Gamila

2,497 m

Greece

Also known as Тимфи, Tymfi, +3

Тимфи · Tymfi · Γκαμήλα · гора Гамила · Óros Týmfi

Elevation: 2,497 m
Prominence: 1,266 m
Difficulty: 3/10; Mountain hike
Best Season: Jul–Sep
Routes: 1

Routes

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Sources differ: T2 (Outdooractive (Alpenverein Gebirgsverein))

The standard ascent of Gamila, the highest summit of Tymfi: a well-trodden, waymarked path climbs from Mikro Papigko (about 950 m) to the Astraka refuge (1,950 m), then crosses the high karst plateau past the Xerolimni (Lakka Tsoumani) to a scree cirque and a short steep ridge to the top. About 1,600–1,800 m of ascent; usually two days with a night at the refuge.

Elevation Profile

Distance: 12.6 km; one way
Ascent: +1,739 m; −151 m lost on the way up
High Point: 2,497 m
Time Up: 7h 41m; DIN 33466
Time Down: 5h 34m; DIN 33466 · same way back

Park at the entrance to Mikro Papigko (about 970 m), reached from Ioannina via Kalpaki, Aristi and Papigko. The path leaves the village past a walled spring (the last reliable water before the refuge), climbs through forest and after about 1 hour reaches open terrain, then zigzags up to the saddle between Astraka and Lapatos, where the Astraka refuge stands (1,950 m). Allow 2–3½ hours. From the refuge descend briefly into the basin of Lakka Tsoumani with the Xerolimni, a pond that usually holds water despite its name. Before the pond, or from its south shore, turn right (south-east) into a rising valley, then east over a broad saddle and up an increasingly steep scree cirque with cairns and marks to a narrow saddle north-west of the summit. Turn left and follow the ridge steeply to the top of Gamila (2,497 m). Allow 2½–3 hours from the refuge. The terrain between the Xerolimni and Gamila is extensive and featureless karst; navigation is difficult in fog. Descend the same way (about 4 hours to Mikro Papigko). Variants: return via the Loutsa Robozi pond further south, or add the Drakolimni (dragon lake, about 2,000 m) north of the Xerolimni, about 1–1½ hours each way from the refuge.

Start

Μικρό Πάπιγκο909 m

None to Mikro Papigko; taxi from Ioannina or Konitsa.
Parking at the trailhead

Stages

Day	Stage	km	m ascent	m descent	Time
1	Μικρό Πάπιγκο → Ορειβατικό Καταφύγιο Αστράκας	6.8	1,012	0	4h 13m
2	Ορειβατικό Καταφύγιο Αστράκας → Γκαμήλα	5.9	727	151	3h 28m

Waypoints

Parking:
Μικρό Πάπιγκο909 m
Car park at the entrance to Mikro Papigko
Hut:
Ορειβατικό Καταφύγιο Αστράκας1,922 m
Astraka refuge 'D. Georgoulis' on the saddle between Astraka and Lapatos
Feature:
Ξερόλουτσα Τσουμάνη1,764 m
Xerolimni pond in Lakka Tsoumani; turn south-east for Gamila
Summit:
Γκαμήλα2,497 m

Key Passages

Zigzags up to the Astraka refuge saddle
Lakka Tsoumani and the Xerolimni
Scree cirque and steep final ridge

Equipment

0/7 packed

Technical

Crampons and ice axesnow in the cirque and on the summit ridge in spring and after autumn snowfallRecommended

Safety

Sun hat and sun protectionRequired

Footwear

Hiking boots with good gripscree cirque and steep summit ridgeRequired

Clothing

Windproof and waterproof layersopen plateau with no shelter; summer thunderstormsRequired

Navigation

Map and GPS trackorientation on the karst plateau is difficult in poor visibilityRequired

Hut & Camping

Sleeping bag linerfor the Astraka refugeRecommended

Other

Water for the plateau sectionno reliable springs between the refuge and the summitRequired

Downloads

Route confidence 75%

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Overview

Tymfi is the limestone massif above the Zagori villages and the Vikos gorge in Epirus; its highest summit, Gamila (2,497 m), is reached on a long waymarked hike via the Astraka refuge and a high karst plateau dotted with alpine ponds.

