Description
The Mnimata Piskopon is one of the most challenging trails in the heart of the Troodos forest. Starting from Kakopetria, the route involves a long, continuous ascent through the beautiful Troodos forest, offering breathtaking, uninterrupted views of the surrounding mountainous area all the way along the route, and ending at the Kampos tou Livadiou picnic area.
The Mnimata Piskopon natural trail is linear with a total distance of 21.2 km out and back and is categorized as very difficult due to its continuous uphill or downhill depending the chosen route. For one way, the elevation gain is 900 meter. The trailhead is in Kakopetria and the estimated time for the hike is 3-4 hours one way and 6-8 hours including the return.
Table of Contents
Viewpoints
The Mnimata twn Piskopon (Monuments of the Bishops) trail remains one of the most visually rewarding yet challenging routes in the Troodos National Forest Park. Spanning approximately 10 kilometers, this linear path is renowned for its continuous, breathtaking views of the Solea Valley, and the distant Morfou Bay. Hikers traverse a rugged landscape characterized by dense thickets of black pine and dramatic cliff edges, which provide a constant panoramic backdrop of the Troodos mountain range. Starting from the Kakopetria area and culminating in a strenuous ascent toward Kampos tou Livadiou, the trail offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and physical challenge for those looking to experience the high-altitude serenity of Cyprus.
Starting points
The trail has both of its ends accessible by car. Therefore the hiker has various options on how to hike the trail. The starting points are listed below:
- Kakopetria. The exact location is depicted in the natural trail information table. If you start from this point you will have a continuous ascent until the other end.
- Kampos tou Livadiou picnic area. Again the location is in the table below but it is also available in google maps. If you start from this point you will have a continuous descent until Kakopetria’s finish point.
Therefore you have the opportunity to do the hike once, assuming you have cars on both ends. Otherwise doing the hike with returning back from where you started will result in 21.2 km.
Personal comments
I did the trail starting from Kakopetria trailhead and ended up at the Kampos tou Livadiou picnic area. The uphill was really tough and continuous and felt like it had no end. Doing it one way I consider it to be 3 – difficult. However if you include also the return in your hike, then the difficulty will rise to very difficult as you will have a very steep descend. Such a trail can be used as a training for hiking trips abroad Cyprus due to similar difficulties in altitude and terrain.
Due to its significant elevation gain and rugged terrain, the Mnimata twn Piskopon trail is recommended exclusively for experienced hikers with a proven track record on strenuous routes. Because the path is largely exposed to the sun with minimal canopy cover, it is best suited for trekking during the winter months or on cool, cloudy days to avoid the intense Mediterranean heat. Preparing for these conditions is essential, as the combination of physical demand and solar exposure makes it one of the more taxing trails within the Troodos Geopark network.
Mnimata Piskopon natural trail information table
| Description | |
| Starting points | Agios Nicolaos Stegis – Fish Hatchery (link) |
| Ending point | Kampos tou Livadiou (link) |
| Distance | 10.66 km (one way) |
| Difficulty (1 – easy, 2 – moderate, 3 – difficult) | 3+ |
| Trail type | Linear |
| ETA finish time | ~4 hours |
| Elevation Gain/Loss | 900/1127 metres |
| Maximum Altitude | 1728 metres |
Elevation Stats
GPS map
Gallery
5 nearby trails
- Kannoures trail
- Kampos tou Livadiou trail
- Chrysovrysi natural trail
- Atalante nature trail
- Artemis Natural Trail
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