15-day Itinerary Walking in the Pindos and on Mt. Olympus Massif
8-day itinerary Walking in the Pindos
Vikos Gorge and Smolikas Peak
Trekking Two Great Mountain Ranges
The
Northern Pindos is one of the finest wilderness areas in the Balkans. The
landscape is on a grand scale and provides some exhilarating trekking.
Walk along the Vikos Gorge, climb to ancient Zagorian Villages, mountain
lakes and peaks. The 15 day itinerary includes Mt. Olympus the highest
mountain in Greece.
We commence the
trek with a walk in the spectacular1620m-deep Vikos Gorge and explore
forests of hornbeam, beech and pine. Above the tree line there are alpine
meadows, a riot of flowers in spring. We walk under the stunning Papingo
towers and up to the enchanting Dragon Lake, a reminder of the region’s
glacial past. On the route we stay in the ancient villages of Zagoria,
perched high above the Vikos Gorge or cradled beneath the mountains. The
15-day tour then crosses a high pass and climbs the slopes of Smolikas
before heading east to the Olympus Massif with a visit to the famous
monasteries of Meteora, perched on almost inaccessible pinnacles. The
climax of the tour must be the ascent of the walkers summit of Mount
Olympus, home of Zeus of course.
The mountainous
Pindos region is thinly populated and much of the lower ground is still
covered by dense forest within which live wolves, bears and lynx. Griffon
vultures soar above the peaks, while Egyptian vultures haunt the gorges.
The Pindos and Mount Olympus are botanically rich, with over 3000 plant
species and many rarities, particularly on Olympus itself and on the
unusual serpentine soils of Smolikas peak. The high summer pastures are
grazed in by sheep, to produce the many excellent local cheeses such as
kefalotiri.
8 day
GPP06 Sun 6 June - Sun 13 June
GPP05 Sun 5 September - Sun 12 September 15 day
GPP06 Sun 6 June - Sun 20 June
GPP05 Sun 5 September - Sun 19 September
Day
1 Arrive Preveza, transfer to Vitsa near Monodendri. 2
Walk the Vikos Gorge to Vikos village. 3 Walk to Mikro
Papingo. 4 Ascend to Dragon Lake, Overnight in Astraka
Hut/Refuge. 5 Pass between the Astraka peak (2436m) and
Gamilia Peak (2497m), descend to Tsepelovo. 6
Walk to the village of Kipi, and its beautiful bridges. Return to
Tsepelevo. 7 Rest day in Tsepelovo or transfer to Ioannina (8
day itinerary). *8 Walk over the high Tsouka Rossa pass and
descend through beech and pine forest to remote Vrisohori. 9
Across the Aoos valley to Pades. 10
Traverse of Smolikas peak and descend to Samarina, the highest
village in Greece and summer home of the Vlach people. 11
Road transfer to Litochoro. En route stop off at Meteora for lunch
and monastery visit. 12 Walk up to Spilios Agapitos
Hut/Refuge. 13 Conditions permitting, ascend Skolio, the
walkers summit of Mt Olympus: walk down to Litochoro. (No rock
scrambling ability or special equipment is needed). 14 Road
transfer via Metsovo (lunch) to Ioannina. 15 To Preveza
airport.
*
8 day trip to Preveza airport.
Sherpa
Notes
Max
Altitude
2911m. No mountaineering experience is necessary. These walks
should present no difficulties to anyone in reasonable condition,
accustomed to hill walking. The walking is generally moderate with
some strenuous sections, and long days.
Accommodation
and Meals
Nights 4 and 12 use mountain refuges. Hotels are used for the
nights in Litochoru, Pades and Ioannina. On the other nights in the
pretty villages of Zagoria, we stay in traditional small lodging
houses.
Support
Your baggage is transferred by local transport to minimise the
need to carry. Overnight clothing has to be carried for the 2
nights spent at mountain refuges.
Trek
Crew
Our team of locally-based English-speaking trek leaders are
experienced mountaineers with first hand knowledge of the land,
the people and their traditions.
Internal
Travel
Minibus transfers between Preveza and start and end of the walk;
also between Samarina and Litochoro on day 11, both transfers are
included in the cost of the tour.
The
Northern Pindos is one of the finest wilderness areas in the Balkans. The
landscape is on a grand scale and provides some exhilarating trekking.
Walk along the Vikos Gorge, climb to ancient Zagorian Villages, mountain
lakes and peaks. The 15 day itinerary includes Mt. Olympus the highest
mountain in Greece.