Lake Kerkini, covering 109.96 square kilometres and reaching a depth of 35.5 metres, dominates the landscape in the wider Serres region, northeastern Greece. The lake, a 35-km distance from Serres, the city, and approximately 95 km from Thessaloniki, is easily reached.
It is a comfortable one hour and twenty-minute drive from the country’s second city, making it an attraction for one-day excursions. Day trippers have greatly contributed to the lake’s development as a destination, nowadays ranked as one of Greece’s top alternative tourism attractions.
A number of guest houses and restaurants may be found at the lakeside area. Visitors can also enjoy various recreational activities here, including canoeing, bird watching, archery, photography, horse riding, fishing, as well as trekking along trails that have been carved through the lakeside forest area, on the eastern side, an attraction, itself.
This idyllic locale, nowadays classified as a National Park, wetland of international importance, as well as a part of the European Natura 2000 network, is not a wonder of nature but, as is often overseen, the result of human intervention. Lake Kerkini, to put it short, is man-made. It was created in 1932, below Mount Beles, as a result of a dam project developed in the Lithotopos area. The lake is fed by the abundant waters of the Strymonas river.
Generally speaking, the late autumn months of October and November, prior to early winter’s chillier weather, are a lovely time to visit Lake Kerkini. Birdwatchers consider the months of May and June the best times to visit Lake Kerkini, when eggs have hatched.
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Besides the range of bird species either based at Lake Kerkini or passing through, including marvellous and endangered species such as dalmatian pelicans and pygmy cormorants, the animal life on the banks or under the water is also remarkable. Careful observers may spot deer, wild boars, even visiting wolves, while the lake’s underwater world is estimated to host around 30 water species, dominated by carp and eels.
But, as indicated by the title of this article, water buffaloes are this lake’s main wildlife attraction. According to legend, they arrived during ancient times, brought over by Persians during the Persian Wars.
Nowadays, this species of ruminant mammal, related to ox, also lives in Mikri Prespa, the Amvrakikos Gulf, as well as at the delta of the Spercheios river. Water buffaloes are the star attraction at Lake Kerkini with a population estimated at more than 4,000, by far the biggest in Greece.
Apart from their imposing presence, water buffaloes are of great importance to the economic life of Kerkini, as they produce fine, unique mead products, nowadays renowned all over Greece.
Read also:
Lake Kerkini’s traditional plava: the most photogenic feature of the wetland
A stunning place in Northern Greece “leaning” over a wonderful artificial lake
Paradise on earth: a lush forest in northern Greece enchants visitors
