Weeklong Cyprus Walks - self-guided - largely hotel to hotel - Olympus - Paradise - Baths of Aphrodite

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This is a week-long, five accommodations walking route that offers many of the best walking experiences on the beautiful island of Cyprus. The trip focuses on Troodos trails, on the west part of Paphos district and on the Akamas peninsula. It is suitable for different preferences (shorter and longer walks) as we provide options to choose from. The route can be walked year round, as there are shorter walk possibilities for summer. For winter there are alternatives in case of snow cover at the top of Troodos.
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Below one can see the standard walks. Please remember that the nature of the package allows route selection on most days to cater for travellers who prefer longer or shorter (and harder or easier) walks.

Day of Trip	​Distance in km	​Total ascent (m)	​Total descent (m)	Average elevation (m)	Description
Day 2	19	600	1,200	1,700	Artemis, Atalanti, Persephone, Caledonia Waterfalls trails - Unique geology & lush valley - possibility to do one of the two walks in the combo (under 10 km instead of 19 km)
Day 3	12.5	800	800	1,300	Madari Circular trail - ​Peculiar rock formations and vistas (can make it a shorter route, if travellers prefer)
Day 4	8.5	450	450	1,000	Vouni Panagias trail - a circular walk inside vineyards, with panoramic views - conversely, walkers can do a 14.5/20.5 km from Kannaviou dam/Pano Panagia village to Lysos village, largely through Paphos Forest
Day 5	19	450	800	300	From Lysos to Agioi Anargyroi - A big range of habitats, including the forest, and the crescent shaped manmade lake of Evretou. The route passes close to Skarfos medieval bridge and Evretou abandoned village (there is a shorter, 16.5 km version)
Day 6	16.5	1,000	550	450	From Agioi Anargyroi, the route reaches Droushia village, on the way passing by medieval Agia Paraskevi chapel and a few stone-built villages. It also passes to some extent through the western side of Akamas peninsula
Day 7	21	500	1,000	400	​Akamas ridge - beautiful coastal vistas (if travellers prefer, they may be transferred to the last hotel, near Akamas north coast and do shorter beautiful walks from near there)

The itinerary (summary) -  please remember that we have other options for shorter or even different routes in the package
Day 1 - Arrival to Start location of the Walk
Day 2 - Combo of Artemis, Atalanti, Persephone and Caledonia Waterfalls trail
Day 3 -Madari circular trail
Day 4 - Vouni Panagias (or other longer walks)
Day 5 - Lysos to Agioi Anargyroi via Evretou manmade lake
Day 6 - Agioi Anargyroi - Agia Paraskevi chapel - Akamas west - Droushia village
Day 7 - Droushia to  Baths of Aphrodite via Akamas ridge
Day 8 - Finish
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Detailed Itinerary
​On Day 1, those travellers who book the transfer, from the airport travelers are transported to the old part of Kakopetria village where they stay for three nights. Depending on the time of arrival visitors could relax and explore the old part of the village and/or visit upto two Unesco World Heritage Troodos painted churches within walking distance from their accom​modation (11th century Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis is highly recommended).
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In Day 2 Long Option, travellers do a combination of top elevation Cyprus walks (most of Artemis trail, part of Atalanti, Persephone and lastly of Caledonia Waterfalls trail) (please check the short videoclip).

 Walking on Artemis offers superb panoramic views of different parts of Cyprus.  The trail combines barren rocky land, that is home of the endemic Troodos juniper, with forested stretches of black pine (and juniper).  Walkers pass by some very old and huge trees.  The walk has a very high value also for those interested in geology. It should be noted that when there is snow, (usually a few months each year) we advise against doing this walk.  There are other lower elevation alternatives that we can suggest (included in the package). 

​The long Option walk includes also a part of the Atalanti trail, a short stretch on paved road and the Persophone trail (with a bit of a connecting dirt road).  We highly recommend the Caledonia Waterfalls trail as it is quite dramatic and steep and has a running stream all year round, which is atypical of Cyprus.  It provides an excellent contrast to Artemis and the other trails.  Instead of doing the 19 km long Long Option, travellers may choose to do a shorter stretch (eg 9 km long, or even shorter). 

