i. Hiking: you can walk throughout the entire National Park on smooth terrain and under the shade of the trees, beside the lagoons or the sandy beach.
ii. Cycling: you can easily and pleasantly cover 2200 hectares of forest, by following the forest roads crossing through it.
iii. Swimming: you can enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea on 15 km of sandy beaches along the length of the National Park.
iv. Bird watching: you can find and enjoy the winged inhabitants of the wetlands, forest and beach with binoculars or a telescope.
v. Photographing: If you enjoy landscapes and sunsets, portraits of animals and plants, the National Park can provide you with endless opportunities for amateur (and professional) photographers to immortalise unique images.
vi. Visit to the Information Centre: you will be informed about the protected area and shall see Port roots of some of its residents.
Suggested Trails
Within the National Park there are hiking and cycling trails for each and every one of you!
Visit the Wetlands, Strofylia Forest, the beaches of the National Park and reach view points from where you can enjoy panoramic views of the area through eight hiking trails (Η1-Η8) of graded difficulty and four cycling tails (C1-C4) spread throughout the National Park. Your visit can be combined with bird watching as well as a swim in the sea!
Hiking Trails
H1. Mavra Vouna Hills (H1 trail)
Linear hiking trail of moderate difficulty due to sharp incline. Starting point: Provincial road Araxos-Manolada, shrine (N 38°09’36.64″, E 21°23’20.85″). End: End of path (N 38° 09’42.37″, E 21°23’17.78″). Length: 850m. Seasonality: All year. Vegetation: Vallonea oak, brushwood, Centaurea niederi. Fauna:Jackal, birds of prey, reptiles. POI: Virgin Mary Chapel, spectacular views of Prokopos lagoon, Strofylia Forest, Kalogria Beach and coastline up to Kounoupeli. Activities: Bird watching.
H2. Strofylia Forest-Bouka Beach (H2 trail)
Easy circular or semicircular hiking trail. Starting point/End: Intersection of asphalt road toward Bouka Beach with gravel road (N 38° 09’23.40″, E 21°22’5.56″), alternatively: Parking area of Bouka beach. Length: 1,730m. Seasonality: seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Halophilic & hydrophilic vegetation, Aleppo pine forest, ammophilous vegetation. Fauna: Wading & aquatic birds, frogs, forest fauna. POI: Succession of habitats, sandy beach, Sea Daffodil. Facilities: Picnic facilities, off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, picnic, swimming in the sea.
H3. Prokopos Lagoon (H3 trail)
Easy linear hiking trail. Starting point: Provincial road Araxos-Manolada (N 38° 08’50.90″, E 21°23’4.95″). End: Wet meadows of Prokopos lagoon (indicatively: N 38° 09’30.46″, E 21°23’0.12″). Length: 1,400m. Seasonality: Wet meadows may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Umbrella pine, lakeside vegetation with Spiny rush & Tamarisk. Fauna: Wading & aquatic birds, Marsh Harrier. POI: Wooden lookout tower, Chapel of St. Peter. Facilities: Wooden corridors over seasonal wetlands, ecotourism centre, off road parking. Activities: Bird watching.
H4. Strofylia Forest: Umbrella Pines (H4 trail)
Easy circular hiking trail (Shorter alternative of H5). Starting point/End: Wooden kiosk on the provincial road Araxos – Manolada (N 38° 08’41.38″, E 21°23’5.24″). Length: 1,930m. Seasonality: All year. Vegetation: Umbrella pine, Lentisc, Myrtle, Phoenicean Juniper. Fauna: Forest fauna. POI: Pond. Facilities: Wooden kiosk, off road parking. Activities: Picnic.
H5. Strofylia Forest: Vallonea oak (H5 trail)
Easy circular hiking trail (Shorter alternative: H4). Starting point/End: Wooden kiosk on the provincial road Araxos – Manolada (N 38° 08’41.38″, E 21°23’5.24″). Length: 2,980m. Seasonality: Seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Umbrella pine, Vallonea oak, riparian vegetation. Fauna: Forest fauna. POI: Succession of vegetation, mixed forest of Umbrella pine & Vallonea oak. Facilities: Wooden kiosk, off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, cycling, picnic.
