The New Indian Express ·
Beyond the bustling crowds of Gavi, Kochupamba offers a pristine, peaceful and exclusive forest escape
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Within the reserve forests of Pathanamthitta, Kochupamba is opening its gates as a pristine, mist-shrouded sanctuary. Located a further 12km deeper, inside the Gavi estate, at the lowest elevation of the zone, Kochupamba sits below Pulachimalai, a section of the Peerumedu plateau widely recognised as the origin point of the Pampa River. Surrounded entirely by the Periyar Tiger Reserve, this newly accessible retreat merges gloomy forest cover, untouched mountains and deep valleys with the spiritual calm of Sabarimala’s riverways.
While as an eco-tourism destination Gavi frequently reaches its visitor-carrying capacity, Kochupamba provides an isolated alternative designed strictly for nature enthusiasts seeking true solitude. Guests step into an immersive wilderness where the raw sounds of nature dominate, from the deep silence of interior cardamom plantations to the rare thrill of being in tiger territory.
To preserve its delicate environment, the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) prohibits day visits, exclusively offering two-day, one-night stays. Accommodation is limited to just four A-frame eco-tents set directly against the forest edge facing the Kochupamba Dam reservoir, capping guest capacity to eight persons at a time. The stay package includes local meals, guided forest walks, boating overlooking mountain ranges, early-morning birdwatching trails and visits to an organic cardamom plantation.
The compact landscape brings together a continuous mosaic of multilayered evergreen forest, hilltop grasslands, rocky ridges, shrublands, and riverine edges. Upper canopy layers host fruit-and-nectar feeders like the Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar parakeet, Malabar barbet, Nilgiri flowerpecker and crimson-backed sunbird.
Shaded understoreys shelter the Wayanad laughingthrush, rufous babbler, grey-headed bulbul, white-bellied treepie, and Asian fairy-bluebird. On the forest floor, Indian pitta, painted bush-quail, and junglefowl forage through leaf litter, while open grasslands attract pipits and bushchats. Soaring raptors like the black eagle patrol the high ridges, while kingfishers, wagtails, little cormorants, and Oriental darters occupy the stream and reservoir margins.
Detailing the vision behind opening the destination, Raju K Francis, managing director of KFDC, highlighted how the landscape creates an unbroken sensory connection with nature.
“Kochupamba can serve as a dedicated destination for serious nature lovers and avid birders,” Francis said. “It is not strictly about catching a sight of the birds -- their calls and continuous presence define the experience. Even late at night, a single call lets you know a bird is nearby, keeping you constantly connected to them.”
Francis said the structural diversity of the forest dictates bird behaviour throughout the day. “Birds occupy nature in distinct vertical strata, unlike mammals whose territory is mostly spatial,” he noted. “Every layer of canopy at Kochupamba is inhabited by different species. You will see eagles soaring only when the sky turns bright and heated, while the early mornings belong to jungle babblers on the forest floor, feeding as worms emerge. As the morning progresses, other birds take over higher canopy, creating a fascinating vertical dominance.”
In terms of scenic beauty, Francis noted that Kochupamba surpasses Gavi while remaining completely uncrowded. He highlighted that day-trip entry is not offered, and with just four eco-huts overlooking a serene, lake, guest capacity is capped at eight people at a time.
Setting: Kochupamba, 12km past Gavi inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Pathanamthitta
Heritage: Located at the origin point of the Pampa River, near Sabarimala
Canopy birds: Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar parakeet, Nilgiri flowerpecker, crimson-backed sunbird.
Understorey & floor: Wayanad laughingthrush, Asian fairy-bluebird, Indian pitta, painted bush-quail.
Raptors & waterbirds: Black Eagles soaring over ridges; Oriental darters and kingfishers along the water.
Mammals: Frequent sightings of wild animals along forest tracks: Gaurs, elephants and tigers