Overview
This is a walking tour based in three accommodations, offering some of the best walking experiences on the beautiful island of Cyprus, known as the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite. The trip takes in the best Troodos trails and the Akamas peninsula, with an additional inland walk experience in between. The Troodos Mountains are the largest mountain range in Cyprus and are known for their unique geology and Byzantine churches and monasteries. Akamas Peninsula impresses with its wide sandy bays, rocky hiking trails offering stunning views and wildlife diversity.
- Troodos Mountains
- Artemis Trail
- Kelephos Venetian Bridge
- Avakas Gorge
- Akamas Peninsula National Park
- Baths of Aphrodite
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kakopetria
Arrive in the village of Kakopetria, in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains, at an altitude of 667m. Kakopetria has narrow alleys and traditional houses built with a combination of local stone and adobe. If time allows, spend the afternoon exploring the village, home to two Troodos painted churches, both UNESCO sites. The 11th-century Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis is located about 2km from the historic centre known as Old Kakopetria, and is the most striking of the two (closed on Mondays).
- Accommodation: The Mill Hotel or similar in Kakopetria
Day 2: Artemis Trail and Caledonia Waterfall | 10-20km
The day starts with a transfer to the starting point of the walk, which consists of four different nature trails, but it can be shortened if you prefer. Start off on the Artemis Trail, a 7km circular walk, also the trail with the highest elevation in Cyprus (1,800m). Landscapes vary from cliffside paths to woodlands of black pine trees, and brushland that is peppered with the endemic Troodos juniper. If there is snowfall, alternative routes at a lower elevation are provided. You then join the Atalante Trail, which ends at Plateia Troodous (Troodos Square). Follow a short stretch along a paved road, leading to the Persephone Trail, before joining the 3km Caledonia Waterfall Trail. After taking in the glorious falls, head to the mountain village of Platres, from where a transfer takes you back to Kakopetria.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 5-6h, ↑600m ↓1,200m (shorter options: 10km or 15km)
- Accommodation: The Mill Hotel or similar in Kakopetria
Day 3: Madari circular walk | 13km
After a transfer to the starting point, today’s route follows a circular trail close to Madari (1,613m) in the area of Pitsilia, within the Troodos mountain range. The walk is quite demanding, with some strenuous ascents and descents. The trail offers panoramic views, extending over the village of Spilia to the west, Morphou Bay to the south and the village of Kyperounta and Mount Troodos (1,952m), also referred to as Mount Olympus, to the north. Look out for the dramatic rock formations along the way, as well as a wide variety of local flora including golden oak and cedar, wild roses and strawberries. A transfer takes you back to your accommodation in Kakopetria at the end of today’s walk (25mins).
- Walking for the day: 13km, 4-5h, ↑800m ↓800m
- Accommodation: The Mill Hotel or similar in Kakopetria
Day 4: Platy Valley and Kelephos Bridge | 16km
A transfer takes you to the starting point of today’s walk, close to Kaminaria. The route traverses Platy Valley, where the array of pine, plane and fig trees are rich in local fauna. The route then joins an old camel trail, formerly used to transport material from the copper mines on the north side of Troodos, by camel, to Paphos’ port. Arrive at Kelephos Venetian Bridge, a single arch medieval Venetian bridge, which is located in Paphos Forest and dates back to the 15th century. At the end of the walk, a transfer takes you to your accommodation in the village of Droushia (1.5h).
- Walking for the day: 16km, 4-5h, ↑400m ↓800m
- Accommodation: Droushia Heights Hotel or similar in Droushia
Day 5: Lara Beach and Avakas Gorge | 12-22km
Today’s route starts from your accommodation, beginning with a long descent towards Lara Beach, located within Akamas Peninsula National Park. From here, follow the route inland, heading towards Avakas Gorge. During the rainy season, it may not be safe to walk within the gorge, due to high water levels, and there is always a chance that the paths could be slippery, even outside of rainy season. Today’s route ends in Agios Georgios Pegeias, from where a transfer takes you back to your accommodation in Droushia.
- Walking for the day: 22km, ↑400m ↓1,000m (shorter option, without Avakas Gorge: 12km, ↑100m ↓700m)
- Accommodation: Droushia Heights Hotel or similar in Droushia
Day 6: Akamas Peninsula | 13-20km
The standard route starts from your hotel and explores Akamas Peninsula on the Akamas Panorama Walk, followed by an ascent up Moutti tis Sotiras (370m), with great views from the top. Follow the Aphrodite Trail back down towards the coast as far as the Baths of Aphrodite, a grotto with a natural pool. According to legend, the ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite used to bathe in the pool, and this is where she met Adonis. The grotto is close to a beach, where there is a café and a restaurant. From here, either take the local bus (payable locally) or walk for 2km to your accommodation. Alternatively, there is the option to shorten the route by taking a taxi transfer to start the walk in the village of Neo Chorio (not included, to be booked in advance).
