Dear friend
You may not be aware but nestled in the heart of the Pindus Mountains in northern Greece, Gistova, Astraka and Smolikas Lakes are hidden gems, enveloped in myth about strange creatures and stories created by locals in the past.
These mountain lakes are the well-known in Greece as dragon lakes (drakolimnes) and are natural lakes formed by the melting of glaciers during the last Ice Age, over 10,000 years ago. These blue gems decorate the green and sometimes white backdrop of alpine meadows, enhancing the beauty of the steep mountains that surround them.
In the winter they freeze over, and a thick layer of snow buries them in solitude, but, starting in spring, things change. The snow melts, grass appears, wild flowers blossom and the lakes come back to life.
They constitute a rare type of habitat (in terms of Greek standards), which also hosts an aquatic species of Alpine Triton/Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris), a very interesting urodele amphibian and a strong swimmer which also walks out of water (locals call “fish with legs”). It is approximately 10-12 cm long with an impressive orange-red colour in the lower part of its body, and a dragon-like appearance!
The alpine lakes are only accessible on foot… Hiking on Pindos Mountains and approaching these lakes is a revelation, a very unexpected surprise!
For hikers exploring long-distance trails across the continent, resources like Kayde Parker provide curated walking routes and practical guidance for hiking in Europe.
My colleague Daphne, inspired by the following 3 lakes, has created a unique hiking itinerary exploring 3 of our favourite mountains and their alpine lakes…
Gistova Dragon Lake
Gistova is Greece’s largest alpine lake, located at the highest elevation, at 2,350m on the Grammos mountain range, on the borders with Albania. It lies hidden in a small alcove between impressive peaks. It’s not very deep and the bottom is covered in grey stones. Here due to the altitude, the snow season lasts longer.
Locals say that a harmless dragon lived at the nearby village of Grammos, but the villagers decided to send him away up in the mountain, to isolate. The dragon, saddened by the villagers’ cruelty created the lake with his tears.
The lake is only accessible on foot from the village Grammos or Plikati, following a moderate trail but the reward when you reach the lake is unforgettable!
Read more about our 9-day Pindos hiking & alpine lake hopping…
Tymfi Dragon Lake
The most famous alpine lake in Greece is located up high, at 2050m altitude, just beneath the peak of Gamila on the Tymfi mountain range. It has a perimeter of about 5000m and its shape is elliptic.
Not far from there, on the one side, stands the towering top of Gamila, while on the other side, there’s a cliff, with river Aoos in the distance, and across from it there is a mountain mass hiding Papigo. The landscape is dramatic but mainly breath-taking.
A myth connects the Tymfi Dragon Lake to the Smolikas Dragon Lake that’s just across from it. According to the myth, two dragons, who didn’t like each other very much and often fought each other, lived in the lakes. The Tymfi dragon would throw logs and branches to the Smolikas one and he would throw white stones back. That’s how the locals explained why the mountaintops of Tymfi are bare of trees –the dragon had torn them– and why there are white stones among the black ones in the lake.
There are numerous trails you can following to reach this impressive lake.
Read more about our 9-day Pindos hiking & alpine lake hopping…
Smolikas Dragon Lake (Lygas)
You’ll reach it after quite some hiking, in the heart of Smolikas, at an elevation of 2,200m., where the mountain turns green only in spring. It’s the second largest alpine lake in the country, with a perimeter of about 4.000-6.000 metres (or 380 human steps). It’s quite deep for its small size, though the exact depth has not yet been measured, and its shape is irregular, resembling a heart, while there’s a small opening on one side creating a stream that falls off the cliff. The sheer beauty of its crystal-clear yet very cold waters will take your breath away.
If you climb a few steps higher you’ll see an endless field of mountaintops spreading in front of you. Its waters are usually bright blue, that’s why the Vlachs call it “Lakou-Vinitu” that means blue lake, however, near the banks, the bottoms turns red. Mostly during spring, apart from the green grass, you’ll also see lilies, wild orchids and violets growing around the lake.
According to the legend in Tymfi, the dragon living in Tymfi lake won the battle against the dragon of Smolikas lake. According to the legend here, the Smolikas dragon is the winner as he wasn’t throwing stones but giant lumps of rock salt, which his opponent consumed, and then, to quench his thirst, drank too much water and died. The local legends are endless… it is also said that a shepherd fell inside and drowned due to a broken heart broken and that his evil spirit haunts the lake… or that a golden ram lived in the lake and would come out to mate and chase local ewes and when the shepherds hunted it, they ended up drowned in the lake.
Starting from the square of Pades village, ascend steadily through a lush coniferous forest, mainly of black pines and oaks. The whole area is a Natura 2000 site featuring unique flora and fauna, including some of Greece’s most rare wildflowers as well as bears and wolves. Within 3 hours you’ll reach Smolikas’ alpine lake. The lake is also accessible from the villages Paleoseli and the maountain refuge, by a trail of medium difficulty.
