This is, by some measures, the very deepest canyon in the world. Awesome, echoing, grandiose, and thickly forested from fearful depths to snow-scarred peaks. But where is this? America? Australia? China?
Look closer, and you will spy ancient monasteries clinging to the sides of the precipitous slopes. And those ornate, medieval, Orthodox Christian monasteries will give you a clue. This is Greece.
Specifically, it is the Vikos Gorge in the Pindus mountains of historic Epirus, an area called Zagori in the northwest corner of the Greek mainland.
Few people come here but Zagori is wildly seductive: like a kind of rugged Greek Tuscany, right down to its 46 stone-built villages, its halloumi-under-the-oak-trees tavernas, dashing history of smugglers, bandits and poets (Byron loved the area), and its magnificent hiking, skiing, kayaking and climbing.
A good place to base yourself is the spectacular, end-of-the-road village of Mikro Papigo, which looks out over the receding valleys, and which has, as a backdrop, a wall of astounding rocky peaks.
Maybe grab an ice cold Macedonian Vergina beer on the lofty rock-shelf terrace of the Pinocchio cafe, then head off for a homely bed at Dias House, which serves hearty mountain food – think veal marinated in red wine, or crisp roast pork with wild oregano.
You’ll need these calories because the next day you will be active. This is a place you want to explore and one of the best ways to do this is by lacing up your walking boots. Zagori has multiple marked paths – grab a map at the tourist offices – from brief treks which take you to sacred groves, fortified churches, and crystalline bathing ponds, right up to epic, day-long yomps, requiring mobility and stamina.
You can, for instance, trek all the way down to the bottom of Vikos Gorge, and advance to the other end, but it is not for the faint-hearted.
Call of the wild: Sean Thomas hikes through Vikos Gorge (pictured) in Zagori, northwest Greece
Sean says if you’re planning a visit to Zagori, the village of Mikro Papigo (seen here) is a good base
Mikro Papigo ‘looks out over the receding valleys’ and has a backdrop ‘of astounding rocky peaks’
Above, Aristi Bridge and the ‘exquisitely turquoise’ waters of Voidomatis River
Slightly less ambitious, perfect for a family, and utterly lovely, is the half-day walk along the valley of the Voidomatis River, which begins by a slender road-bridge under Aristi village, then trails between whispering maple woods and Ice Age caves. The walk is easy, but this is genuinely wild country: eagles, wolves, boars, lynx and even brown bears patrol the remoteness.
Meanwhile the river itself is a thing of beauty: it spurts into life from a sequence of jubilant springs in the Vikos Gorge, then it babbles and chatters – freezing, dazzling, and exquisitely turquoise, before disappearing for ever under a gracious Ottoman bridge, about three hours’ walk down the valley.
Bring a picnic, spread a blanket, share a flask of wine in the shade of the ancient forest; then summon a car to take you home.
Most hotels are happy to arrange this luxury.
One hotel, about five minutes’ drive from the start-point of the Voidomatis hike, is the Aristi Mountain Resort, complete with indoor swimming pool, sauna, bijou spa and ‘neo-Greek cuisine’ using local ingredients.
Sean reveals that Aristi Mountain Resort (pictured) is a five-minute drive from the start point of a family friendly hike along the valley of the Voidomatis River
Sean recommends visiting UNESCO-listed Meteora (seen here), which is a couple of hours southwest of Zagori
In the evenings you can also amble from the Aristi hotel to the local village (it takes about ten minutes), where you’ll find a trio of fine tavernas. These can get quite raucous, as second-home Athenians guzzle their Mamos beer.
This gorgeous corner of Greece has so many options. You could head a couple of hours southwest, and check out the awesome monasteries-on-pinnacles of UNESCO-listed Meteora, where the locals look up at the monks, and the monks look up only to the heavens.
You will almost certainly want to round off your trip on the enticing Epirot coastline: try bustling Preveza, pretty and Venetian Parga, or the tiny gem that is Sivota, which is sleepy even in peak season.
But for now just sit back, and enjoy that momentous view. It is the deepest, possibly the grandest canyon in the world, in my opinion. Go and see for yourself.
