A luxury sanctuary in Coorg where forests, wilderness and slow living come together

After tipping it down for three days, the rain had finally taken a breather in Coorg, as though it, too, needed to sigh at the end of an arduous week. It was way past 10 pm, and the night seemed wrapped in a heavy blanket as our car cruised towards The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary. The roads still glistened from the downpour, while the earthy scent of petrichor lingered in the air. We meandered along narrow, winding roads, enveloped in an almost eerie stillness. For someone arriving from a city, the world suddenly felt quieter — the kind of silence Ruskin Bond so often finds in the hills, where even the absence of people seems to have a presence.

A Luxury escape in Coorg with private pools, forest trails and coffee experiences

We were dead on our feet, having already packed quite a bit into the preceding 24 hours. We had wrapped up work, dashed to the airport, landed in Mysuru and then embarked on a three-hour drive to Coorg. The moment we touched down in Karnataka, our hearts began clamouring for a Karnataka-style dosa.

Our driver, a genial man who seemed to know every nook and corner of the route like the back of his hand, suggested a pit stop at Unsur. We ordered an open masala dosa and a cup of filter coffee. One bite and one sip later, we found ourselves taking a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about our days of living in Bengaluru. The quick stop was just the recharge we needed to fend off sleep until we reached our destination. We hit the hay after a comforting bowl of chicken broth accompanied by a 63-degree poached egg, and were out like a light.

Spread across 76 acres, The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary is home to 71 villas, ranging from duplex and family villas to private pool villas. The crown jewel is the four-bedroom Sunbeam Presidential Villa, complete with its own helipad.

We were put up in the Mistwood Pool Villa, tucked amid a canopy of greenery. True to its name, the villa came with a private pool. Inside, a spacious living area opened into a cosy bedroom, but it was the lavish four-piece bathroom that really caught our eye. With dual vanity counters, a walk-in shower and a Jacuzzi bathtub overlooking the forest, it was the sort of space where one could easily lose track of time.

Although a yoga session was on our itinerary next morning, we decided to skive off. Instead, we relaxed by the pool with some freshly brewed French press coffee, embracing the concept of dolce far niente. Soon, a message arrived informing us that breakfast awaited at Luma, the all-day dining restaurant set beneath a towering foliage ceiling and overlooking a man-made lake.

Our buggy rolled up to the doorstep, and soon we reached the 180-seater restaurant, whose menu brings together the best of authentic Kodava specialities alongside international favourites. We had hoped to sit outdoors, but a mizzle made us renounce the idea. After an English breakfast, we were ready to explore.

The buggy was back, and soon we trundled into Funky Turtle, a space that looks every bit as fanciful as its name suggests. Designed in the shape of a turtle, it conceals an unexpected attraction: one of the largest carrom boards we had ever seen. We tried our hand at the game, but given the sheer size of the board, just aiming the striker and hitting the coins proved tough as nails.

Next came rifle shooting. We secretly hoped to channel our inner Yusuf Dikeç and pull off the effortless, one-hand-in-the-pocket posture. But in a wink, we realised our arm strength needed considerably more work than we had imagined. There is a children’s area too, complete with a sleeping room.

From there, we made our way to the Pet Zone, where we got to ‘socialise over carrots and grass’ with an eclectic bunch of four-legged and feathered residents. Rudra and Raana, the Changra goats famed for their prized Pashmina fibre, were particularly partial to carrots and were not shy about showing it.

We made friends with a charming crew of Punganur cows, Nigerian pygmy goats, African Boer goats, emus, geese, ducks and turkeys, along with a rather majestic Sulcata tortoise and an iguana. We then wandered through the aviary, surrounded by a lively chorus of wings, squawks and feathers.

Outside, Rocky was waiting for us, saddled and ready to take us on a horseback ride. The steady hoofbeats, gentle sway of the horse and winding trail made it feel as though time had slowed down.

Next up was what Coorg is perhaps best known for, coffee! We made our way to 92 Degrees, an artisanal coffee lounge, for a closer look at the beverage intertwined with the region’s identity. We took some pride in knowing our Arabica from our Robusta, but the bean-to-cup experience quickly revealed how much more there was to learn. From understanding the coffee plant and the nuances of terroir to roasting, brewing and tasting locally sourced Coorg coffee, we discovered a world far beyond the cup. During a guided cupping session, we were handed flavour profiles and challenged to identify notes of acidity, body and sweetness in each brew. We sampled a clean pour-over before settling into the familiar comfort of South Indian filter coffee.

