Photo Safari in Crete

Moundros – Arfyroupoli- Kournas Lake
The village of Moundros was built at an altitude of 290 meters, with about 200 permanent inhabitants and is divided into two neighbourhoods, the Panochori (Uptown) and Katohori (Downtown).

The church of Agios Nikolaos, the church of Agios Konstantinos and the church of Agioi Anargiroi of the 11th century are the most important religious attractions of the village. For nature lovers, there is the Moundriano Gorge at the western part of the settlement, 2.5 kilometres in length, ending near the village Velonado. The high cliffs of the canyon are the natural habitat for vultures. There is a good path descending to the river, which is full-flowing for most of the year.

After this wonderful place, we will continue our journey to the waterfalls of Argyroupolis. Argyroupoli is a green oasis with watermills and gurgling waters!The sources and the restaurants are surrounded by lush green nature and offer ultimate relaxation. The water gushes from the cave to the chapel of St. Force, which is definitely worth a visit. The restaurants will spoil you with good traditional food, as trout and sturgeons or meat dishes (Cretan lamb).

The Kournas Lake, which we will visit next, is located in a beautiful landscape, lying in a valley among the hills, about 4 km from Georgioupolis. The landscape is lovely and relaxing, whether you want to go for a walk in the countryside, swim or ride a pedalo on the lake.The lake is fed by streams from the nearby mountains and hills, whose underground courses are interrupted by the local bedrock on the way to the sea.The ecosystem of Kournas Lake and its environs are protected under Natura 2000.Herons and cormorants sometimes appear on the lake. Recently there have been reports of large goldfish appearing in it, as somebody dumped them there without considering the results of introducing a new species to a closed ecosystem.