Homestays are probably the best way to experience the lifestyle of Coorg and in Madikeri the options are many. We chose Victorian Verandaz, which is about 8 kilometres out of town, up a winding road followed by a narrow path canopied by trees and surrounded by coffee bushes.

A long sweeping driveway welcomes you to the bungalow that the Thimaiah family calls home – a pleasure they’re only too willing to let you share in.

The homestay is set in a beautiful 110 acre plantation that has belonged to the family for more than a century. The cottage for guests consists of two bedrooms and a dining room with a beautiful covered verandah running long the entire length, offering views of coffee shrubs and avocado trees. Comfortable rosewood chairs and tables dot the verandah, perfect for early morning lounging with a cup of coffee, of course prepared from home-grown coffee beans.

The rooms are comfortable, clean and cozy. But what really set our stay apart was the warm nature of our hosts, Thimaiah and Diana. From our initial welcome with steaming cups of tea and coffee to long conversations on the verandah, our hosts were welcoming and conscientious without ever being overbearing or intrusive.

Be prepared to be served a variety of sumptuous dishes prepared by Diana including some local specialties you’ve likely to have never tasted before. Fresh fruits from the property are always readily available and upon giving a little notice, one can even enjoy the famous coorg pandhi (pork curry).

We went for long walks on the many trails in the plantation and were taken on a tour of the estate, where given an intensive lesson about the different types of coffee and the journey from beans to cup.

The plantation has four small lakes and several streams running through it. Soft dappled sunlight filters through trees covered with black pepper vines and as the hosts narrate anecdotes from last year’s harvest, modern civilisation seems to be a distant dream.