E-Mountain Bike Tour to the Roof of Lefkada Island

The tour starts in Karya, the main mountain village in Lefkada. Not long after setting off, you’ll leave the village behind and start climbing along quiet, winding roads with amazing views over Karya and the surrounding landscape. We’ll take a break at a great viewpoint to snap some photos and give you a quick rundown of what you’re looking at.

After riding along quiet mountain roads and gradually making our way up toward the island’s interior, we’ll pass through scenic hills dotted with hundreds of old dry-stone terraces—traces of a time when the land was carefully cultivated. It’s a peaceful and beautiful area that gives a real sense of the island’s history. From there, we head to Ammokampos (“sand fields”), a sand quarry tucked at the base of a remote mountain. The scenery here shifts completely—suddenly you’re in a wide, open space that feels almost alien compared to the rest of the island. It’s a surprising and memorable spot that really stands out from the rest of the ride.

We continue our climb toward one of the highest points on Lefkada Island. At the top, around 1000 meters, there’s a small chapel dedicated to St. Elias. But the real highlight here is the view—easily one of the most breathtaking on the island. From this spot, you’ll enjoy a full 360-degree panorama, like looking at a giant 3D map of the surrounding landscape. We’ll take some time to go over the next part of the route while soaking it all in. It’s also the perfect place to have a snack and relax for a bit. Once everyone’s ready, we begin our descent back down the mountain, passing again through the otherworldly landscape of Ammokampos.

After coming down from the mountaintop, we’ll enter the area just above Egklouvi, the highest village on the island. Before heading into the village for a well-deserved coffee or cold drink, we’ll stop by the old NATO base, once operated by American forces during the Cold War—a unique and unexpected piece of history up here. From there, we’ll explore the plateau above the village, where the famous Egklouvi lentils are grown. The traditional threshing floors used to separate the seeds from the plants are still there to see, giving a real sense of the area’s agricultural past. Finally, after an exhilarating descent on winding mountain roads, we’ll roll into the peaceful village square, where we can sit back, relax, and enjoy a drink at a local café.

When we’re ready to leave Egklouvi, we’ll take a beautiful route that offers another chance to see the little church of St. Elias and really appreciate how far we’ve come. This stretch feels like it was made for cycling—smooth and flowing, with great views. It leads us toward the village of Vafkeri, where we’ll stop to visit the ruins of an ancient monastery and learn a bit about its history.

After exploring the monastery, we’ll ride through the quiet cobblestone streets of Vafkeri village before making our way along quiet country roads lined with olive trees. From there, we’ll head back to our starting point in Karya.