It has almost been one year now but the experience we had at the Evolevback Resorts in Coorg is still fresh. After all these months here is a small account.
Welcome
A narrow lane through the coffee estates in Siddhapur had taken us to the gate of Evolveback Resorts formerly known as the Orange County. The admission inside is exclusive and we were allowed an entry only after our booking was confirmed.Secluded and serene,this resort cocooned in the heart of 300 acres big Chakanhalli coffee estate had immediately smitten us. Almost instantly we had found ourselves calmed by the peaceful and natural surrounding. In that moment the idea of excursion around Coorg took a backseat, it was all about soaking in every bit of this tranquil and luxurious place.
Heritage Pool Villas
Evolveback is a huge resort spread over a large area therefore you have the buggies to take you around and if your stay is in one of the heritage pool villas then you would definitely need one as these villas are farthest from reception. The check in staff was very hospitable and they explained all the amenities available to us in detail. To our pleasure we learnt that all the meals were covered and we could choose to go to any of their regular restaurants. We were even assigned one single point of contact during our stay before we settled in our buggy. The small ride to our villa gave us a glimpse of this expansive resort in mid of an absolutely natural surrounding.
The villas epitomized the traditional Kodava architecture and were oozing with luxury .Bedroom and living room were separate with a private swimming pool outside. Right next to these villas was a pond making this entire setting absolutely surreal. There was a beautiful stillness and silence interrupted only by chirping of the birds or the sound of the tree leaves moving with the gentle breeze. It was a place where you won’t mind if time stopped.
Experiences at Evolveback
The sheer beauty of this resort nestled in a coffee estate is intoxicating and it will definitely make you long for spending more time here instead of planning short tours outside exploring the region of Coorg. If you indeed plan to do so then there is plenty in a day which can be done here. Coorg is a natural habitat for large variety of birds and is therefore a bird watcher’s paradise. One of the experiences here hence is a bird watching tour which we took along with one of the resort’s naturalist. We were able to spot almost 20 species in a span of around two hours with the likes of Parakeet Malabar, Kingfisher, Babbler, Coppersmith Barbet in our list of discovery.
On the second morning I went for a village tour next to the resort. Our tour guide explained the close interdependency of the lives of these villagers and the resort, each playing a vital role in the other’s existence. It was walk of just over a kilometer by an array of houses on the bank of River Cauvery.
The village was up and running with the routine chores having begun for the day largely unperturbed by our troop.
While walking back we stopped at the “Hotel Riverside” which was in reality a stall where we were treated with the “meter chai”. Thera was also a post box there in which we dropped post cards . Sadly mine never reached the destination, perhaps a little out of practice in sending post cards now.
Among other experiences were the coracle ride in the River Cauvery , a tour of the coffee plantation and a worker’s trail shedding light on the daily routine of a coffee estate worker.
Complementing these exquisite activities is the culinary delight offered by the in-house restaurants which are the Granary , Peppercorn and Plaintain Leaf each with its on specialty. I loved our breakfast at Plaintain Leaf with a host of authentic preparations from this part of the world. At Granary you can relax and enjoy the delicious buffet, whatever meal you choose. However the most memorable experience of our time here would definitely be the two dinners we had. We were here when festive new year spirit was just round the corner and as part of it came these specially curated dinners set in the outdoor environs decorated with lights, candle lit tables warmed by heaters and a star lit sky as the roof. It could not have been more magical and surely left us awestruck at the time.
These experiences above were very well complemented by an ever smiling staff who were capable and well-trained. Their pleasing demeanor at every interaction further amplified a memorable experience we will probably always talk about.