Achankovil Forest

Achankovil Forest is a dense tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest in the Achankovil Forest Division spanning Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts, Kerala, within the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats. Centered on the Achankovil River valley near Achankovil village, it is noted for rich biodiversity, endemic flora and fauna, and its association with the Achankovil Dharmasastha Temple. Access is regulated by the Kerala Forest Department.

Visitors can expect dense evergreen forest, riverine valleys along the Achankovil River, and hilly terrain of the Western Ghats. The area is accessed through forest check posts with prior permission and typically explored on guided nature walks and trekking trails. Sightings may include diverse birds, butterflies and forest wildlife, with views of streams, waterfalls in season, and the temple precinct at the forest edge. Facilities are basic and the environment is largely natural and undisturbed.

Achankovil forests formed part of the forest tracts of the former Travancore region and have been traditionally protected as the catchment of the Achankovil River and as sacred groves associated with the Achankovil Dharmasastha Temple.

The forest surrounds the Achankovil Dharmasastha Temple, one of the prominent Sastha temples in Kerala, and is regarded as sacred by local communities with pilgrimage traditions linked to the river and groves.