7 Days Journey To Vikos-aoos National Park From Athens

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Athens, check in at the hotel and dinner in a local tavern.

Stop At: Athens, Athens, Attica
You will meet our guide in Athens, waiting for you at the hotel. As there not any activity included this day we will have a short walk tour in the lively area of downtown Athens, go for a dinner in a local tavern. and have a tour briefing from the guide.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Athens, Athens, Attica
Explore a local neighborhood of Athens. Walk around and have a dinner in a local tavern
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at a hotel in the center of Athens

Day 2: Travel to Zagori area, hike Vradeto Steps and visit local villages

Stop At: Skalopatia Vradeto, Vradeto Greece
Today's hiking starts from the village of Vradeto the highest village in the area, built 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 descent this stone trail for about an hour and we will arrive at the village of Kapesovo. We have free time to explore the village and enjoy a lunch with local delicatessens. We will then move to Dilofo, the nearby village where we will end our day.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Accommodation in Dilofo in traditional guest house or hotel

Day 3: Transfer to Monodendri village, cross Vikos gorge, visit local villages

Stop At: Vikos Gorge, Zagoria Greece
After breakfast, we will move towards the traditional village 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 the 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 luch at the local tavern of the village.
We will then drive a 30min distance to Papigko village where we will have free time to walk around and spend the night.
Duration: 7 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at Papiggo village

Day 4: Hike up to the alpine Dragon lake, and sleep at the refuge house.

Stop At: Drakolimni, Papigko Greece
We will have 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 will be passing through forest areas. Soon enough, the landscape will change as we will be entering 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 till our first stop at the shelter will be approximately four hours. There, we will have lunch and some rest. After that we will hit the road again and we will walk for 1.5 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.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the refuge house on the mountain. Dormitory style.

Day 5: Descent the mountain, arrive at Amarantos village and enjoy a natural hot steam bath.

Stop At: Amarantos, Amarantos, Ioannina Region, Epirus
After breakfast we will start our descent of the mountain. Depending the season, the fitness and the willingness of the participants we have two options. One, to take Davalitsa’s path. This path will take us through forest areas and after five hours walking we will reach our destination, Konitsa. Second option, is to take the same path we hiked from M. Papigko village which is easier and shorter.
Later we move to Konitsa, but we can have a stop on our way at Ovires natural swimming pools. A truely 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.Free time to explore the village and have a lunch.

Our next stop is Amarantos village 45mins away from Konitsa, an isolated small village located on the mountains near the border with Albania. In the village there are hot springs which are unique to their species across Europe and we will have the chance to enjoy the therapeutic effects of steam. Dinner and overnight staying at the guesthouse, in a cozy family environment at an altitude of 1260m.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay at a traditional guest house in Amarantos

Day 6: Rafting at Voidomatis river - Travel back to Athens

Stop At: Voidomatis River, Klidonia Voidomatis Greece
After breakfast at the guesthouse, it is time to explore Voidomatis river!
An ideal, for beginners or families, relaxing rafting descent in the crystal clear waters of Voidomatis river, ranked as the cleanest river in Europe, in the heart of the National Park of Vikos.
Enjoy the stunning nature of the area while paddling through turquoise crystal waters. Without any technical difficulties during the rafting, is definitely an experience that should not to be missed by anyone.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at a hotel in the center of Athens

Day 7: Departure day

Pass By: Athens, Athens, Attica
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.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.