Crossing Vikos

Appreciating the diversity of Balkan culture can be difficult, especially with limited time in the region. Explore Macedonian culture on a day tour to Skopje from Sofia, and tick off another Balkan capital in just 1 day. Enjoy the company of 2 professional guides – one from Bulgaria and one local from Macedonian. Travel the distance with ease via modern vehicle, and discover landmarks including the Skopje Fortress, Memorial House of Mother Teresa, and Old Bazaar, with insights provided by your guides. During this day tour you will have the chance to visit one of the most bizarre cities on the Balkan Peninsula. Skopje is a mixture of authentic monuments from the Ottoman period, and new neo-classical buildings, complete with ornate columns and rooftop figures of nymphs. After the reconstruction of the new center has been done, as per the “Skopje 2014” project, the city became one of the popular destinations in Eastern Europe.

If you want to understand better the Balkans with all its complexity, rich history and colorful mixture of different cultures and habits, we recommend you to visit Nis with us.  During this day tour you will travel through history with the professional lead of your guide. Our journey through time will start from the Roman period, when Nis gave to the world one great man – The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Then we will continue through the Middle Ages and the period of Ottoman rule which left constructions like the Nis Fortress and the Skull Tower – a symbol of the struggle for freedom and independence from the Ottomans. In the end we will pay attention to the Modern history and the period of Nazi occupation of former Yugoslavia, visiting the Nazi Concentration Camp. Of course after all the impressions that you get, it will be time for some rest. You will have the chance to taste the famous Serbian cuisine – one of the most delicious on the Balkans.

Located only 163 kilometers from Sofia, Nis is a fantastic option to add a Serbian stamp in your passport, without checking out from your hotel in Bulgaria. Nis is the third largest city in Serbia and the birthplace of Constantine the Great, one of the most important emperors in the Roman history. Explore the intriguing history of former Yugoslavia, while having delicious authentic Serbian roshtil (grill) either in a traditional restaurant where you can pay with a card (plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available) or try the Serbian street food.

When you’ll be visiting Zagori one of the best activity you have to do it’s rafting Voidomatis. The trip it’s across the National park Vikos Aoos , floating the Europe’s cleanest water, The last part of the river it’s the most exiting and impressive and includes the cross of the dam . Is class 2 ww this river offers from first timers to hard core rafters .it is a 2 hour ride on the river.you will need to have with you a second change of swim wear or under wear. Our meeting point will be from your hotel or at Alpine Zones base (were our alpine Zone's team will pick you up and you will be given specialized rafting equipment which has been approved by proper health standards (sterilized waterproof suits, shoes, paddles, helmets,and life jackets). We will then transport you with our van to our destination were you will be given a 20 minute brief then your thrilling journey begins.

An English-speaking guide will pick you up from the meeting point in Sofia at 9:00AM and, after about a 2-hours drive with various landscapes to admire along the way, you will reach the Serbian border. After crossing the border you will go the nearby town of Bosilegrad (the former Yugoslavia's main state) before you cross back over the border with Bulgaria and head for Northern Macedonia. After another short drive, you will arrive at the beautiful Monastery of Osogovo – an incredibly powerful place in the hills from the 12th Century, which was later turned into a mosque by the Ottomans, and then again converted into a church. This place is very scenic and peaceful – take time to go for a walk around the area. Afterwards, you will have lunch in a nice restaurant with good Macedonian grill (meat or fish) and Skopsko beer, of course. Please note that the total driving time is around 5 hours.

During this intensitive 2 days tour from Sofia, we will explore the heritage and culture of two countries in the Western Balkans – North Macedonia and Kosovo. You will learn about the rich and fascinating ancient history of these lands and understand a bit better the complexity of the politics and the search for identity in the modern age. In North Macedonia, we will visit the capital of the country – Skopje. This city is one of the most bizarre cities on the Balkan Peninsula – a mixture of authentic monuments from the Ottoman period, and new neo-classical buildings. In Kosovo – Europe’s newest country, we will explore two of the most popular cities- Pristina (the capital of Kosovo) and Prizren. Please prepare for long distances and a lot of new impressions.

Crossing Vikos Gorge is a lifetime experience, since it brings visitors directly in contact with the exceptional nature of Epirus. You hear birds chirping, you pass through impressive rock formations, and you observe rare herbs and flowers, especially in spring when everything is in bloom.

The beauty of Zagori is reknowned for the stone villages, the bridges and Vikos canyon. In this half-day trip, we’ll live the complete experience of the central Zagori and its history. We visit 4 bridges and 4 villages with a short stop for a refreshment.

