Some journeys begin with a plan. Others begin with a feeling, a quiet pull towards somewhere greener, slower, and a little less certain. This summer, the forests of South India offer exactly that kind of escape. Not hurried sightseeing or packed itineraries, but immersive stays where the landscape shapes your days. At two distinctive retreats by CGH Earth, the wild is not something you visit. It is something you live alongside.
Where Coffee Meets the Wild: Coorg Wild Walk, Nagarhole
Set on the edge of Nagarhole National Park, Coorg Wild Walk is an intimate four-bedroom villa where cultivated land and wilderness meet. Located near the Nanachi Gate, it sits within a working Robusta coffee plantation, with the forest never too far from sight or sound.
The first thing you notice is the stillness. Large glass windows open out to uninterrupted views of the plantation, drawing in the earthy scent of coffee and damp soil. Inside, the design leans into the landscape. Reclaimed wood, stone walls, and traditional Kodava artefacts create a space that feels rooted rather than styled.
Days here follow the rhythm of the forest. Mornings often begin with safaris into Nagarhole, where the anticipation of spotting wildlife lingers in the air. The region is known for the “Big Three” – the Asiatic elephant, leopard, and Bengal tiger – but just as memorable are the quieter sightings: herds moving through the trees, birds cutting across the sky, the distant rustle of unseen life.
Evenings slow things down. Meals become an experience in themselves, with local Kodava cuisine taking centre stage. The Pandi Curry, rich and tangy with kachampuli, paired with soft kadumbuttu, is both comforting and deeply tied to the region.
Here, nothing feels rushed. The wild does not demand attention. It simply waits, revealing itself in its own time.
In the Canopy: Wayanad Wild, Lakkidi
Further south, in Kerala’s Wayanad district, the forest takes on a different form. Denser, wetter, and more layered, the rainforest in Lakkidi feels alive in every sense. Perched at 2,900 ft in the Western Ghats, Wayanad Wild is designed to sit lightly within this ecosystem.
The journey itself sets the tone. A 3.5-kilometre jeep ride winds upward into the forest, gradually leaving behind the familiar for something more immersive. By the time you arrive, the air is cooler, the sounds sharper, the green more intense.
The rooms, built on stilts, seem to float within the canopy. Large openings invite the outside in, whether it is the call of Malabar parakeets or the shifting light across the trees. From private balconies to the infinity pool overlooking the forest, the views are constant but never repetitive.
Experiences here are gentle and exploratory. Families can wander along forest streams, or spend time understanding the region’s spices through hands-on sessions in the Malabar Kitchen. As night falls, the forest changes character. Guided walks reveal a different world altogether, where frogs, civets, and nocturnal creatures emerge under a sky filtered through dense foliage.
A Different Kind of Escape
Both Coorg Wild Walk and Wayanad Wild offer something beyond a conventional holiday. They create space to observe, to pause, and to reconnect with the natural world without needing to frame it as an “experience.”
This summer, the call of the wild does not have to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it is found in quieter moments: a view from a window, a walk through the trees, or the simple act of being present in a landscape that asks nothing of you except that you notice it.
