Overview
A week of self-guided walking in the magnificent Zagori region of north-west Greece, a little-known landscape of ancient trails, superb local food and traditional guesthouses. Categorised as an easy to moderate walking holiday, and suitable for solo travellers, explore Vikos-Aoös National Park and its stunning Vikos Gorge. Starting in Kipi, famous for its historic stone bridges, walking in Zagori reveals a plethora of rural villages, the great Gorge itself, dramatic cliffs and river valleys.
- Vikos Gorge
- Vikos-Aoös National Park
- Petrino Dasos (Stone Forest)
- Voidomatis Springs
- Papingo
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kipi
Arrive in the village of Kipi, known for its abundance of stone arch bridges, each one named after the wealthy family that built it. The bridges were constructed centuries ago to connect the nearby villages, since the rivers were impassable during winter. Kipi boasts many examples of typical Zagorian architecture, with many traditional stone houses and buildings. If time allows, a visit to the Folklore Museum of Agapios Tolis is highly recommended, to learn about the cultural heritage of the region.
- Accommodation: Hotel Machalas or similar in Kipi
Day 2: Kipi – Monodendri | 9km
Departing from Kipi, today’s route features several stone bridges, many of which date back to the 18th century. The route begins with a descent to cross River Voidomatis via Mylos Bridge. Continue along the river, crossing at Kokkorou Bridge, located at the upper entrance of Vikos Gorge, before crossing again at Misiou Bridge. The route then ascends to the village of Vitsa, on the edge of the gorge. From here, head to Monodendri, where your accommodation is located. Monodendri is another village with many examples of traditional Zagorian stone architecture, as well as Kostel Agios Athanasios, the church nestled in the central square.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3h, ↑450m ↓150m
- Accommodation: Archontiko Zarkada or similar in Monodendri
Day 3: Monodendri circular walks | 2-8km
From Monodendri, explore Vikos-Aoös National Park, with three walking options, all featuring different viewpoints over Vikos Gorge. The local landmarks featured in today’s routes include the 15th-century Agia Paraskevi Monastery, Oxya Viewpoint, accessed by walking through a rock formation known as Petrino Dasos (Stone Forest), made up of eroded rock pillars, as well as the lesser-known viewpoint at the Chapel of Agioi Apostoloi.
- Walking for the day: option one: 8km, 2.5h, ↑325m ↓325m, option two: 2km, 30mins, ↑60m ↓60m or option three: 2km, 50mins, ↑50m ↓50m
- Accommodation: Archontiko Zarkada or similar in Monodendri
Day 4: Vikos Gorge and Voidomatis Springs | 13km
Today’s walk is one of the highlights of the trip. From Monodendri, descend 400m to the bottom of the gorge, before walking along the river bed as far as Voidomatis Springs. Along the way, there are many opportunities to swim or wade in the fresh water, although the temperature of the water flowing from Voidomatis Springs doesn’t rise above a cool 4C. From the springs, ascend via a cobbled path up to the village of Vikos, which overlooks the gorge.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5-6h ↑700m ↓1000m
- Accommodation: Foris House or similar in Vikos
Day 5: Vikos – Papingo | 5-6km
Take in the views of Vikos Gorge before descending to Voidomatis Springs. Along the way, there is the option to take a short detour to the church of the once larger monastery, Moni Panagia Spiliotissa. Cross the river at Voidomatis Springs, which may involve wading in the spring months, when the river is still flowing. Follow the winding path uphill to Papingo, which consists of the two villages of Megalo Papingo and Mikro Papingo and boasts a backdrop of the Towers of Astraka, a rock formation on Tymfi (2,497m), located in the Pindus Mountains.
