Vikos Gorge

Vikos Gorge is the core of the area declared Natural Park in 1973. It’s 25km long, 400m-1100m wide and up to 900m deep. It’s the deepest gorge in the world and according to a sign placed in the area, it has also been included in the Guinness Book of World Records. Walking through the gorge, you can see various rare wild flowers and herbs. Kostas Lazarides, for instance, has collected 1240 different plant species, which belong to 96 of the existing 149 plant families. Today, it is known that more than 1800 plant species grow in the area, some of which have not been found in any other place in the world. The river Voidomatis springs from the Vikos Gorge. Its water always has a temperature of 4° C and is considered to be one of Greece’s coldest rivers. Crossing the canyon through the green forests and the tall trees is an amazing experience you shouldn’t skip. It’s a very famous hiking route and many Greek and foreign tourists visit the area just to cross the canyon. One of the best parts of the route is located around the Voidomatis springs, where there is also a small church. The route starts from the Monodendri village and ends at the Small Papingo or the Vikos village. You should also know that the route is quite long and it’ll take several hours so you should be prepared. Also remember that the gorge is closed during the winter because the water is quite deep.