Heritage Resorts, Coorg offers picnics in the wild and plantation walks for a relaxing break

Heritage Resorts in Madikeri, Coorg is a pretty property, designed with winding pathways, lined with fruit, vegetable, medicinal and ornamental trees and plants. When we visit in the peak of summer, it is buzzing with activity. The reception, filled with guests, is where we stop first for a refreshing drink. However, we are ill-prepared for what lay ahead of us — a decently challenging climb to our room. But, thrilled with the beauty of the location, and our adorable village-style cottage with a sit-out, faux thatched roof and a comfortable, luxurious bed, the strenuous walk is forgotten in a few seconds. 

Bird’s eye view
All rooms overlook the sloping hills on which the resort is set and the sit-out is a great way to take in all the natural beauty surrounding you. We spend a few hours sipping on local coffee and munching on their delicious fudgy brownies before it is time for lunch. If sitting idle and reflecting on life is not your cup of tea, you may make your way to their infinity pool. Located further uphill, this is also another trek, but is worth the walk. Post a session in the pool, pay a visit to the restaurant located right next to it. The restaurant serves Indian food, with ingredients sourced from the resort’s organic garden. Fresh and simple, the spread is elaborate without being over the top.  

Tired from our six-hour drive, we take a relaxing afternoon nap in the cool confines of our cottage. Then, it is time for a trek and picnic to catch the sunset. One of the perks provided by the resort, this trek takes you to a secluded clearing in the hills, that not even locals are aware of. The trek is slightly difficult for beginners, but it is short and we are at the grassy clearing in no time. We settle down to catch the sunset over plates of cookies, chicken sandwiches and steaming coffee. Packed at the resort and served by the staff who accompany us in the hotel’s car, it’s small features like this that make it a charming property.

Our evening is spent at the spa. Here, we go into a blissful sleep as our therapist erases our aches and pains away with a calming Ayurvedic massage. Our highlight the next day, is a visit to the Tibetan settlement that Coorg is known for and the Dubare elephant camp. While both of these are enjoyable and a must on the tourist trail, we are a lot more excited about our activity scheduled for the afternoon — a walk at a coffee and tea plantation located a 10-minute walk from the resort. But before we head to the plantation, we are moved to one of their newly built rooms, the one-bedroom villa. A lot more spacious, with a large bathroom, fitted with a bathtub and rain shower, a window nook and a four-poster bed, this is more modern but with certain traditional touches. 

Take a walk
As we enter the plantation, our attention is caught by a large tree. We are informed that it is over 150 years old and is home to birds and animals, such as porcupines. This property is also a magnet for fireflies and the area near the tree lights up during the right season with a thousand twinkling bugs. This one-and-a-half-hour walk ends with a coffee tasting session at the owner’s balcony, and we go back to the resort with some of their organic coffee blends and homemade pickles.

This being our last night at the resort, we are given a special dinner with a separate table by the pool, decorated with balloons and flowers. Ideal for birthdays and anniversaries, this is another of their special features. 

Offering both luxury and authentic experiences, Heritage Resorts Coorg comes with everything one can hope for in a holiday — a wonderful balance of relaxation and physical activity, good food and pleasant, friendly and helpful staff. 

Rooms Rs.12,500 upwards. At Galibeedu, Madikeri

The writer visited the property on invitation from Heritage Resorts.