Coffee Trail in India

Imagine waking up to the aroma of roasted coffee beans in a cool, misty hill, where your morning brew is made from locally plucked coffee leaves right below your balcony. To coffee connoisseurs, this comes close to living their dream. And there are hill stations in India that let you experience coffee in its true rustic sense. Since the ideal temperature for growing coffee is between 23 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius with an average rainfall of 60 to 80 inches and altitude of 1000m to 1500m , the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh are ideal for coffee plantations. We spill the beans on the top five coffee growing places in India and what you can do in each of these places.

Chikmagalur

This is where it all started. This beautiful hill station, in the foothills of the Mullayangiri ranges in the southern state of Karnataka, is technically coffee central. The first coffee plant in India was grown here, thanks to Baba Budan who smuggled coffee from the Middle East and introduced it to India. This rain-drenched coffee paradise in the Western Ghats, however, offers more than just coffee. It has a rich history too and is believed to be the earliest seat of the Hoysala Empire which ruled parts of South India from the 11th to the 14th century. The Coffee Museum, run by the Coffee Board of India, is located here. Besides, it also has some temples, mosques and cathedrals and if you drive further, you will see the Tunga and Badra rivers and the Kudremukh National Park. The closest airport is Bangalore.

Coorg

One of the most popular hill stations in South India, Coorg is synonymous with coffee and good food. Again in the state of Karnataka, which is where most of the country’s coffee comes from, Coorg can be reached by road from Mysore, the closest city. Boasting of beautiful views of the valley and the Western Ghats, it has waterfalls, rivers (the Kaveri river flows through it), wildlife parks and even a cute little elephant home where you can bathe elephants. Close to Coorg is an unlikely Tibetan settlement, Kushalnagar, complete with a monastery and a golden Buddhist temple. There are several good resorts, homestays and coffee estates where one can stay.

Wayanad

Wayanad is in the southern state of Kerala and is known for its verdant valleys and scenic drives. With dense forests, rolling hills of the Western Ghats, lakes, dams, wildlife parks, waterfalls, coffee, tea, cocoa and vanilla plantations, Wayanad is a complete package in itself. Located in the Malabar region in North Kerala, it enjoys pleasant climate throughout the year and is known as the coffee county of Kerala. One of the least populated regions in the state, it is relatively clean and peaceful. The closest airport is Calicut.

Yercaud

A pristine hill station in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Yercaud is located in the Salem district in the Shevaroy hill ranges of the Eastern Ghats. It has reserve forests, lakes and is among the most important coffee producing regions in India. You can ride a boat down the lake or enjoy a walk through the forests and coffee and orange plantations. The temperature here is moderate throughout the year. One can reach Yercaud by road from the neighbouring town of Salem or board a train from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.

Araku

A relatively unexplored hill station in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Araku is known for its coffee, rubber and pepper plantations. The stunning Araku valley is home to cascading waterfalls, rich flora and fauna, and it has a sizable tribal population as well. Surrounded by reserve forests, Araku can be reached from the larger coastal city of Vishakapatnam by road. It is known for its organic coffee grown by the tribals and also its well-kept tribal museum.

So perhaps it’s time you got together with your friends around a Satara coffee table and chalked out your next holiday to India.

Image Sources:

"Araku Valley Scenic View Visakhapatnam District" by Adityamadhav83 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Araku_Valley_Scenic_View_Visakhapatnam_District.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Araku_Valley_Scenic_View_Visakhapatnam_District.jpg

"Waynad Bamboo Road" by Nitin Pai from India - Road to God's. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waynad_Bamboo_Road.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Waynad_Bamboo_Road.jpg