Avakas Gorge is the single best short walk near Paphos. A limestone canyon cut into the southern flank of the Akamas Peninsula, the gorge runs for around three kilometres from its mouth on the coastal track, narrowing to a slot at its inner end. The walls reach thirty metres on either side; the gorge floor follows a seasonally dry stream bed; the air stays noticeably cool inside even in high summer. A walk in and back takes two to three hours at an unhurried pace.
The drive from Annabelle takes around 45 minutes via Coral Bay and the village of Agios Georgios.
A Limestone Cut into the Akamas
The gorge was cut by water over hundreds of thousands of years — the seasonal stream still flowing in winter, dry through most of summer — into soft limestone laid down when the Akamas was below sea level. The walls hold fossil shells in places, visible in the lower strata where the stone has eroded smoothly. The vegetation along the gorge is dense at the mouth (lentisk, wild fig, oleander), thinning further in, with cliff-dwelling plants clinging to the upper walls.
Avakas is also a refuge for some of the Akamas's wildlife — bats, lizards, occasional moufflon at the far end. Walking quietly at the gorge's inner sections is the best chance to see anything.
Walking Avakas Gorge
The trail starts at a small car park at the gorge mouth, signposted from the coastal track between Agios Georgios and Lara Bay. The walk in:
- First 15 minutes — broad gorge mouth, wide path, easy underfoot.
- Middle 30 minutes — the gorge narrows, the walls rise, the stream-bed path becomes rockier. This is the photogenic stretch.
- Inner narrows — the gorge tightens to a slot perhaps two metres wide. Squeeze through if you're slim and untroubled by closed spaces; turn back here if not.
- Return — the same way out, descending more easily than the climb in.
Total return distance is around 6 km. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours including stops.
Safety and Season
Avakas Gorge is not safe to enter after heavy rain — flash floods funnel down the stream bed and have, in past years, killed walkers caught inside. Check the forecast before you go. The site is closed when conditions are dangerous; respect the signage.
Spring is a particularly fine season for the gorge, with wildflowers, the stream still running gently, and cool air. Autumn is quieter. In summer the gorge interior stays cool but the access track is sun-exposed, so morning starts are gentler. Winter walks are fine in dry weather; avoid wet weeks.
Sturdy shoes essential. Bring water. The Cyprus Forest Department maintains current trail status.
From Annabelle
Reception will arrange a private car. The drive is around 45 minutes via Coral Bay; the last few kilometres are on unmade track. A standard car will reach the car park in dry weather; in wet weather a 4×4 is sensible.
Pair the gorge with a swim at Coral Bay on the way back — morning hike, afternoon swim.
Find your way to Avakas Gorge on
Google Maps.