Butterfly Valley, Seven Springs and Filerimos: The Nature Tours Inland on Rhodes
Updated October 8, 2026 · 6 min read
The short answer: the nature day inland is a good choice for a hot afternoon you would rather not spend on the beach, and a poor one outside the summer, because what the Butterfly Valley is known for is only there from June to September. If you go in summer, the combined tour is the easy way. If you would rather drive yourself, Seven Springs is simple to reach and the valley is close.
What you are actually going to see
Locals call the place Petaloudes, the Valley of the Butterflies. The creatures are not butterflies but Jersey tiger moths, an endemic Rhodian subspecies, and they gather by the thousands in the shaded valley from about the end of May to the end of September. Outside that season the valley is still a shaded walk, but without the moths, and that is the part to keep in mind if you travel in spring or October. According to a trail guide, entry is €5 for adults in the warm season and €3 from 1 October to 31 May, with children under 12 free; check the price on the day, since tickets change.
Seven Springs, Epta Piges, is about 30 km from Rhodes Town. Its seven springs feed a small lake roughly 200 m long. To reach the lake you can walk through a 186 m tunnel, built in 1931 to carry the spring water; it is narrow and dark, and you walk through it with water at your feet, so bring sandals you do not mind getting wet; an alternative path exists for those who prefer not to use it. The area sits in a protected Natura 2000 zone together with the Butterfly Valley and Mount Profitis Ilias.
Filerimos, near Ialyssos, has the remains of the ancient acropolis and the Monastery of Our Lady. The monastery has its own entry fee, and published figures vary, so check the amount before you go.
The nature tours
The Butterfly Valley and Seven Springs nature day trip costs €26.10 per person, 7 hours, 4.5 stars from 1,735 reviews. The listing describes an active day with light walking and free time. It is the one we would point most people towards, because it covers the two best-known stops and is the most-reviewed of the nature tours that do not include Lindos.
The Filerimos Hill and Butterfly Valley half-day bus tour is €21.06, 6.5 hours, 4.4 stars from 1,108 reviews, with hotel pickup and drop-off from locations in northern Rhodes and a medium-sized group. It trades the springs for a history stop.
Lindos is the other half of several tours. The Lindos and Seven Springs bus tour is €17.60 for 7 hours, 4.3 stars from 3,874 reviews, and the guided Lindos and Seven Springs tour is €21.60 for 7.5 hours, 4.4 stars from 1,346 reviews. A day that does both leaves less time in Lindos, which is compared in Lindos from Rhodes.
There is a western version too: the Kamiros, Embona, Mount Profitis Ilias and Kallithea tour, 8 hours, €40.50, 4.4 stars from 472 reviews, which covers the west coast and the mountains instead.
All the inland tours are on the Butterfly Valley and Seven Springs page, from €14.
Tour or your own car?
With your own car you choose the hour, which matters for the cool of the morning and for the tunnel. The tour takes the driving off your hands and combines stops that are a good distance apart. If you want to see what a rental costs, you can compare rental cars for Rhodes, and the excess and deposit are for you to check with the provider.
The honest part
Do not go for the moths in April or October. Do go for the shade and the cool water in July and August, when the beach is at its hottest. The tunnel is not for everyone: it is narrow, dark and wet, and if anyone in your group has trouble with confined spaces or uneven footing, ask the operator about the alternative path before you book. The listings describe light walking, which is not the same as being suitable for everyone, and we do not know the exact terrain of each stop.
Whichever way you go, an earlier start gives you the cooler hours.
Which one, for whom
| Tour | Total | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly Valley and Seven Springs | 7 hours | €26.10 | 4.5 (1,735) | most people, summer |
| Filerimos and Butterfly Valley | 6.5 hours | €21.06 | 4.4 (1,108) | history and nature in half a day |
| Lindos and Seven Springs | 7 hours | €17.60 | 4.3 (3,874) | two highlights, low price |
| Guided Lindos and Seven Springs | 7.5 hours | €21.60 | 4.4 (1,346) | those who want a guide |
