November – April
Pelicans in winter light
Kerkini is the most important wintering ground for the Dalmatian pelican in all of Europe. Through the winter months the colonies are at their largest and the low sun makes for dramatic photography.
The experience · Lake Kerkini
Boat trips on Lake Kerkini
A modern 35-seat boat built to take 8 to 10 wheelchairs on board together with their companions — with commentary in Greek Sign Language too.
The experience
An hour unlike any other
The engine drops to idle and all that is left is the sound of water. Ahead of you a lake that changes colour every few minutes; behind it Mount Belles; and around you birds most people only ever see in documentaries.
We approach the pelican colonies slowly, pass the buffalo standing chest-deep in the shallows, and stop where the drowned forest still breaks the surface. Spyros tells you what you are looking at, why it is here, and what you would see if you came back in another season.
And he does it in front of everyone — because the boat is built so that everyone can be on it.
Accessibility · A first for Lake Kerkini
The first boat on the lake designed for everyone
Across Greece, most experiences in nature stop where the pavement ends. A boat trip was among the hardest of all: a narrow entrance, steps, an uneven deck, and always the same offer — we’ll lift you.
Our boat was built from scratch so that offer never has to be made.
Level boarding
A wide opening and a ramp level with the deck. No transfer out of the chair, no steps.
8–10 wheelchairs
Clear space for 8 to 10 wheelchairs at the same time, plus their companions, within a total of 35 seats.
Greek Sign Language
Commentary in Greek Sign Language by arrangement, so the guiding reaches deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors too.
Secured & safe
A wheelchair restraint system, life jackets in every size and crew trained to assist passengers with disabilities.
Tell us what you need. Every disability is different. If you use a powered wheelchair, need extra time to board, or are travelling with an assistance dog, say so when you book and we will plan around it.
The vessel
Built for a lake, not for the sea
Low, wide and steady, with a timber canopy that gives shade in August and keeps you dry in November. Kerkini is an enclosed wetland with no waves, and the boat is designed for exactly that: slow, quiet movement that does not startle the birds.
- Capacity
- 35 passengers
- Wheelchairs
- 8–10 at a time, with companions
- Access
- Ramp & level deck
- Shelter
- Canopy along the full length
- Equipment
- Life jackets in all sizes, wheelchair restraints
- Languages
- Greek, English, Greek Sign Language (by arrangement)
What you will see
The lake changes every month
There is no bad season on Kerkini — only different lakes. Here is what you meet, and when.
All year
Buffalo in the shallows
Around 2,000 water buffalo live in the wider area — roughly 80% of the Greek population. In summer they stand in the water for hours, and we get closer than you would expect.
April – June
The spring migration
The migrants return, storks rebuild, water lilies open and the wetland fills with sound. This is the best window for seeing the greatest number of different species in a single trip.
300+ species
And what you did not expect
Herons, cormorants, glossy ibis, ospreys, little owls on the village rooftops. More than 300 bird species have been recorded in the Kerkini wetland.
How it goes
From the jetty and back again
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Meeting at the jetty
We meet you at the departure point, with parking right beside it. We help with the wheelchairs and run quickly through the safety briefing.
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Out onto open water
We leave the shore behind. This is where the commentary begins: how Kerkini was made in 1932, and how it became one of Europe’s most important wetlands.
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Birds and buffalo
We approach the areas where the birds and buffalo gather, engine barely turning. Time for photographs, without being hurried.
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The drowned forest
Depending on the water level we pass among the trees standing in the lake — the strangest, most otherworldly part of Kerkini.
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Back to the jetty
We return after 60 to 90 minutes. If you want to carry on, we will tell you where to eat and which path is worth walking in the afternoon.
Practical
What to know before you come
- Duration
- 60–90 minutes (longer routes by arrangement)
- Departures
- All year, by arrangement
- Meeting point
- Kerkini village — exact spot confirmed when you book
- Parking
- Free, next to the jetty
- Best times
- Early morning or towards sunset
- Price
- On request, by group size and duration
- Bad weather
- Rescheduled at no charge
- What to bring
- Hat, sun cream, binoculars or a long lens
Schools, disability associations, rehabilitation centres and birding groups: we run private departures with unhurried timing, adapted commentary and coordination for several wheelchairs arriving together. Tell us about your group.
Frequently asked
Questions about the boat trip
The boat comes alongside a fixed jetty and you board through a wide opening over a ramp, level with the deck. You stay in your own wheelchair, which is then secured with a restraint system. There is no transfer into a seat and no point in the trip where anyone has to get up.
Between 8 and 10 at a time, together with their companions. Total capacity is 35 people. The exact number depends on the type of chairs, so let us know when you book.
Yes. Arranged when you book, the commentary about the lake, its birds and the history of the wetland is delivered in Greek Sign Language, so the experience is fully accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors.
The standard route takes 60 to 90 minutes. Departures run all year by arrangement. The best light for birds and photography is shortly after sunrise, or late afternoon towards sunset.
Yes. Lake Kerkini is an enclosed, calm wetland with no waves or currents. The boat has a full-length canopy, life jackets in every size including children's, and moves at low speed.
If conditions are not suitable we contact you in good time and reschedule for another hour or another day, at no charge.
The price depends on the number of people, the duration and whether you want a private departure. Call +30 6986 911 811 or send us a message and you will have an exact price the same day.
Bookings
Book your boat trip
Send us a date, the number of people, and whether you need wheelchair spaces or sign language. We reply the same day.