- Walking for the day (long option): 20km, 4h, ↑500m ↓1,000m (shorter option, with a taxi transfer to Neo Chorio: 13km, 3h, ↑550m ↓750m)
- Accommodation: Aphrodite Beach Hotel or similar in Polis Chryosochous
Day 7: Blue Lagoon and Fontana Amoroza (optional) | 13km
Today is a free day, to spend either exploring, or relaxing on the pebble beach. There is an optional walking route, leading from your accommodation towards the Baths of Aphrodite on to the stunning Blue Lagoon. Continue on towards Fontana Amoroza, a remote beach which is also linked to the mythology of Greek goddess Aphrodite, the legend being that those who drink the water will fall in love again.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 2h, ↑120m ↓165m
- Accommodation: Aphrodite Beach Hotel or similar in Polis Chryosochous
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast, or extend your stay with an extra night.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- The Mill Hotel (Kakopetria)
- Droushia Heights Hotel (Droushia)
- Aphrodite Beach Hotel (Polis Chryosochous)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your accommodation the night before. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate and is suitable for experienced walkers with a good level of fitness. Daily walking distances range from 10-22km. The trails are well-marked for most of the route on days two, three and six, but only partially on days four and five. Some sections of the routes follow dirt roads, while some sections of the Artemis Trail (day two), the Madari circular walk (day three) and the Aphrodite Trail (day six) are close to cliff edges or steep slopes and are not suitable for people with vertigo (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of March until mid-May and from mid-September until the end of November. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season. As summer in Cyprus is very hot, we do not offer this tour between June and August, however, bookings during this time period may be possible on request, depending on availability, but the shorter route options would be recommended.
Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, particularly along the coast. The summer months are generally dry, with some thunderstorms in the mountainous regions. More rainfall is to be expected during the winter months and snowfall is possible in the Troodos Mountains. Average spring temperatures range from 15-22C, rising to 29C in the height of summer, when we don’t offer the tour anyway. From September to November, average temperatures range from 18-27C. Further inland, you can expect cooler temperatures, particularly in the mountains, where rapid weather changes are possible.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
Our recommended airport for this tour is Paphos International Airport (PFO). Alternatively, Larnaca International Airport (LCA) is also recommended for arrival, however, it is not as convenient for departure.
Arrival in Kakopetria:
- Private airport transfers from Paphos International Airport (1h 20mins) and Larnaca International Airport (1h 25mins) can be booked upon request for an additional fee
- From Paphos International Airport, take bus line 613 to Karavella bus station (30mins, see ΟΣΥΠΑ), changing for the intercity bus to Nicosia (2h, see Intercity Buses) and then bus line 405 to Kakopetria (1h 30mins, see Cyprus Public Transport)
- From Larnaca International Airport, take bus line 432 to Larnaca station (20mins, see Cyprus Public Transport), changing for the intercity bus to Nicosia (1h 15mins, see Intercity Buses) and then bus line 405 to Kakopetria (1h 30mins, see Cyprus Public Transport)
Departure from Polis Chryosochous:
- Private airport transfers to Paphos International Airport (50mins) and Larnaca International Airport (2h 10mins) can be booked upon request for an additional fee
- To Paphos International Airport: take bus line 649 (1h 10mins). It is a direct service and there are four departures per day
- To Larnaca International Airport: take bus line 645 (1h, see ΟΣΥΠΑ), changing at Karavella bus station for the intercity bus to Larnaca (2h, see Intercity Buses) and then bus line 432 to Larnaca International Airport (20mins, Cyprus Public Transport)
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers between accommodations on days four and six
- Transfers to/from the start/end point of the walks on days two, three, four, five and six
- Detailed digital tour materials (the information pack for this tour is digital only and will be emailed to you prior to departure. Physical documents are not able to be sent in the post or provided locally)
- 24/7 telephone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Flights and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Tourist tax and entrance fees (payable locally)
- Any items not specifically listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Private airport transfers upon arrival and departure
- Buffet dinners at Droushia Heights Hotel and Aphrodite Beach Hotel
