special¬izes in a variety of outdoor sports, including trekking in Kodagu.
The best season to trek in the area is between October and March; April and May are not as hot as some other parts of Karnataka. but avoid the monsoons between June and September, when the trails can get muddy and the leaches rampant.
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