Gavi

Gavi is an eco-tourism village located inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, near the border with Tamil Nadu. Surrounded by evergreen forests, grasslands and the Gavi Lake formed by the Gavi Dam, it is managed by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation. Known for its undisturbed forest habitat, birdlife and trekking trails, Gavi offers regulated nature-based tourism with limited accommodation and guided activities within a protected forest landscape.

Visitors can expect a remote forested landscape inside Periyar Tiger Reserve with dense evergreen forests, grasslands, hills and the Gavi Lake reservoir. Access is regulated through forest check posts and guided packages. Visitors can explore nature trails, trekking paths, boating on Gavi Lake, birdwatching areas and viewpoints. Accommodation is limited to forest-run guest houses. The area is quiet with basic facilities, surrounded by wildlife habitat and spice plantations en route.

Gavi is located within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, declared as a protected area in 1978 and a tiger reserve in 1982. The Gavi Dam is part of the Sabarigiri Hydro Electric Project. The area was developed as an eco-tourism destination by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation to promote sustainable tourism while conserving forest habitat.

Gavi represents Kerala's community-based eco-tourism model involving forest protection and sustainable livelihoods, showcasing the forest culture and spice plantation heritage of the Western Ghats region.