Gavi, Kerala

Vallakadavu check post near Gavi

Gavi is 14 km south west of Vandiperiyar, 28 km from Kumily, near Thekkady. Gavi is inside the Ranni reserve forest. Gavi is a part of Seethathode Panchayath in Ranni Taluk. Gavi is part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and the route can be covered by car from Vandiperiyar. The entrance fee is 25 rupees per person and 50 rupees per vehicle. Cameras are 25 rupees and video cameras are charged 100 rupees. Both day and night stays are available. Forest tent camping is available from November through March. . It has been said that most enjoyable route to Gavi is the way from Pathanamthitta. The rough journey to Gavi may better be made on a sturdy vehicle like a jeep which are available on hire either from Vandiperiyar or from Kumily. Entry passes must be obtained from the Forest Check Post en route at Vallakkadavu. Advance booking with the Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd. is highly appreciable wherein such formalities will be taken care of by the company itself.

Botanists have said that "gopher trees" can be seen in Gavi, Kerala. Gavi's forest area, there are two gopher trees and they are believed to be the only two gopher trees in India. The tree, which is identified as gopher, is known as nirampalli. Gopher wood or gopherwood is a term used once in the Bible. There is no consensus about what modern species is meant by "gopher wood".

The tree standing at Gavi forest is of robust stem and lush foliage. According to state Forest Department officials, though the fully-grown gopher in Gavi is the only such tree sighted in the periphery of the jungle, possibly there could be more such trees still surviving in the inner forests of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Kerala.

Lady Shoe Flower (Thunbergia mysorensis) in Gavi,Kerala

Cleome hassleriana (spider flower) at Periyar National Park, Gavi

Thiruvanathapuram [TRV] (185 km), Cochin [COK] (190 km)and Madurai [IXM] (186 km) are the nearest airports. The nearest railway stations is Chengannur Railway Station (115 km through keekozhoor- mannamaruthi-koottickal-azhutha-vandiperiyar-gavi) and Thiruvalla (110 km) and Theni(99 km) under BG conversion Gavi is situated around 180 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). Popular route is through the Main Central Road(MC Road) till Valakom, and then to Pathanapuram, Konni, Seethathode, Angamoozhy to Gavi. Other routes from Gavi are as below: - Chittar – Seethathodu – Angamoozhy – Moozhiyar – Kakki Reservoir – Anathode Dam – Pamba Reservoir – Kochu Pamba – Gavi – Pachakanam – Periyar National Park – Kozhikanam – Vandiperiyar There is a demand for another road connecting Gavi with Pathanamthitta, Vadasserikara, Perunad, Laha Plappally, (near Sabarimala), Angamoozhy, Moozhiyar, Kochu Pamba – Gavi. KERALA STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION - KSRTC is OPERATING REGULAR 2 SERVICES in this Route from Pathanamthitta and kumily. Route: Mylapra , Mannarakulanji , Kumplampoika, Vadasserikkara, Madamon, Perunadu, Puthukkada, Chittar, Seethathodu, Angamoozhi, Moozhiyar Dam, Upper Moozhiyar, Penstock View Point, Kakki Dam, Anathodu Dam, Pamba Dam, Meenar Kullar Dam, Gavi, Gavi Dam, Pullumedu, Vallakkadavu, Vandiperiyar, Chelimada. (Service-1)Pathanamthitta- 6:30am_Angamoozhy- 8:30 am_Gavi - 11 am_Kumily - 12:30 pm (Service - 2)Pathanamthitta - 12:30 pm_Angamoozhy :- 2:30 pm_Gavi - 5 pm _ Kumily- 6:30 pm

KUMILY - GAVI - PATHANAMTHITTA KSRTC BUS TIMINGS (Service - 1) Kumily - 5:30 am _ Gavi - 6:45 am _ Angamoozhy - 9:35 am _ Pathanamthitta - 11:30 am (Service - 2)Kumily - 1:10 pm _ Gavi - 2:20 pm _ Angamoozhy - 5:15 pm _ Pathanamthitta - 7 pm. For more information contact Pathanamthitta KSRTC - 0468-2229213 , 0468-2222366(SM),Kumily KSRTC-0486-9224242 Regular buses are available to Vandiperiyar from Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram. A small bus rattles even up to Gavi from Vandiperiyar.

Mushrooms in Gavi

Gavi's 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 and more than 250 species of birds.

Summer: February–April, daytime temperatures up to 28 °C. but can drop to 20 °C at night. Monsoon: June–August, daytime temperatures up to 25 °C but can drop to 10 °C at night.[3]

Indian Bison

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  Malabar giant squirrel found in Gavi,Kerala
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  Nilgiri langur gavi
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  Indian giant squirrel
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  Indian elephants near Gavi
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  Indian elephants near Gavi
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  Indian bison (gaur) spotted in Gavi
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  Nilgiri langur on the road from Vandiperiyar to Gavi
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  Cleome hassleriana in Gavi

The 1973 released superhit Malayalam movie Ponnapuram Kotta as filmed at Echopara and Gavi.

The 2012 released superhit Malayalam movie Ordinary was partially shot at Gavi. This film had garnered the true beauty of this tourist spot.

• Adavi Package