Two years ago, Google launched its Trekker loan program, which enables explorers to borrow a special backpack mounted kit which includes the same camera device found on Google Street View vehicles. This offers tourism boards, nonprofit organizations, research organizations, universities and others the opportunity to collect imagery from hard-to-reach places while assisting Google in its efforts to provide panoramic views from ground level of as many global locations as possible.

Greece was the 56th country to join the Google Street View project, in June 2014. The goal is for Google to give its users the chance to see places of historical and cultural significance all over the world as if they were there themselves. For the time being, three Greek destinations have been mapped out via Trekker, and now the Meteora monastery complex, the Balos Lagoon on Crete and the Samaria Gorge, also on Crete, are available for users to visit online.

Using Google Trekker, the team will be able to offer an inspirational, three-dimensional tour of Greece’s hidden natural treasures and, as a result, viewers of the documentary will be able to virtually interact with the environment.

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The Mountain View-based company took the technology of its popular Street View car camera system and fit it into a backpack that a hiker can wear. The funky looking backpack takes thousands of still photos as a hiker walks up a trail.

Images that Google Trekker collected allow online viewers from all over the world to virtually travel along trails and beaches via their computers or mobile devices in a 360-degree angle.

Google partnered with the California State Parks Department for their latest mapping project. This week’s unveiling is part of an ongoing project that will eventually cover more state parks across California.

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