Coorg, Karnataka
Coorg Backpacking
Mandalpatti & Abbey Falls
- Duration
- 2D / 1N2 days · 1 night
- Starts from
- Bangalore
- Trip type
- Adventure
A jeep climb to Mandalpatti, the 70-ft drop at Abbey Falls, sunset at Raja's Seat and a campfire at a coffee-estate homestay.
- Adventure
- Heights
- Nature
- Culture
Dates
- 30 Oct 20262 days₹4,599
See 4 more datesShow fewer dates
- 6 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 13 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 20 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 27 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
Prices are per person.
The trip
Coorg — Kodagu, if you ask anyone from there — is the stretch of the Western Ghats people call the Scotland of India: mist on the hills before breakfast, coffee plantations running to the horizon, waterfalls dropping out of the trees, and a Kodava culture that has stayed very much its own.
Saturday goes wide. A rough 4x4 climb takes you up to Mandalpatti, one of the prettiest viewpoints in Karnataka, with the hills stacked in every direction. Then lunch in Madikeri town, Abbey Falls where a 70-foot gusher feeds the Cauvery, and sunset at Raja's Seat, the overlook the old Kodagu kings kept for themselves. There is half an hour in the Madikeri markets for coffee, spices, honey and tea before you head back to the homestay for dinner, a campfire and a long evening of conversation.
Sunday is slower. A morning walk in the coffee estate around the stay, breakfast and check-out, then Harangi Elephant Camp on the backwaters and Namdroling Monastery, the Golden Temple at Bylakuppe, where a Tibetan Buddhist community keeps three enormous gilded Buddhas and a great deal of quiet. Lunch on the road, and you are back in Bengaluru by about 11:30 PM.
You sleep in a homestay set in a coffee estate, on triple and quad sharing, with common areas and a bonfire space. The pace is easy and the group stays small; dew-kissed mornings, filter coffee from beans grown a few feet away, and the rest takes care of itself.
Highlights
Day 1 · 10:00 AM4x4 Jeep Ride to Mandalpatti
Day 1 · 3:00 PMAbbey Falls
Day 1 · 5:00 PMSunset at Raja's Seat
Day 2 · 11:00 AMHarangi Elephant Camp
Day 2 · 1:00 PMNamdroling Monastery (Golden Temple)
Day by day
Mandalpatti Jeep Ride, Abbey Falls & Raja's Seat
The weekend starts on Friday night. Pickups are at New Udupi Grand in HSR Layout at 9:30 PM, KLM Fashion Mall in Marathahalli at 10:00 PM and Domlur Sky Walk on Old Airport Road at 10:20 PM, and the bus heads out for an eight-hour overnight drive with music, games and the night air. You arrive in Coorg early on Saturday, check into the homestay in its coffee estate, freshen up and eat breakfast in the hills. The day opens with the bumpy 4x4 climb to Mandalpatti, one of the prettiest viewpoints in Karnataka, then lunch in Madikeri town (options up here are limited, so it is whatever is fresh), Abbey Falls and its 70-foot drop into a natural pool, and sunset at Raja's Seat. There is half an hour in the Madikeri markets for coffee, spices, honey and tea before the drive back to the homestay for dinner, a campfire, music and stargazing.
- 7:00 AMArrival & Homestay Check-InReach Coorg early in the morning and check into the homestay set in a coffee estate. Drop your bags and freshen up before the day starts.
- 8:00 AMBreakfast at the HomestayA warm South Indian breakfast with the hills rolling away in front of you.
- 10:00 AM4x4 Jeep Ride to Mandalpatti (a highlight)An hour of rough off-road track climbs to Mandalpatti, one of Karnataka's prettiest viewpoints, with cloud-kissed hills in every direction. Jeep charges are not included.
- 1:00 PMLunch in Madikeri TownA local restaurant in town for Kodava food. Dining options up here are limited, and lunch is on your own.
- 3:00 PMAbbey Falls (a highlight)A short walk through spice and coffee plantations leads to a 70-foot fall dropping into a natural pool that feeds the Cauvery.
- 5:00 PMSunset at Raja's Seat (a highlight)Manicured flower gardens and the overlook the old Kodagu kings kept for themselves, facing a long sunset over the Western Ghats. Entry is included.
- 6:00 PMMadikeri Market StopHalf an hour in the local markets for Coorg coffee, spices, honey and tea to take home.
- 8:00 PMDinner & Campfire at the HomestayBack at the stay for dinner, a crackling campfire, icebreaker games, music and stories under the stars.
