The beautiful nature reserve of Zagoria in Greece is highly recommended for every Greece and nature lover. In this beautiful authentic Greek region you will find breathtaking natural landscapes and many traditional, photogenic villages with medieval stone and cobblestone streets. Zagoria's natural landscape is completely different from what you would expect from Greece. It is home to impressive mountains, deep gorges, rolling green hills and turquoise rivers. You can explore the area in a variety of ways. For example, there are several special pristine hiking and trekking routes in Zagoria that you can easily alternate with a visit to the charming, picturesque villages.
Traditional villages surrounded by overwhelming nature
We traveled in collaboration with I Love Greece to Zagoria and discovered here, in addition to the fairytale villages, a beautiful mountainous area with a particularly impressive contrast: the 2,480-meter-high Tymfi Mountain with the more than 1,600-meter-deep Vikos Gorge. An extraordinary piece of nature that you must have seen!
The protected Vikos Aoos National Park
In the western part of Zagoria Nature Reserve lies the Vikos Aoos National Park. The Vikos Aoos National Park has been a protected natural area since 1973 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The National Park is named after the two largest gorges in the area: the Vikos Gorge and the Aoos Gorge. Vikos Aoos National Park covers an area of nearly 13,000 hectares with mountainous terrain, rocks, caves, deep gorges, rivers and lakes, dense coniferous forest and deciduous forest. The park is particularly known for the gorges of Vikos and Aoös, Lake Drakolimni and the crystal-clear Voidomatis River.
The National Park is home to more than 2,500 species of flowers and plants and more than 60 different species of mammals and over 180 species of birds. The most notable species are the rare European brown bear, lynxes, wolves and the birds of prey vultures, osprey and golden eagles. However, you need not fear encountering a brown bear during your visit to the park. The bears are very shy and like to hide deep in the mountains!
In Vikos Aoos National Park, you can see four of the traditional Zagorian villages Finding: Papigo, Monodendri, Megalo and the eponymous Vikos.
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindos Mountains and was created during the Ice Age by an earthquake and subsequent glaciation. The Vikos Gorge is said to be the deepest gorge in the world if you look at the ratio of its depth to its width. Despite much debate about the length, depth and width of the gorge, the Vikos Gorge is nevertheless listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest and deepest gorge in the world.
According to sources, the gorge is about 15 to 20 kilometers long. Its depth ranges from 450 to over 1,600 meters and its width from over 900 meters to only a few meters in the narrowest part. It may be a bit of a guess as to how deep and wide the Vikos Gorge actually is, but at least we discovered that it is truly amazingly large, beautiful and impressive!
For the most impressive view, you must be at the "Beloi Viewpoint. The Beloi Viewpoint offers stunning views of the Vikos Gorge. The viewpoint is the southernmost point of the Vikos Gorge and from here you can see the vertical cliffs stretching far into the distance. You can reach the Beloi Viewpoint through the villages of Vikos and Vradeto. Follow the signposts to Beloi and hike the rocky path. You will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the gorge!
Aoöskloof
Between the southern hills of Trapezitsa and Rodovouni and the northwestern side of Mount Timfi lies the Aoös River Gorge. The Aoös Gorge is smaller than the Vikos Gorge, but is still worth visiting. This 8-kilometer-long gorge begins from the Aoös arch bridge, which was built in 1870. The gorge ends west of the Paleoseli-Vrysochori road. The width of the gorge is 300 meters to 2.5 kilometers.
Around the gorge you will find a beautiful piece of nature, with varied flora and fauna. Many smaller rivers and waterfalls fall from the cliffs to the river Aoos. The area near the gorge is popular among bird lovers. Therefore, you have a great chance of spotting birds of prey here.
Drakolimni
Drakolimni is the largest lake in the Vikos Aoos National Park and lies against the Tymfi Mountains at an altitude of 2,050 meters. According to a myth, the lake is named after a dragon. The dragon is said to have lived in the lake and was in constant conflict with another dragon, the dragon of Mount Smolikas. The two dragons are said to throw stones at each other and this, according to myth, is the reason why the shores of Lake Tymfi are black with white stones, and the shores of Lake Smolikas are white with black stones.
