Three Destinations, One River Valley: Monks, Elephants, and a Gateway Town
The world's largest Nyingma Buddhist teaching centre, a government-run elephant camp on the Kaveri, and the town that connects them — genuinely distinct experiences within a short drive of each other.
Bylakuppe & Dubare
About This Destination Cluster
Bylakuppe, Dubare, and Kushalnagar sit close together in Kodagu district, near the Kaveri River, and are genuinely worth treating as one combined visit despite being three quite different experiences — a major Tibetan Buddhist settlement, a wildlife-focused elephant camp, and the practical gateway town linking both.
Bylakuppe — Home to the World's Largest Nyingma Monastery
Following the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, Tibetan refugees were resettled here starting in 1961, with a second settlement established in 1969. Bylakuppe grew into the second-largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet, after Dharamshala, now a full township with a significant Tibetan population and multiple monasteries.
Namdroling Monastery (Golden Temple)
The largest teaching centre of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism anywhere in the world — genuinely, not just in India. It began as a small bamboo shrine and now houses around 5,000 monks and nuns.
Visiting Details
Entry is free, open roughly 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Visitors are welcome to observe the 1:00 PM prayer session. Footwear isn't permitted inside; a small market nearby sells Tibetan handicrafts.
Dubare — A JLR Elephant Camp on the Kaveri
Dubare Elephant Camp sits on the banks of the Kaveri River and is managed by Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR), the same Karnataka Tourism ecotourism arm behind several of the state's best-known wildlife camps. Visitors can feed, bathe, and observe elephants under naturalist guidance, with river rafting also available. The camp has historically played a role in training elephants, including those prepared for Mysore's Dasara procession.
Kushalnagar — The Gateway Town
Kushalnagar itself is primarily the practical base for visiting both Bylakuppe and Dubare, but has one genuine attraction of its own: Nisargadhama, a 54-acre river-island reserve formed by the Kaveri, with a hanging bridge, deer park, boating, and nature walks — a good half-day addition if you have time beyond the monastery and elephant camp.
Where to Stay
There are quite a good number of resorts and homestays here, ranging from budget-friendly to genuinely upscale spa properties.
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