Lunch was at Zen, the resort’s Pan-Asian restaurant, tucked away amid tranquil waters and lush tropical greenery. The setting felt beautifully secluded, like a private gazebo hidden from the rest of the world. Our dining pavilions appeared to float gently over the water, even as the forest stretched out around us. Barring the gentle streams of water, there was little to hear, leaving us free to soak in the view.

A quick retreat to our villa gave us just enough time to catch our breath before we made our way to the Vinyasa Deck, perched above the lake, for pranayama and sound healing. After a day of riding, walking and gallivanting about, it was lovely to stop and switch off for a while. However, no sooner had the meditation ended than our phone began buzzing like a persistent bee. We were certain we had left it on silent and felt rather red-faced. Still, every cloud has a silver lining; at least it had the good manners not to interrupt the session itself.

Having found our zen, it seemed only fair to find out whether we could find a fish to go with it. Ernest Hemingway may have said that ‘anyone can be a fisherman in May’, but we decided to put our luck to test in August. A fishing rod awaited us, and soon, we were being schooled in the finer points of reels, hooks and bait. Bread was handed to us as bait, and we cast our lines. After what seemed like an eternity, our fishing skills left much to be desired. Well, fishing may not have gone according to plan, but the consolation prize was spot on. After all, how could we be in the mountains, with the rain for company, and not surrender to a steaming cup of masala chai and crisp, golden bread pakodas?

We decided to retire to our room, our feet having made it fairly clear that they had done enough for the day. We ordered the Kodava classic, Pandi curry, with kadubuttu and akki roti, and called it a night.

The following morning, we were up with the lark for a nature trail. We were advised to wear sturdy boots and carry raincoats, just in case the weather had a change of heart. Daybreak cast a different spell over the property — everything was greener and quieter, with birdsong threading its way through the trees. 

Over the next three hours, we encountered some of the forest’s most fascinating residents, including the Malabar giant squirrels, great hornbills and kingfishers, as well as the foam nest of a Malabar gliding frog. Each sighting felt like a little reward, as though the forest were letting us in on its best-kept secrets. Then came one of the more unusual encounters of the morning, a pill millipede. Our naturalist gingerly placed the tiny arthropod on our palms. At first, it stayed tightly curled into a perfect little ball, as if playing dead. “If it’s comfortable on your hand, it will open up,” she explained.

Slowly, the creature unfurled and began making its way across our hands, transforming what might have been a squeamish moment into one of quiet fascination. We then came upon a pair of hornbills perched close together. “They are like the Romeo and Juliet of the forest,” she said, explaining that hornbills mate for life. By the time the trail came to an end, we felt as though the forest had breathed new life into us.

Next up was a floating breakfast in our temperature-controlled pool. We were advised to get into the water without much ado, as monkeys were known to make the occasional surprise appearance. We soon discovered that the breakfast itself required a touch of hustle. We are foodies and like to savour every morsel, but balancing a floating tray, eating gracefully, and preventing everything from bobbing into the pool was no picnic. It was not quite our cup of tea, but it certainly made for a memorable morning.

It was then time for a Swedish massage at Aujasya. The treatment was exactly the reset we needed, after which we opted for a light lunch at Zen.

Before the sun began walking its weary steps towards the distant horizon, we decided to give fishing another shot. With bait on the hook and the line cast, we settled in to wait for a bite. The surroundings, however, provided plenty of entertainment. A white-breasted waterhen was busy feeding on small fish, clearly more successful at fishing than we were. Then came a ripple in the water. A checkered keelback glided towards us before slipping beneath the rocks by our feet. Instinctively, we lifted our legs.“Don’t worry, madam, it won’t climb up,” we were reassured.

And then, finally, came the tug we had been waiting for. We reeled in our catch and landed our first fish, estimated to weigh around two-and-a-half kilos. We released it back into the water soon after, thrilled to pieces.

After our successful fishing expedition, we headed to the Cellar Lounge Bar for a mixology session. Watching from the sidelines has never been our style, so we stepped behind the counter and got to work. Soon, we were shaking up cocktails and mocktails, each featuring kachampuli, Coorg’s popular ingredient. The speakeasy-inspired bar, complete with Winchester-style seating, added a distinctly retro touch to the experience. The experience made us realise that playing bartender is no small pour.

For our final dinner, we returned to Luma, where we tucked into Kodagu koli curry with akki roti — a fitting farewell to our two-day escape in what is often called the Scotland of India. Yet, beyond the food, forests, wildlife and adventures, it was the little things that stayed with us. Each night, we returned to our room to find handwritten notes waiting for us — small, thoughtful gestures that felt far more personal than any grand display.

As we left the next morning, the misty hills slowly faded into the rear-view mirror, but the countless memories — and a little piece of Coorg — travelled home with us.

Nearest Airport: Mysore

Room rates start at `50,000

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