You can reach the lake only on foot from the village of Papigo. You can do this by completing an intensive hike of about 4 hours.
Voidomatis River
The Voidomatis River is one of the cleanest and clearest rivers in Europe, making it a major attraction in Zagoria Nature Reserve. The river rises in the Vikos Gorge and connects its crystal clear waters with those of the Aoos River in the Konitsa Plain. Because the water comes from the mountains, it has an average temperature no higher than 4°C. Nevertheless, the river is a popular spot for water sports and other extreme sports such as rafting, canyoning and kayaking. Along its entire 15-kilometer length, the river is surrounded by traditional stone arch bridges over the water and green nature with century-old plane trees.
Canyoning through the rugged Zagoria nature reserve
The mountain area of Zagoria consists of many different gorges created by geological changes due to seismic and volcanic activity. The gorges in the mountains create small mountain rivers with permanent or seasonal flow. This ensures that many water activities and extreme sports are undertaken in the Zagoria nature reserve.
During our trip to Zagoria, we did a canyoning tour of the mountain area. Canyoning is an activity that consists of a combination of abseiling from rocks and waterfalls, and hiking and trekking through the rugged natural landscape. We did our canyoning tour with the enthusiastic tour leaders of Hellas Trekking. We hiked in the deepest canyon in the world, abseiled from waterfalls up to 15 meters high, and swam in the crystal clear but icy waters of the river. It was an amazing adventure!
Hellas Trekking offers various cultural and active tours, ranging from intensive hikes to mountain bike tours. The team is dedicated to showing you the most beautiful places in the area and is very helpful.
Beautiful villages and atmospheric hotspots in Zagoria
Besides its beautiful scenery, Zagoria is a fine destination if you want to visit traditional villages and experience authentic Greek culture. There are many atmospheric taverns, cozy cafes and beautiful boutique hotels run by passionate Greek families.
Curious about the most beautiful villages and nicest places to stay in Zagoria? Discover it in our blog about the Zagoria region and its beautiful villages.
More adventure hikes in Zagoria
Apart from the hiking and trekking routes through the Vikos Aoos National Park, there are a number of other impressive hikes you can do in Zagoria.
Vradeto Steps
Vradeto is among the most beautiful villages we have visited in Zagoria. Located at an altitude of 1,340 meters, the village is the highest of all villages in Zagoria and offers beautiful views. In the village you can start the popular hiking route the "Vradeto Steps". The Skala of Vradeto is a paved mule road consisting of 1,200 stone steps and 39 curves. Until the end of the 20th century, the Vradeto Steps were the only way to reach the village of Vradeto.
The hike is quite intensive and takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. At the end of the hike you will arrive at the picturesque village of Kapesovo.
Hiking along the Zagorian arch bridges
Zagoria is known for the dozens of authentic natural stone arch bridges that bend over the many rivers that have connected the various Zagoriador villages for centuries. Walking across the ancient arch bridges and monopatia (footpaths) you will take a tour through the various villages with typical architecture, the famous Vikos Gorge and the Vikos Aoos National Park. The timeless, romantic character makes the bridges a charming addition to the lush, unspoiled landscape of Zagoria.
All the bridges in Zagoria are unique and have their own character, as do the villages. Much of the history about the bridges is not known. Many of the arch bridges have no sign with information and little has been written about them on the Internet either. It definitely has something special and we loved exploring the area on the off chance.
We began our "bridge hunt" at 6:30 in the morning during sunrise. Because the morning is foggy and cold in the Zagoria area, it created a mysterious atmosphere with the arches rising powerfully above the layer of morning fog.
Discover the Greek region of Zagoria
Would you like to discover the beautiful Greek region of Zagoria at your own pace? Then let us organize a tailor-made trip for you. As a personal travel consultant, we arrange everything down to the last detail: from flights and accommodation to excursions and activities, completely tailored to your wishes. Thanks to our extensive experience in Greece and our large network of reliable partners, we ensure that your trip will be unforgettable. Request a travel proposal for Greece now!
