Page Type: | Area/Range |
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Lat/Lon: | 37.64359°N / 22.27974°E |
Activities: | Hiking, Mountaineering, Skiing |
Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation: | 6499 ft / 1981 m |
Mainalon (“Μαίναλο”) mountain range is one of the most sprawling and storied ones in Greece, it is located in the center of the Peloponnese and falls under the jurisdiction of Arkadia. It is home to 50 peaks over 1,200m, several rivers, waterfalls, and gorges, alongside a quaint ski center and some of the most storied villages in the country. The range can be divided into East and West by the valley of Alonistaina (“Αλωνίσταινα”), which goes from Vytina (“Βυτίνα”) to the North all the way to Chrysovitsi (“Χρυσοβιτσι”) to the South. The highest peak is Ostrakina (1,981m) ["Ωστρακίνα"] located East of the ski center at the East side of the massif above the village of Kardaras (“Καρδαρας”).
Mainalo is currently a protected part of the Natura 2000 network. It is known for its lush forests which until the fires of 2011 were mainly covered by fir towards the North, while the South is mainly covered by pine and cypress. The core area of Ostrakina, towards the ski resort, including the plateau is still home to a lush forest of assorted conifers. The Natura 2000 area of “Oros Mainalo” was established in 1996 and protects 3 species, 2 reptiles and 1 invertebrate. It is home to the near threatened “Hermann's Mediterranean Tortoise”. Finally, the villages of Alonistaina (1,220m), Elati (1,200m), and Magouliana (1,365m) are some of the highest in the country; no wonder that the area is home to a number of Sanatoriums from the early 20th century.
According to legend the mountain takes its name from Maenalus son of Lykaion, King of Arcadia, who ruled from Mt. Lykaion. The Arcadians who lived in the area during the early Hellenistic period believed in the god “Pan” (“Παν”) – the god of shepherds and the wild – and this deity would later be worshiped across the Hellenic world. Important during the ancient period was the village of Stemnitsa (“Στεμνίτσα”). The area continued to be inhabited, with a monastic community growing in the gorge of Lousios river (“Λουσιος”) during the medieval period. In the 17th century European explorers who utilized the works of Pausanias to travel into the Peloponnese would call the entire mountain range “Mainalo” after the author, who had however, described a single mountain top near the city of Tripolis (“Τριπολη”), which in 2011 was confirmed as Agio-Lias (1,117m) [“Αγιο-Λιάς”], a site which houses the ruins of a temple from the 1st century BC.
The area would become a center for the national struggle for independence during the Greek War of Independence (c. 1821) during which many of the men of the villages of Mainalo went on to fight. Many of them saw success, and some of the most well-known come from here. For example, Kolokotronis ("Κολοκοτρώνης") was raised in the village of Piana (“Πιανα”) where visitors can see his home, nestled within the protected area of Arkoudorema. Today many of these villages remain very popular with Greek tourists especially in weekends during Fall and Spring. Vytina is the largest town in the area with Stemnitsa, Alonistaina and Dimitsana also being popular.
The East massif is the most important part of the range. It hosts every single one of the alpine summits as well as the Mainalo Ski Center. The East massif is bordered by the Villages of Vytina and Alonistaina on the West and the Tripoli plateau on the East. This massif is marked by two important alpine formations, Ostrakina Massif, and the peak of Aintinis (1,849m); these two formations are connected to each other through the Mourtzia (1,761m) ridge. The massif is very steep and features tight packed glades in elevations up to 1,900m, with few summits being completely void of trees. In the map you can clearly see many peaks of the massif as well as other important points of interest. The two main hiking centers are the Ostrakina Plateau, where the ski resort is located, and the village of Roeino (“Ροεινο”). It may be possible to hike from Roeino to the plateau via Mourtzia ridge, it would however require staying on the mountain overnight.
There are many different trails throughout the Eastern massif, the main trails connect some of the villages in the range. These trails are not dense and create more of a net than a circuit; the higher you go the less trails there are. This being said the southern peaks of the range only feature one access point; this is also the case with Ostrakina (1,981m) where there are only two trails that lead up to the summit via the plateau. The Eastern massif offers interesting opportunities for hiking and skiing in mildly steep and exposed terrain on the transition between forest and alpine.
