Kalamaris Waterfalls (Καταρράκτης Καλαμάρης)

Messinia Prefecture, Peloponnese, Greece

About Kalamaris Waterfalls (Καταρράκτης Καλαμάρης)

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The Kalamaris Waterfalls (also Καταρράκτης Καλαμάρης or Kalamari Waterfall or “Squid Waterfall” in Greek) was a tall waterfall with two distinct tiers.

I think of this waterfall like a low-key local waterfall as it’s quite close to the seaside lagoon town of Gialova, which itself is perhaps less than 15 minutes drive from the attractive town of Pylos.

Kalamaris_058_03312024 - One of the drops belonging to the Kalamaris Waterfalls
One of the drops belonging to the Kalamaris Waterfalls

In my experiences with Greece Waterfalls, especially in the Peloponnese, I’ve found them to require some degree of adventure and/or risk as far as accessing it – whether by foot, or by car, or a combination of both.

In the case of the Kalamaris Waterfall, I’d say that it was more difficult to drive to this waterfall (see directions below) than it was to hike to it.

In fact, a sign near the trailhead indicated that it was a mere five-minute walk to get to the waterfall.

That said, my hiking excursion took closer to 10-15 minutes or so without stops at a very deliberate pace, but the trail was pretty well-used and benign.

Kalamaris_008_03312024 - Encountering a surprising grove of bamboo as well as olive trees on the way to the Kalamaris Waterfalls
Encountering a surprising grove of bamboo as well as olive trees on the way to the Kalamaris Waterfalls

On the other hand, it took me around 20 minutes to drive to the trailhead from Pylos (though it might be half that time if driving from Gialova).

In any case, the trail initially passed through a forest with the ubiquitous olive trees as well as a surprise grove of bamboo.

There were even some limestone or some kind of karst walls as well as alcoves as I got closer to the waterfall (perhaps hinting at the geology resulting in its formation).

Only at the very end did I have to traverse some kind of small dam or wall, and then cling to a potentially muddy ledge with steps on it to get over an initial hill.

Kalamaris_018_03312024 - An interesting limestone alcove seen along the Kalamaris Waterfall Trail perhaps hinting at the geology giving rise to the waterfall itself
An interesting limestone alcove seen along the Kalamaris Waterfall Trail perhaps hinting at the geology giving rise to the waterfall itself

Once I was on the other side of that hill, I could finally see the Kalamaris Waterfall and its tall, slender characteristic as it dropped in a pair of twisting tiers.

From a distance, I could see that there was a tree and some cliff profiles that conspired to keep the full height of this waterfall from being seen satisfactorily.

However, as I got closer to the waterfall’s plunge pool, only the bottom tier could be cleanly seen while only hints of the profile of the upper drop revealed itself.

The plunge pool was interesting in that I encountered quite a few frogs that inhabit this area, which resulted in sudden splashes of water when I approached the base of the falls.

Kalamaris_060_03312024 - Closeup look at one of the frogs that inhabit the plunge pool beneath the Kalamaris Waterfalls
Closeup look at one of the frogs that inhabit the plunge pool beneath the Kalamaris Waterfalls

Given that Greece was in the midst of a multi-year drought as of late March 2024, I was actually surprised at how well this waterfall was flowing (though I have seen in the literature photos of this waterfall flowing with greater vigor).

Overall, I spent about 45 minutes away from the car with about 20 minutes of it spent just admiring the waterfall and its surroundings.

So that gives you an idea of how little of my effort was spent hiking.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that this waterfall can also be referred to as the Gialova Waterfall due to its proximity to the coastal village.

Kalamaris_007_iPhone_03312024 - The Kalamaris Waterfall is actually a surprisingly tall waterfall, but its twisting trajectory and foliage getting in the way kind of made it look smaller than it really is
The Kalamaris Waterfall is actually a surprisingly tall waterfall, but its twisting trajectory and foliage getting in the way kind of made it look smaller than it really is

However, I still don’t understand how the waterfall got the name “kalamaris” (i.e. squid or calamari in Greek).

Authorities

The Kalamaris Waterfall is near the village of Gialova of the Messinia Prefecture in the Peloponnese Administrative Region of Greece. It is not clear if there’s an official governing body that presides over these waterfalls. However, it seems like local landowners and town officials from Gialova and the Schinolakka Village have been responsible for signs and road/trail infrastructure. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Greece National Tourism Organization website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.

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Tagged with: kalamaris, kalamari, calamari, gialova, frogs, pylos, pilos, messini, messinia, peloponnese, greece



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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