Located in mountainous Achaia, northeast of Kalavryta, the Vouraikos Gorge, of unique, raw natural beauty, is carved and shaped by the flow of the river Vouraikos.
Starting its long journey at an altitude of more than 700m, near Kato Zachlorou, the gorge ends 20km further down in Diakopto. Vertical craggy slopes, raging vegetation, rushing waterfalls and imposing caves create an alternating, unspoiled majestic landscape.
Legend has it that the gorge was formed when Hercules tore the rock in two with his sword while looking for his sweetheart, Vura, daughter of Eliki. The Vouraikos river was named after her. According to another theory the gorge was named after Voura, an important city of the Achaean League.
The cog railway is the gorge’s most impressive feature, attracting thousands of nature lovers and excursionists. It is an engineering masterpiece in perfect harmony with the environment, operating since 1896, uniquely adding to the area’s tourism worth.
Crossing the gorge on foot, which takes about 6 hours and is considered a benchmark for hikers, is a unique experience. The ravine, matched with the mountainous mass of Helmos, designated as a national park, has also been declared a protected area with a strong ecological footprint because of its diverse flora and fauna.
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