Zagori translates to “behind the mountain area”, includes 46 villages, and numerous stone bridges. In this picturesque area, people used the local stone to build houses, churches and monasteries, cobbled streets and stone-built bridges create an architectural whole which is unique. We visit several villages, unique viewpoints of Vikos gorge, stone bridges, natural pools, the coldest river in Europe (average temp 8-12o C) and a monument dedicated to the brave women of Pindos range

VIKOS CANYON – The deepest canyon in the world, relative to its width, according to the Guinness Book of Records 1997. We begin by descending to the riverbed of Vikos from the village of Monodendri. We hike along a varied environment, relatively rough in a very few places, fairly easy in most of its route. It is a canyon wide in some places, narrow in others, and crossing it offers a unique combination of a short duration (6 to 8 hours) and excellent views. We rest in picturesque spots, like the springs of river Voidomatis, one of the cleanest rivers in Europe and we end up our hike at the village of Vikos, or at the village of Mikro Papigo The best and most famous trekking trail in the area. It’s year round open and can participate also kids 8y.o and over

The Vikos Gorge has been designated as a world geopark by UNESCO. Most of the route is shaded. The name of the river comes from Slavic language (Bode–Mat which translates "good water") or from the Greek language (Voidomatis which translates as the eye of the bull)

Vikos – Aoos UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the region of Epirus, Ioannina, northwestern Greece. Wonderful gorges, rock towers, rivers, stone bridges and traditional architecture. The UNESCO Global Geopark is located within the administrative boundaries of Konitsa and Zagori municipalities, in which 62 settlements or small towns are located. The territory also contains several traditional settlements and monuments dating back to the 14th – 19th centuries including monasteries, schools, churches, chapels and arched stone bridges.

If you are interested in peaceful hiking in nature, away from the noise of the city, this tour is for you. We’ll walk in the remains of an ancient sea, where mollusks and sea creatures dominated. Feel a part of the way in natural history and touch a piece of it.

Welcome to the longest stone trail in Greece! It is one of the most famous and popular routes of Zagori and one of the most impressive structures in Greece. The route offers breathtaking views. A point from where the view of Vikos gorge is truly impressive. Including the two stone bridges, it has been classified as a historical monument, since it is a typical example of local folk architecture.

Explore two of the most interesting caves in Bulgaria with a one-day tour from Sofia. The amazing Saeva Dupka has stunning cave foramtions and Ledenika is spectacular for its size of the internal halls and.

Zagori is one of the most beautiful mountainous regions in Greece and is famous for the traditional villages and the stone bridges of the area Generally, the inaccessibility of the area combined with many rivers and streams, especially during the winter months, required in the past the construction of bridges. The «golden age» of Zagori has allowed wealthy families to fund expensive and sometimes unsuccessful village connection projects. Today, about 60 bridges are preserved in very good condition, and there are testimonies about another hundred that have been destroyed.

Let’s find out how to travel off the beaten path in Central Zagori villages. An amazing viewpoint of Vikos gorge, the stone forest, several villages and lots of stone bridges, an old monastery at the cliffs of Vikos gorge with handmade paintings on wood, a museum of handmade clothes and carpets, single or three arched stone bridges, the longest stone steps route in Greece (1350 approximately and 25 turns) which was the only way to connect villages at the area, while enjoying local recipes or pies under a maple tree and finally a short brake to a monument dedicated to the brave women of Pindos range!!!

One day mountain bike trip in the scenic mountain settings and wild trails of Vitosha mountain. Cross country, enduro, downhill – there are trails and routes for every style and every taste. Being one of the most famous and most ridden mountain bike destination in Bulgaria, Vitosha offers great variety of trails and natural beauties. Just let us know your style and biking preferences and we will choose the most appropriate route for you.

ZAGORI – A cluster of 46 stone villages, where local stone was transformed into wonderful buildings and streets. Built among the steep slopes of the limestone mountains and the deep river canyons surrounding them, harmoniously blending with them. We begin our daily guided tour from the picturesque valley of west Zagori, passing by Aristi, admiring the evolving landscape in the meantime. We stop at River Voidomatis, one of the cleanest rivers in Europe, where you can plunge into its icy cold water, should you wish to, and then climb to the villages of Papigo. We visit Ovires Rogovo, natural pools in a narrow canyon and then the village of Mikro Papigo. Then we get back to cross a 1,090 m. pass to get to central Zagori in order to have a magnificent view of the Vikos Canyon at its deepest (almost a kilometre). There we have a small snack with traditional pies (like spinach pies , seasonal fruits and local sweets and continue by visiting Dilofo, a village at the centre of Zagori.

The artificial lake of Aoos fountain is at an altitude of 1,350m, covers an area of 12km2 and was constructed in 1986 for the purpose of producing energy. It is located between two national parks, Valia Calda and the Vikos-Aoos Geopark. In the area there are many small natural lakes, mountainous meadows and forests of black pine that reach a height of 30m. and also beeches.