There are beautiful places in the world hidden, not featured in the headlines and that
you barely hear about them. Thus, he discovers the Zagoria region in Epirus, Greece.
Traditional villages, stone paths, arched bridges and an intact natural beauty. Also during your Walking Holiday in Greece , do not miss the opportunity to visit Meteora, a UNESCO world heritage site, and follow thepaths of the ancient monks.
Join us in this exploration to discover on foot the secret paths of Vikos, the Aoos
National Park, learn about the myths and stories of the area and observe the flora and
fauna of the area.
Walk through the Vikos Gorge, one of the deepest canyons in the world
Explore traditional stone villages intact through time
Cross arched stone bridges
Walk on the alpine lake of the Dragon “Drakólimni” (2,100m altitude)
Observe the flora and fauna of the Vikos and Aoos National Park
Follow the paths of the ancient monks and walk to the monasteries of Meteora
Taste the delicious typical cuisine and enjoy the hospitality of the locals
Athens(Google Map)
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Meteora is one of the most impressive areas in Greece, with huge rocks in the middle of a valley. Located in the north of the country, the rocks of Meteora are in fact miracles of nature. Studies suggest that these rocks formed 60 million years ago, when inclement weather and earthquakes gave them their current shape. What created this rare geological phenomenon is one of the mysteries of nature and there are many theories about it, which unfortunately have never been proven. But as incredible as a natural wonder is, as miraculous and spectacular as the view is from the top! In addition to these impressive pinnacles, many monasteries were built during the Byzantine era.
Arrival at Athens airport, transfer to your hotel in the center of Athens, free day
to explore the city
After breakfast, we leave for the impressive area of Zagori (approx 7 hours by
car, including stops).
Visit of the viewpoint of Agia Paraskevi
Upon arrival, we will visit the Byzantine church of Agía Paraskevi from the village
of Monodendri. A very easy route will take us to the third most spectacular viewpoint of the Garganta. Let’s also walk on one of the most dangerous and impressive trail in the country!
Duration: approx. 1:00hr / Distance: 2km
** That trail is temporarily closed by falling rocks, we do not know if it will reopen.
Visit the Oxia viewpoint and the Stone Forest
Then, we will go to the second most spectacular viewpoint of the Garganta, in
Oxia. We will also visit the unique Stone Forest, a natural monument of rock formations.
Return to the town of Vitsa, arrival at our hotel, rest and dinner.
Meals included: breakfast, snack, dinner
Accommodation: Traditional hotel in Vitsa
Duration: aprox. 4:30hr / Distance: 11,4km
Starting from the village of Kapesovo, we will go down to the gorge and climb the stairs of Vradeto (stone path built in the 16th century on the slopes of the Vikos gorge) to the highest village of Zagoria, Vradeto (1.340m). From there, we will follow another path to reach the Beloi point of view (1.450m), where we can
enjoy the panoramic views of the Vikos ravine. Return to Kapesovo by the same
route.
Hiking Trail: ARCH STONE BRIDGES
A route that will remind us of history and old times! After lunch, we will follow a
route through the forests of downtown Zagori and visit the six most beautiful
and well-known stone bridges of the Gorge.
Duration: aprox. 4:30hr / Distance: 11,4km
*Please keep in mind that this route is very flexible and can be done in many
different ways, always depending on the level of the group. You can do all walking or
cut car parts etc.
Return to the town of Vitsa, arrival at our hotel, rest and dinner
Meals included: breakfast, snack food, dinner
Accommodation: Traditional hotel in Vitsa
Duration: approx. 5:30-6:00hr / Distance: 13km
This is one of the most beautiful, impressive and rewarding roads in the area and is considered one of the deepest gorges in the entire world! Crossing the ravine, we can admire the rare varieties of wild birds and flowers of the Vikos-Aoos National Park. Early in the afternoon we will arrive at the town of Vikos.
Transfer to our hotel in Papigo, rest and dinner
Meals included: breakfast, snack food, dinner
Accommodation: Traditional hotel in Papigo
Duration: approx. 6: 30hr (incl resting on the lake) / Distance: 11.6km
Our route today is ascending towards the dragon lake and then the refuge of
Astraka. It is a quite demanding route but also impressive! The alpine landscape
will captivate you without a doubt! Continue to the beautiful « Lake of the
Dragon », located at 2050m altitude. The view of this magical landscape will
definitely reward you after a long day of hiking.
Return to the shelter of Astraka, to enjoy the views and the sunset. Dinner at the
shelter.
Meals included: breakfast, snack food, dinner
Accommodation: Astraka refuge
Today, we will walk back to the town of Papigo (descending route).
Duration: approx. 2:30hr / Distance: 6km
Arriving at the town of Papigo, we will visit the natural swimming pools in
Ovires: a beautiful gorge, where the rocks in the form of foam form small pools.
After snack food, we will leave for Meteora, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage (approx
2.5 hours by car)
Meals included: breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: 3 * Hotel in Meteora
Duration: max. 5: 00hrs (incl visits in the monasteries) / Distance: 6-8 km
Today we will explore on foot the unique landscape of Meteoraand admire the spectacular sandstone rocks with 400 meters of height. Let's follow the old paths
used by the monks, through the steep rocks, visit one of the monasteries and enjoy the beautiful views!
Picnic in Meteora and departure to return to Athens (about 4.5 hours by car)
Meals included: breakfast, lunch.
Accommodation: 3 * Hotel in Athens
Breakfast and at the indicated time transfer to Athens airport.
* The program and activities included depend on weather conditions and
can be modified for security reasons if they are not feasible
