The forest is safe in the beginning, but once you complete the first dungeon, the world opens up. You cannot leave the forest until you defeat the boss inside the Great Deku Tree.
Located at the end of a path to the east, he acts as the forest's protector and the game’s first dungeon. Kokiri Forest The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time
A simple treehouse where the journey begins. The forest is safe in the beginning, but
serves as the iconic starting location in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time . It is a lush, secluded woodland hidden within the Lost Woods, serving as the home to the Kokiri—the "Children of the Forest" who never grow up—and their guardian, the Great Deku Tree. Key Locations A simple treehouse where the journey begins
When you return seven years later, the forest is overrun with monsters (Big Deku Babas and Octoroks), and the Kokiri are hiding in their homes until you clear the Forest Temple.