H6. Strofylia Forest: Old Oak-Wooden Bridge (Megali Velanidia-Gefyraki) (H6 trail)
Easy linear hiking trail. Starting point: Old Oak on the provincial road Araxos – Manolada (N 38° 07’38.24″, E 21°23’5.08″). End: Beach after the wooden bridge (indicatively: N 38° 07’50.85″, E 21°22’10.30″). Length:2,880m. Seasonality: Seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Umbrella pine, Vallonea oak, Aleppo pine, ammophilous vegetation. Fauna: Forest & sand dunes fauna, aquatic birds. POI:Succession of habitats, Kentros Canal, sandy beach. Facilities: Off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, cycling, picnic.
H7. Kounoupeli Beach-Strofylia Forest (H7 trail)
Easy circular hiking trail. Starting point/End: Kounoupeli Beach (N 38° 6’6.77″, E 21°21’2.15″). Length:3,810m. Seasonality: All year. Vegetation: Ammophilus vegetation, maquis, Aleppo pine forest, hydrophilic vegetation. Fauna: Wading birds, forest fauna. POI: Chapel of St. Nicolas, succession of habitats, Kounoupeli beach. Facilities: Off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, cycling, picnic, swimming in the sea.
H8. Yrmini Thermal Springs-Fire Lookout Station (H8 trail)
Linear hiking trail of moderate difficulty due to sharp incline. Starting point: Kounoupeli Beach (N 38° 06’6.77″, E 21°21’2.15″). End: Fire Lookout Station (N 38° 06’8.73″, E 21°20’50.33″). Length: 660m. Seasonality: All year. Vegetation: Maquis & brushwood. Fauna: Reptiles. POI: Chapel of St. Nicolas, Kounoupelaki beach, spectacular views of Strofylia forest & seasonal wetlands. Activities: Bird watching, swimming in the sea.
Cycling Trails
C1. Strofylia Forest-Prokopos Lagoon (C1 trail)
Easy circular cycling trail. Starting point/End: Old Oak on the provincial road Araxos – Manolada (N 38° 07’38.24″, E 21°23’5.08″), alternatively: Intersection of provincial road Araxos – Manolada with gravel road towards the ecotouristic centre of Prokopos lagoon (N 38° 09’5.03″, E 21°23’3.73″). Length: 7,870m. Seasonality: Seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Umbrella pine, Vallonea oak, riparian, halophilic & hydrophilic vegetation. Fauna: Wading & aquatic birds, forest fauna. POI: Wooden lookout tower. Facilities: Ecotouristic centre, kiosk, off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, hiking, picnic, swimming in the sea.
C2. Strofylia Forest-Lamia Marsh (C2 trail)
Easy circular cycling trail. Starting point/End: Old Oak on the provincial road Araxos – Manolada (N 38° 07’38.24″, E 21°23’5.08″), alternatively: Kounoupeli Beach (N 38° 06’6.77″, E 21°21’2.15″). Length:12,000m. Seasonality: Seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Valonea oak forest, mixed Umbrella Pine-Aleppo pine forest, seasonal wetlands, reedbeds, sand dunes. Fauna: Forest fauna, wading & aquatic birds, turtles, frogs. POI: Kentros Canal, Chapel of St. Nicolas, Kounoupeli Beach. Facilities: Off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, hiking, picnic, swimming in the sea.
C3. Yrmini Thermal Springs-Strofylia Forest (C3 trail)
Easy circular cycling trail. Starting point/End: Kounoupeli Beach (N 38° 06’6.77″, E 21°21’2.15″). Length:8,130m. Seasonality: Seasonal wetlands may be inaccessible during winter. Vegetation: Aleppo pine forest, hydrophilic & halophilic vegetation. Fauna: Forest fauna. POI: Chapel of St. Nicolas, Kounoupeli & Kounoupelaki Beaches. Facilities: Off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, hiking, picnic, swimming in the sea.
C4. Kotyhi Lagoon-Lehena Salterns (C4 trail)
Easy linear cycling trail. Starting point: Kotyhi Lagoon (N 38° 00’25.31″, E 21°17’4.80″). End: Lehena Salterns (N 37°58’10.79″, E 21°15’10.65″). Length: 7,340m. Seasonality: All year. Vegetation:Ammophilous vegetation, reeds. Fauna: Wading & aquatic birds, turtles, frogs. POI: Wooden lookout tower, Fish pens of Kotyhi. Facilities: Off road parking. Activities: Bird watching, hiking, swimming in the sea.
