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Mount Olympus hike to the top of Greece, 2 days

Mount Olympus hike
Mount Olympus hike
Mount Olympus hike
Mount Olympus hike
Mount Olympus hike

Join Akis, an HMGA-certified mountain guide, for this fun, informative and exciting 2-day ascent of Mount Olympus. Learn about the nature, history and mythology of this iconic Greek mountain along the way.

Group

Olympus

2 Days

May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Occasional

Beginner


Highlights

  • Enjoy the stunning scenery of Greece.
  • Climb the highest peak in the country.
  • Learn about the mythology, history and ecology of the mountain.

Description

Rising to 2,917 meters (9,570 feet) in elevation and towering above its surroundings, the legendary Mount Olympus is the highest point in Greece and makes for an extraordinary two-day hiking adventure!

The fun begins shortly after we meet up in nearby Litochoro and transfer into the national park. From here, we will begin our ascent of the mountain by the east side, via well-marked trails in deep forest and alpine scenery. We will spend the night in a mountain hut and then continue on to the summit of Mytikas on day 2. You can find a detailed itinerary below.

During our hike, we will experience the paths of the 12 gods and we will talk about the mythology, history, fauna & flora of this unique environment. An average level of fitness level is required to join. Participants should be prepared to hike a distance of 13Km per day, at a pace of 300m of vertical ascent per hour. Of course, I will be there to help and guide you every step of the way!

So what are you waiting for? Book now for this unforgettable 2-day ascent of Mount Olympus!

If you like the look of this trip then I think you may also enjoy my 4-day hiking trip on the island of Crete!

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Transport during the trip

- Mountain guide expenses

- Harness

- Helmet

Price details

Not included :

- Guests overnight stay in refuge

- Meals & snacks and drinks

Group Price includes:

Includes :

- Guiding Fees

- Transfer (Litochoro - Olympus - Litochoro)

- 2 overnights in mountain refuges

- Snack for day 2 of the hike


Itinerary

Day 1: Litochoro-Plateau Hut

Meeting at Litochoro town in the morning (09:00), and short briefing about the ascent. We will drive via the forest road towards the trailhead (Gortsia station 1.100m. alt.)
We will start hiking the north side forest trail, towards the Petrostrouga Hut. We will stop for a short break at the hut and then continue hiking, until we will access the Muses Plateau and finally the Plateau Refuge.
Settle down at the refuge – Overnight stay.
Duration: 6 hours
Vertical ascent: 1.500m

Day 2: Summit Day

Breakfast at the refuge. Climb up to  Mytikas Peak at 2918m, the Very Top of Greece, via the east gully, and return to the refuge. Downhill hike towards the parking.
Duration: 7 – 8 hours in total.
Drive back to Litochoro town.

 

Details

Accommodation

Mountain Refuge

Meeting point

Litochoro, Greece

Equipment you will need to bring

Backpack

Sunglasses

Watter bottle


Frequently Asked Questions

How experienced do I need to be?

What is the best airport to fly into to come and climb Mt Olympus?

How is the refuge/mountain hut organized?

Is there an age restriction to climb Mont Olympus?

Will it be possible to buy food?

Where is the meeting point, where will we finish?

What’s included in the price I’m paying here?

What should I take with me / wear for this 2-day climb?

I need to spend the night in Litochoro, where do you recommend me to stay?

About the guide

I come from Greece and always remember myself as a kid in the mountains…
Now, I am a Certified Mountain Guide HMGA, member of the Hellenic Mountain Guides Association (License number A.N 867/37, Nr 19 FEK (A)621-999/28-11-07) also a Mountaineering – Ski Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, member of the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering & Climbing (H.F.M.C).

My passion for the mountains led me on numerous hikes, ski tours, and rock and ice climbs in Greece, the Alps, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Bulgaria, with many new routes under my signature.

The beautiful valleys at the foot of Mount Olympus – Greece are my home, and the flanks above are the playground to follow my mountain love, may it be ice-climbing, ski touring, hiking, or alpine climbing. For me, it is the perfect terrain to train, play and guide.

I teach mountaineering, rock climbing, and ski mountaineering in various Climbing Schools & Mountaineering Associations, and I spend a lot of wintertime as a ski instructor. I love to share my passion with guests and guide hikers, mountaineers, climbers, and ski tourers all year round.

I am married to Mariza and we have a daughter and two sons together.
I speak Greek, English, and French.

Languages

Greek | French | English

Certificates

HMGA


What people are saying about this trip

Rachel Brown

5.00

September, 2023

My partner & I have just returned from a 2 day hike up Mount Olympus with Akis. The trip was fabulous. Akis is a brilliant guide and he had a great team to help him. Akis is very experienced & willing to help with anything you need, but his style is very un-instrusive so if you want a relaxed trip with someone who loves the mountains and inspires confidence that you are in safe hands, he is your man. Highly recommended.

Rhys McKenzie

5.00

July, 2023

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Odelya Holiday

5.00

July, 2023

Akis was a wonderful guide. He cared a lot about the people and about the right pace for everyone. He made sure that we are safe and he was smiley and friendly. Climbing Olympus isn’t an easy one, but definitely something to be on your bucket list.

