Hiking in Exochori

Exochori is a stone-built village with a very old tradition, mentioned several times in history as Androuvista, first seen around 1278 AD. It is located at an altitude of 450 m above Kardamili, in the Taygetos mountain fringes. It used to be the old mountainous capital and the fortress of Kardamili, not only in medieval but also in ancient times.

This is like a short taste of west Mani but fully rewarding as an experience. The exploration starts from Kardamili, as we follow the old stone path entering the mountain, walking through some of the upland villages.

Passing through olive groves, we end up in Exochori village, where we can have a breathtaking view of the Viros Gorge, the largest gorge in west Mani. Then, taking a different route to our way back to the starting point, we visit Aghia Sofia. This is a famous church built in the 16th century situated on the 2500-year-old stone path that connected Kardamili with Sparta. This is the path that will guide our steps back to Kardamili through its historical old quarter.

Where is the village of Exochori?

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Kardamili is the closest large town in the region of Mani in the Peloponese

Booking a hiking in Exochori

Most of our tours are available during all seasons.

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Testimonials from our Google reviews

“What an amazing day! The hike up the Ridomo gorge was a highlight of our holiday. Iannis is an excellent guide – very professional and caring of the family, and expert knowledge of the mountain and the area. All the 2407 team are so friendly and helpful and we hope to do more activities with them! Thank you for such a unique and precious experience. :)”

Rory Gallagher

This was one of our best days ever in Greece, and we have been coming here for over 20 years.
Our tour with Yanni, called the “Hidden Villages Tour”, because the villages cannot be seen from the sea, began at Yannis’ shop in Kardamili, just a few metres above sea level, and climbed for two hours and 20 kms to a hight of just over 750 metres. Fortunately, we were on shiny new ebikes from Haibike, improved versions of our own which we have had for four years. At that high point, we paused for lunch in the lovely village of Kastania, then began the exhilarating rush down to Ayios Nicholaos on the sea, and then a lovely flat ride on the very nice paved bike and pedestrian path to Stoupa. The ride back to Kardamili was on the highway, but that road is very wide and quite safe for cycling. The whole ride was around 3:45, a constant delight all the way.
Yanni is a great guide and a charming companion. If you are fit and love to ride, you will have a great day!

James Arbuckle

We had a really nice time hiking the Ridomo Gorge. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy walking in nature. Our guide Yiannis is a very friendly, passionate and experienced hiker with fun facts and helpfull tips.
Thanks for a lovely time!

Jani Rottiers

More hiking regions ?

hiking in Exochori isn’t the only hiking tour we provide. Find out more about hiking services we provide in our hiking section

We offer a wide range of hiking services around the region of the famous Taygetus Mountain, reaching 2.407 m high, thus we have selected to name our site.

The Taygetus Massif is about 100 km (62 mi) long, extending from the center of the Peloponnese to Cape Matapan, its southernmost extremity. It contains the tallest mountain in the Peloponnese, the Profitis Ilias summit, reaching 2,407m.  this is probably the classical Mount Taléton mentioned by Pausanias, an Ancient Greek philosopher.

The summit is an ultra-prominent peak. It is even visible from the Isthmus of Corinth, which connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece, from a height of only 60 m. Numerous creeks roll down from the mountains

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Why hiking in Greece?

Hiking in Greek is called “Pezoporia”. “Pezos” is the pedestrian and “Poria” is the path. One of the most interesting ways to get to know a place is to walk it and Greece has a wide variety of hiking trails in fascinating landscapes to explore.

From the mountains of mainland Greece to the Greek islands, there are hundreds of trails that pass through lush forests, olive groves and gorges, next to waterfalls, rivers and historical monuments, to reach beautiful beaches with blue waters and traditional villages, offering unique experiences for hiking enthusiasts.

Read more about hiking trails in Greece

What is hiking anyway? 

Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure was developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Religious pilgrimages have existed much longer but they involved walking long distances for a spiritual purpose associated with specific religions.

“Hiking” is the preferred term in Canada and the United States; the term “walking” is used in these regions for shorter, particularly urban walks. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the word “walking” describes all forms of walking, whether it is a walk in the park or backpacking in the Alps.

The word hiking is also often used in the UK, along with rambling (a slightly old-fashioned term), hillwalking, and fell walking (a term mostly used for hillwalking in northern England). The term bushwalking is endemic to Australia, having been adopted by the Sydney Bush Walkers club in 1927.

In New Zealand a long, vigorous walk or hike is called tramping. It is a popular activity with numerous hiking organizations worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits.

What is hiking and its benefits?

Hiking is cardiovascular in nature, so it can provide great benefit to heart health while also improving blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Hiking helps increase the strength in the leg muscles, builds stability in the core muscles and enhances balance skills.