- Walking for the day: 5km, 2h ↑450m ↓530m, with the optional detour: 6km, 2.5h ↑550m ↓630m
- Accommodation: Saxonis Houses Guesthouse or similar in Megalo Papingo
Day 6: Papingo circular walk | 9km
Today’s route is a circular walk from Papingo. First, head towards Mikro Papingo, the smaller twin village of Megalo Papingo. There is the option to extend the walk with a loop to the mountain village of Kokkino Lithari, the name of which translates as Red Rock. Take in the views over Papingo before heading back to Mikro Papingo. Continue on towards the Kolymbithres, naturally formed rock pools that make popular bathing spots during the summer. After an afternoon relaxing by the rock pools, return to the nearby Megalo Papingo for the final evening of your tour.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3h ↑600m ↓600m
- Accommodation: Saxonis Houses Guesthouse or similar in Megalo Papingo
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast, or extend your stay with an extra night in Megalo Papingo.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. The accommodations are mostly in traditional mansions built from limestone, often with traditional slated roofs, and some of these buildings date back to the 17th and 18th century, the era of Turkish rule.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Machalas (Kipi)
- Archontiko Zarkada (Monodendri)
- Foris Guesthouse (Vikos Gorge)
- Saxonis Houses Guesthouse (Megalo Papingo)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your accommodation the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants and tavernas in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
The tour is graded moderate and is suitable for active walkers with a good level of fitness. Daily walking distances range from 2-13km and the walks typically take between two and five hours. The routes mainly follow footpaths and cobbled paths, and the terrain is quite hilly, with a few steep sections. Many sections of the walks head through areas of woodland, providing some shade from the sun (read more about difficulty grades). Please note that the walk in Vikos Gorge may be strenuous for people without proper training or experience.
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April until mid-October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The climate in Zagori is Mediterranean continental and it is influenced by the Pindus Mountains. The spring and autumn months are pleasant with cool nights and occasional rain. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but generally, in the May-September period, the daily averages range between 15-25C. Summer daytime temperatures can occasionally reach up to 30C, but summer nights are usually mild and pleasant. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Greece.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Thessaloniki Airport (SKG), Aktion Airport (PVK) (Preveza Airport) or Athens International Airport, which are well connected to major UK and European airports. Alternatively, Ioannina Airport is reachable from other airports in Greece via domestic flights.
By train or bus
Arrival in Kipi:
- From Aktion Airport: take a taxi to the bus station (KTEL) in Preveza. There are direct long-distance buses from Preveza to Ioannina (1.5h). For more information, see KTEL Preveza
- From Thessaloniki Airport: take a taxi or public bus (45mins) to Thessaloniki bus station, from where there are approximately six buses per day to Ioannina (4h, with the last bus departing at around 20.30). For more information, see KTEL Ionnina buses, or it is possible to arrange an airport transfer to Thessaloniki bus station and pre-book your bus tickets (upon request)
- From Athens Airport: take a taxi or the X93 bus to Athens bus station (KTEL Kifissos), from where there approximately six buses per day to Ioannina (5h, with the last bus departing at around 18.00). For more information, see KTEL Ionnina, or it is possible to arrange an airport transfer to Athens bus station and pre-book your bus tickets (upon request)
- Ioannina to Kipi: book a transfer from Ioannina bus station or Ioannina Airport to Kipi, or take a local taxi, the journey is just over half an hour
Departure from Megalo Papingo:
- There are no public transport connections directly from Megalo Papingo. Take a taxi or book a transfer to Ioannina bus station or Ioannina Airport (domestic flights to Athens), both journeys are a little over an hour. From Ioannina, there are connections to Aktion Airport, Athens bus station or Thessaloniki bus station by public bus, please see above or KTEL Ionnina and KTEL Preveza, for more information
- Bus tickets and connecting airport transfers (Athens Airport and Thessaloniki Airport) can be arranged upon request
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers when changing hotels on days two, four and five
- Detailed tour materials including destination manual, route notes, maps and a personal itinerary with accommodations and transfers listed (in digital format, no printed documents are provided)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Private transfers from/to Ioannina
- Airport transfers and connecting bus tickets (Athens Airport and Thessaloniki Airport) (upon request)
