Nilakkal, also spelled Nilackal, is an important base camp of Sabarimala Hindu pilgrims located in Ranni tehsil of Pathanamthitta district in the Indian state of Kerala.

According to some historical records, the name Nilakkal is associated with Nilavaaya, considered to be the presiding deity of old Shasta temple (present Sabarimala) at the forest interiors.

[4][5] The historical background of Nilakkal was based on its geographical position which date backs to the ancient times.

It was a well established populous trade center during the first century AD, primarily exporting spices such as cinnamon, ginger, pepper and forest products like timber and ivory.

[6] The place at that time was commonly known as Nilakkal thavalam and it was connected to ports like Muziris (present Kodungalloor) and Purakkad.

Lord Shiva is the presiding deity and he is believed to be in two moods, Ugramoorthy (fierce) and Mangala pradayakan (auspicious).

The Irumudi kettu nirakkal (a ritual related to Sabarimala pilgrimage) is performed here by the pilgrims after the Nayattu vili (a narrative song).

Saint Thomas, who was an apostle of Jesus Christ established Seven and Half Churches in Kerala which was famed as Ezharappallikal.

It had the following incumbents : Nilakkal diocese was formed on 15 August 2010, by the order issued by H.H Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I, the Catholicos cum Malankara Metropolitan.

Majority of the tribals here belongs to Malapandaram (hill pandaram) community, commonly seen in the sacred forests of Sabarimala.

As part of improving the parking facilities, a number of years tapped rubber trees were cut out.

But the historical records points out that Nilakkal in ancient times was an important commercial center exporting several spices and forest products like timber and ivory.

[19] Predominately it is a remote hilly area classified as Malanad (geographic division of Kerala) totally surrounded by dense reserve forests and small scale rubber plantations.

[20] A sizeable portion is covered by thick reserve forests of Western Ghats mountain ranges and rubber plantations.

The holy river Pamba, flows westward through the northern part of Nilakkal and finally merges with Vembanadu Lake.

Nilakkal lies in the eastern part of Pathanamthitta district and west to Sabarimala near the Western Ghats forests.

It is also one of the five upstream rain gauge stations of Pamba river basin which receives a significant rainfall of over 3,000 mm (120 in) during the South-West Monsoon of last few years.

In 2005, the Government gave 110 hectares (270 acres) of land to Devaswom board to improve the basic infrastructures and parking facilities for pilgrims at Nilakkal.

The base camp also have a police station, Government primary health centre, KSRTC bus stand and accommodation facilities for the pilgrims.

A helipad is constructed at Nilakkal base camp as part of the disaster management and to deal with emergency situations.