Hiking in Orliakas

Dimitris Dalas

Ascending Orliakas

One of the most beutiful Pindos mountains is Orliakas. It rises in Grevena prefecture, over the Spilaio (Cave) village, west to the Ziakas village.

There are mainly pine trees, fir trees and other flora species. Many bears find a refuge in Orliakas and hibernate there for the whole period.

From the peak of the mountain (1464 m.), although it is not so high, the visitor has a panoramic view to Vasilitsa, Smolikas Mt, Gamila Mt, and Olympus, Triggia Mt in Trikala prefecture and many more lower mountains.

In Spilaion the visitor can see the Sacred Closter of the Ascension and the famous Portitsa bridge of Venetikos river, a bit further from the village. In the Ziakas anhd Spilaion villages there are many taverns offering nice food.

In the map you can see one of the paths to Orliakas (in red), which lasts approx. 3 hours.

If one starts a little higher from the Ziakas camping, one arrives to the top and, returning, one follows the woods path to the Spilaion village.