Tymfi (Gamila) rises in north-western Greece between the Aoos gorge to the north and the Vikos gorge and the Zagori villages to the south. The highest summit, Gamila, reaches 2,497 m; other summits include Astraka (about 2,436–2,486 m), Ploskos, Stoma and Karteros. To the north the massif ends in steep cliffs above the Aoos; to the south it falls away in long limestone slopes. The whole mountain lies in the Northern Pindos National Park and the Vikos–Aoos UNESCO Global Geopark.

The top of the massif is a wide karst plateau with sinkholes and small ponds: the Xerolimni (Lakka Tsoumani), the Loutsa Robozi and the Drakolimni, a tarn at about 2,000 m perched on the edge of the Aoos cliffs and home to alpine newts. The Astraka refuge, on a saddle at 1,950 m above Mikro Papigko, is the base for nearly every ascent.

The ascent of Gamila is a non-technical but long hike, best split over two days. The difficulty lies in the distance and in navigation across featureless karst rather than in any single passage. Most visitors to the refuge go only as far as the Drakolimni; the summit is much quieter.

Climbing Notes

Plan two days: walk up to the Astraka refuge on day one (2–3½ hours from Mikro Papigko), climb Gamila on day two (2½–3 hours from the refuge) and return to the village. Fit parties do it in a single long day of about 10 hours. Book the refuge in advance in summer.

Carry a GPS track and map: the plateau between the Xerolimni and Gamila is extensive and confusing in fog, and waymarks may be under snow until June. Carry water from the refuge; there are no reliable springs on the plateau. Start early to avoid afternoon storms. Brown bears and wolves live in the national park, and shepherds' dogs guard flocks on the summer pastures. In winter the mountain is a serious objective for experienced ski-tourers and winter mountaineers, with avalanche terrain in the cirques and very cold, windy conditions.

History

The Astraka refuge was built in 1964–1966 on the initiative of EOS Ioanninon and the Papigo mountaineering group, opened on 6 August 1966, and renovated and enlarged in 2004; it belongs to the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing. No record of a first ascent of Gamila is known; shepherds have long used the high summer pastures.

Season

Best Jul–Sep

January: Not advisable
February: Not advisable
March: Not advisable
April: Possible
May: Possible
June: Good
July: Best (best window)
August: Best (best window)
September: Best (best window)
October: Good
November: Possible
December: Not advisable

Jan: Winter; refuge closed; for experienced winter mountaineers and ski-tourers only
Feb: Winter conditions
Mar: Winter conditions; avalanche risk in the cirques
Apr: Spring ski touring; refuge closed
May: Refuge opens in late May (22 May in 2026); much snow remains on the plateau
Jun: Snow patches in the cirque early in the month; waymarks may be covered
Jul: Best season; start early to avoid storms
Aug: Best season; busy at the refuge
Sep: Stable weather, fewer people
Oct: Refuge closes during October; first snow possible
Nov: Refuge closed; early winter conditions
Dec: Winter conditions

Access & Permits

Hut Booking

Astraka refuge 'D. Georgoulis' (51 beds, open roughly late May to October): book by phone (+30 697 322 3100) or email info@astrakarefuge.com.

Fees

Astraka refuge overnight and meals paid at the refuge

Rules

Northern Pindos National Park: stay on paths, do not disturb wildlife or grazing livestock; do not swim in the Drakolimni (protected alpine newts)

Getting There

Ioannina

Ioannina (IOA)

Car: Ioannina–Kalpaki–Aristi–Papigko–Mikro Papigko, about 1 hour; car park at the village entrance
No public transport to Mikro Papigko; taxi from Ioannina or Konitsa

Hazards

Weather
Remoteness
Avalanche

Huts & Shelters

Ορειβατικό Καταφύγιο ΑστράκαςRefugeStaffedBooking required
51 beds · Late May to October (opened 22 May 2026)
Website of Ορειβατικό Καταφύγιο Αστράκας
1,950 m