Dominating the skyline around the Zagorohoria villages is Mt. Timfi or Papingos as locals refer to it. Nature enthusiasts and conservationists are drawn to the area on account of its immense natural beauty but also due to its unique landscape and rare species.
Near Mt. Timfi’s peak lie two Alpine lakes known as Drakolimnes or “The Dragon Lakes” which are literally hidden within the mountain. Their name comes from a rare species of newt that resembles a miniature dragon that is not known to exist anywhere else in the world. Fir and Pine forests cover a large portion of the mountain but large patches of alpine grass cover plains and valleys found between the summits of the mountain chain. There are several well-marked hiking trails throughout the Papingo area; the most challenging of which takes hikers to the Dragon Lakes and takes around 5 hours to complete starting from the village of Papingo.