Boating on Lake Stymphalia
Although I have been living in this area on and off for 30 years and have been exploring it for at least 20, this is an activity that not only had I never tried. In fact, I did not even imagine it existed! Until last weekend, when the local Cultural Association of Stymphalia, in the context of the World Environment Day 2026, organised boat tours on the mythical Lake Stymphalia. Participants from around the area had the opportunity of boating with local fishermen using the traditional flat-bottom boats. They result was a bit of a Thailand vibe I think!
You may remember, from your school days, the infamous Stymphalian Birds, terrifying man-eating creatures which were finally killed by Hercules, during his sixth labour. Today, Lake Stymphalia, located at an altitude of 600m, is the southernmost mountain wetland of the Balkans and home to a huge variety of fauna (some 160 bird species). It participates in the EU protected Natura 2000 network and is included in the Hellenic Ornithological Society’s catalogue of important bird areas of Greece. Migratory birds such as herons, coots, great terns, black terns, night ravens and mergansers, find refuge here.
This is what it looked like:
We boated in the early afternoon, but promised ourselves to come back soon, at dawn or dusk, to fully appreciate the Lake as bird paradise!
Contact us for more information on this activity.
PS. My son was especially captivated by the endless number of baby frogs.
This is what it looked like from the boat:
Tips
Here are some things you can combine your boating trip with:
- A visit to the Environmental Museum of Stymphalia
- A hike from Environmental Museum of Stymphalia to the open-air archaeological site of Ancient Stymphalos (it starts here)
- A meal under the beautiful trees of the taverna 7F on your way back to the hotel. Map here.
Details