The hidden Nemouta Waterfalls in Ancient Olympia are stunningly beautiful and feel like a true paradise when you arrive!
Surrounded by a dense forest of plane and fruit trees, the waterfalls’ trails are lined with ferns and flowers. As you hike through, you’ll encounter small streams flowing from the nearby Erymanthos River.
In total, there are 30 breathtaking waterfalls spread across two nearby canyons, each worth exploring.
Around the area of Ancient Olympia lies one of the most beautiful and fertile areas in Greece. There are many traditional villages (Krestena, Zacharo, Skylountia), the unique Foloi oak forest, the 70 km-long sandy beaches of Kaiafas, lakes, and rivers.
Just 27 km from Ancient Olympia is Nemouta village and waterfalls, an extraordinary area, stunningly beautiful and wild.
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My Latest Video on Nemouta
Note: Nemouta Waterfalls trails are not an easy stroll. Be prepared to cross streams and get potentially wet, and is best if you have experience in hiking and good physical condition.
How to Get to the Nemouta Waterfalls from Athens
There are public buses (KTEL) leaving from Kifisos Bus Station in Athens and going to the Nemouta area but it will take you forever as you will have to change buses and wait at every change.
I suggest you rent a car to get there, the national roads are great and you will find the area easily.
A rental offers you the option to visit so many sites on your way to Ancient Olympia, such as Ancient Corinth & Acrocorinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nemea and the wineries, Dimitsana and Stemnitsa.
65 km to the southeast is the UNESCO masterpiece of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius in Bassae.
Nemouta Waterfalls
The Nemouta waterfalls are located on Mount Erymanthos inside the gorge of Haratsariou. The whole scenery is wild and gorgeous, and will remind you of a tropical forest.
Nemouta waterfalls are not signposted trails, so I recommend you make early arrangements with a local guide, as you will not be able to find them by yourself easily.
If you’re the adventurous type and decide to find the waterfalls on your own, a Garmin watch can come in handy for navigation.
Start of the trail: Nemouta Iron Bridge
The start of the trail is at an old but beautiful iron bridge over the Erymanthos River (GPS 37.700663, 21.808754).
On one part of the bridge, there is an info/canteen kiosk and some free parking spaces and on the other, there are 3-4 country houses with one very basic tavern. It is worth strolling around the place, a charming Greek place.
From the bridge, the first impressive Nemouta waterfalls are only 290 m. We started walking the dirt road south towards the “tropical” forest.
When we reached the uphill, we turned right towards the stream.
We kept having the stream on our right side and as we were going deeper into the forest, we could hear the characteristic sound of a waterfall.
And as I was walking the trail, I found myself in front of very impressive scenery. This waterfall is called the “Gate of Heaven”!
We visited the waterfall in late June, and the water was still cold. But as the water was falling upon you from a height, the sensation was both amazing and exhilarating. You could feel the weight of the water on your bones!
Your guide can take you to the other two waterfalls, which are located about 5-6 km away. The trail is fantastic, not so demanding but certainly not for people with no hiking experience.
Afterward, we headed back to Erymanthus River for a well-deserved dive into its incredibly clear and shallow waters.
It was not exactly swimming as there was a current, but it was refreshing after the heat of the day.
Nemouta Village and Greek Lunch
We were transported in jeeps from Erymanthos to the picturesque Nemouta village for our very late lunch. And thank goodness for that, as everyone was starving.
We chose a tavern on the tiny main Nemouta square where we had traditional Greek food served in the usual Greek way: many small dishes with appetizers and main courses and streams of beer and wine!
After our meal, we were treated to a local delicacy, a syrupy sweet made of local grapes. Very yummy, wish I could have bought a full jar of it!
Where Best To Stay in Nemouta
A good base for your adventures is modern Olympia Village, which is fine for a couple of nights. The best hotel to stay in Olympia is Hotel Europa Olympia, a 4-star hotel with exceptional service, a swimming pool, and a great garden.
If you are looking for a more budget option Stadium Rooms will tick all the hospitality boxes!
You can also choose a seaside village for your stay to combine the sea and the forests. The sea in the area is called Kaiafas and is an endless line of fine sand and a lush green background.
Curious about expenses in Olympia? I’ve got the details in my new post: How Much Does a Trip to Ancient Olympia Cost?
A must-visit is the Kaiafas Lake and spa, just for a stroll around the spa center in the area.
The natural thermal springs and spas come from the cave of the “Nymphs of Anigrides”. The cave, according to mythology, is where Dardanos, the ancestors of the Trojans, were born.
- The water temperature is 32 °C
- Ingredients: C1 – Na – K – HS – Mineral – Hypotonic
- Appropriate for: Chronic Rheumatism, Myositis, Chronic Degenerative results of injuries, Neuralgia.
- Operates between June to October from 07:15 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. In August and September, it is open in the afternoon, until 7:30 p.m
- Contact number: ( + 30 ) 26250 31719
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Wow looks amazing! In some ways reminds me a little of an area in NW Arkansas although you can’t get the Greek food there!
Thank you Fred for your comment! I am sure NW Arkansas is a very nice place as well. Waterfalls have such powerful dynamics and they are always exhilarating to visit!