Kakkabe Travel Guide

Kakkabe lies at the base of the Western Ghats in southern Kodagu 248 km south west of Bangalore, Karnataka. The tallest peak in Coorg, A malabar whistling thrush, his blue-black coat ruffled was cught unawares by the fat drops of rain and his melodious off key whistle seemed trapped inside his throat. Thadiyendamol had covered himself in a giant white cloak and disappeared from view now it is just you the amplified sounds of a rain forest come alive and a faint mountain trail with no end in sight.

Kakkabe is nature’s laboratory it can transform a boring natural science class into an exciting practical tour. The heavy ranforest cover gives the region a rich bounty of rare orchids, plants and birds. Scenic treks take you to Mallamma Betta, soma Male and Kabbe Pass from where you can spy sun-kissed clouds caressing Kerala’s hills. However the prize catch is undoubtedly Thadiyendamol.

Thadiyendamol

Thadiyendamol at 5,730 ft, is the highest peak in coorg and the second highest in Karnataka after Mullaiyanagiri in the Baba Budan Range. Thadiyendamol lures trekkers with the promise of a glimpse of the coastline on a clear day. For the most part the trek is gentie, but the last quarter is a steep climb. The 2 1/2 hours climb one way from palace estate is shorter but the longer 31/2 hour climb from Honey Valley passes through thick rainforest and more scenic terrain.

Igguthappa Temple

The Igguthappa Temple not only is you handed prasad on a platter you are given a three-course meal of payasam rice and tow types of sambar with wild mango pickle to boot. Worshiped as the one who gives grain iggu is kodava for grain thappa means to give Iggathappa is the de facto rain god. The temple is 2 1/2 km from the jeep stand at Kakkabe. Get onto the road to Madikeri. Take a left under the arch. After a kilometer take a right to the temple that passes through the arch.

Rock Climbing and Treks

A 1 hour walk to Nilakandi Waterfall, 3 km away is one of the shorter treks. Apart from barking deer, pangolins, flying squirrels it is a good place to spot the honey loveing south Indian marten. There are many other routers of varying difficulty. Suresh Changappa of Honey Valley has marked out 28 of them. Place Estate has the ideal terrain for trekking, streams and a 50 ft waterfall.

Around Kakkabe

Karada 11 km

This town is on the way back to Virajpet. Keep a close warch or you may drive right past. The turn through a temple arch on your left takes you 1 km inside to what is considered the best ain mane ancestral home in Coorg. You might get a closer glimpse if you are polite to its owners the Nadikeriyendas. Beyond it the road forks to the right a range of peaks lies on one side a view right to Madikeri on the other.

Kadanga 16 km

If you are an avid birdwatcher or if you want to unearth the mysteries of coorg, you must meet sheroo subbiah at kadanga who indentifies birds not by sight but by their call.Which offers a room to stay in and home cooked food, is in arapattu a short way off the virajpet kakkabe road 2 km from kadanga. Turn right opposite the nalnad palace to make your way to this beautiful estate by a rivulet. Apart from birdwarching and trekking to kabbe pass, you can swim a dangle in the rivulet.