The most famous Greek cave expert, a clever village president and two brave young men – this could be the cast of a mystery movie. In reality, however, they are the protagonists of a great discovery of a gorgeous underground feature in Pramanda, Ioannina – also known as the cave of Anemotrypa.
Back in 1960
It was 1960 when the great Greek speleologist and honorary president of the Hellenic Speleological Society, Anna Petrochilou, visited the area of northern Tzoumerka.
The then president of Pramanda instructed two daring young men, Apostolis Lambris and George Karakostas, to open a crack in some rocks from where cool air came from in order to explore what lay beyond. Crawling, without even the most rudimentary of equipment, they succeeded in reaching a large cavity – becoming the first to behold its otherworldly beauty.
Nature’s Beauty
This initial exploration resulted in the discovery of a cave of unique beauty called the Anemotrypa cave. Over time, the cave was explored, studied and since 2000, a section of the cave has been accessible to visitors.
The cave of Anemotrypa is located three kilometres south-west of Pramanda, at an altitude of 900 metres and inside natural beauty unfolds in all its splendour. It has three levels and is crossed by the river Arakhthos, whose roar accompanies visitors for a large part of their route.
In the bowels of the earth
The highest level has collapsed and only parts of it survive. The middle level is 250 metres long, while the third level is essentially the bed of the underground river that is visible from the trail and which forms a two-metre high waterfall. All the beauty hidden in the depths of the earth; unique geological formations, domes, lakes in shades of pink, white and grey, and geological rooms with imaginative names, unfold as you wander through the cave.
At the beginning of the route, impressive stalactites that reach the ground captivate with their intensity and testify to the age of the cave. The river chamber, majestic and noisy, is on the left. A staircase leads to the Great Hall, the ceiling of which is 20 feet high and the overall immersive feeling is compounded by the grey lake.
The double staircase behind a row of stalagmites hides the White Lake room. Nearly 52 metres of colourful geological formations give the Route of Wealth its name. The Pink Lake chamber is filled with tiered lithic basins that receive the running waters of the lake. The rocks are reflected in the water and the colour changes endlessly. Boulders, stalactites, and rocks smoothed for millions of years by the waters complete the picture. In the final, very steep part of the cave the roar of the river flow is captivating. The return is back the same way but the eye constantly captures new details; it is like walking through a whole different cave.
Unanswered questions
With little or no human intervention in this natural environment, it automatically feels like taking a trip through time. Dozens of questions spring to mind – did prehistoric man have access to the Anemotrypa cave, did the followers of King Pyrrhus bathe in the gurgling waters of the river?
Did some Byzantine prince of the Despotate of Epirus hide here with his lover? Emerging out of the cave a fresh breeze blows in North Tzoumerka, and filled with beauty and inspiration, but also with many unanswered questions, the eager exploration of Epirus continues.
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