Flameback Lodge

Travel to the heart of India’s coffee capital with a holiday at Flameback Lodge, a secluded oasis tucked into the small town of Mudigere in Chikmagalur.

An easy five hour drive away from the urban glitz of Bengaluru, the ten-acre resort takes you to a sprawling coffee plantation, surrounded by dense forests and paddy fields. The suites, villas and cottages at Flameback showcase the region’s traditional architecture with high sloped ceilings, elegant dark wood furniture set against cool white interiors, indulgent bathrooms, Jacuzzis, mini kitchens and wide decks offering breathtaking views of the estate’s private lake. Buffet and a la carte meals at the dining hall feature fresh regional produce and home style local recipes – the batter fried fish and velvety pork curry are standouts - alongside Continental dishes.

Your days at this lush natural retreat can be spent canoeing in the lake, trekking through the coffee estate with experienced guides and indulging in Ayurvedic / Swedish massages with invigorating ice showers at Robusta Spa. Look out for the Indian hare, sambar (deer), sloth bear and Malabar giant squirrel on forest tours. Bird watching walks could yield sightings of the Malabar grey hornbill, Indian pitta and orange-headed thrush. On a longer holiday, you could explore spectacular waterfalls and intricately carved ancient temples about an hour or so away. You could also book a safari at either Kudremukh or Bhadra national parks to try your luck at Bengal Tiger sightings. Within the estate or out and about in Chikmagalur, a marvellous time is assured.