Regions and Tracks
The name of the Rhodope mountains comes from the Greek Rhodope (rosy-faced/rosy-cheeked), the name of the mythical queen. Actually Rodopi mountains extend from Greece to South Bulgaria, where more than 80% of the mountain volume lies within the Bulgarian territory. Rodopi, in the Greek territory, is an extensive area of forest between River Nestos and the border line with Bulgaria.
Karantere (Kara Ntere, Bulgarian) is a mostly forested area located in the central and northern parts of the Drama Prefecture (and partially Kavala Prefecture) in Greek Macedonia that extends along the Greek Bulgarian border. Karantere is 90% covered by the forest of Elatia and contains the forest village of Elatia. The Forest of Elatia and Karantere are sometimes used interchangeably when describing the area.
The forest village of Elatia lies at the location known as Koutra, 72 km from Drama, Greece. The forest is owned by the Greek Forest Service, with the village being the administrative and operational center for the Forest of Elatia.
Karantere contains the country's only forest of spruce trees. The landscape of the area has many similarities to that of central and northern Europe. There is a great wealth of plants in Elatia with more than 700 species. Many of which are endemic the Balkans and many of which are rare in Greece. A wide variety of mushrooms can be seen, many which are edible.
The fauna in the area has animal species such as the brown bear, wild boar, deer, roe deer, hare, wolves, wild cat, wood pigeon, eagles, hawks, and woodpeckers, among others.
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