Zagori: Vikos gorge walking

After your arrival in Ioannina airport or bus station you will take a taxi to Kipi.  Kipi is a very picturesque village known for its impressive stone built arch bridges. Bridges were built centuries ago to connect the villages, especially during winter times when the rivers became impassable. The bridges are named after the wealthy family or noble who built it.

TIP: book an additional night in this village allowing a fabulous walk from Vradeto (1450m) to the great viewpoint at Beloi from where you can look right over the Vikos gorge in all its resplendence.

Back in Vradeto village you follow the famous steps of Vradeto downhill to Kapesovo; a magnificent cobbled path zigzagging down the slope. 

From Kipi you descend and cross the Voidomatis river via the old Mylos bridge. You walk along the Voidomatis river and cross the river again via the beautiful Kokkorou bridge. There you enter the upper end of the Vikos gorge, just a taster here of what is to come. You go across the old Misiou bridge and ascend a beautiful path up to the village Vitsa, uilt at the edge of the gorge. You continue to Monodendri where you will rest for the night. 

Challenge:  9 km / 5,5 mi, 3 hours, 450m ascent, 150m descent

From Monodendri you have the option to make 3 different walks all to different view points over the magnificent Vikos gorge. Recommended is to go at least to the nearby abandoned monastery of Agia Paraskevi from where you have stunning views over the Vikos canyon. Most famous is the Oxya view point that you reach via a path through a bizar wood of eroded rock pillars.

And why not visit the unknown view point at the chapel of Agioi Apostoloi? 

Challenge (3 options)

Option 1:  8 km / 5 mi, 2.5 hours, 325 m ascent, 325 m descent
Option 2:  1.6 km / 0,94 mi, 30 min, 60 m ascent, 60 m descent
Option 3:  2 km / 1,24 mi, 50 min, 50 m ascent, 50 m descent

This is the real high light of this trip! Descend 400 elevation meters from Monodendri to the bottom of the gorge and then move up along the river bed until the Voidomatis springs. Mostly you walk close to the river bed and sometimes a bit higher. Lots of opportunities to swim or just cool your feet in the fresh water. From the Voidomatis springs you ascend via a beautiful cobbled path up to the village Vikos, a tiny village overlooking the impressive Vikos gorge, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as deepest canyon in the world in proportion to its width. 

Challenge:  12.5 km / 8 mi, 4.5 hours, 475 m ascent, 760 m descent

You can first admire once more the views over the Vikos gorge before descending to the Voidomatis springs. On the way you have the option to make a small detour to the church of the once bigger monastery of Panagia tou Vikou. At the icy springs of Voidomatis you go across the river. Until June there is a chance that you have to take off your boots to go across. You follow the zigzagging  path uphill to Megalo Papingo, one of the most popular Zagorian villages and located under the socalled Towers of Astraka: great limestone buttresses. You will stay in a beautiful mansion in the village. 

Challenge (2 options):

Option 1:  5.3 km / 3,5 mi, 2 hours, 450 m ascent, 530 m descent
Option 2:  6.3 km / 4 mi, 2.5 hours, 550 m ascent, 630 m descent

Today you make a round walk from Megalo Papingo. First you walk towards Mikro Papingo and just before this smaller twin village of Megalo Papingo, you have the option to make a loop to the ‘Kokkino Lithari’, meaning the ‘Red Rock’. From this point you have a superb view over the Papingo villages and surroundings. Back in Mikro Papingo you continue towards the Rock Pools, called ‘Kolymbithres’ in Greek.

These are pools created by nature and great to spend some time especially during summer. After a relaxing afternoon at the pools, you return to nearby Megalo Papingo for your last overnight. 

Challenge:  8.6 km / 5,5 mi, 3 hours, 600 m ascent, 600 m descent

After breakfast your arrangement comes to an end.You travel to Ioannina bus station or airport foroutbound or onward travel.You can optionally prebook your departure transfer.

TIP 1: book an extra night in Megalo Papingo andmake an additional walk via Ano Klidonia through theVoidomatis valley to Papingo bridge.