Troodos Walks - self-guided - five walks -three accommodations - average 12.5 km per day
This is a weeklong, three accommodations walking route that offers many of the best walking experiences on the top of Troodos, in Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite. The average walking distance per day is abt 12.5 kilometers. The trip is a combination of a hotel to hotel route with a couple of circular trails. One of the linear walks is strenuous as walkers ascend in total 1,250 meters (we do have an alternative easy route for that). This programme is recommended especially from April to the end of May and from the middle of September to the middle of December. From the middle of December until April it is fine provided there is no snow cover, while during the hot season, it can be fine especially if walkers time some of the walks early in the morning or later in the afternoon. The trip has a high ingredient also of cultural heritage in the island, especially in the form of two picturesque villages (Kakopetria and Omodos) as well as one of two of the ten Unesco World Heritage Troodos painted churches (both are within walking distance of Kakopetria). The package includes a free day in Kakopetria. Travellers could use the free day to explore the village and the vicinity, possibly take a trip to medieval Walled Nicosia or if they prefer they can do an optional circular walk in Kakopetria.
Below one can see most the standard walks in the program. In some caves (Day 4) it would be possible to replace the walking route.
Day of Trip |
Distance in km |
Total ascent (m) |
Total descent (m) |
Average elevation (m) |
Description |
Day 3 |
12 |
850 |
850 |
1,300 |
Madari circular trail - Peculiar rock formations and vistas |
Day 4 |
14.5 |
1,250 |
200 |
1,200 |
A strenuous ascent - there is an easy alternative if preferred |
Day 5 |
13.5 |
550 |
550 |
450 |
Atalanti trail - Second highest circular trail on Troodos |
Day 6 |
11.5 |
300 |
900 |
1,550 |
Descend via Persephone trail and Caledonia Waterfalls trail |
Day 7 |
10.5 |
300 |
600 |
900 |
Pano Platres to stone-built Omodos village - can be easily reverersed if prefered |
Average |
12.5 |
650 |
600 |
1,350 |
Higher Troodos + picturesque mountain villages |
The itinerary (summary) - please remember that we have other options for shorter or even different routes in the package
Day 1 - Arrival to Kakopetria village (overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 2 - Free day for a number of options, explore Kakopetria and vicinity, visit (by frequent bus) Walled Nicosia, do a circular walk around Kakopetria, etc. (Overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 3 - Taxi to start and from end of walk - Walk the Madari circular trail (overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 4 - Ascend from Kakopetria to Troodos Square (luggage transfer - overnight at Troodos Square) - alternative walk, be transported to do Artemis trail and end at Troodos square
Day 5 - Do the circular Atalanti trail (overnight at Troodos Square)
Day 6 - Descend via Persephone trail and Caledonia Waterfalls trail to Pano Platres village (overnight in Pano Platres village)
Day 7 - Descend from Pano Platres village to Omodos village (transport by taxi back to Pano Platres village - the opposite route is also possible - overnight in Pano Platres village)
Day 8 - Finish
Day 1 - Arrival to Kakopetria village (overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 2 - Free day for a number of options, explore Kakopetria and vicinity, visit (by frequent bus) Walled Nicosia, do a circular walk around Kakopetria, etc. (Overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 3 - Taxi to start and from end of walk - Walk the Madari circular trail (overnight in Kakopetria)
Day 4 - Ascend from Kakopetria to Troodos Square (luggage transfer - overnight at Troodos Square) - alternative walk, be transported to do Artemis trail and end at Troodos square
Day 5 - Do the circular Atalanti trail (overnight at Troodos Square)
Day 6 - Descend via Persephone trail and Caledonia Waterfalls trail to Pano Platres village (overnight in Pano Platres village)
Day 7 - Descend from Pano Platres village to Omodos village (transport by taxi back to Pano Platres village - the opposite route is also possible - overnight in Pano Platres village)
Day 8 - Finish
Detailed Itinerary
On Day 1, those travellers that book the transfer from the airport, 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 accommodation.
On Day 1, those travellers that book the transfer from the airport, 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 accommodation.
Day 2 is a free day. Travellers have various options with regards to spending their day:
a) Relax around Kakopetria, explore the villages very picturesque old part and the trail by the stream, possibly visit on foot Agios Nicolaos tis Stegis Unesco World Heritage painted church, possibly upto three watermills nearby, Panagia Podithou Unesco World Heritage painted church and another medieval church nearby. b) Go by public bus to Nicosia. Explore the divided medieval city inside the Venetian walls and visit a plethora of cultural attractions in the old city. Experience the ambiance of both parts while strolling on the narrow streets, seeing a mixture of old and new, delapidated and restored. c) Do a circular walk from Kakopetria village (shorter and longer options are available) |
On Day 4 walkers ascend from Kakopetria village upto Troodos Square. The walk is largely in the forest and the total ascent is significant at 1,250 meters. For those who prefer a less strenuous experience, there is the option instead to be transported to a place to walk the flat Artemis trail, the highest elevation trail in Cyprus and end again in Troodos Square.
On Day 6 walkers descend from Troodos Square to Pano Platres village. They walk first on Persephone trail, with views at some stretch towards a 'hidden' manmade lake and later do Caledonia Waterfalls trail. The route combines flat stretches inside the black pine forest, parts on the slope with excellent vistas all the way to the coast and a steep downhill trail that criss crosses the stream a few times and introduces a different habitat dominated by plane trees and alter trees. |
On Day 3, we propose a walk on Madari mountain peak (short videoclip here). The walk is on the 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’). At many points there are excellent views towards Mesaoria plain and Pentadactylos mountains towards the north. At the highest stretch of the route there are also vistas towards the south, including mount Olympus and the south villages of the Pitsilia area. On Day 5 the travellers do the circular Atalanti trail, the second highest on the island. The trail shares various characteristics with Artemis (the highest elevation trail). While from Artemis one can see more stretches of Cyprus coastline, from Atalanti there is better view towards the coast of Limassol.
The Day 7 route combines walking in the forest with a route (mainly south of Mandria village) in the vineyards. Furthermore walkers have the chance to explore Omodos, one of the Wine villages of Limassol. Omodos, like many of the other villages in the vicinity are well preserved stone-built villages. It has the extra characteristic of having good tourism infrastructure, with a few village restaurants, cafes, and shops. There are several wineries close by. Those who prefer uphill walks instead, it is possible to arrange an early taxi and start from Omodos and ascend to Pano Platres. |
On Day 8 morning, the package finishes. If travellers want, we can arrange a taxi for them, book additional nights, etc