A foggy highway at Kulamavu, Idukki

A view of Siruvani Hills, Palakkad

Kanthanpara Water Falls at Kalpetta, Wayanad

Gavi

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.

Gavi

Gavi is an eco-tourist spot in Kerala. The village is situated around 1000m above sea level in the district of Pathanamthitta, in Kerala , India.
Gavi became hugely popular after the a world acclaimed tourism major listed it among the leading eco-tourism centres and one of the must-see places in India. Its pristine scenic beauty and the  treasured nature untouched by urban world, makes Gavi a must visit destination. 

Ideal place for the nature lover in you and the sight of dense forest will make you think you are in the Amazons. Gavi is the one of the biggest forest area Kerala prides which is around 1000sq km. The lush greenery and being in the big and tall woods is spectacular and mind cooling. Travelling inside the forest with one’s own vehicle requires prior permission from forest department. Forest tent camping is available from November through March.

Gavi is surrounded by Periyar forest. Being part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve forest of Ranni Taluk in Pathanamthitta, is best known for its pristine flora and fauna. Its evergreen forests are abundant with wildlife including the tiger, elephants, leopards, bears, Indian gaur, sambar, barking and mouse deers, lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri marten, Malabar giant squirrel.  Gavi forest area is the home to the two gopher trees (Gopherwood is a term used once in the Bible) which are believed to be the only two gopher trees in India. Some of the endangered species like the Nilgiri Tahr and Lion tailed macaque which  is one of the rarest species of macaque in the world and most engendered species in India, are often spotted in the outskirts. Wild elephants are a common sight  here. Gavi is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 260 species of birds like the great pied hornbill, woodpecker and kingfishers.

Some of the breathtaking viewpoints like the Valley View which offer spectacular view of a deep ravine and the forest below only belongs to Gavi. The world famous Sabarimala shrine can also be seen from the Gavi mountains. A refreshing short trek ill take you up the hills and you can get a distant view of famed Pulmedu, Sannidhanam and Ponnambalamedu(Place of Makara Jyoti)

The essence of Gavi is the travel one way travel through the pristine forest from Angamuzhi check post and exiting at Vallakkadavu. No return travel is allowed. 5 dams come accross this travel starting with Moozhiyar dam.

Pre Plannng: 

Entry passes must be obtained from the Forest Check Post at Angamuzhi, en route at Vallakkadavu or online. Tokens are issued from 7am and entry allowed by 8.30 onwards. Weekends witnesses heavy rush of tourists. Only 30 Vehicles are only allowed in a day. Advance booking with the Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd. is highly recommended; as such formalities will be taken care of by the travelling company itself.

Link to online booking: Gavi-Kakki Eco Tourism Website

Bikes are not permitted inside the reserve. SUV's with 4 x 4 recommended. Small cars to be avoided as road can be difficult to manoeuvre and may end up in large repairs

Stay

Being a forest, wild reserve, there aren’t much choices of good stays at Gavi. One can stay near Gavi at Periyar Forest Bungalow , Pachakanam, which is guest friendly . You can spend a night right in the middle of the forest enjoying  the babbling sound of brook and cicadas. While you are there, a day or night safari is strongly recommended where you can watch elephants, wild bores, bisons, porcupine & Nilgiri Langur(Black monkeys) another endangered species in India.

Things to do

  • Jeep Safari- A 20 km ride into the thick forest from the checkpost to Gavi
  • Boat ride on the Kochuparamba lake  and the waterfalls, 
  • Trekking to Sabarimala view point
  • Visit to nearby plantations
  • Forest tent camping at selected forest outdoors

How to Reach

  • By Road: Gavi is located around 28 kms from Vandiperiyar, near Thekkady or  14 km from Kumily. Entry passes must be obtained from the Forest  Check Post at Angamuzhi, en route at Vallakkadavu. 
  • By Rail:  128 Kms from Kottayam Railway Staion. 168 Kms from Eranakulam Railway Staion. 180 Kms from Madurai, Tamilnadu Railway Staion.
  • By Air: 160 Kms from Nedumbassery Airport Ernakulam. 199 Kms from Madurai Airport.

Other Info

  • Elevation: 1,036 m
  • Weather: 19 °C to 21°C
  • Coordinates: 9°26′25.72″N, 77°9′37.25″E

Trivia

  • The box office hit Malayalam flick “Ordinary” was shot here, which show cased the virgin beauty of this place.

Post updated on 9th May, 2022

Things to Do

  • Off-road to a Deep Forest

    Enjoy the 20km deep drive thru forest from the Forest  Check Post at Angamuzhi, en route at Vallakkadavu. 

  • Trek to a mountain

    A refreshing short trek ill take you up the hills and you can get a distant view of famed Pulmedu, Sannidhanam and Ponnambalamedu(Place of Makara Jyoti).The world famous Sabarimala shrine can also be seen from the Gavi mountains.

  • Take a Boat Cruise

    Enjoy the serene boat ride on the Kochuparamba lake and the waterfalls.

  • Explore a Dam

    Enroute the one way travel through the pristine forest from Angamuzhi check post and exiting at Vallakkadavu, 5 dams come across this travel starting with Moozhiyar dam.

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