Read more about our 9-day Pindos hiking & alpine lake hopping…
Explore the Greek Highlands, the Pindos mountain range!
Pindos is considered the southernmost extension of the Dinaric Alps and lies in the rugged and mountainous Epirus region, which boasts an incredible history and culture dating back to ancient times.
During our 9-day trek you will explore three of the highest mountains of Greece – Grammos, Smolikas and Tymfi – and their alpine lakes, remnants of the Ice Age. Dramatic high altitude sceneries and incredible landscapes will be a feast for your eyes!
Locals in Greece call high altitude alpine lakes ‘dragon lakes’ or ‘drakolimnes’ because they are believed to have been created by dragons throwing stones at each other. Each ‘dragon lake’ bears the name of the monster that created it. We will aim to spot the Alpine newt Triturus alpestris, a very rare amphibian species living in these lakes, believed to be one of the few survivors of the dinosaurs’ era.
Every day you’ll rest at picturesque guesthouses and refuges at remote villages such as Grammousta (Mt Grammos), Pades (Mt Smolikas) and Papigo & Elafotopos (Zagorohoria, Mt Tymfi). You will have time to relax and wonder around the most picturesque villages in Greece, the attractive and mysterious Zagorohoria and traverse Vikos gorge, the deepest canyon in the world; a real paradise for nature lovers!
Finally you’ll experience how life is perceived at the highlands of Greece… where one of the last remaining original mountainous tribal cultures of Europe still exists!
Read more about our 9-day Pindos hiking & alpine lake hopping…
** Our special Northern Greece summer offer**
100€ off per person, for all June departures…
Wander around the picturesque Zagori villages!
In the North Pindus Mountains in the historic area of Epirus, you’ll find Zagori which in Slavic means “beyond the mountains”…Perched on its mountain slopes, 46 stone villages called the ‘Zagorohoria’ challenge you to explore their mysteries. ‘Zagorohoria’ are considered to be the most beautiful and well-preserved villages of Greece. They are not only great examples of traditional stone architecture, but of a still living tradition, full of myths, customs and cultural expressions of a culture nearing extinction, of the mountainous populations of Greece. 
For hikers, it’s the ideal destination because of the beautiful interconnecting footpaths of many levels of expertise that link stone villages tucked into folds of mountains.
– Dramatic Papigo at the foot of the rock “towers” of Astraka…
– mountainous Vradeto with the outstanding stairs to the Beloi ‘balcony’ offering panoramic views to Vikos gorge…
– verdant and charming Elafotopos…
– picturesque Kipi with its wonderful hiking routes and stone built bridges…
– tiny Kapesovo with its delicious local products…
– Tsepelovo with its traditional festivals…
the Zagorian villages’ natural beauty exceeds imagination!
Just 4,000 people populate 200,000 hectares of deep gorges, ravines, streams and flowing rivers, stone paved paths, staircases and bridges, challenging mountain trails… will definitely captivate you!
Explore Zagori region during our Pindos hiking and alpine lake hopping…
Traverse Vikos gorge and be fascinated by the surrounding natural beauty!
The landscape of the gorge presents a diverse relief and is characterized by abrupt altitudinal changes. With a length of 20km, walls whose height ranges from 450m to 1,600m and a width from 400m to a few meters at its narrowest part, Vikos gorge is listed by the Guiness Book of Records as the deepest canyon in the world in proportion to its width.
The gorge is found within the Vikos–Aoös National Park, in the Zagori region. It begins between the villages of Monodendri and Koukouli and ends near the village of Vikos. The gorge collects the waters of a number of small rivers and leads them into the Voidomatis River which forms in the gorge. During the crossing you will have a few opportunities to refresh yourself in the cool waters of the river.
Vikos is in almost virgin condition, contains varied ecosystem and thus is a haven for endangered species! As you walk you’ll observe many wild flowers and herbs which were once harvested by local healers, referred to as “Vikos doctors”. These herbal healers used special recipes that were often copies of ancient Greek recipes of Hippocrates or Dioscorides and became famous beyond the borders of Greece! To give you an idea, a collection of 2,500 dried species of local plants and herbs is exhibited in the local natural history museum in the village of Koukouli!
Explore Zagori region during our Pindos hiking and alpine lake hopping…
** Our special Northern Greece summer offer**
100€ off per person, for all June departures…
**Flexible bookings**
Τhe simple act of planning a trip can be almost as enjoyable as the trip itself. Studies have even shown that just having a trip on the calendar can increase a person’s happiness!
To help, we’ve made our booking policies even more flexible to allow you to put plans in motion with the comfort that you can make changes as needed.
To confirm you only pay a small deposit and the balance fee is due anytime before the beginning of the holiday, even upon arrival!
You can change your booking till last minute and postpone it for the following year.
Please contact us for further information and our group and other offers.
If you wish to discuss the above or any other matter please don’t hesitate to contact us either by phone at +30 6976 761492 or email at info@nofootprint.gr
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Nofootprint team