Under the shadow of Thadiyendamol peak and in the middle of thickly wooded rain forest and coffee plantations lies the picturesque little village of Kakkabe. The lush green forests, coffee plantations and scenic beauty act as a great stress buster. And there is a variety of wildlife here too. Visit Kakkabe if you love the outdoors and have spirit of adventure!

Activity near Kakkabe:

The landscape of Kakkabe is still largely unspoilt and the treks through the dense forest can be hugely rewarding. It is a birdwatchers paradise and especially after the monsoon when the birds return to roost. Kakkabe was once the largest producer of honey in South East Asia and one can still see how it is produced. It is home to some rare orchids and plants. Wildlife abounds in the form of barking deer, flying squirrel, pangolin and a host of birds. Kakkabe is a trekkers delight as there a number of small treks and of different grades that suits most visitors although most trails are leech infested during the monsoon. The most popular trek is the one to the 5730 ft Thadiyendamol peak-the second highest peak in Karnataka. It is a 3 ½ hour trek and the view from the top is breathtaking. You can also trek to the waterfalls close to the village. Nalnad Palace, built in 1792 is worth a visit. It is not a palace in the usual sense but is a two storied structure used by the Kodava kings as a hunting lodge and has intricate wood carvings. Igguthappa temple is impressive and important and you can ask for anything from this powerful God.

Accomodation Options in Kakkabbe:

Accommodation is not an expensive proposition at all. Stay at the sprawling Honey Valley Estate or at the Palace Estate. Both are set among coffee plantation and are excellent stays.

Things to Pack:

Just carry cottons clothes, some thick ones too. If you are visiting during the monsoon, make sure that you carry leech socks and good rubber soled shoes.

Getting There:

It’s 6 ½ hours by road. You have to drive on the state highways all along. Drive along the SH17 to Srirangapatna and take the bypass to Hunsur via Ranganathittu before climbing on to SH88A to Gonikoppal and ultimately to SH88B for Virapet and then to Kakkabe via Kadanga.

To get there from Bangalore, head to Mysore and take the Srirangapatna bypass before Mysore twowards Hunsur. Stay on the highway near Hunsur. Just after the fork on the left to Hunsur town, the highway will fork again. Take the road on the left that goes to Virajpet and Kannur (Cannanore) (the highway continues to Madikeri). At Virajpet, take the a turn towards Madikeri. After 4 km, there's a cement bridge where you need to take a left towards Kakkabe (follow the Coffee Country signboards from there till Nalnad Palace). There are a couple of bad stretches since the road from Mysore to Hunsur is being widened. Cars can go all the way up to Palace Estate. There are KSRTC buses to Virajpet from Bangalore.