Tzena
2,182 m
Greece, North Macedonia
Also known as Megali Tzena, Τζένα, +1Also known as
Megali Tzena · Τζένα · Кожуф
- Elevation
- 2,182 m
- Prominence
- 1,017 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The main Tzena trail from the village of Notia (about 600 m) in Almopia: over meadows and through a long beech forest, crossing forest roads, to the Tyrokomeio clearing in the alpine zone and the saddle between Mikri and Megali Tzena, then north on yellow waymarks to the 2,182 m summit near the North Macedonian border. A long day: about 1,600 m of ascent.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 8.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,600 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,182 m
- Time Up
- 6h 26m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 4h 19m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Notia the waymarked path crosses the meadows above the village, joins the forest road and climbs north through dense beech forest, crossing the forest road twice, to the clearing at Tyrokomeio ('cheese dairy') at the edge of the alpine zone. The municipality of Almopia gives the trail as 8.9 km to the summits. An alternative start goes up the Notia gorge past its waterfall on white-and-green and then yellow waymarks, rejoining the forest roads higher up. From the alpine zone a rough path leads to the saddle and forest road that separate Mikri Tzena (about 2,067 m) from Megali Tzena; a signpost here shows both summits. For the main summit go left along the road briefly, then follow yellow marks north up grassy slopes, where vegetation has closed the path in places, to the ridge. The top is then visible and easy to reach. The ridge forms the border with North Macedonia; the Kožuf ski area lies just below on the other side. Descend the same way. mountainsgreece.com gives about 6 hours up and 5 hours down via the gorge, which is hard to follow but not dangerous; if you lose the waymarks in the forest, go back to the last one. Summer afternoon thunderstorms are frequent.
Start
Νότια588 m
- KTEL buses run to Aridaia; no service to Notia was confirmed, so a taxi or car is needed.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Νότια → Τζένα | 8.8 | 1,600 | 9 | 6h 26m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Νότια588 m
- Summit: Τζένα2,182 m
Key Passages
- Long beech-forest climb with several forest-road crossings
- Tyrokomeio clearing at the edge of the alpine zone
- Saddle between Mikri and Megali Tzena
- Overgrown yellow-marked path to the border ridge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 55%Overview
Tzena (Megali Tzena, 2,182 m) rises on the Greek–North Macedonian border above the Almopia basin, the eastern end of the Voras range beyond Kaimaktsalan and Pinovo. A long, waymarked but overgrown hike from Notia climbs through deep beech forest to rounded alpine summits.
Tzena is the mountain at the north-eastern tip of Pella regional unit, the last high massif of the chain that runs east from Kaimaktsalan and Pinovo; on the North Macedonian side the same massif is called Kožuf. It has two summits of similar height, Mikri (Little) Tzena at about 2,067 m and Megali (Great) Tzena at 2,182 m, separated by a saddle. The international border follows the main ridge, and the Kožuf ski area lies just below it on the northern side.
The mountain is known for its water and its forests: beech covers the slopes up to about 1,800 m, with young pines spreading higher. Above lies a gentle alpine zone of grass and flowers that bloom all summer, helped by frequent afternoon showers. Thirty-three rare or endemic plants have been recorded, and the mountain has special protection status. Roe deer live in the forest, and golden, short-toed and Bonelli's eagles nest on the crags. The Notia gorge with its waterfall cuts into the southern flank above the village of Notia.
A logging road now climbs to the alpine zone between the two summits, but the waymarked paths keep to the forest. There are no refuges; it is a long day hike from Notia, or part of a multi-day traverse from Pinovo.
Climbing Notes
Plan a full day: about 1,600 m of ascent and 10–11 hours round trip from Notia (about 6 hours up and 5 down by the gorge). The paths, opened and marked by the Aridaia mountaineering club, are easy to lose in the dense forest and where vegetation has closed in on the upper slopes, so carry a GPS track and turn back to the last mark if you lose the way. There is no technical ground. Start early in summer, as thunderstorms build in the afternoons, and carry waterproofs. From late autumn to spring the upper mountain is snow-covered and becomes a winter ascent or ski-mountaineering objective needing crampons, ice axe and avalanche awareness. Stay on the Greek side of the border ridge.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Deep snow; winter mountaineering or ski touring only
- Feb
- Deep snow; winter mountaineering or ski touring only
- Mar
- Snow on the upper mountain; for experienced winter parties
- Apr
- Snow lingers above the forest
- May
- Snow patches high up; streams full
- Jun
- Alpine flowers; afternoon storms
- Jul
- Start early; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Stable weather, autumn beech colours later
- Oct
- Shorter days; first snow possible
- Nov
- Early winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Rules
- The summit ridge forms the Greece–North Macedonia border; crossing it away from official border crossings is not permitted
- Protected mountain area for its rare flora: stay on paths and do not pick plants
- Getting There
Aridaia
Thessaloniki (SKG)
- Car: from Thessaloniki (about 110 km) to eastern Almopia and the village of Notia, the trailhead
- Bus: KTEL Pella buses serve Aridaia from Thessaloniki and Edessa; onward to Notia by taxi
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness