Walking Tours in eastern-mediterranean

The Greeks have more reason than most to be proud of their architectural heritage. However, far less well known than the great works of the classical age are the stone-built villages of Zagoria, an unspoilt region of the Pindos mountains. A challenging wilderness of dramatic 2500m/8000ft peaks, deep chasms, and extensive natural forests, the Pindos is still home to wolf, lynx, bear and wild boar.

The prospect of a self-guided walking tour in Greece, where both the signposts and the maps are in an alien script may appear daunting, but it is not so. Our local representative, Konstantinos, is an experienced mountaineer, well qualified to prepare our easy-to-follow self-guided walk.

From the traditional stone clad village of Tsepelovo, we descend to the Vikos Gorge, at this point marked by the 'Paliojefira' stone bridge dating back to 980 A.D. After the villages of Kipi and Koukouli we cross the 'Misiou' bridge and climb the Vitsa stairs and reach the villages of Vitsa and Monodendri that are built at the edge of the gorge's 1620m high walls. A quick dip in the crystal clear Voidomatis springs will refresh you for the steep ascent to the delightful villages of Papingo, huddled below massive rock towers. There follows a big day ascending up towards Astraka peak, where you can either rest around the Hellenic Alpine club Hut, or you can walk on to the Beautiful Dragon Lake on the edge of the great limestone cliff that borders the Aoos Valley, before returning to Papingo. In spring mountain meadows are a mass of color with Crocus, orchids and gentians. Returning to Papingo, we are then transferred to Ioannina for a night near the shores of Lake Pamvotis.