Zagoria: Secret villages

On arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Tsepelovo for your accommodation. From Ioannina transfer time 1 hour and from Thessaloniki Airport 4 hours. Wander around the village where you can admire the old mansions, decorated wooden balconies, a feature of this timber-producing locality. The recently restored Byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos contains interesting frescoes. Accommodation: Your first two nights are spent in a comfortable small pension in this typical Zagori village.

From Tsepelovo (1050m) you start with an uphill path towards the highest village in Zagoria called Vradeto (1450m), from where the beautiful path at the edge of the Vikos gorge leads to a great viewpoint at Beloi (1650m). From here you can look right over the Vikos in all its resplendence and see the paths that you will be following tomorrow. Return to Vradeto village continuing downhill to Kapesovo village heading down the famous steps of Vradeto – a stone path built in the 16th Century on the slopes of the Vikos. Transfer back to Tsepelovo for your second evening.

An easy descent to where the Vikos gorge starts, which is marked by a stone bridge dating back to 980 called the “Paliojefira.” Continue through a forest of beech and pine trees, where you might see evidence of bear pugmarks on the path. You end up in the village of Kipi. From here you walk up the “Koukouli Steps” and visit the centre of this picturesque village. From here walk down into the Vikos gorge again crossing 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. Accommodation: The stone-built guesthouse where you stay offers traditionally decorated rooms with views of Mount Mitsikeli.

Early in the morning descend the old Vitsa stairs into the Vikos ravine. Traversing the ravine, you can do a bit of bird and flower watching, as there are quite several rare species that have taken refuge into the gorge. Early in the afternoon you will arrive in Vikos village and be transferred to nearby Aristi, where you will overnight.

After a short transfer back to Vikos village, to the start of the walk, you follow the old up-hill path, which traverses the beautiful ravines to Papigo Village. Above the Towers of Papigo skyrocket inaccessibly into the sky. At the village’s natural swimming pool, you will have time for a dip and a break before heading to your accommodation. The twin villages of Megalo (Big) and Mikro (Little) Papigo huddle below the great limestone buttresses called the "Towers of Papigo" on the north side of the Vikos Gorge. Accommodation: Tonight, you stay in a small pension in Mikro Papigo.

Head on uphill, up Mount Astraka. After a 3-hour ascent you will come to the Astraka Hut (1950m). The footpath up to the hut is also a mule track or route leading from the Papigo villages to various high level grazing pastures which are the traditional territory of two or three local Sarakatsani shepherding families. There are four springs along the way. From here optional ascent to Dragon Lake at 2100m, before returning to overnight at Astraka hut. Accommodation: Astraka Hut - Mixed dormitory style.

After breakfast walk to Mikro Papigo the same way you came up yesterday, it should take about 2 hours. Return to your accommodation to pick up baggage and take the prearranged transfer to Ioannina which will take approx. 1.5 h. A tour of Ioannina old quarter and citadel is worthwhile. Out-of-town excursions could include the huge limestone cave system at Perama, discovered in the 1940's, or the 3rd century BC theatre of Dodoni, and nearby ancient oracle with its whispering oaks, 15 km/9.3 miles from Ioannina and accessible in an afternoon by public bus. For those who want to take home souvenirs or gifts, a local specialty is silver and filigree jewelry. Dinner and overnight to Ioannina.

Depending on your flight times, there may be time for further sightseeing or souvenir buying before your transfer by minibus to Ioannina or Thessaloniki airports.