Vikos

How on Earth did Vikos Gorge make it onto my map? I know the French _Gorges du Verdon_ had me in disbelief as I flew over the canyon as a pilot, the view from above screaming _bucket list_, but Vikos? While often called the ”Grand Canyon of Greece”, it’s much less known and few tourists make it to this remote corner of the Hellenic Republic, let alone into the gorge that actually holds a place in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the deepest canyon in the world in proportion to its width.

The most popular hike leads from tiny mountain village Monodendri, descending 300 meters to the riverbed below, following it downstream for 11 kilometers before ascending again to the end point in even tinier Vikos. This requires a higher degree of organization (at the very least a 45 € taxi from Vikos to Monodendri), so I decide for the somewhat tougher round trip hike, starting in Vikos and turning back before the ascent to Monodendri.

An early start guarantees you’ll meet extremely few other hikers. In fact, I make it halfway through the canyon before encountering the first on their way in the opposite direction. Because the canyon is so deep compared to its width, the sun stays hidden behind its walls until nearly midday and I spend much of the first half of the hike in the shade. Even on the return, with temperatures in the high 20s (80s to 90s F), the shade of the trees keeps me comfortable enough.

By now, I’ve encountered a handful of other people. After meeting the same two men for the second time, my curiosity gets the better of me and I ask what language they’re speaking. There are two (as far as I know) completely unrelated languages that, if you don’t speak either or cannot hear what those speaking them are saying, sound quite similar (to me and, according to quick internet research, others as well).

And so I ask: _Are you speaking French or Hebrew?_

It’s a strange question to them, but it gets us talking, and shortly thereafter, the couple from Israel and I are hiking together, sharing stories, getting to know each other.

At this time of the year, the river is completely dry. I mention the short detour to the fantastically clear and cold Voidomatis Springs just before the ascent to Vikos. We agree to go together and agree on the highlight of the day, yes, perhaps even of the entire trip – theirs and mine. Three men, an hour ago complete strangers, stripping naked to go skinny-dipping in the icy waters, drying off in the afternoon sun and sharing Israeli coffee from a small gas stove.

Oh, the joys of traveling!

Together, we nearly fly up the steep climb up to Vikos and end the day in a local tavern with Ouzo, Greek salad, Tzatziki, olives, stuffed tomatoes and lamb in lemon sauce.

Oh, the joys of traveling!Read more