3-day Excursion at Smolikas Mountain: Mountain Refuge, Dragon Lake, Summit (26-28/7)

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Smolika Refuge
• Drakolimni
• Second highest peak of Greece
• Konitsa Bridge

Smolikas is one of the most beautiful mountains in our country and for many, it also has the most beautiful Drakolimni. So every year we organize a trip to visit Smolikas, stay in his shelter, climb to the top and see the infamous Drakolimni up close.

We will start from Athens by coach and the refuge of Smolika, one of the largest in Greece, will host our group. The next day we will all climb up to Drakolimni and depending on the guides and the capacity of the group we will decide if we will climb to the top. Anyone who does not want to follow the ascent can of course stay in the shelter.

Meeting place:

• Neratziotissa Train Station
• Meeting time: 08:45 am
• Start Time: 09:00 am

Minimum number of participants: 10 people

Program: Smolikas: Refuge, Drakolimni, Korifi

1st Day: Athens – Konitsa – Paleoselli – Smolika Refuge 1750m.

Starting from Athens by coach we will head towards Konitsa. In Konitsa we will visit one of the most beautiful arched bridges in Greece. Then we will head to a local tavern. After we finish our lunch the coach will take us to Paleoselli where we will start our first hike to the refuge.

Through a route of unique beauty we will encounter beech and conifer forests at medium altitudes and at higher altitudes above 1700m. whitebark pine forests (Rombolo). With the necessary stops and after about three hours we will reach one of the most "Instagram" shelters in Greece. The shelter of Smolika will host us for the next 2 nights and will give us many moments of relaxation.

• Total journey time: 4 hours (with stops)
• Distance: approximately 8 kilometers
• Altitude difference: +/- 300 meters

2nd Day: Smolika Refuge 1750m. – Drakolimni Smolika – Top of Smolika – Refuge Smolika 1750m.

On the second day we will wake up early enough in the morning to start our hike to Drakolimni of Smolika. We will start our hike in the evening so that we can admire the sunrise from above and see all the beauty of nature unfold before us. By starting so early, we will gain time for those who want to climb to the top of the second highest Mountain in Greece and at an altitude of 2637m. The hike from dragon lake onwards will be in alpine field which means we will hike through subalpine and alpine meadows and be fully exposed to the sun. So we should be fully prepared with a hat, sunscreen and water. After this full experience we will return to the shelter to relax and spend some very nice moments talking, because the most important thing for us is to become a company.

Our route:

1st Group

• Refuge Smolika – Drakolimni Smolika
• Travel time: 2.5 hours (with stops)
• Distance: approximately 4.5 kilometers
• Altitude difference: +508 meters

2nd Group

• From Drakolimni Smolika – Top of Smolika 2637m – Drakolimni Smolika
• Travel time: 4 hours (with stops)
• Distance: approximately 4 kilometers
• Altitude difference: +500 meters

Overall our route:

• Smolika Shelter – Drakolimni Smolika – Smolika Peak 2,637m – Smolika Shelter 1750m.
• Total journey time: 9 hours (with stops)
• Distance: approximately 13 km
• Altitude difference: +/-1025m.

3rd Day: Smolika Refuge 1750m. -Balta di Striga Waterfalls - Athens

It may be the day of return but we still continue to gather experiences. After our breakfast we will take the road back to Paleoselli. There we will take our bus and head towards Iliohori. From the central square of the village we will follow a well-marked path and after 30 minutes of easy walking we will reach the "Balta di Striga" waterfalls. A dip is necessary to cool off in this very beautifully landscaped area. Then we will return to the coach and take the way back.

• The schedule and routes may change depending on the weather.
• Transportation will be by coach.