Greece: Zagoria (Pindus), Vikos gorge and Astraka range - 4 day village to village
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 22.87 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8,937 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 5,656 ft
- Max elevation
- 6,516 ft
- TrailRank
- 37
- Min elevation
- 1,568 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Coordinates
- 175
- Uploaded
- June 18, 2016
near Kípoi, Epirus (Greece)
Viewed 8618 times, downloaded 146 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
One of the best walks in Greece. 4 Village to village walks combined - sleep and eat in villages, no need for camping or camping equipment.
Duration: A minimum of 4 days to complete this great trek. If possible add 1-2 days for detours, delays, injuries and weather.
Difficulty: 12-15km days, no equipment or special skills required - suits any reasonably fit person. Around 1000m daily elevation gain/loss. Good path all the way, usually marked OK.
Season: best time to go is June (good weather, lots of flowers). September also good. July-August are much hotter and more crowded. October and May OK but need to prepare for cold/wet weather. November to April not recommended unless prepared for snow, and many hotels may be closed. Astraka Refuge is only open May-October: http://www.astrakarefuge.com/en/astraka-mountain-hut/mountain-hut-timfi-greece.html
Wikiloc map on website: switch to "open cycle"
Wikiloc map on mobile app: download the free offline Greece map (324MB).
Description and optional detours:
Day 1 - Start from Kipi village, see old bridges along Vikos river, walk to Monodendri and sleep there. Optional: monastery in Monodendri.
Day 2 - Walk down to Vikos gorge, and then downstream along the gorge. Walk up from Voidamakus to Megalo Papingo, and sleep there. Optional: Vikos village, Papingo pools.
Day 3 - walk up to Astraka Refuge and sleep there. Optional: Drakolimni (dragon lake) - about 3 hours return from the refuge. Astraka peak - about 3-4 hours return from the refuge.
Day 4 - Walk towards Vradeto or Tsepelovo villages. It is possible to pre-arrange a pick-up from the road, to avoid unnecessary descend. Optional: descend to Tsepelovo village. It is also possible to complete a full circle: continue to Vradeto village, then descend "Skala Vradeto" towards Kepesovo village, then continue down to Kipi (all this adds up to a considerable descend of nearly additional 1000m)
Duration: A minimum of 4 days to complete this great trek. If possible add 1-2 days for detours, delays, injuries and weather.
Difficulty: 12-15km days, no equipment or special skills required - suits any reasonably fit person. Around 1000m daily elevation gain/loss. Good path all the way, usually marked OK.
Season: best time to go is June (good weather, lots of flowers). September also good. July-August are much hotter and more crowded. October and May OK but need to prepare for cold/wet weather. November to April not recommended unless prepared for snow, and many hotels may be closed. Astraka Refuge is only open May-October: http://www.astrakarefuge.com/en/astraka-mountain-hut/mountain-hut-timfi-greece.html
Wikiloc map on website: switch to "open cycle"
Wikiloc map on mobile app: download the free offline Greece map (324MB).
Description and optional detours:
Day 1 - Start from Kipi village, see old bridges along Vikos river, walk to Monodendri and sleep there. Optional: monastery in Monodendri.
Day 2 - Walk down to Vikos gorge, and then downstream along the gorge. Walk up from Voidamakus to Megalo Papingo, and sleep there. Optional: Vikos village, Papingo pools.
Day 3 - walk up to Astraka Refuge and sleep there. Optional: Drakolimni (dragon lake) - about 3 hours return from the refuge. Astraka peak - about 3-4 hours return from the refuge.
Day 4 - Walk towards Vradeto or Tsepelovo villages. It is possible to pre-arrange a pick-up from the road, to avoid unnecessary descend. Optional: descend to Tsepelovo village. It is also possible to complete a full circle: continue to Vradeto village, then descend "Skala Vradeto" towards Kepesovo village, then continue down to Kipi (all this adds up to a considerable descend of nearly additional 1000m)
Waypoints
Mountain hut
0 ft
Monodendri - night #1
Village with hotels and restaurants.
Mountain hut
3,081 ft
Papigo Megalo - night #2
Village with hotels and restaurants.
Mountain hut
6,263 ft
Astraka Refuge - night #3
Mountain refuge with beds, blankets and food to buy.
Comments (12)
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Hey David,
This trail sounds and looks great, I was wondering what would you say if I wish to do it with young kids ages between 3-10? How difficult is it? Can we go less km per day but still find villages to stay in or end it early if we wish for?
I understand these are challenging questions but I am looking for your best estimation as one the did it recently.
Thank you, Anat.
Anat - this is too difficult for kids under 8 IMO. 8-12 is the earliest, and even that only for kids that like walking. Walks are not very hard, but are quite long. Vikos gorge is pretty long, with no villages, and in the end you need to climb up to a village. Ascending to the Astraka hut is about 1000m up. From the hut to the next village is over 15 kms with no villages.
What was the total cost of staying in refuges' and buying their food?
Steep?
OR
Not worth bringing your own camping gear?
Thanks~
The refuge price list is on the web - search for Astraka Refuge.
A bed was something like 15 euro. Food and drinks 1-5 euro each, but it adds up...
Hey. thanks for the great advise. We like to hike this route mid september 2018. Is it necessary to book sleeping places in advance? What is the best way to get to kipi? From Athens of Thessaloniki? We need to come with public transport. Is it easy to get there? Where can i find more information about their public transport? How many days to complete the total loop? Also 4 days? It's quite hard to find good information about this loop. Thanks in advance.
Barbara
Yes, no good info, that's why I wrote down the details.
We flew an internal flight from Athens to Ioanina, then took a taxi from Ioanina to Kipi (about 50 euro). The bus goes like once every two days or so. Some villages once a week! So the only practical access by public transport is to get to Ioanina by flight or bus (maybe train?) and then take a taxi. On the way back there's usually some private cars leaving each village to Ioanina, which will take you for a small charge. I would asses this access as easy.
The described route is 4 days, maybe 5 to complete a full loop. Keep a couple of spare days for the unexpected.
hey david
our flight land at 10:20 (am) in Ioanina, then we will take a taxi to kipi, i believe that we will arivve kipi about 12:00 (pm).
you think its ok to start the trek in at the same day? we planning in the first day to walk from kipi to Monodendri like you did. so leat say that we will have 5-6 our of daylight (early May), its enough time to make the first day?
Yes, this is what we did. Lunch in Kipi and then walked to Monodendri the same day. Quite feasible.
hey david,
thanks a lot,
where are you from?
daniel
Hi David,
Is it possible to book a bed in Astraka Refuge in advance?
I could not find anything online.
Is it needed?
Thanks,
Gil
The refuge is only open May-October, closed now.
http://www.astrakarefuge.com/
Thank you David. . That is perfect trail. I just did it according to your post. It was amazing. However, I would grade is as difficult and not moderate.