Artemis Trail

Persephone trail

Madari Circular Trail

On Day 4 walkers are transported towards the west (they spend the night in Lysos village, at Paradisos Hills Hotel). The standard option includes the Vouni Panagias  circular trail walk, a route inside well kept vineyards, and close to peculiar rock formations and cliffs. The route is largely on a plateau and offers panoramic views towards Ezousa Valley and Kannaviou manmade lake, Paphos Forest and Troodos, and Xeros Potamos Valley.  At the end of the trip, walkers are picked up again and transported to Lysos village where they spend the night.

Evretou manmade lake

​On Day 6 from Agioi Anargyroi, and an elevation of under 200 m, walkers ascend the Laona plateau (600 - 650 m of elevation), on the way passing medieval Agia Paraskevi chapel as well as a number of stone built villages (Kato Akourdalia,  Kritou Terra, Kato Arodes, Ineia). They walk close to fields, vineyards and low vegetation land, at stretches also enjoying views of the west Akamas coast (known as Lara coast). They finish at Droushia village, which has an elevation of a bit over 600 m and is found at the south east edge of Akamas. On the next day walkers can walk north, largely along the ridge of Akamas, or take the taxi to do a shorter walk. We also recommend that walkers book an extra night here and explore a part of Lara coast as well as the nearby very particular Avakas Gorge.

Descending Moutti tis Sotiras Peak

 ​On Day 3, travellers do a walk on Madari mountain peak (short videoclip here). The walk is on a circular nature trail that offers a combination of habitats (including a Cyprus Cedar forest), excellent panoramic views, and the very extraordinary rock formations in the area (appropriately named ‘Teishia tis Madaris’ meaning ‘Madari’s walls’).  Those looking for an even longer walk (Madari circular walk is nevertheless tough because of the big elevation changes) can combine it with an adjacent circular walk (3 km / 2 mi long), or walk to and from the nearby Panagia tou Araka Unesco World Heritage Painted church (which would add about six more km to the distance).  The walk can be shortened to about eight km if one skips some of the trail and replaces it with a hardly used paved road.

Vouni Panagias Trail

​On Day 5 walkers explore initially the edge of Paphos Forest, as they descent from Lysos village towards Stavros tis Psokas river. They walk inside Evretou Valley, for some time next to the stream and pass by crescent like  Evretou lake. The route passes close to medieval Skarfos bridge as well as Evretou abandoned village, before ending at Agioi Anargyroi.
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Agia Paraskevi medieval chapel

On Day 7 walkers traverse the pristine Akamas peninsula enjoying glorious views initially of the west coast and subsequently, on the imposing Moutti Tis Sotiras peak, of the north west, and of the north coast, all the way to Pomos in the north east (we name this route the 'Akamas Panorama Walk'). Walkers leave Akamas from small yet mythical Baths of Aphrodite cave. The long option is a bit over twenty (20) km long and starts at Drousheia village, from where it goes north, on the ridge of Akamas. There is a shorter option that is thirteen (13) km long, starting from the village of Neo Chorio and goes initially west. As walkers will be staying on the north coast, at a hotel near Akamas, it is possible to do other, circular shorter walks instead (eg. Aphrodite or Adonis) that may be more suitable in the summer.

​​​On Day 8 morning, the package finishes. If travellers want, we can arrange a taxi for them, book additional nights, etc.
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Summary of our services
We offer Independent Self–Guided Walkers interested in exploring beautiful Cyprus, a menu of services:

• Extensive information on our inhouse designed route that presents the best Cyprus has to offer, combining top elements of its cultural and natural heritage. We provide information on each day's walk and instructions to find one's way, as well as relevant useful information material on Cyprus.  We recommend the use of GPS data (which we can gladly provide) as an excellent addition to maps and navigation tables.
• Booking of appropriate accommodation on the route, where possible in small, family run establishments.
• Booking of meals, including breakfast, dinner (as per the package) and optionally lunch packs , with a high element of local cuisine, where available.
• Arranging all applicable luggage transport.
• Arranging transfers to location of arrival/departure and other transfers if required.
• On the ground support for the independent walker.

