Take a short taste of west Mani’s landscape, from the old mountainous capital and the fortress of Kardamili down to the Viros Gorge through the 2500-year-old stone path that connected Kardamili with Sparta!
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.
“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. :)”
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!
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!
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
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.
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.
Is trekking and hiking the same?
Difference Between Hiking And Trekking. To put it in even simpler words, hiking involves a long energetic walk in a natural environment on hiking trails or footpaths for a day or overnight. Trekking involves a long vigorous hike in the wild natural environment for multiple days. It can be done off hiking trails.
Tour Plan
What is included
Professional guide service
Stand by vehicle in case of any discomfort or emergency
Why Do We Recommend It?
You get to experience the rugged beauty of this beautiful southern area
It has a spectacular view of the west Mani area
Entry level hiking difficulty, suitable for most people and all ages
Experienced hiking guide and first aider
Is it right for me?
This is a great activity for a holiday for those who want to have a first hike experience but also for those who love to hike. The difficulty of the trek is low level, so you don’t need to be especially fit. No trekking experience is required.
Great for solo travelers, couples, friends, and parents with young children (6 years minimum)
First-time hikers are welcome.
Keep in mind
Duration: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: Entry level
Meeting Point: Kardamili, aprox 08:00
Tour Ends: Kardamili, aprox 13:00
Group Size: max 12 people
Age: No limit, young children with hike experience
Must have with
Bottle of water – 1,5 litre
Hat
Sunscreen (especially during summer months)
Hiking shoes (low or high) or trainers, hiking sandals. Open shoes like summer sandals or flip-flops are unsuitable
One day hiking backpack 20lt (if available)
A spare T-shirt
A wind stopper jacket
A snack
Tour Map
2407 Mountain Activities, Kardamyli, Greece
Reviews
Reviews
Ovidiu Predescu
8. September, 2022.
Great biking tour! We booked the 4 hour biking trip that starts high up on the mountain. Sotiria, Sophia, and Yannis are great hosts and very professional. They’ve been doing this for some time, and have a very good setup, both in terms of e-bikes and roads to ride on. Highly recommended!
PANAGIOTIS MARAGOS
5. September, 2022.
Markellos Kerassiotis
21. August, 2022.
Booked a 3h sunset bike ride with them. Stunning route along the Western Mani coast, excellent Riese & Müller e-bikes and the best guide ever – thank you for everything Sotiria! Will be back surely, 100% recommended!
LIBI KAVALIERI
20. August, 2022.
Αξιζει να κανετε ποδηλαταδα με “αυτά” τα μπλε ποδηλατα ,σ εναν μοναδικο ποδηλατοδρομο ,στο απεραντο μπλε της Μάνης!!!!
Vassilis Giannakeas
13. August, 2022.
The right place for you outdoor activities, John is your mountain guide! 2407!!
Melissa Fleming
7. August, 2022.
We had a fabulous experience with 2407! We especially loved the half day mountain tour on their high standard electric bikes expertly and passionately guided by Ioannis and Soteria. The views are spectacular and the stops in the hidden villages are special – especially breakfast at Kariovouni village of local everything which tasted divine. Fully recommend adding this dimension to any vacation in the area!
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