A Quiet Escape into Coffee Country – A Drive to Somwarpet

This trip report is about a quiet escape into coffee country during the Pongal (Sankranti) holidays. We did a short family trip to Somwarpet in Coorg, Karnataka, stayed in a cozy homestay set inside coffee estates, spent quiet mornings walking through the plantations, visited a local temple in the bank of a serene lake, explored a nearby peak with some mild off-roading, and beautiful sunset views, and enjoyed some delicious Coorg cuisine.

The Onward Drive – 14th January

The route we took was Coimbatore → Sirumugai → Bhavanisagar → Bannari → Chamarajanagar → Mysore → Kushalnagar → Somwarpet. Since it was roughly a seven-hour drive, we left home early at around 5:45 in the morning.

We reached Bannari by about 7:15 am. As usual, there was a long line of trucks waiting at the entry check post to the Dimbham ghats. Trucks are typically allowed through only after 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning, and the first hour or two is usually slow moving. The climb through the 27 hairpin bends was slow, following slow-moving trucks, and it took us about 45 minutes to reach Dimbham.

We stopped for breakfast at Bhama Restaurant and then continued our drive. After Dimbham, the truck traffic eased considerably, and progress became much smoother.

We crossed Mysore around 10:30 am and took another short break at Coffee Day on the Mysore–Hunsur stretch.

For lunch, we stopped at Tibet Kitchen in Kushalnagar and enjoyed some excellent Tibetan food.

From there, the drive towards Somwarpet passed through beautiful forest stretches, and we reached our homestay at around 3:00 pm.

We had initially planned to visit a small peak nearby, but as it started raining heavily in the evening, we decided to stay in and simply enjoy the weather. With hot coffee, tea, and biscuits, the evening passed slowly as we played cards and relaxed at the homestay. After a satisfying dinner, we called it a day.

The Homestay – Green Pastures

We stayed at a homestay called Green Pastures, located inside a quiet coffee plantation near Somwarpet. It’s a small cottage with three rooms (we occupied two of these). The place gives a calm, serene feeling surrounded by coffee plantation with mornings filled with sounds of birds.

This place was recommended by my friend and driving buddy Dr.AD from TeamBHP. I also happened to stay here a couple of months before during a drive with Dr.AD and two other TeamBHP friends, RobiMahanta and Megazoid. This trip has been documented by Dr.AD in the following thread.

Three cars, a Fortuner, and casual wandering in the hills of Karnataka

The rooms were clean, cozy, and comfortable, and felt like coming home after the long drive from Coimbatore, and after the visits to nearby attractions. What made the stay especially pleasant, though, was the warmth of the hosts, Mr. Hemanth and his wife. They were friendly, attentive, and made sure we were comfortable throughout our stay. Mr. Hemanth also shared useful suggestions on nearby places to visit, which helped us plan our days better.

Food was another highlight. The meals were simple, fresh, and very satisfying, with some delicious homemade Coorg dishes — especially the chicken and fish preparations — that added to the overall experience of staying in a local home rather than a commercial property.

Sight Seeing – 15th January

Honnamana Kere and Honnamma Temple

The next day was Pongal (Sankranti), and we wanted to visit some local temple. Mr. Hemanth suggested Honnamma Temple which is located besides the lake Honnamana Kere. This place is about 6 kilometers from Somwarpet. We had our breakfast and drove to the lake. The lake was very serene and the temple was small and beautiful. There was no one around. The whole environment was so calming, we spent close to an hour at the temple. We then drove to the other side of the lake and spent some time taking pictures and enjoying the views. A few pictures of the lake and the temple.

After this, we went to Somwarpet and had lunch at a restaurant called Tutu’s kitchen (Mr. Hemanth’s recommendation). The restaurant was very clean and food was very tasty. After lunch, we went back to the homestay and rested.

Kotte Betta

In the evening, we visited a nearby peak called Kotte Betta. At about 5,310 feet, it is the third highest peak in Karnataka. The road leading up to Kotte Betta was quite broken in places, with loose gravel and uneven patches, but with the Fortuner it was an easy drive.

There were a few narrow trails branching off towards smaller hillocks, and I took a couple of them to enjoy the views of the surrounding valleys. One of these trails opened up to a beautiful view of the sun setting in the west, slowly dropping behind the mountains and lighting up the valley below. We spent nearly two hours there, simply taking in the changing light and the quietness of the place. I also managed to capture a few photographs of the sun setting behind a lone tree on a distant hill. A few pictures from Kotte Betta are below.

We left Kotte Betta well after sunset and drove back to the homestay. Mr. Hemanth had arranged a campfire for the evening, and we spent some time by the fire enjoying fish and chicken starters.

After dinner, it felt like a good point to call it a day.

Car Photoshoot

I like taking car pictures during these trips. One of the misty mornings, I took some pictures of my Fortuner in the homestay. Below are some pictures.

Morning Walks through Coffee Plantation

One of the highlights of this trip for my wife and me was the morning walks through the coffee plantations. Walking along the narrow, winding roads lined with tall trees, listening to the calls of birds, and watching the early sunrays filter gently through the foliage was pure bliss. It was also the first time since my cochlear implant that I found myself in an environment filled with so much bird activity. Listening to the different bird calls around us was a special experience.

Below are a few pictures from these mornings.

The Drive Back Home – 16th January

The next day, after breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Hemanth and began our drive back home. The journey was largely uneventful, except for some holiday traffic after the Bhavanisagar dam stretch. We stopped for lunch at Aashirvad Grand before Nanjangud, followed by a short coffee break at Hotel Bhama in Dimbham. With a relaxed drive through the rest of the evening, we reached home around 7:00 pm.