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Touring the Zagori area on foot is a "life experience".
(anyone of good health and fitness can do the trek).

The Zagorohoria  | Hotels in the Zagoria | Activities | Touring the Zagoria 

The prospect of a walking tour in Greece, guided or self-guided, may appear daunting, but it is not so. Armed with the map and the guide book that we provide, you can take daily hikes that do not require specialised skills (4-7 hrs long), through an area where foreign hikers predominate. Walking along well marked mountain trails and stone paths that lead to the villages, you may hike for hours without seeing anybody.

The wealth of wild flowers, the variety in trees and the richness of fauna, persuaded the Greek government to declare this area a National Park in 1971. Explore the forested mountains of the Vikos National Park with the old arched stone bridges and the little Byzantine churches.

Getting there: Athens to Ioannina is roughly a 7 hrs trip. An overnight stop at "Giannena" is advised to give you the opportunity to eplore the beautiful city by the lake Pamvotida. From Ioannina to the Zagori villages (30-40km), the trip takes another hour. The biggest challenge of hiking the area is how to return to your point of origin. The long, winding Vikos gorge separates the villages from each other and it takes hours to drive to a village that is visible across the gorge. Local buses run twice a day, stoping in the village squares; one service connecting the villages near Papigko and the other connecting the villages near Monodendri.

• One can hike a round trip, of course. The road is the same, but trails look vastly different when traveling the opposite direction,
• One can back-pack from one village to the next, although passages are steep, or
• One could even arrange to have his luggage sent ahead to the final destination.

An easy-to-follow plan is as follows:

• Starting from Tsepelovo, descend to the Vikos Gorge, at the point marked by the "Paliogefira" stone building. After Kipi and Koukouli you cross the "Misiou" bridge and climb the Vitsa stairs (3hrs.) to reach Vitsa and Monodendri. In summer, a quick dip in the crystal clear waters of the Voidomatis springs will refresh you for the steep ascent to the villages of Papigko.
• Starting from Megalo Papigko you can follow an ascend along the flanks of Mt. Astraka en route to the Mountain Refuge. At 2100m. the refuge located on a beautiful ridge between two valleys, affords some of the most spectacular views of the Pindus Mountains ( 4 1/2 hours). You can either rest around the Hellenic Alpine Club Hut, or carry on your hike further up to the beautiful Dragon Lake (Drakolimni), before returning to Papigko. Alpine newts Triturus Alpestris lives here and gives the name of the lake a deeper meaning. In Spring, the mountain meadows are a mass of colour with crocus, orchids and gentians.
• Starting from Monodendri
  • hike along the rim of the Vikos Gorge to the monastery of Agia Paraskevi and explore the impressive fortifications.
  • walk along to the stone trail to Kipi and the famous triple arched Kipi bridges.
  • descend into the Vikos Gorge one of the most interesting geological formations in Europe. Walk along the river (filled with trout), below the Astraka massif. (Duration 6-7 hrs).
  • hike to “the big trees” (leisurely), enjoying the view overlooking a valley near Konitsa. (Duration 5-6 hrs).
  • Head south towards Tsepelovo, a regional center for the Zagorian villages. This hike takes us to Sarakatsani shepherd colonies before reaching the path to Tsepelovo (6 hrs).
• From Tsepelovo follow a long abandoned stone-paved trail through small villages and continue to the famous Kipi bridges (4-5hrs).
• Visit the Vlacho village of Vovoussa - one of the most remote villages in all of Greece. Greek is the language in this unique area, but the locals also speak the local “Vlahika” language.
• Visit Metsovo and visit the interesting Tositsa’s Museum or hike to the village across the valley near Metsovo(6hrs).

Hiking paths - suggested by oreivatein

Remember that:

• Beside Papigko villages, the towers of Papigko look great from the village at the time of sunset.
• One can take a longer walk from Astraka to the village of Tsepelovo that will make the tramp a hard long day walk and would be recommended to start from the Astraka refuge saving the first half day climb from the Papigko to the refuge.
• The hike from Papigko villages through the Vikos gorge to Monodendri or Vitsa takes all day one way so transportation is needed at the other end to get you back where you started from.
• One can also walk the slopes of the Gamila Massif (2497 m). There are several trails up from the base to the peak. The Gamila Massif is also popular amongst rock climbers and provides an ideal place for the skilled climber with mountaineering skills.