The package
It includes the following:
a) Information on the walking routes and nearby attractions (as well as public bus info where applicable), in the form of GPS readings, electronic material (PDF), printed material (at an additional fee) and/or other media.
b) Transportation  

2) For Day 2, from Kakopetria to start of Artemis trail, to Troodos Square, or to Psilon Dendron locality and return in the afternoon from Artemis Trail, Troodos Square or Psilon Dendron (the package includes only a drop off at or a pick up from Psilon Dendron).
    For Day 2 alternative (especially if there is snow cover on the top of Troodos), from Kakopetria drop off at Agios  Theodoros Soleas and pick up later from Panagia Asinou church (or vice versa if travellers prefer).
3) For Day 3 from Kakopetria village to a point of Madari circular trail (northest point on the Kyperounta - Kannavia road). Pick up later from the same place or from Spilia village if travellers prefer.   
4) For Day 2 or Day 3 walkers are advised to arrange (once) either pickup or delivery from/to Agios Nicolaos tis Stegis Unesco World Heritage Troodos painted church.  The church is just two km from Kakopetria (and is closed on Mondays).   
5) For Day 4, transportation from Kakopetria to Lysos village. Initially drop off  at the start of selected walking routes (Vouni Panagias trail is the standard trail, we offer other possibilities, including ones where walkers walk to their hotel). If walkers choose to do Vouni Panagias, then pick up from the finish and transportation to the hotel in Droushia village.
6) For Day 7, optional and free transportation to hotel near Baths of Aphrodite (unless travellers will do the long version of the Akamas Panorama walk, in which case they start walking from Droushia village).

 c) Accommodation as follows:  

1) First three nights in Kakopetria (at Mill hotel or Crystal Boutique hotel, depending on availability)
2) Fourth night in Lysos at Paradisos Hills Hotel
3) Fifth night at Agioi Anargyroi Natural Healing Spa Resort
4) Sixth night in Droushia village (Palates hotel, Droushia Heights hotel if no availability in Palates hotel)
5) Seventh night near Baths of Aphrodite in Akamas (Aphrodite Beach Hotel or Souli beach hotel, if no availability at Aphrodite Beach Hotel)

d) Breakfast for all accommodation
    One dinner (at Agioi Anargyroi)
e) a 45 min spa pools treatment with Sulphur water and jets per person (at Agioi Anargyroi)
f) Luggage transfer as required
g) On the ground support

Notes : 
1) The package does NOT include transport to the first hotel or from the last hotel near Akamas. We can arrange such transportation upon request.
2) We have agreements with more hotels in the rare case that the rooms in the above organisations are occupied. In this event walkers will have the option to accept alternative accommodation, reschedule or cancel the booking.  
    
Prices
The price for the standard package, when the standard package DOESNOT start on
Tuesdays:
  a)  two walkers travel together on a Double Occupancy basis is 700 Euro per person
  b) two single travellers is 850 Euro per person
  c) a single traveller is 1,075 Euro per person

The price for the standard package, when the standard package starts on
Tuesdays:
  a)  two walkers travel together on a Double Occupancy basis is 720 Euro per person
  b) two single travellers is 890 Euro per person
  c) a single traveller is 1,115 Euro per person

   

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CANCELLATION POLICY

If Customers cancel:
Cancellation charges for a booked trip:

• Until Day 31 prior to travel date: 100 Euro per booking
• Day 30 to Day 16 prior to travel date : 20%
• Day 15 to Day 3 prior to travel date: 50%
• Day 2 prior to Day 1 prior to travel date: 80%
• Day 0 of the trip onward: 100%

If Cyprus Walks Etc cancels
If Cyprus Walks Etc cancels for severe expected weather or other reason we provide our customers with full refund for the services paid to us. Where possible we provide alternatives, which customers can select instead of refunds if they prefer.


TRAVEL INSURANCE
We expect that all users of our services will make all necessary arrangements to, and will for the duration of their trip with us, be covered by adequate insurance related to our services (personal accident, medical expenses, etc).

​​Please keep in mind that walkers may buy services from us for a shorter version of the trip (eg, a 4-day walk instead of the weeklong walk) or they may extend their trip staying at any of the accommodation options on our route for more than one day.

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