Avakas Gorge

The Avakas Gorge is formed towards the end of the Avakas river valley, which starts in Arodes and ends in the sea at Toxeftra. The gorge is about 2km long and it can be explored the whole length from Koloni, an area south-west of Arodes (see walks ). It's quite a scramble and you need to be fit and wear tough walking boots. Alternatively, the mouth of the gorge can be viewed from the Toxeftra end. If you don't have a 4x4, it's best to park near the beach (you will see a sign to the Viklari) and walk inland to the gorge.

The deep, steep-sided valley has cliffs on both sides, in some places reaching almost a hundred metres. Huge rocks block the valley, there are arches and caves, and some hollows in the stream-bed can have water in them even in the height of summer.

There is a wide variety of flora, including oleander, vines, cypress, wild olive and carob trees, thyme and rock rose. You may be lucky enough to see a fox or a hare and there are wild pigeons, partridges and other birds, as well as lizards and snakes.

It's well worth the effort; it's majestic and awe-inspiring. However, it is NOT recommended to explore the gorge in the winter months, when the river running through the gorge may be impassable and there could be unpredictable rock falls .