Climbing Kaki Rahi on Zakynthos on foot

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Kaki Rahi, view from Pidagakia

kaki_rahi_from_pidagakia.jpg (42.47 KiB) Przejrzano 14729 razy

Kaki Rahi (37.816913, 20.744921) is the highest (680 m) of the Vrachionas peaks visible from north-eastern part of the island, that is the part with most beaches and resorts. From these places it is seen as 2 towers dominating over the island. As it can be suspected the steep north-eastern slope is not walkable. The summit must be approached from the other side.

When I got to the island obviously I started thinking about the ways to walk to the top. So I scanned the net and found Dave Palmer's directions. Thank you, Dave, for your work, that seemed detailed. Maybe it's the matters of years that passed, but now the instruction is useless. I followed them and tried to document but couldn't find even the streets in Katastari. The directions are missing basic orientation points like the big church in the center of Katastari, that I suspect should have been passed by. Since it was hard to tell what was a "boat" that Dave mentioned, it was impossible to start from the right place. Despite having walk around the mountain I haven't spotted any of Dave's points. Maybe someone will have better intuition and will manage to find them. This is the route I made: there and back. From other Zakynthos descriptions from Dave Palmer I suspect that he was actually climbing Kaki Rahi, because no other radio masts are visible from Alykes, where he started. It's quite common on the net to make a mistake about these 2 tops. Vrachionas is bigger (756 m), but situated west of Kaki Rahi and that makes it impossible to see it from the north-eastern coast.

Getting to the top is not very hard, considering orientation. However you should consider these things:

1. The maps possible to get on the island in 2012 are not accurate. They can both show a road that does not exist or do not show some others, being necessary.
2. Around 2000 there was a flood that made some roads blocked by rocks after the mountain collapsed, like the one I showed here. Still the roads that are clearly visible from google satellite pictures should be passable. Those blocked are almost invisible there. My Nokia free map was detailed, but very old, so after first obligatory turn back I was no longer sure whether the road is going to reach its planned end.

To get to the summit you need to go around the mountain. Either from north or from south. I suggest to return using the south route, because there is Kefalokolona Tavern there. A beautiful place to have a rest in and restore food and water resources. Note that this place, in Girio, may be easily reached by car. The farther road is very rough, so only dedicated vehicles are able to ride it. And good shoes to walk it.

It is quite easy to reach Girio and from there you have only 3 km to go. When you go west from Kefalokolona, take the first road to the right (37.799425, 20.735633). Since the towers are ocassionaly visible from there, you just need to follow the road and on crossroads take the branch that seems to head to the towers. The horizontal distance is not the most important thing, because you need to climb this 680 metres. When you reach Girio you are already up in the mountains, the most ascending is done between Pidagakia and Gyrio. After Girio the roads are rather flat.

If you choose the northern route, it may be quite a survival. Rare shadow places and no human habitated areas. However when I was going my way back on this track I did a mistake not shortening my way heading Katastari center, but I travelled to its northern end instead (shortcut route on mapmyrun). Though the place I reached was a beautiful bar by the main road where I refreshed myself with real orange juice.

Both routes have a good start at St. Georgiou church, which is signposted from Katastari. Several metres above it there is a crossroads (37.830191, 20.748597) where you choose either northern (11,5 km) or southern (10 km) route. Both offer about 10% steepness. You may also start from a church above Pidagakia.