Enjoy a 3-day guided hike to the home of Greek gods - Mt Olympus
Mt. Olympus, the name conjures up visions of beauty and history. Mount Olympus is a place of divine beauty, blessed by the ancient Greek gods and chosen by Zeus to host their home. It is also the highest mountain in Greece.
The iconic hike to the top of Mount Olympus is best done by fit and experienced hikers, and though much of the route is an easy path, there are parts of the route that require scrambling.
This guided trip to summit Mount Olympus draws travelers from around the world to this magical place, with only the mountain and two rustic mountain huts to provide shelter and food in an authentic, fun atmosphere. The surrounding countryside is also spectacular, with the natural landscape taking you from thickly forested slopes to steep rocky foggy and cloud-covered peaks. Mount Olympus National Park hosts more than 1500 plant species, as well as wolves, jackals, deer and some endangered bird and butterfly species.
It should be noted that due to the nature of this trip, the itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the tour leader. Typically this is due to weather conditions, though group safety may impact the route. Mt. Olympus is a challenging walk with some scrambling, therefore the guides retain the decision on actually summiting the peak of Mytikas. It should be noted that Mytikas cannot be summited in case of snow.
Meet your guide in the morning in Litochoro, a village in the foothills of Mount Olympus, about 1.5 hours from Thessaloniki airport. If you are coming by car or bus from Athens, the trip is about 6 hours, and it is recommended to arrive the night before. Start today with a transfer to Prionia, which is where the trek to the summit of Mount Olympus starts. The starting altitude is 1,100 meters, and you will be taking the most common path up Mount Olympus to the first refuge. This part of the tour is also part of the E4, a long-distance European hiking path. Today’s hike is through a thick forest of pine, beech and fir trees. After roughly 3 hours of hiking your reach an altitude of 2,100m, and come to what is known as Refuge A (Spilios Agapitos Refuge). This shelter is located on a stone outcrop, with pleasant views. Believe it or not, there is even Wi-Fi here!
Today is the big day, a good walk with a bit of scrambling to the summit of Mount Olympus. Expect to start early from the Spilios Agapitos Refuge, a zig-zagging path leads you under the main summits. As you ascend the trees disappear and you are hiking on a rock, with great views. Just before the Zonaria Fork (2,480m), your guide will need to decide which route to take, as there are two options for route today. The route choice depends on the trail conditions, weather forecast, and your fitness.
The first option is to hike up to Skala at 2,882 meters and then crossing a narrow ridge climb to the summit of Skolio at 2,911metres. This route requires the use of your hands.
If the group’s fitness is good and the weather permits (and most importantly there is no snow), the group can ascend to the main summit of Mount Olympus, Mytikas (2,917metres). This route follows a narrow gully and involves about 1km of scrambling. This route up takes about 3 hours and covers 2.9km, 818m of elevation.
After reaching one or more of the summits, you will descend by the path you came up on. Then you will take a crossing pass that goes under the summit of Stefani – the throne of Zeus – and down to the alpine plateau of Mouses (2,700m), the Kakkalos Refuge will accommodate the group.
After the challenging day yesterday, today is an easier day, as the route is mostly downhill. Don’t think that today is all downhill, as you will climb Profitis Ilias, a small peak just above Kakkalos Refuge before heading down. This small peak has tremendous views of the summits of Mount Olympus.
After admiring Mount Olympus one last time, start your descent. After 2 hours you will reach the Hellenic rescue team shelter Petrostrouga, where you can relax and enjoy your lunch. After lunch begin the final descent into Gkorstia, where you can have your lunch and relax before your final descent to Gkortsia. From Gkortsia you will transfer to Litochoro.
This guided tour in Greece is run as a private tour for your group only and the pricing depends on the size of your group.
Prices below are per person:
This tour is based in berths in shelters that bring together groups of mountaineers from across the globe in their cozy and homey atmosphere. In all mountain huts, there are communal rooms with bunk beds. You can also camp out of the mountain hut with your tent and use the mountain hut facilities. In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other, comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
Single rooms are not available on this trip due to all the accommodations along the trail having dormitory type of rooms. However, you can still travel solo if you don't mind sharing the room and facilities. Contact us with your preferred dates and we will inform you about the pricing.
Refuge A (Spilios Agapitos) is a magnificent stone building situated below Mount Olympus. The refuge is spacious and can handle up to 110 guests in shared dormitories. There is Wi-Fi, good meals and pretty views.