The West massif is a large "sea" of lower peaks that most closely resemble rolling hills; these peaks are low prominence and under the tree line. This area is much larger, from Vytina to Megalopoli to the South and Dimitsana to the West. There is sadly not much information on the peaks but what seems to be the highest point is the “Pleiovouni” (1,643m) just above the village of Zigovitsi. There are many other peaks between 1,500m-1,600m of elevation. Notable summit is also that of "Madara" (1,585m) which is home to the Madara fire-lookout on its imposing ridge, situated above the vilage of Elati. The good thing is that there are many trails, the Mainalon trail long distance trail runs through almost the entire range with so many side trails and access roads. Finally, the section on the North by the village of Magouliana has two named and prominent peaks Psilo Vouno (1,503m) and Alogovouni (1,474m), underneath them is located a former sanatorium now converted into a hotel.
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Name | Elevation | Coordinates | Main Trailhead | Area |
Ostrakina | 1,981m | 37°38'37.7"N - 22°16'47.0"E | Ostrakina Refuge | East |
Sfentami | 1,870m | 37°38'40.7"N - 22°15'37.1"E | Ski center parking or top | East |
Tzelati | 1,868m | 37°38'50.0"N - 22°13'23.2"E | Village of Alonistena | East |
Mesovouni | 1,860m | 37°39'29.8"N - 22°15'06.4"E | Ski center parking lot | East |
Aintinis | 1,849m | 37°35'12.6"N - 22°18'19.7"E | Village of Roeino | East |
Mauri Korifi | 1,818m | 37°39'37.1"N - 22°16'01.6"E | Ski center parking lot | East |
Mourtzia | 1,761m | 37°36'31.1"N - 22°17'35.1"E | Village of Roeino | East |
Pleiovouni | 1,643m | Village of Zygovitsi | West | |
Xerovouni | 1,600m | Village of Rados | West | |
Madara | 1,585m | Village of Elati | West | |
Klinitsa | 1,548m | Village of Stemnitsa | West | |
Psilo Vouno | 1,503m | Castle of Valestiniko | West | |
Alogovouni | 1,474m | Magouliana Pass | West |
Wild camping is generally permitted, as is the case with Greece, however, you should always camp above the tree line and avoid lighting a fire. There is a refuge at the Ostrakina Plateau just next to the ski center. If you are interested in hiking the Mainalon Trail, you will not need to camp as it is possible to sleep in the villages between sections. The terrain of the mountains in the East is generally not conductive to camping, with them being steep and exposed, the West is better. The Ostrakina Plateau and area of the refuge is commonly used as a campsite.
The Ostrakina refuge (Panos Alexopoulos) located at an elevation of 1,580m is operated by the Greek Mountaineering Club of Tripoli (EOS Tripolis) and can host up to 60 people. It has a bathroom with a shower – and yes, hot water in the afternoon – a kitchen, and a large dining hall. The refuge can be opened for groups of 10 or more people at a price of €12 per person [as of 2020]. It stands West under the summit of Ostrakina (1,981m) and is part of the E4 European long-distance trail. When operating the refuge is staffed with one guard.
There may be some updates as a new website has been uploaded [March 2024].
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Accessing the backcountry for ski and snowboard touring is simple in this range, with both the ski center and a number of villages being at high elevations. There are, however, no designated ski touring routes or popular areas, the summit of Ostrakina (1,981m), Sfentami (1,870m), Mesovouni (1,860m), and Mavri Korifi (1,818m) are all in the vicinity of the ski resort. Other summits and areas, especially in the West are generally far from human activity and thus, can be dangerous. As usual Search & Rescue is lacking and can take a long time to reach the area, additionally there is no avalanche or snowpack reporting from the resort or any other organization.
Find Out More
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Updated: March 2024.
Natura 2000 Area "Oros Mainalo"
Lousios River (Wikipedia)
Theodoros Kolokotronis (Wikipedia)
Area sanatorium converted into hotel, 2023. Article.
Snow Forecast Mainalo Ski Center
Ostrakina Refuge new website
EOS Tripolis Ostrakina Refuge website (old)
Mainalo Ski Center website
Freeriding in Mainalo, 2018, Article.
Mainalon Trail website
Hellas Path Trail GPX Database