Topography

Coorg is carpeted with every possible shade of green and adorned with a gossamer stole of transparent white mist. The topography of Coorg ornamented with grassy downs, paddy fields, sloping glades, waterfalls and deep valleys spreads over more than 4000 km² of terrain.

The entire region is at an average altitude of 3000 to 5500 feet. The highest peak is Thadiyanda Mol at 5729 feet.

NAME
ALTITUTE ( METERS )
Tadiyandalmol
1750
Pushpagiri
1710
Kotebetta
1650
Chomamale
1610
Devasibetta
1610
Brahmagiri
1360
Nishanimotte
1270
Madakanamotte
1150

Source: Coorg Wildlife Society

The monsoons arrive in a rush and drench Coorg with its heavy rains during the months of mid June to end September. The clouds cover the entire region in a moist shroud which clears once in a while to reveal lush greenery like emeralds rising from the mountains.

This abundant rainfall has resulted in lush forest growth that is typical of the Western Ghats with its rain forest in this range of mountains. The heavy rains are conducive to paddy in the plains. A major portion of Coorg is also carpeted by the coffee plantations, the main agricultural produce in the region. The wet slopes are also ideal for growing coffee beans. Some of the best coffee estates in South India, first established by the British, are to be found in Coorg. A drive through the thoroughfare certainly will reward one with natural scenic beauty of canopies of trees and expansive scenery of the mountains.

The Landscape of Coorg is a combination of shallow valleys, gentle slopes and intermingled swamps. The trees are spread widely opening up patches of grassland. Big timber trees like rosewood, Mathi and teak dominate the areas of the forests where the undergrowth is dense and rainfall is high. The areas of the forests that are drier provide a home for the shorter trees like the Flame of the Forest, bamboo, Indian Laburnum and Dindalu.

Many villages of Coorg are situated deep inside valleys surrounded by mountain ranges. Each Coorg season is a unique experience all on its own. The morning air filled with mist provides a mystical start to a beautiful day. At sunset, Mother Nature splashes her canvas with spellbinding hues of color highlighting a crimson sky. The beauty does not pass with the sunset, for the clear nights are full of twinkling stars that each has a story of their own to tell. The chilly winters, wet monsoons and cool summers will leave anyone feeling fulfilled and serene.