 Email this Page |  Write to us
Elephant fun
We stopped at a coffee estate to look at the coffee bushes. Coorg is one of the main coffee growing regions in the country. The berries were bright green. They turn red before they are harvested, our driver told us.
My camera was clicking merrily all the time. The next stop: a small waterfall. We sat there for a while enjoying the sound of the water gushing down the rocky face.
Soon we were off to the elephant camp at Dubare forest (45 km from Madikeri) driving through snaking roads to finally reach the banks of the Kaveri river. The river had to be crossed by a motorboat. The early morning sunlight made the river look silvery and unreal.
The gently upward sloping banks of the river soon gave way to the forest where we saw some elephants with their mahouts.
We were introduced to Mythili, a surprisingly gentle, 52-year-old female elephant.
• Airfare for Rs 599 and less!
Initially we were hesitant to go near the huge beast, but seeing how gentle it was, we were soon patting and stroking its trunk and posed for photos with the giant pachyderm.
The mahout received a Rs 10. Soon the elephants were lumbering their way down to the river. They ventured into the water and then coaxed by their masters, lay down in the water. We were allowed to wash the elephants for a sum of Rs 100 per person, but we passed.
Some brave souls wade into the water to scrub the beasts. From a bench we took in the scene before us: the gentle flowing waters of the river Kaveri, the giant animals lying peacefully in the water, the trees lining both banks.
It was a wonderful sight...
The camp is home to 12 elephants. Six had gone to Mysore for the Dusshera celebrations.
Text and photograph: Srinath Sridhar
Also read: Ever stayed on a coffee plantation?
Share YOUR travel stories and pix!
Have you been to Coorg? What was your favourite sight there? Where did you have the best meal? Do you have a hotel to recommend?
Do post details on the message board below so other readers can benefit from your advice. Remember to add information on what was special about the restaurant, hotel or sight you visited, along with relevant telephone numbers and addresses.
|
Advertisement
