Olympus Mountains Climb

We offer you a hiking trip to the highest mountains in Greece – Olympus Mountains, which are famous as the residence of the 12 ancient gods of the Greek Mythology. They are also gifted with rich biodiversity preserved in Olympus National Park. These mountains are also the second highest on the Balkans and undoubtedly the most exciting ones to climb among the high mountains in the area.

Mount Mytikas, the peak of Olympus Mountains in Greece, rises at 2917 meters above the sea and is actually quite close to the seaside. The challenge in to climb the peak in the begging of a long hiking day and dip in to the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea in the evening of the same day. We may offer you this experience in a tight two-day program, but for those who want to enjoy more time in the mountains we’ve got an optimal 3-day itinerary below. We’ll also spend a night in a high mountain hut at the Mouson Plateau at 2650 m, in the foot of the impressive Mount Stefani.

In order to participate in the program you’ll need to be in a good physical condition. There is some steep sections along the way and the last section of the ascent is exposed and requires some scrambling, so not suitable for people with fear of heights. If you are in any doubts about your ability to cope with such terrain, contact us for further information. The trip is guided by internationally certified UIMLA Mountain Leader who will take care for your safety during the ascent and descent of Mount Mytikas.

The trip is available between June and October. The condition of some parts of the route may vary significantly, depending on the season and the weather, so we reserve the right to modify the route in order to provide maximum safety for our clients. As an example we may reverse the program and start from Prionia locality if the so called Zonaria Trail is still covered by snow in May/early June.

Highligts:

• Exciting and panoramic ascent of the highest peak in Greece
• Visit to the beautiful Mouson Plateau dominated by Mount Stefani
• The unique nature of the Olympus National Park

Itinerary:

Day 1:  Meet with your guide at Thessaloniki or directly at the village of Litochoro in the foot of the mountains. 30 minutes transfer to Gortsia locality where is the trail head. 3,5 hours climb through the beautiful forests of the mountain will take us to Petrostrouga Hut at 1950 m., our first accommodation in Olympus Mountains. Total walking for the day: 3,5 hours, + 900 m.

Day 2: A demanding day. Early start and ascent to the Mouson Plateau at 2700m – 2,5 hours. After second breakfast we leave some of our luggage in the hut and continue with the ascent of Mount Mytikas, which typically takes about 4-4,5 hours totally. We spend the night in a nice mountain refuge at the plateau, enjoying the view of Mount Stefani, hopefully also beautiful sunset and sunrise. Total walking for the day :  7 hours, +970/-270m.

Day 3: Second option to climb the peak with an early start – if the weather hasn’t been good on the previous day. Descent to A Hut along the valley and finally to Prionia locality – end of the trek. Transfer to Litochoro – 30 min. It is possible to stay for a night at the seaside or go back to Thessaloniki. Total walking for the day : 4,5 hours, – 1550m.

For more info on the ascent, please read our article on the difficulty level of the climb of Mt. Olympus.

Possible extensions:

• Ascent of Mount Stefani
• Tymfi Mountains in Northern Greece
• Meteora Monastery Complex
• Rila and Pirin mountains in Bulgaria

Required equipment: hiking boots, rucksack (35-45 l), trekking poles, water and windproof jacket, rain cover, sun hat, sun lotion, sunglasses, water bottle (1,5 liters), torch, personal first aid kit, travel liner for the huts. We’ll provide any other group or personal special equipment that will be required, such as rope, helmets, harnesses.