Harangi Elephant Camp & Namdroling Monastery
Sunday opens slowly, with a stroll through the coffee estate around the homestay before breakfast and check-out. From there it is a drive towards Kushalnagar and the Athur Reserve Forest backwaters to Harangi Elephant Camp, where elephants come down to the riverbed with their mahouts; feeding sessions and water activities there are optional and self-sponsored. Next is Namdroling Monastery at Bylakuppe, the Golden Temple, where three 40-foot gilded Buddhas fill the main prayer hall of one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist centres in the country. Lunch is nearby, with momos and thukpa in the Tibetan colony if you want them, and then the drive home gets you into Bengaluru at around 11:30 PM.
- 7:00 AMMorning Stroll in the Coffee EstateWake up to birdsong and take a quiet walk through the plantation around the homestay.
- 8:00 AMBreakfast & Check-OutBreakfast at the homestay, then pack up and complete check-out.
- 10:00 AMDrive to the Harangi BackwatersThe road runs towards Kushalnagar and the Athur Reserve Forest backwaters.
- 11:00 AMHarangi Elephant Camp (a highlight)Elephants come down to the riverbed with their mahouts. Feeding sessions and water activities are optional; entry and activity charges are not included.
- 1:00 PMNamdroling Monastery (Golden Temple) (a highlight)The grand prayer hall at Bylakuppe holds three towering 40-foot golden Buddhas, with Tibetan murals and monks at prayer around them.
- 3:00 PMTibetan & Local LunchLunch at a nearby cafe, with momos and thukpa in the Tibetan colony if you want them, plus stalls selling prayer flags and incense. Lunch is on your own.
- 4:00 PMReturn Drive to BengaluruBoard the bus for the drive home, with tea and dinner halts on the highway. Expected arrival in Bengaluru at around 11:30 PM.
What’s included
8 items · extras
Gear & extras, 8 items
- Stay in well-maintained rooms with access to common areas, bonfire space, and chill zones, set amidst a coffee estate
- Entire travel as per the itinerary in an AC Tempo Traveller / Mini Bus for a comfortable journey
- Entry fee to Raja’s Seat included
- Driver bata and toll charges covered
- A dedicated Trip Captain to guide and coordinate throughout the trip
- Homestay accommodation on a triple and quad sharing basis
- Experience that you gain
- Meals: breakfast on both days and dinner on Day 1
Not included, 7 items
- GST @ 5%
- Jeep ride charges to Mandalpatti
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
- Any costs due to uncontrollable circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, or public protests.
- Travel, Accidental and Medical insurance
- Activities and entry at Harangi elephant camp.
- Any guide fees or entry charges not mentioned in the itinerary.
Questions about this trip
What should I carry?
Soft copy of your Aadhaar card, a small backpack for the day, comfortable bottoms (cargo pants, track pants or shorts), quick-dry T-shirts, good-grip trekking shoes, flip-flops for lazing around the homestay, two litres of water in reusable bottles, sunscreen, cap and sunglasses, personal hand sanitiser, a personal medical kit with any medicines you need, a power bank, polybags for wet or muddy clothes, and extra cash for meals and activities not covered in the package.
What is the check-in policy and how strictly is the daily timeline followed?
Activity and daily timeline: the hourly schedule is tentative and designed to give you the best experience. The order of places or the timings may shift with weather, traffic, local restrictions or road conditions. Check-in: standard check-in times apply as per the homestay's policy, and early check-in is subject to room availability on arrival. Where early check-in isn't available, common washrooms and freshen-up areas are provided so you can get ready for the day without delay.
Is it safe to travel with strangers?
Safety is built into everything we do. Every member completes ID verification before joining. Our community review system means travellers build a reputation through completed trips. Plus, tribes typically form through chat and video calls before any trip happens, so by the time you meet, they're not really strangers anymore.
Are your trips safe for women?
On all of our trips, safety is non-negotiable and our priority. Female outdoor leaders accompany every group, the homestays are secure, and we guarantee separate sleeping arrangements for men and women.
How does GoWeekender match travellers?
Our Vibe Check algorithm goes beyond basic preferences. We look at your travel pace (relaxed explorer versus packed itinerary), adventure appetite (chill vibes versus adrenaline junkie), budget comfort zone, and interests like photography, street food or trekking. The result is that you get matched with travellers who genuinely get you, not just people heading to the same place.
Read before you go
- Bandaje Falls Trek 2026: Route, Rules, Cost from BangaloreTravel Guide · 13 min read
- Karnataka Trek Online Booking 2026: Permits and RulesTravel Guide · 10 min read
- Travel Buddies in Bangalore: Find Your Weekend Crew (2026)City Guide · 13 min read
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