The Kakkalos refuge has a capacity of 17 people in dormitories. Equipped with a stunning view and known for good food.
No meals are included in this guided tour of Mount Olympus. You will be able to purchase meals from the refuges each day.
Accommodation in dormitories in mountain huts (refuges) on Mt. Olympus.
Transfer Litochoro – Prionia & Gortsia – Litochoro is included.
How hard is this tour?
We rate this tour as a 4 / 5. On this trip, you will be walking 5-6 hours per day. While most of the trail is just hiking, there are several sections that are scrambling, especially if your guide selects the gully route to Mytikas. You should have done similar trips like this before.
Do I need a Visa?
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
Are meals included?
No, meals are not included.
Do I need insurance?
Yes, it is mandatory to have Health and Medical insurance to join this trip. You can get travel insurance here.
Are the tours in English?
Yes, the tour guide is English speaking.
Where does the tour end?
In Litochoro. You can get a transfer to Thessaloniki Airport (it’s about 1.5 hours) or the journey back to Athens is about 6 hours.
Do I need vaccines?
Check with your family doctor.
What should I bring with me?
Please try to travel as light as possible; remember that you must carry everything you bring on all the days’ walk.
When is this tour available?
End of May – October
When are the best months to visit Mt Olympus?
This tour can be done from May to October, provided there is no snow on the ascent route. The best weeks for climbing are between early July and early September, through mid-July to late August may be too warm and there is a high possibility of afternoon thunderstorms.
Are there many steep sections?
The trek to the summit of Mount Olympus is a fairly easy hike, except for the final 200m of elevation to the summit of Mytikas. This last section to Mytikas is UIAA level 2 technical scrambling. Ropes are not necessary though are used for extra safety. If you don’t want technical scrambling, then your guide will take you to Skolio, the 2nd highest summit of Mount Olympus. Skolio is 8 meters lower than Mytikas and has an equally amazing summit view, though can be reached by a medium difficulty hiking path, without any technical sections. It should be noted that on the hiking paths accessing the summits there are sections with significant drops next to an easy hiking path. Some people with a fear of heights find these paths unnerving, though they don’t pose any significant danger as the path is relatively safe.
Do participants need rock climbing or scrambling experience for the climb of Mytikas?
Scrambling experience for ascending to Mytikas is required.
In case of groups, how many people will be roped together for the climb of Mytikas?
Each guide can have 3-5 guests roped together. There is also the option of climbing it in via-feratta style as well.
If the participant is not comfortable climbing Mytikas, is there somewhere safe they can wait for the group before descent?
Yes.
Will participants need to carry their own equipment or are there porters?
All guests must carry all their equipment. It is possible for mules to accompany the group but at a much higher additional charge.
Do mobile phones work anywhere on the mountain?
There is a mobile signal on about 60% of the route up Mount Olympus. There is no phone signal inside Enipeas Canyon, on the Plateau of the Muses nor on sections of the route between Gkortsia and Petrostruga.
What is a typical menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner?
Is bottled mineral water provided in the tours?
No. Bottled water is available in the huts, with the rate typically being 1-2€/bottle depending on size.
How can travelers refill water bottles each day?
There is a mountain spring on Prionia. There is also one mountain spring (with less water supply) 45 minutes hiking over Prionia. There are no other mountain springs close to the hiking routes so buying bottled water is the only option.
Are mountain huts heated?
Mountain huts have either a fireplace or petrol heaters, but they are activated only when the temperature falls below roughly 10 degrees Celsius. Beds come with warm blankets.
Are there hot showers?
No, there are no showers in the mountain huts.
Is there electricity in the mountain hut for people to charge cameras and other electric equipment?
While there is limited electricity, it is suggested to bring your own charger to charge any electronic devices you have.
How much spending money will I need to budget each day for drinks, snacks, etc?
Drinks cost between 2€-4€, there is a big variety of hot drinks (tea, coffee, etc.) / soft drinks and alcohol (beer and wine).
How much would you recommend they budget for tips for the guides?
Mountain guide tipping is optional and can vary depending on the traveler’s satisfaction with the service provided. The usual tip is about 50 euro per day per group.
When is the best time to travel to Greece for this tour?
This tour is typically run from mid-May through October.
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37 total ratings, 0 with reviewsStephen L.
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We rate this tour as a 4 / 5. On this trip, you will be walking 5-6 hours per day. While most of the trail is just hiking, there are several sections that are scrambling, especially if your guide selects the gully route to Mytikas. You should have done similar trips like this before.
Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.
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