Part 1: Greece

Experience the wild, untamed beauty of Northern Greece with a four-day journey into the emerald heart of the Northen Pindos National Park. Your adventure begins with a scenic drive along the Egnatia Highway to Metsovo, a stone-built Vlach village perched amphitheatrically at 1,200m. Surrounded by verdant peaks and overlooking the rushing Metsovitiko River, this traditional mountain retreat serves as your gateway to the alpine wonders of the North.

Prepare to be humbled by the scale of the Vikos Gorge, officially recognized as the world’s deepest canyon relative to its width. As you explore the rugged slopes of Mt. Tymphi, you will wander through the Zagorochoria—a cluster of 46 stone-tapestry villages where ancient arched bridges and slate-roofed houses blend seamlessly into the limestone cliffs.

Tucked away in a remote fold of the mountains lies Valia Calda, the “Warm Valley.” This pristine sanctuary is one of Greece’s most vital ecological treasures, serving as a silent haven for the rare European brown bear and a vibrant tapestry of soaring birds and endemic flora. Walking through its ancient black pine forests feels like stepping back into a primeval Europe.

We will conclude our exploration in the serene meadows surrounding the Aoos Springs Lake. This high-altitude man-made lake has evolved into a flourishing wetland ecosystem, where the still, glassy waters mirror the surrounding peaks. It is a place of profound stillness, offering a final, majestic glimpse of the diverse flora and fauna that make the Pindos range the “Spine of Greece.”

On our journey around this glorious part of Greece we will be keen to look for orchids, other flora, butterflies, birds, and any other wildlife of interest – of which there is plenty!

We hope to meet the rare and local beauty Helen’s Bee Orchid Ophrys helenae, and others such as Ophrys epirotica, Ophrys grammica, Ophrys hebes, and Ophrys zeusii. We can also expect to see Monkey Orchid, Red Helleborine, Violet Birds-nest Orchid, Lizard Orchid, and Elder-flowered orchid, plus a lot more besides and maybe some surprise finds too! The other flora will be just as interesting, for example we should be able to see 3 Lilium species – Lilium martagon, L. chalcedonicum, and L. candidum.

Butterflies will include a good number of Blues, including Anomalous & Mazarine and more – especially in mud puddling parties. We can also expect to see Eastern Festoon, Greek Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Grecian Copper, a large variety of Fritillaries, including Lesser Spotted & Freyer’s Fritillary, and many more!

The second part of our adventure beckons. It starts with a drive to Konitsa and then to the border crossing at the Mertzani (Tris Gefires – meaning ‘three bridges’) where we will enter Albania.

Part 2: Albania

Albania has only recently become a popular tourist destination but, while most flock to its beautiful Adriatic coastline, this holiday takes you to some of the less visited areas in the south of the country. We make the border crossing by crossing the majestic Vjosa River which rises in the Pindus mountains of northern Greece and reaches the sea near Vlore in Albania. One of the last intact large river systems in Europe, the entire length of the Albanian stretch is designated a national park in order to prevent the building of dams, weirs or other structures that would harm this priceless ecosystem.

Having spent some time in the impressive Vikos Gorge, a major feature of the river system on its Greek course, we will visit the riverbank near Sarandaporo where it widens to flow over broad gravel beds, forming a very different habitat.

Our base for the time in Albania will be the small town of Leskovik, from where we will have ample time and opportunity to explore the surroundings. The area is characterised by rugged mountains and gorges, mixed woodlands, open meadows, lakes and rivers, and carefully tended vineyards.

This large variety of habitat types lends itself to a diverse range of fauna and flora and we hope to see species such as Moltkia petraea, Leucojum aestivum, Ophrys epirotica, Neotinea tridentata and many others. Butterflies may include Duke of Burgundy and Grüner’s Orange-tip while Nightingale, Hoopoe, Red-rumped Swallow, Crag Martin, Bee-eater and Ringed Plover are all possible on the bird front.