You will meet our guide in Athens, who will be waiting for you at the hotel. We will have a short walking tour in the lively area of downtown Athens, go for a dinner in a local tavern, and have a tour briefing from the guide.
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive towards Zagori region. Today's hiking starts at the village of Vradeto, the highest village in the area, at an altitude of 1340m. Until 1974 the village was connected to the rest of the world only by the famous "Vradeto steps", an impressive stone structure using the "native" stone above the Vikos Gorge. During the hike we will visit Beloi, a natural balcony that offers the best and most imposing view of Vikos Gorge. We will descend this stone trail for about an hour and then arrive at the village of Kapesovo. We have free time to explore the village and enjoy a lunch with local delicacies. We will then move on to Dilofo, the nearby village where we will end our day.
After breakfast, we will move towards the traditional village of Monodendri . Today's day is quite interesting as we will cross the imposing gorge of Vikos. It is located in the heart of the National Park of Vikos-Aoos, a magnificent area with great ecological value. A feast of flora and fauna, Vikos is one of a few wildlife shelters in Europe. We will hike for about 7 hours, a 12 km distance, in order to reach the traditional village Vikos, perched on top of the canyon. We will enjoy breathtaking views and then it is time to lunch at the local tavern of the village. Afterwards, we will then drive a 30min distance to Papigko village where we will have free time to walk around and spend the night.
Today is an early start as we will be heading towards Dracolimni. We will be walking uphill and our first stop will be the Astracas shelter at 1930m. During the first part of our journey, we will be passing through forest areas. Soon, the landscape will change as we enter the alpine zone of Mt. Tymphe. The variation of the surrounding environment is something that we should take into consideration, especially during the summer when the temperatures can be really high. Hopefully, on our path will find find three natural refreshing water sources. The journey to our first stop at the shelter will be approximately four hours. There, we will have lunch and rest. After that, we will hit the road again and walk for 1½ hours until we reach our final destination, Dracolimni. The view up there is one of the most mesmerising views that someone can enjoy from the impressive Greek mountain peaks. We return back to the refuge for dinner and rest.
After breakfast, we will start our descent of the mountain from the same path we hiked from Papigko village. On our way to Konitsa, we can have a stop at Ovires natural swimming pools, a truly beautiful and fairly quiet place. In the summer you can enjoy a swim and refresh in one or more of the area's pools or under the small waterfalls. After the stop at Ovires natural ponds, we arrive at Konitsa village where we will have free time to explore it. We will also visit the stone bridge , the largest stone single arch bridge in the Balkans, which is also a point of entry and view of the Aoos gorge. Our final destination for today is a cosy guesthouse located in the woods and next to the river where we will raft the day after. There is also the option of the tree houses, very comfortable with their own wc. Time to relax and enjoy the nature of the place or have a walk across the river. For those who still have energy there is an optional activity of zip line (not included).
What better way to end the day than a BBQ in the woods?
After breakfast at the guesthouse, it is time to explore the Voidomatis river! Relax while raftinging the crystal clear waters of Voidomatis river, in the heart of the National Park of Vikos. Enjoy the stunning nature of the area while paddling through the turquoise water. This is definitely an experience that should not to be missed by anyone. After the activity ends we will start our journey back to Athens. Check in at the hotel.
Our adventure ends today after the breakfast. For those who have a flight back to their country we wish them to have a pleasant and safe journey. For those who continue their holidays in Greece we are sure that they will enjoy wherever they go.
- 6 nights accommodation
- Rafting in Voidomatis river and necessary equipment included
- Hiking tour and Hiking Equipment (baton)
- NomadsPath English speaking guide/tour leader throughout the trip
- Luggage transfer