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On this exhilarating trek you will have the opportunity of ascending some of the great peaks of the Pindos, which include Gamila (2496m/8200ft) and Smolikas (2636m/8650ft), together with an ascent of Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. These mountains receive a heavy snow-fall each winter, but the summits are usually accessible by late spring. The mountainous Pindos region is thinly populated and much of the lower ground is still covered by dense forest within which live wolves, bears and lynx. Griffon vultures soar above the peaks, while Egyptian vultures haunt the gorges. The Pindos and Mount Olympus are botanically rich, with over 3000 plant species and many rarities, particularly on Olympus itself and on the unusual serpentine soils of Smolikas peak. The high alpine pastures are grazed in summer by flocks of sheep, which are milked to produce the many excellent local cheeses such as kefalotiri. We commence the trek with a walk in the 1620m-deep Vikos Gorge and explore forests of hornbeam, beech and pine. Above the tree line there are alpine meadows, a riot of flowers in spring. We walk under the stunning Papingo towers and up to the enchanting Dragon Lake, a reminder of the region's glacial past. The climax of the tour must be the ascent of the walkers summit of Mount Olympus, home of Zeus of course. A further attraction of this tour is the chance to visit the famous monasteries of Meteora, perched on almost inaccessible pinnacles. We spend three nights in mountain refuges: two in the Pindos and
another on Olympus. In order to complete the traverse of Smolikas in a day
we also spend one night under canvas. In the pretty stone-roofed villages
of Zagoria and on our last night on the island in the lake of Ioannina we
stay in traditional small lodging houses. Two nights are spent in a small
hotel in Litochoro.
vacations
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