Meghan Blackstock

4.00

June, 2023

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Yuval Sasson

5.00

October, 2022

Travelled with Akis to Mount Olympus. It was not an easy crowd. We were a family of six with four children aging 5, 9, 12 and 14. Akis was amazing. The hike was not trivial for such a group. Akis showed confidence and great patience setting the pace and walking us literally through it. He knows every rock and tree on the trail and was fully available for all of our needs including changing the route to meet our needs. We felt totally safe and secure with his stories of the Greek Gods adding to the experience. We are all already planning our next trip to the pick with Akis.

Vikram Muralikrishnan

5.00

September, 2022

Mt Olympus was breathtaking. Definitely recommend to anyone visiting Greece who is interested in outdoor adventures. But do not underestimate the difficulty as the climb was pretty steep. Akis was a wonderful guide. He was very kind and adaptive to our fitness and speed and made sure we felt comfortable with the pace of the hike. Was easy to communicate and coordinate.

Milan Cancarevic

5.00

June, 2022

Trip itself was fantastic, the view on Skala was better than expected. On the other hand Akis (our guide) was not what we expected - he was most of the time on his phone during the hike and was not very interested in making this trip nice for us. He barely spoke to us and was going around 100m ahead of us most of the time and since he was on his phone most of the time he didn't bother with us. We expected a friendly guide which will say few things about mountain and make this nice trip for us but we definitely didn't get this. My girlfriend had issue with ligament and he didn't even bother to ask how is she, he kept distance and didn't offer any help. We couldn't even get a 'good morning' from him which looked really weird to other hikers as well, since even they asked what is wrong with our guide and why does he act like that. The only reason i am giving him 2/5 stars is because he set good pace for us. Would not recommend hiring this guide - if you want a friendly person which will guide, help and make trip memorable for you - you won't get that with him

Esther Nicol

4.00

June, 2022

Great mountain, lovely people and a wonderful experience The first day felt a little empty with alot of down time. I left the tour and walked all the way down from the leaving point .... it was honestly so beautiful, what a shame its not included! People will really miss out on all those beautiful sites and waterfalls you can swim in! The guide was great, patient and directive when needed to be. Checked up on people and was hospitable. What a journey!

Chaz Morris

5.00

June, 2022

Akis was phenomenal. He was very attentive and informative through the whole experience. He even gave me ideas of other areas to explore on my own in other parts of Greece during the rest of my trip. I appreciated that fact that he fed off of me in terms of conversation, rather than trying to lead unnecessary chit chat. I prefer to hike mostly in silence and really enjoy my surroundings. He did make sure that I was comfortable with the pace regularly and also made sure to make me stop for rest and hydration often, even when I didn’t think I needed it (trust me, you need it). It was a once in a lifetime experience, and Akis made sure that it was exceptional!

Matthew Corbett

5.00

June, 2022

Akis was an amazing guide, operating at our slower pace and taking breaks when we needed. He clearly knew what he was doing, and he gave good guidance every step of the way.

Liam Kennedy

5.00

May, 2022

Akis was a super guide. He expressed great patience & guidance towards us. We were inexperienced climbers & would never have reached the top only for Akis. Thank you to a great guide that we would highly recommend. It was an amazing experience.

Sharon Liu

5.00

October, 2021

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Eirini Blandy

5.00

May, 2021

Professional, inspired safety and confidence, knowledgable of the mountain, nothing is too much trouble - meeting all our needs: as an adventurous couple the first time around and as a small family the second and third, well balanced between friendly and giving space, fully available, in short: exceptional and we would not hesitate to recommend him to all levels of mountaineers: from absolute beginners to the fully accomplished looking to stretch themselves that little bit more.

Cas Burgers

2.00

October, 2018

My trip to Olympus turned out to be a huge disappointment. Not only because we couldn't go to the summit due to bad weather (too much wind), more because the guide Akis lacked communication and social skills. We went with a big group (9). Akis is really a professional when it comes to hiking and knows what he's doing. But his communication in general and towards me I didn't like. I also want a guide that explains stuff about the nature, the mountain and a guide that brings some positive vibes. I didn't feel included at all and I felt like he didn't like me or something. Mostly talked in Greek language and I had to ask for translation a lot. Luckily the group I was with were really friendly and translated some things for me. Besides this he could have been more open that it's a big possibility we wouldn't go to the top because of the wind. That would've saved some disappointment. At the mountain shop before the hike someone told me there's going to be a lot of wind. After asking Akis about it on the way up he said "no, not much wind. The weather will be good" Which I found very strange but maybe this was the language barrier. I've spend 180 euro's for a trip with a guide + 80euro's to rent good gear + 40 euro's to stay at the refuge with food/drinks included. This is a total of 300,- for something I could've easily done by myself (the trip to the refuge is easy). Of course I totally understand that because of too much wind we couldn't go to the top. You can't beat the mountain, it beats you. But as a backup plan we went down and then by car to a small waterfall and a monastery thats being renovated. This crushed my soul and spirit. I strongly recommend that you get part of your money back if you can't reach te summit in stead of this somewhat boring backup plan with zero adrenaline. What was even more f'd up is that after I came back to the mountain shop to bring back my rented clothes I met a couple that did go to the summit. :( So to summarise, my experience was disappointing to say the least and won't recommend Akis as a guide. Service of explore-share is good tho. Cas

Mary C

5.00

July, 2018

For this so unique climbing trip, for your special guidance, the confidence you gave me, the positive energy, thank you Akis.


 

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