2019 Wilderness Travel Catalog of Adventures

Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus THE VIKOS GORGE, METEORA, AND THE ABODE OF ZEUS

Traditional Greece can still be found in Zagoria, where stone-built villages are perched along the Vikos Gorge in the rugged Pindos Mountains. We discover this beautiful realm on hikes along shepherds’ paths and

Days 4-6 Kipi / Vitsa / Koukoúli / Dragon Lake / Zagoria Spectacular stone bridges span the Vikos Gorge, and we cross our first one to arrive at the handsome village of Kipi. From Vista, with its cascade of stone houses, we have the option for a hike to the Agia Paraskevi Monastery. At atmospheric Koukoúli, the absence of motor traffic evokes a past era, and when we reach Pápingo, a truly breathtaking place nestled beneath limestone towers, we’ll have views of the entire length of the Vikos Gorge that we have just traversed. A final Zagoria hike brings us up to gleaming Dragon Lake (6,800'), below the striking peaks of the Pindos. Between hikes, we swim in sun-warmed springs, relax in ancient village squares shaded by huge plane trees, and enjoy the local wines and herb-infused cuisine of this remarkable region. Days 7-8 Meteora Monasteries At Meteora, which means “suspended in the air,” monks of the Eastern Orthodox church built hermitages atop sheer pinnacles in the 13th and 14th centuries. We follow paths to these seemingly inaccessible sanctuaries, where some 60 monks still reside, then head to the coast at Thessaloniki, a city with fantastic local cuisine, which our Trip Leaders will make sure we sample. Days 9-12 Thessaloniki / Mt. Olympus From Thessaloniki, we head to the village of Prionia, below Mt. Olympus, and start our hike, ascending above treeline to the Spilio Agapitos Refuge (7,200'). The next day we hike to the rocky point of Skala (9,403'), the hiker’s summit of this majestic sacred mountain. Depart on Day 12 via Thessaloniki, or join our Archaeological Sites of Classical Greece Extension.

across arched stone bridges that span the gorge. Heading to the famed monasteries of Meteora, we’ll walk the monks’ paths up to these airy medieval sanctuaries, built in the 13th century. Our grand finale is an incredible hike up Mt. Olympus (9,600'), storied home of the gods, where from the summit we gaze over the ancient world. Our Trip

“Nothing beats a day of exercise

KOSTAS VASILEIOU EMILY VERNIZZI

followed by a great dinner surrounded by friends. I’ve taken a number of exceptional trips, but this one will be hard to beat.” Candy H., Del Mar CA

Leaders make culinary adventures a highlight of the journey, and we’ll fuel our hikes with delicious meals and renowned wines from ancient vineyards. Days 1-3 Ioánnina / Dodóna / Zagoria From Ioánnina, we explore Dodóna, home to the impressive amphitheater of the Oracle of Zeus, the first ancient oracle of Greece, then head to the village of Tsepélovo in Zagoria to begin our hikes. As we follow paths to the hilltop village of Vradeto (4,700'), the highest in Zagoria, we’ll have splendid views of the Vikos Gorge and enjoy a local wine tasting before we descend the famous “Vradeto Steps,” a 17th century stone staircase leading into the gorge.

HIGHLIGHTS • Hike to the traditional stone-built villages of Zagoria in the Pindos Mountains • Follow monks’ pathways up to the surreal clifftop monasteries of Meteora • Hike to the top of Mt. Olympus, a fitting abode for the ancient deities • Experience a wonderful array of local Greek cuisine and wines DETAILS • 12-day trip begins in Ioánnina and ends in Thessaloniki • 10 nights hotels and traditional guesthouses, 1 night in mountain refuge • All meals included except 1 lunch TRIP COST $3795 (10-16 members) $4095 (3-9 members) Single supplement: $325 Archaeological Sites of Classical Greece Extension: from $1950 TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 + 5 6 7 7 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 2-8 hours a day, altitudes between 3,000-9,400 feet DATES May 22-Jun 2, 2019 Sep 27-Oct 8

We hike through the villages of Zagoria, to the spectacular Meteora monasteries, and to the summit of Mt. Olympus, the abode of Zeus. PHOTO: DIMITRIOS TILIS

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