Madikeri
District capital — fort, Raja's Seat and the gateway to Mandalpatti.
1170 m altitude Best: October to March
Madikeri is Coorg's hill-town capital, built around a 17th-century fort and the mist-viewing terrace of Raja's Seat. It is the most convenient base for first-time visitors: Abbey Falls, Mandalpatti and Talacauvery are day-trippable, and the town has the district's densest cluster of homestays, cafés and taxi operators.
