Valia Calda National Park

Valia Calda, the warm valley in Vlach, is the heart of the Pindus National Park, declared in 1966: a broad glaciated valley at 1,400 to 2,000 metres enclosed by ridges, filled with black pine, beech and mountain meadows, and drained by the Arkoudorema, the bear stream. The name is honest, since this is core brown bear habitat, along with wolves, roe deer, wild boar and, above the treeline, chamois; the small alpine lakes of Flega lie under the ridge, and old-growth pines stand in stands rarely logged. There are no villages inside the park and no facilities: access means driving rough forest tracks from Milia or Perivoli and then walking, and the classic traverse takes two days with a night camping or at a mountain refuge.

What you actually see

• The valley floor - meadows and the Arkoudorema stream under old pines.
• The Flega lakes - small alpine tarns beneath the surrounding ridges.
• The black pine forest - stands of large old trees on the slopes.
• The wildlife signs - bear and wolf tracks, and chamois on the high ground.

When to go

June to October, once the tracks are dry and the snow is gone; the valley is inaccessible in winter. Autumn brings beech colour and clear air, and is the best season for the traverse.

Honest expectations

This is genuine wilderness by Greek standards: no signage to speak of, no shops, no reliable phone signal, and forest roads that need a high-clearance vehicle. Bears are present but rarely seen; food should be stored properly when camping. Navigation skills are required.

Nearby

Metsovo lies southwest; Perivoli and the Vlach villages of Grevena are on the eastern approach.