The Vikos Gorge lies in the North Pindus Mountains in the historic area of Epirus, 30 odd kilometers north of Ioannina and 24 miles from the Albanian border. The area, called the Zagori, has 44 villages called the Zagorohoria.
"Upwards and Downwards, One and the Same"--Heraclitus
In the 6th century BC, the philosopher Heraclitus said, "A road is, upwards and downwards, one and the same." Those who have hiked the Vikos Gorge will say this description fits perfectly. Even with the varied terrain and vistas, anywhere one walks or points a camera is the same wild beauty, changing and not changing season after season.
Ask any Greek to name five beautiful gorges of Greece and the first response will be "The Vikos."* This quick name recognition may be because the bear and wild boar protected in the Vikos Aoos National Park wander out occasionally to feast on farm animals and get on the nightly TV News. The Vikos Gorge also borders popular Greek ski areas and area hotels are full during snow season.
But for hikers, the Vikos Gorge comes first because of its beautiful interconnecting footpaths of many levels of expertise that link stone villages tucked into folds of mountains. And a cool breeze that drifts through the tree-shaded Vikos gorge makes it possible to hike all summer, even when the rest of Greece is baking under blazing August sun. By the end of August, the Vikos Gorge is already tasting the crisp nights of autumn and the maples, beech, fig, and oak trees along Greek National Trail #03 that follows the Vaidomatis River through the gorge are ablaze with color.
The Vikos Gorge lies in the North Pindus Mountains in the historic area of Epirus, 30 odd kilometers north of Ioannina and 24 miles from the Albanian border. The area, called the Zagori, has 44 villages called the Zagorohoria. The 12-kilometer gorge itself can be hiked in two or three parts: Monodendri north to Vikos; Vikos to Papingo, and Monodendri south to Kipi and its lovely arched stone bridges.
Hikes around Monodendri besides the gorge
The abandoned Monastery of Agia Paraskevi is nearly a kilometer down the new kalderimi from the lower platia in Monodendri and makes a nice limber-up after a long bus or car journey. The view up and down the gorge are the perfect introduction to the hike ahead. Continuing around the corner of the cliff is the "Megali Spilia", a cave reached by a narrow path with a scary drop-off for those who enjoy heights. For an even better view of the gorge, follow a signposted path near the open-air theatre at the top of the gorge trail, where traveling troupes put on performances in August at the expense of the Greek Ministry of Culture. There is a pleasant stroll along the rim to a small church and long views across the Pindus mountains.
A longer day walk is to follow the road up from Monodendri to the abandoned Monastery of Profitis Ilias. A sign to the Monastery. The view of Monodendri is charming, as is the downward path through the forest to Vitsa where several establishments serve lunch under a broad plane tree overlooking a ravine leading into the gorge.
Papingo to the Panagia shrine at the springs.
With leisurely stops for photos and snacks, the hike from Monodendri to Vikos takes something over five hours. The ascent at Vikos is steep and in full sun and it's a relief to reach the vine-shaded tavernas of Vikos at the head of the footpath. Excellent wild boar stew is sometimes on the menu. Followed by thick slabs of watermelon for dessert, it's perfect for getting hikers back on their feet for the next part of the gorge-Vikos to Papingo.
After re-descending into the gorge, it's a pleasant stop at the frigid headwaters of the Voidomatis River, just right for dabbling hot feet. A short distance back toward Monodendri is the turnoff to Papingo. Late afternoon is excellent for ascending the steep treeless switchbacks of the first part of the footpath as it sits in the mountain shadows formed by the setting sun. The trail is varied-breath-holding traverses of steep open hillside, narrow bits edging around cliff-hanging boulders, and long flowing passages through dense forest. (Yes that it Matt in the photo about 1 minute before his first heart attack)
Foreign hikers predominate
Greeks may have excellent name recognition of the Vikos Gorge, but most summer tourists speak every language but Greek, though this has begun to change as a new generation of young people have taken to the hills with off-road vehicles, rafts, kayaks and hiking boots. Booking ahead is a good idea though in the off season you should be able to find something. For Hotels and guesthouses see Booking.com's Zagohoria Pages and Matt's Hotels of Greece Ipiros Page
*The other well-known gorges of Greece are the Vinianis, Samarias, Vouraikou, Vothona
Janet McGiffin lives in Athens partly because it is so easy to travel to anywhere from Greece. She is a writer of mystery novels and travel articles. She also writes grant proposals for non-profit organizations (NGO) based around the Mediterranean. Currently she is public-education publicist for a 24-partner European Union cultural project involving conservation of ancient monuments. You can e-mail her at janmcgiffin@yahoo.com
