River Voidomatis (from Slavic “voda” and “mata” or “mati”, meaning “good water” or “the mother of water”) is the pride and joy of Epirus and the Zagori region.

It runs through Zagori and sources from right below the village of Vikos. If you get to one of the viewpoints of Vikos gorge, you’ll see and hear the river running through the gorge.

One of the most fun activities in order to enjoy the river to the fullest and get up close and personal is rafting. It usually begins at the old bridge in Aristi or near Klidonia, another old stone bridge just a little further away.

We did the rafting with Trekking Hellas and we began at Klidonia. They were very well prepared, giving us all the necessary equipment, waterproof isothermal jackets and pants, helmets, etc. The guide takes you through the river, explaining the history and geography of the place. I wouldn’t call this a very challenging river in terms of the rafting itself (perhaps a little bit during spring where there’s a lot of water coming down from the mountains), but overall it’s super fun and the river is stunningly pretty. It costs 40€ per person and it’s a ~2 hours activity.