THE MAGICAL DRAGON LAKE OF TYMFI: HIKING IN NORTHERN GREECE
Last update: February 2, 2020
While Greece is mostly known for its thousands of islands, the mainland of the country has its own beauty. Greece is located in one of the most mountainous areas in Europe, with 80% of its territory consisting of mountains and hills. On this “side” of the country, one of the most unique destinations is the Dragon Lake of Tymfi, an alpine lake on the namesake mountain of the Pindus range (see the location on Google Maps). Due to the rare beauty of the lake and the natural environment of the area, Mount Tymfi has become one of the most popular mountains for hiking in Greece.
In this article, you can find many pictures of the lake and the hiking route together with everything you need to know about the area, the ways to get there, the best period to visit the lake, the trail, the refuge, and the local myths.
1) The Area: Zagori & The Pindus Mountains
Mount Tymfi is located in Zagori, a geographical area and municipality in the Pindus mountain range of Epirus in northwestern Greece. Zagori consists of 46 mostly stone-built picturesque villages, known as Zagorochoria, an ideal destination for alternative tourism and mountain vacations.
Mount Tymfi is also part of the Vikos-Aoos Geopark, consisting of the two namesake gorges (Vikos and Aoos) and all the massifs, lakes, rivers, caves, and forests in the surrounding area. The park is an UNESCO Geopark, a Natura 2000 area, and, generally, a perfect place for nature and adventure activities such as hiking, mountain running, rafting, canoe-kayak, mountain bike, climbing, mushroom hunting, and more.
The Dragon Lake of Tymfi is located on an altitude of 2,050m, northwest of the peak of Gamila, the highest peak of Mount Tymfi, at 2,497m. The lake can be reached only by foot from the village of Mikro Papingo. It is the closest place that can be accessed by car and the starting point of the hiking trail.
2) How To Get To The Dragon Lake Of Tymfi
To get to the alpine Dragon Lake of Tymfi, you first need to reach the city of Ioannina, located approximately 70km southeast of the lake. Ioannina is the closest urban center to Mount Tymfi and the largest city in the region of Epirus. Regular direct flights connect the Ioannina National Airport (IATA code: IOA) mostly with Athens (ATH). The duration of the flight from Athens is just 1 hour. During the summer months, there are certain charter flights from Europe as well. You can also fly to Ioannina from Thessaloniki (SKG), but only with a stop in Athens. The airport of Ioannina is located at the north exit of the city, on the road to the Zagori area (see the location on Google Maps).
Ioannina can also be reached by bus or car. However, there is no railway in the area. You can take a bus from:
- Thessaloniki (KTEL Makedonia, duration: 3:30 hours, estimated cost: 30.50 euros),
- Athens (duration 5:30, estimated cost: 42.50 euros), or
- other, smaller Greek cities such as the port city of Igoumenitsa (for more information on all the available bus routes visit KTEL Ioannina website).
The second stop on the road to the Dragon Lake is the village of Mikro Papingo. To get to Mikro Papingo from Ioannina, you need to rent a car or take a taxi. The village is located 60km north of the city and the duration of the car route is about 1 hour and 15 minutes (be prepared for a quite winding road). The cost of a taxi ride is estimated at 50-75 euros. You can find a car rental company or a taxi rank at the airport or at the center of the city. Occasionally, there might be bus itineraries from Ioannina to Megalo Papingo or Mikro Papingo for certain days of the week (for more information call KTEL Ioannina).
Alternatively to planes, buses, and taxis, you can reach directly Mikro Papingo by car. From Thessaloniki, you have to follow Egnatia Odos (Motorway A2) and from Athens, Olympia Odos (Motorway A8) and Ionia Odos (Motorway A5). The total duration of the road trip is about 4 and 6 hours respectively (you can find car rental companies at the airports). The road network until Ioannina is well-built and fast. The area can also be reached from the Greek-Albanian border through Kakavia.
Once you get to Mikro Papingo, and just before you enter the village, you will find a road on your left that leads to a car parking area beside a church. After you have parked your car, walk south for 50m until the main cobblestone street and then head northwest. The trail to the Dragon Lake starts at the point where the cobblestone street ends (there are signs to guide you as well).
3) The Hiking Trail & The Astraka Refuge
The trail to the Dragon Lake (national trail O3) is approximately 8km long with an average slope of 20%. The total duration of the trekking route is about 4 hours (without counting any stops). Except for the steep and rocky slopes east of the Astraka refuge, the trail is not too demanding or dangerous. You should, however, be in a really good physical condition, especially if you are going to be carrying much load.
The first part of the hiking route is through a tree-covered area that gradually gives its place to a treeless, alpine scenery. The trail is well marked with signs and red dots and arrows on rocks and trees. Along the way, there are several water springs and wooden shelters where you can stop to rest, admire the scenery, and take pictures. During our visit in early June, all the springs had water. Later in the year, however, you might find that some of them have dried out (don’t rely exclusively on them and make sure you have enough water on you).
