Hiking Agalas Gorge — Zakynthos’s Best Kept Secret

If the Blue Caves are Zakynthos’s most photographed place, Agalas Gorge is its least photographed. The canyon begins just below the old village of Agalas in the southern interior — a world away from beach bars and tour boats — and cuts through pale limestone for nearly two kilometres before opening onto the olive groves above Keri Bay.

Almost nobody knows it exists. That’s exactly the point.

The Gorge

The Agalas gorge system is formed by a seasonal river that carves through the Zakynthos plateau’s limestone bedrock. The canyon walls reach 30–40 metres in places, close enough together that the sky becomes a narrow strip of blue overhead. The floor is a mix of smooth water-worn rock, occasional pebble beaches where the stream widens, and patches of lush vegetation sheltered from the wind by the canyon walls.

The best months are October through May, when the gorge stream runs and the light is at its most dramatic — low-angled and golden, throwing the cliff textures into sharp relief. In summer, the stream dries and the gorge becomes hotter and less photogenic, though still walkable.

The Route

Begin in the village of Agalas (parking on the main street, or the small square near the church). Take the track that descends east-southeast from the village — ask a local if you can’t find the start, which is not marked. The path descends steeply for the first 15 minutes before entering the gorge proper.

The gorge walking is route-finding rather than following a clear trail — you’re navigating the canyon floor, which involves some scrambling over boulders and crossing the streambed. Walking poles are useful but not essential. The technical difficulty is low; the terrain is just uneven.

Damianos Cave is approximately 20 minutes into the gorge, on the right (south) wall. The entrance is about 2 metres high and 3 metres wide, opening into a chamber of roughly 15 metres depth. Stalactites in the deeper section. Bring a torch — the back section is completely dark and the formations are worth seeing.

Continue through the gorge for as long as the terrain allows comfortable progress. The full length takes about 90 minutes one way; most people turn back after 60–75 minutes when the canyon begins to widen and the drama diminishes.

Return the same way. The ascent back to Agalas village takes about 60 minutes.

Practical Details

Start point: Agalas village, southern Zakynthos
Distance: ~4 km round trip (gorge section) + return
Duration: 3 hours comfortable pace
Difficulty: Moderate — uneven terrain, some scrambling, no technical climbing
Best season: October–May
What to bring: Torch/headlamp (for Damianos Cave), walking shoes with grip, water for 3 hours
Cost: Free — this is not a managed attraction

Getting to Agalas

Agalas is in the southern interior, roughly 25 km from Zakynthos Town. Take the main road south toward Keri, then turn inland at signs for Agalas. The village itself is small (under 300 residents) and genuinely off the tourist trail — the kafeneion in the square serves excellent Greek coffee and is staffed by people who find it faintly baffling that anyone would drive here deliberately.

That’s how you know you’re somewhere worth visiting.