HIKING IN NORTHERN GREECE

This itinerary goes through the following steps:

Day 1 : Ioannina - Tsepelovo
Day 2 : Tsepelovo – Vradeto - Beloi - Tsepelovo
Day 3 : Tsepelovo – Kipi - Koukouli - Tsepelovo
Day 4 : Vitsa – Village of Vikos
Day 5 : Vikos - Papigo
Day 6 : Papigo – Dragon Lake - Papigo
Day 7 : Papigo - Ioannina
Day 8 : Ioannina

A confidential and authentic Greece

This trek will take you through Pindus, the most rugged mountain range in Greece. With summits reaching over 2,400 metres above sea level, the impressive gorges of Vikos and the traditional villages of Zagoria, the Vikos-Aoos national park is particularly well-suited for hiking. We offer you a moderate 5-hour hike per day on average, with a maximum of 6-7 hours walking, on rocky ground and for the most part, on hiking paths. You will stay in hotels in the city and guesthouses in the villages.

Visited destinations in Greece: Mainland Greece 

N.B : Contact our greek specialists so they can customize this itinerary and adapt it to your needs and wishes. 

 

 

Traveling in Greece is about authenticity and charm. When it comes to spending the night in Greece, our local specialists are aware of this priority. Therefore, they selected accomodations based on their quality, service, location. They favour small and independant housings.

Of course, "tailor-made travels" means you can share any special needs and requests with our local specialist so he can adapt his suggestions to your wishes.

Here is the list of hotels for your travel in Greece :

- Tsepelovo : Traditional housing
- Vitsa : Guest house
- Vikos : Hotel
- Papigo : Traditional housing
- Ioannina : Hotel

Estimated price per person, based on a 2-person trip: 1200 euros

- For extra bedroom: 190 euros
Fixed price according to the number of people, the season and the vehicle category

What's included

- Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8. Picnic lunch and dinner in a local tavern.
- The accommodation mentioned includes a double room.
- Transfers and all transport.
- A professional guide.
- Entrance fees to national parks and all taxes.

What's not included

- Your international flights
- Drinks, tips and extras
- Entrance fees to museums and to other sites not included on the itinerary.

Day by Day

Day 1: Ioannina - Tsepelovo

Your guide will welcome you at Ioannina airport. A bus will take you to Tsepelovo where you will spend the night.

Day 2: Tsepelovo – Vradeto - Beloi - Tsepelovo

4 hours of hiking 
From Tsepelovo, at 1,050meters above sea level), you will start to walk towards Vradeto, the highest village, located at1,450 meters. You will continue along a magnificent path which overlooks the Vikos gorge before arriving at the Beloi summit (1,650 m). From there you will have an overall view over the Vikos gorge and you will be able to look at the beautiful paths you will follow the next day. You will go back to the village of Vradeto and continue to go down to the village of Kapesovo. You will take the famous path with Vradeto steps, an old stone staircase dating back to the 16th century. You will take the minibus again for a short transfer to Tsepelovo. You will spend the night in a traditional guesthouse in Tsepelovo.

Day 3: Tsepelovo – Kipi - Koukouli - Tsepelovo

5 hours of hiking 
You will continue to climb down the gorge of Vikos. You will stop at the ancient stone bridge built in 980 AD and which stretches across the valley. You will head through a beech and pine forest where you will perhaps be able to see bear tracks which cross your path. You will stop for lunch in the local tavern in Kipi village. From Kipi you will climb the stone steps to reach the picturesque village of Koukouli. You will come down into the Vikos gorge again, crossing the Misiou bridge to reach the villages of Vitsa and Monodendri built downstream on the edge of the gorge. You will spend a night in a guesthouse in Vitsa.

Day 4: Vitsa – Village of Vikos

7 hours of hiking 
Early in the morning you will take the old stairs to go down to the bottom of the gorge of Vikos. You will walk along the riverbed where you can catch a glimpse of rare species of bird and wild flowers which have found refuge in the gorge. You will arrive at the foot of some impressive cliffs which tower 1000 metres above you. After climbing downwards for around four hours, you will cross the waterfalls of the Voidomatis river. You will arrive in Vikos late afternoon, where you will spend a night in a hotel.

Day 5: Vikos - Papigo

4 hours of hiking 
On you climb back up the path towards the village of Papigo, you will walk along impressive gullies. Above you, the “Towers of Papigo” seem to reach higher and higher. You can swim in the village's natural pool and relax. You will spend the night in a traditional guesthouse.

Day 6: Papigo – Dragon Lake - Papigo

Between 5 and 7 hours of hiking 
From Papigo you will take the mule track through a maze of Mediterranean vegetation to a plateau and end up at a refuge at the neck of Astraka. To the north you can see the Albanian mountains. 3 hours of hiking. After lunch at the refuge there will be an optional walk to the sheepfolds and pastures which surround the picturesque Dragon Lake, perched 2,100 metres above sea level on the edge of the northern slope of Mount Gamila which, at 2,497 metres, is one of the highest peaks in the Pindus mountain range. You will return to Papigo at the end of the day. You will spend the night in a traditional guesthouse. You will have dinner in a local tavern.

Day 7: Papigo - Ioannina

Minibus transfer from Papigo to Ioannina (60 km, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes). Free day to do what you like in Ioannina. The capital of Epirus is located in a beautiful setting with lush green mountains. It boasts beautiful walks round the lake and interesting museums. Overnight stay at a hotel in Ioannina.

Day 8: Ioannina

Transfer to Ioannina airport.

Highlights of the travel in Crete:

- Discovering northern Greece: a confidential region with a lot of wonders
- Visiting traditional villages, Zagorias
- Admiring the beautiful the gorge of Vikos
- Hiking at the heart of nature
- Departures every Saturday from 3 July to 14 August
A 7/7 assistance during your trip

Our advices for this travel in Greece:

- On the one hand, obviously hiking in Greece requests to bring appropriate material: it's time to use your best shoes! On the other hand, you'll need your sunscreen, swimsuit and a hat to enjoy sunbathing in the perfect conditions!
- When it comes to visiting Tsepelovo, feel the greek Dolce Vita by observing the local ambience.
- Ioannina is full of surprises. You can visit its mosques, its castle, the Pamvotida lake and the Perama caves.

Have an amazing experience in Greece!