Steni is a semi-mountainous village on the island of Evia, built at an altitude of 400m on the southern slopes of Mount Dirfi and is located on the road Artakis - Kymi, at a distance of 32km from Chalkida. The village, which is divided into two settlements, Kato Steni and Ano Steni, is known for the heavy snowfall it receives during the winter months, a phenomenon due to the cold northeast winds that reach the island after passing over the entire northern Aegean sea.
The Karaouli craq is located at the foot of the mountain, just above Steni.
To access the area from Chalkida, we head north, initially following the coastal road to N. Artaki and from there we turn right towards Kathenoi and Steni. Passing the settlement of Kato Steni, we begin to see high up on our left the large group of red rocks, Karaouli, but we continue until we reach Ano Steni after about 1Km. Arriving at the central square of the village, next to the kiosk, there is a comfortable parking space. From there we follow the alley that passes between the two hotels, which after 300m becomes a path that leads us to the rocks with a 15min walk.
Steni offers a base for many activities in the Dirfi - Xerovouni massif, such as climbing, hiking and mountain biking. At the same time, the village has accommodation (hotels and rooms for rent), many (good) taverns and nice cafes for those who want to stay there for days. At relatively close distance by car is the mountain refuge, while there is also the possibility of camping high up on the mountain in beautiful meadows.
The rock in the climbing field at Karaouli is high quality limestone ranging from 15m to 80m in height. The first sports routes were opened by G. Theocharopoulos and A. Skevofylakas, who equipped them with bolds, while the belays were doubled with two bolds and rings, so that rappelling was possible.
The best time for climbing in the crag is spring and autumn, not excluding the summer months, because there is always, even in mid-July, a breeze in the area which, combined with the shadow that falls on the rocks after noon, makes climbing quite pleasant.