If you have a map of the mountains of Europe in front of you will see from the left the huge mountain range of the Alps and on the right Carpathian mountain range. Those two became one and join in the north of Greece and this is the starting point of the Pindus mountain range. There are high peaks, untouched forests, alpine lakes and a big range of dirt roads to explore on our bikes. Our starting point is the scenic town of Metsosvo. It is located at an altitude of 1150m and is well known not only for its beauty but also because it’s long tradition.
Day 1
Metsovo is easily approached from the airport of Thessaloniki. After 2.5 hours driving we will be in the heart of the Greek mountains and getting ready for the first day of our adventure! But before that we will visit one of the best wineries (Katogi Aver of ), have a welcome dinner and briefing about what’s coming next!
Day 2
Leaving Metsovo we will pass through the cooperages that make oak barrels and quickly we will start going up until we reach the ski center and we will head to the meadows and the lake of Aoos. Aoos lake is artificial but very nicely assimilated in the landscape. Our destination is the Village of Milea after visiting a wood carving workshop and lunch at the square we will have a short transfer by minibus to our hotel.
30 km / 670 m elevation
Day 3
The area of Krania has the biggest population of bears in the country. The Greek bear (Ursus Arctus) is not a dangerous animal and avoids human presence but very often we see footprints on the mud or scratches on the trees. Our entire route will be very close to the core of Pindus National Park and we will finish at the village of Perivoli, a contemporary nomad village which is waiting all winter for the shepherds and their sheep.
38 km / 1070 m elevation
Day 4
As the days are passing we are going deeper into the forest. On the 4th day we will ride through the pastures outside of the village and we will head to Vovousa. Vovousa is located at 1000 m altitude and is surrounded by mountains. It has a river that passes through the village, one of the most important stone made bridges and a great shelter that we will spend our night.
27 km 750 m elevation
Day 5
Still in Pindus National Park but on the fifth day we will change area, from Valia Calda we will go to an area that you have probably heard about. The area of Zagori is unique and a very special ecosystem. We will ride west to Gyftokambos. In the 38 km that we will ride we will not have any villages but we will find a lot of springs to refill our bottles and fantastic views.
38 km 990m elevation
Day 6
The first 7 km will be on asphalt, on the 5th day we change completely landscape. The first village we will see is Skamneli and after a few more km we will approach Tsepelovo from the upper part. We will ride the cobble stone paths through the village and have a coffee stop in one of the most beautiful squares that you have ever seen! After that we have few km of downhill and we will finish our ride in Kipi, another scenic village of Zagori with great architecture and many choices for food and short walks around.
31 km 560 m elevation
Day 7
In Zagori the time has stopped, the villages look exactly as they looked 100 years ago and all the area is a Geological Park protected by UNESCO. On our last riding day of North Pindus MTB tour we will have a chance to see some of the architectural monuments of the area and the miracles of nature. From Kipi we will go to Elati, Manasis and we will finish at Antrakitis. There the mini bus will pick us up and drive us to Metsosvo for the last night of our adventure!
33.5 km 720 m elevation
Day 8
The plan for the last day it will be according to the flight schedule. If the flight is late in the evening for sure we will have a ride around Metsovo before packing and driving to Thessaloniki.
THE TOUR CAN BE LESS DAYS FOLLOWING YOUR TRIP SCHEDULE
Error
