2020 Wilderness Travel Catalog of Adventures

Hidden Villages of Northern Greece 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. We discover this beautiful realm with hikes along shepherds’ paths and across arched stone bridges that span the gorge. Heading to the famed monasteries of Meteora, we’ll follow the monks’ footpaths through these airy medieval sanctuaries, built in the 13th century. Our grand finale is an incredible hike up Mt. Olympus, storied home of the gods, where we gaze over the ancient world from the summit. Our Trip Leaders make culinary adventures a highlight of the journey, and we’ll fuel our hikes with delightful meals and renowned wines from local vineyards. Days 1-3 Ioánnina / Dodóna / Zagoria From Ioánnina, we explore Dodóna, home to the Oracle of Zeus, the first diviner of Greece, then head to tiny Tsepélovo in Zagoria. 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. We enjoy a local wine tasting before we descend the famous Vradeto Steps, a 17th century stone staircase leading into the gorge.

Days 4-6 Kipi / Vitsa / Koukoúli / Dragon Lake / Zagoria Spectacular 17th century stone bridges grace the Vikos Gorge, and we cross our first one to arrive at the handsome village of Kipi. From Vitsa, with its cascade of stone houses, an optional hike brings us up to Agia Paraskevi Monastery. At atmospheric Koukoúli, the absence of motor traffic evokes a past era, and when we reach Pápingo, we’ll have views of almost the entire length of the Vikos Gorge. Between hikes, we relax in village squares shaded by plane trees, and enjoy the wines and herb-infused cuisine of the 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. We follow paths to these seemingly inaccessible sanctuaries, then head to the coast at Thessaloniki, a city with fantastic cuisine (our Trip Leaders will make sure we taste the best!). Days 9-12 Thessaloniki / Mt. Olympus We start our Olympus hike at Prionia, hiking above treeline to the Spilio Agapitos Refuge (6,890'). The next day, if the weather is with us, 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.

KOSTAS VASILEIOU

HIGHLIGHTS • Hike to the traditional stone-built villages in the Vikos Gorge of Zagoria • Visit the surreal clifftop monasteries of Meteora • Summit the hiker’s peak of Mt. Olympus, a fitting abode for the gods • 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

Hike through the spectacular villages of Zagoria, up to the surreal Meteora monasteries, and to the summit of Mt. Olympus. PHOTO: DIMITRIOS TILIS

DATES May 23-Jun 3, 2020 Sep 26-Oct 7

TRIP COST $3695 (10-16 members) $3995 (3-9 members) Single supplement: $260

TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 + 5 6 7 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 2-6 hours a day, with optional more challenging hikes, including to the summit of Olympus

MARC DOZIER

QUESTIONS? 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL EUROPE@WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM 87