The Astraka Refuge stands on a ridge, at an altitude of 1,950 meters, close to the namesake Astraka peak. It is located after approximately 5.5km on the hiking trail from Mikro Papingo to the lake, and it can be reached in about 3 hours (see the location on Google Maps). The altitude difference to be covered from Mikro Papingo until the Astraka refuge is about 910m (from 1,040 to 1,950 meters, without much elevation loss).
The refuge offers accommodation and cooked meals. It is built on a great spot from which you can observe the surrounding area, including the peaks of Gamila and Astraka, the seasonal lake of Xeroloutsa, and the alpine meadows in the valley among the peaks. Here you can spend the night before or after your visit to the lake depending on the time of your arrival (make sure to contact the refuge and prebook your stay).
The distance from the refuge to the Dragon Lake of Tymfi can be covered in 1 hour. First, you will have to walk downwards and into the valley, with an elevation loss of 140m, and then upwards covering an altitude difference of 240m from the valley to the lake. The total horizontal walking distance is 2,5km. This last part of the hiking trail is the most beautiful of the route with flower meadows, stone-built shepherd cabins, horses, mountain goats, and waterfalls pouring down the stormwater that forms the seasonal lake of Xeroloutsa.
4) The Legend Of The Rival Dragons
Dragon Lake (or Drakolimni from the Greek word “Δρακόλιμνη”) is a common name given to several alpine lakes that are located in the mountains of Pindus. According to local myths, the lakes of Mt Tymfi and Mt Smolikas were the home of two rival dragons. Every time they fought each other, the dragon of Tymfi would throw black rocks towards the lake of Smolikas and the dragon of Smolikas would throw white rocks towards the lake of Tymfi.
This supposedly explains why the banks of the Tymfi lake are black with scattered white rocks while the banks of the Smolikas lake are white with dark rocks. Today, the only dragons that live in both lakes are the amphibians Alpine Newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris).
One more myth regarding the Dragon Lake of Tymfi is related to its depth. It is said that it has an indefinite depth and that it is connected to all the rivers and the lakes of the area.
5) The Dragon Lake And Its Surroundings
The Dragon Lake of Tymfi covers an area of approximately 10,000 square meters (1 ha). Despite the myth regarding its depth, it has been measured at a maximum of 5m. The lake is believed to have been formed after the retreat of the glaciers. The water of the lake is retained throughout the year and it comes from the melting of snow and the rainfalls.
The lake lies on the top of a high cliff from which you can have an amazing view of the Aoos gorge in the northeast. You should approach the edge of the cliff with caution. Southeast of the lake, there is the peak of Gamila (the highest peak of Mt Tymfi, at 2,497m) and in the north, there is the peak of Ploskos.
The alpine lakes are sensitive eco-systems. Once you get there, and besides the obvious (to not leave any garbage), you should avoid disturbing the natural environment as much as possible. Swimming in the lake might not hurt you, but it could harm the living organisms in the lake.
6) Best Time To Visit The Dragon Lake Of Tymfi
The Dragon Lake of Tymfi can be visited between May and October. This is also the period that the Astraka refuge is usually open. During the rest of the months, the lake is frozen, the trail is covered with snow, and only fully equipped and experienced hikers can reach the area. Depending on the amount of snow that has fallen in Winter, you can still find some snow around the lake during May and even until late June (all pictures in this article were taken on June 2 and 3). These two months are also the best for photography since the grass is still green, there are more flowers in the area, and the snow makes the lake look even more “out of this world”.
May and June, however, are also the months with the most unpredictable weather conditions (even for a mountain) with frequent thunderstorms that can make your visit to the lake a rather hazardous experience. In any case, you should check the weather reports regularly and avoid taking any risks.
On the day of our visit, there was a prediction for a thunderstorm at 3 p.m., so we planned to be at the refuge at least 2 hours earlier. The storm, however, approached the area faster and during the last hour of our walk, we could hear thunders not far from our location. We were lucky enough to have reached the refuge just 15 minutes before an intense storm broke out with many thunderbolts, rain, and hail.
Great article and beautiful pictures – thank you!
Thanks for your kind comment, Carla!
Did you wild camp at all/is it allowed? Thank you
Hello David! Generally, free camping is not allowed in Greece. Especially in forests and beaches, the enforcement of the law is more strict. Many hikers, however, choose to camp in remote areas and high mountains. Even more so when there is not a refuge close by.
Thank you, if we are a bigger group of 15 (6 to 7 tents), any suggestions on wild camping in Vikos-Aoos NP? We would stay at the refuge for a couple of nights and would like to get deeper into the park.
You can check for activities that are allowed here: https://www.pindosnationalpark.gr/en/activities/
For more information, you can find the phone numbers of the Pindos National Park (which includes the Vikos-Aoos Geopark) at the end of this page: https://www.pindosnationalpark.gr/