Mount Kedros
1,777 m
Greece
Also known as Кедрос, Kedros, +4Also known as
Кедрос · Kedros · Όρος Κέντρος · mont Kédros · Κέντρος · Kédhros Óros
- Elevation
- 1,777 m
- Prominence
- 1,320 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Apr–May
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1A steep, rough out-and-back from the cherry village of Gerakari (about 650 m) on the north side of Kedros: a dirt road to the spring and plane tree at Mouri (1,240 m), then a faint, very steep path past the Profitis Ilias cave to the 1,777 m summit chapel. About 1,100 m of ascent; 4–4½ hours up.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 8.2 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,144 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,777 m
- Time Up
- 4h 55m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 26m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Leave Gerakari on the dirt road that heads west out of the village towards Spili and climbs the northern slopes of Kedros. After 5.9 km and about 1¾ hours you reach Mouri (1,240 m), a grazing area with a plane tree and a small spring a few metres to its west, which runs low in summer. A suitable 4x4 can drive this first stage, saving almost 600 m of ascent. From Mouri the route climbs 530 m in 2.8 km (2¼–2¾ hours) on goat trails and the faded yellow-and-black waymarks of the E4. There is no continuous path, the ground is rough limestone with spiny scrub, and the steepest sections reach gradients of almost 70 %. A second, more reliable spring lies a little below and east of the path before the Profitis Ilias cave and chapel. Above, the line gains the summit ridge, where the E4 from Kissos comes in from the west, and follows it to the summit and the small Analipsi chapel. Descend the same way (or by the E4 west ridge to Kissos and Spili, a 19 km traverse in total). Discover Amari rates the route Moderate+ for experienced hikers. Do not attempt it in poor visibility: route-finding on the upper slopes is difficult, and snow and ice are possible on the summit in January and February.
Start
Gerakari661 m
- KTEL buses from Rethymno serve the Amari valley villages on a limited schedule; check the timetable for Gerakari
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gerakari → Kedros | 8.2 | 1,144 | 33 | 4h 55m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Gerakari661 m
- Summit: Kedros1,777 m
Key Passages
- Steep, pathless slopes above Mouri (up to about 68 % gradient)
- Summit ridge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
A steep, cone-shaped limestone mountain (1,777 m) between the Amari valley and the south coast of Rethymno, facing Psiloritis across the valley. Low by Cretan standards but notoriously tiring: faint paths, spiky rock and about 1,100 m of ascent from Gerakari or Kissos.
Kedros (in Greek usually Kentros, after its cone-like outline) stands south-west of Psiloritis in Rethymno prefecture, with the fertile Amari valley between the two. It is a compact, steep-sided massif of bare rock and wild gorges with little shrub cover, ringed by villages such as Gerakari, Kissos, Spili, Platanes and Krya Vrysi. Its slopes are in the Natura 2000 network for their biodiversity: endemic tulips, anemones, orchids and hyacinths, and birds of prey including vultures and golden eagles nest on the cliffs. The endemic red Cretan tulip (Tulipa doerfleri) grows only on the small Gious Kambos plateau on its north side.
The E4 European long-distance path crosses the mountain from Spili via Kissos and the west ridge to the summit chapel of Analipsi, then descends north to Gerakari. From the top the view takes in Psiloritis, the Lefka Ori, the Amari valley and the Gious Kambos plateau.
Local guides describe Kedros as one of the most tiring places to walk in Crete despite its modest height: the slopes are steep, the rock sharp and broken, and above the last springs there is often no continuous path. It is a favourite outing for Cretan hiking clubs.
Climbing Notes
Allow 7–8 hours for the out-and-back from Gerakari (about 1,100 m of ascent), or a full day for the 19 km E4 traverse from Spili to Gerakari. A 4x4 can drive the first 6 km from Gerakari to Mouri, cutting the walk roughly in half. Good fitness, sure-footedness on loose rock and confident navigation are needed: carry a GPS track, as the yellow-and-black E4 waymarks are faded and there is no standard path above Mouri. Do not go in cloud.
Wear boots and long trousers against spiny scrub, and carry water: the springs at Mouri and below the Profitis Ilias cave are the last on the route and the Mouri spring runs low in summer. Start at dawn from June to September. In winter snow and ice are possible on the summit (especially January–February), when crampons, ice axe and gaiters are needed. Visit Gious Kambos in April for the tulips, and Gerakari in early summer for its cherries.
Season
Best Apr–May- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Best (best window)
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Good
- July: Possible
- August: Possible
- September: Good
- October: Best
- November: Good
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow and ice possible on the summit; winter kit needed
- Feb
- Snow and ice possible on the summit
- Mar
- Lingering snow high up in some years
- Apr
- Spring flowers; red tulips on the Gious Kambos plateau
- Jun
- Hot; dawn start; cherry season in Gerakari
- Jul
- Very hot and shadeless; springs run low
- Aug
- Very hot and shadeless
- Sep
- Still hot early in the month
- Nov
- Rain and short days
- Dec
- Winter storms; snow possible
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- No huts on the mountain; rooms in Gerakari, Spili and the Amari valley villages.
- Rules
- Natura 2000 area: do not pick plants, particularly the protected endemic tulips of Gious Kambos
- Working sheepfolds on the approaches: close gates and pass guard dogs calmly
- Getting There
Spili; Gerakari (village at the trailhead)
Chania (CHQ) or Heraklion (HER)
- By car from Rethymno to Gerakari in the Amari valley; the dirt road from the west side of the village towards Mouri needs a 4x4
- For the E4 traverse, start in Spili on the Rethymno–south coast road
- Buses from Rethymno to Spili and the Amari villages are limited; check the KTEL Rethymno timetable
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness