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Western Greece
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© Keith Grant/Nature Portfolio  Black-headed Bunting |
Join our acclaimed 'Wildlife and History' team, Stephanie Coghlan and Gareth Trewartha on a new and imaginative tour to another 'undiscovered' part of Greece: the west coast, with its bird-rich lagoons, flower-rich gorges, hill-top monasteries and stunning historical sites.We start with a morning exploring historic Athens, and then set off across the Corinth Canal, and over the dramatic new modern bridge at Rion. We are heading for the Amvrakikos Gulf, a deep indentation in the western coastline of Greece. It covers an area of about 405 square kilometres and is connected to the Ionian Sea by a very narrow, shallow channel - the Strait of Aktion - and takes the form of a nearly closed-off 'inland sea'.The whole area of the Amvrakikos Gulf and wetlands has been designated one of Greece's eleven Ramsar sites and is now protected as a National Park. Efforts are being made to promote local environmental awareness of the importance of the area and to encourage eco-tourism. At the heart of this initiative is the Rodia Wetlands Centre, where the staff introduce visitors to the flora and fauna of the wetlands and to the fishing methods used locally. Eels are caught in traditional traps, and this helps fund the activities of the centre. From here we take a boat trip to look for the rare Dalmatian Pelican which breeds here, and the herd of water buffalo, which have been reintroduced in order to maintain the diversity of wetland through their grazing. We shall also visit the nearby remains of a Roman farm where the stone presses used for extracting olive oil are still in place, and get an excellent view over the wetlands from nearby St. Catherine's Hill. The area is dotted with other places of interest. There is the Old Bridge at Arta built by the Turks in the 1700s over the Arachthos River; the hilltop fortress of Rogia and its church to the Virgin Mary with a splendid view over the plain; and the small town of Menedi near the mouth of the Arachthos River. In spring there are also myriads of wild flowers. Further north in Ioannina town we keep an eye open for Lesser Kestrels, and travel over the lake to Nisa island, where we look for breeding grebes, Ferruginous Duck and warblers. Finally, the Epirus Mountains are one of Greece's best-kept secrets. We stay in Vitsa in a traditional stone guesthouse with wonderful views. The Zagori villages are spectacular, built by rich merchants who made their fortunes from the pack-horse transport trade. They are linked by stone-built trails and arched bridges over deep gorges, where Crag Martins nest, and Short-toed Eagles and Egyptian Vultures soar. Like our Peloponnese tour, this tour has been designed by Stephanie Coghlan and organised by Gareth Trewartha, a tour operator and historical guide living in Greece. We are delighted that Gareth has again agreed to accompany the tour throughout, with his unrivalled local knowledge - not just of the historical sites, but some excellent local tavernas and picnic spots, too! Itinerary Day 1 We fly from London-Athens, where Gareth will be waiting to greet us, and we head for our hotel in time for an evening meal. Overnight Athens Day 2 We spend a morning visiting the Acropolis in the company of a local historical guide, keeping an eye out for Alpine and Pallid Swifts overhead. The whole area is now clean, pedestrianised, and remarkably quiet, and makes an excellent place for a picnic lunch, before we head west to the Gulf of Arta, crossing the fabulous new bridge, and stopping at a lagoon which should hold our first wildfowl and waders. We stay here for three nights. Overnight Arta Day 3 Next day we head for the Rodia Wetland Centre, the heart of the Amvrakikos Gulf National Park. Nightingales sing around the centre and nearby Roman Olive Mill ruins, and we'll spend a little time looking at the displays before heading off in boats down the reed-fringed channel. Penduline Tits call from the willows, while Squacco Herons and Little Egrets throng the flooded fields before we reach the open waters of the lagoon itself. All three marsh terns together with Common and Little Tern hunt over the water, while Black-necked Grebes in smart breeding plumage dive to feed. We'll stop at a small monastery, with frescos in its chapel, on the edge of the lagoon, with singing Golden Orioles and breeding Black-eared Wheatears nearby. In the centre of the lagoon is a fisherman's hut, now converted as a superb picnic area and equipped with boardwalks and tower hides overlooking the lagoon and reedbeds. Here Dalmatian Pelicans soar overhead at midday, along with raptors that can include Lesser Spotted Eagle. In the afternoon we'll walk up a nearby hill for flowers and another good view over the lagoon, before heading back to Arta. We have dinner in a local restaurant where fireflies dance in the dusk and Scops Owls call from the plane trees. Overnight Arta Day 4 After an early morning walk to look for Penduline Tits, which nest nearby, we travel to Salaora, another area of saline lagoons. At this time of year the mudflats should be thronged with passage waders as well as locally-breeding Black-winged Stilts, but the star bird here is Dalmatian Pelican. This is one of the few sites where this globally-endangered species breeds - one of the main reasons for the area's protection. After a taverna lunch at a fish restaurant we walk across a causeway to a small island with an array of orchids and other flowers, and will also have time to return to the Plaka reedbeds. Overnight Arta Day 5 We depart for Ioannina today, first visiting the hilltop fortress of Rogia with its superb view across the plain. We picnic by a river, complete with Dipper and Grey Wagtail, and a nearby Roman Aqueduct before heading for our ferry which takes us across to the island of Ioannina. Ioannina Lake is another superb birdwatching area, with Great Reed, Cetti's and Fan-tailed Warblers and Nightingales in the reedbeds and shore, grebes and other waterfowl on the open water, and Lesser Kestrels over the town. Black-headed Buntings should be arriving now, and singing from the telegraph wires. In the late afternoon we drive north to Vitsa, where we stay in a traditional guest-house. Overnight Vitsa Day 6 An early morning walk could produce migrants such as Redstarts and flycatchers. After breakfast we'll set off for Vikos Gorge, an excellent area for Rock Bunting and Red-billed Chough. We'll spend the whole day in this area, and Papingo, where we have lunch in the garden of a taverna. Small paths make for excellent slow walks, and we'll enjoy the day simply pottering about in the area. Overnight Vitsa Day 7 We awake to the sounds of Cuckoos and Nightingales, and spend the morning exploring the nearby valleys and traditional bridges, before heading for the gorge and monastery of Monodendri. After a picnic lunch featuring the local delicacy 'pitsa' we'll continue to a viewpoint over the Vikos Gorge before returning to our guesthouse. Overnight Vitsa Day 8 We head back east towards Delphi, calling in at the dramatic site of Dodoni with its theatre and oracle, with some good birds and flowers en route. Overnight Delphi Day 9 We have a morning in Delphi, visiting the stadium, theatre and sanctuary - and the more famous oracle - before leaving for Athens and our afternoon return flight to London. Accommodation We stay in a mixture of good quality hotels and guest-houses with all rooms en suite. Single rooms are available throughout, but some may have to be in nearby accommodation at Vitsa. |
| Leaders: Stephanie Coghlan and Gareth Trewartha |
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| Numbers: |
Max. 14 clients |
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Price: |
£ | 1,695 | ||
| Single supp.: | £ | 175 | ||
| Deposit: | £ | 300 | per person | |
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The price per person includes return flight London - Athens, airport taxes, accommodation, all meals, incidental tips, entrance fees, minicoach transport and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tip to the driver, drinks, and other personal expenses. |
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