Greece

Mount Olympus Hike (2,919m)

17

Summit Greece's highest mountain - 'The Home of the Gods' - on an epic 3-day trek.

Itinerary

Day 1: Meet in Litochoro and begin your hike

You'll meet your guide at Litochoro's Marine Museum (Navy Museum) Central Entrance and drive to the trailhead at Prionia.

From here, you'll begin your hike through the forest until you're above the tree line. It's here that you'll get your first view of Mount Olympus - the mountain of the gods.

You'll reach Spilios Agapitos Refuge in the afternoon, where you can relax and enjoy a hot meal.

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Day 2: Summit Mt Olympus

After an early breakfast at the refuge, you'll start hiking towards the high summit, known as Mytikas. The climb involves some scrambling - but don't worry, your guide will provide all the safety gear and be with you every step of the way.

Once you have spent some time on the summit, you'll head towards Musses Plateau and settle down in your accommodation for the evening.

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Day 3: Traverse the east trail back to Litochoro

After enjoying a truly spectacular sunrise (weather permitting), you'll head back to the trailhead at Gortsia via the north-east trail.

Then, your guide will transfer you back to Litochoro town.

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What's Included

Included
  • Professional guide.
  • Accommodation.
  • Technical equipment.
  • Sandwich snack for day 2.
  • Transfer: Litochoro to Mount Olympus and back.
Not Included
  • International and local flights.
  • Meals during the trip.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Visa (if applicable).
Have a question?

If you have any questions about this trip or want to speak with an expert, get in touch.

We're ready to help.

Team Images
Team Images
Team Images

Rated 5.0

17 verified reviews

Ann
Ann

(Sep 2023)

Loved every minute of it The guide Akis was fantastic One of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had, If I were to improve anything it would be that poles would be available through the guide ( like the harness and the helmet is ) as we arrived just in time to meet the group and had not gotten a chance to hire poles

Jamie
Jamie

(Jul 2023)

Great trip and great company would definitely recommend and looking forward to next year’s trip already

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Karl
Karl

(Jul 2023)

Fantastic guides both very knowledgeable of the area. Both kept a pace for everyone to keep up with one at the front and one at the back. Very safe going up the mountain and back down. Fantasoltic views amd we were very lucky to have clear skies all the way. I met some lovely people all like minded wanting to push themselves.

Rob
Rob

(Jun 2023)

Great trip and superb Guides. Unfortunately Greece was getting hammered by storms and we could not summit but got pretty close to false summit. Always another time

Kirstie
Kirstie

(Sep 2022)

Amazing experience in a truly magnificent place. Akis is very professional and knows the mountain as if it's part of him. I felt very safe with my teenage children and am still mesmerised by the incredible adventure we had. Mytikas Peak was a highlight, as were the sunsets, sunrises and stunning mountain scenery.

FAQs

Before you go

You do not require any previous mountaineering experience for this trip. We recommend a good level of fitness. Daily distances, elevation, and hiking time is as follows: Day 1 : 1,000m of vertical ascent, 6.5 km, 3-3.5 hrs Day 2: 1,000m of vertical ascent, 15km, 7-8hrs Day 3: 1,000m of vertical drop, km, 2-3 hrs N.B. The vertical ascent of each day is usually more challenging than the distances covered.

- Money for meals and drinks at the refuges - Hiking boots - Backpack 30L or similar - Sun protection - sunhat, suncream and sunglasses - Long trousers - Shorts - Waterproof jacket - T-shirts for trekking - Fleece - Underwear - Hiking socks - Small towel - Toiletries - Headtorch - Water bottle - Hiking sticks (optional) - Shell jacket - Gloves and beanie - Lightweight summer sleeping bag OR sleeping bag liner to use use with the refuge blankets

On your trip

We recommend you fly into Thessaloniki Airport (SKG). It takes around 1.5 hours to get to Litochoro from Thessaloniki Airport. The quickest way is to take a taxi, and this is usually a good option if you are travelling with a few other people (typically costs around 125 EUR). Alternatively, you can take the airport bus to Thessaloniki station (around 45 minutes) and then the train to Litochoro (1 hour and around 5 EUR). From Litochoro station, it is a short taxi ride to the main square (10 EUR).

For trips until June 20th: You can leave your stuff at the Refuge Agapitos, as the second overnight is at the same refuge. For trips after June 20th: You have to carry your equipment from one refuge to the other.

Usually, the the first night is at Agapitos Refuge on the east side of mount Olympus. The second night is at Petrostrouga Refuge on the northeast side of mount Olympus. This may, however, change depending on the season (see 'seasonal variations' FAQ). The refuges are basic, dormitory-style, and have a shared bathroom. Due to this shared sleeping situation, it's a good idea to bring an eye mask and earplugs to help you sleep. Extra blankets are available in the refuge, but you need to bring a sleeping bag or sleeping bag liner. A cold-water shower is available at Refuge Agapitos. Unfortunately, there is no shower available at Petrostrouga Refuge. We recommend packing wet wipes to freshen up in the evening. Note that mountain refuges offer only basic accommodation. Electricity is limited and sometimes not available. Likewise, water availability is often influenced by the season, as during dry times, these refuges do not have a water supply.

You will have opportunities to buy food and water in Litochoro town and at the refuges in the mountains. We would recommend having a light lunch before meeting your guide on day 1.

Start: You'll meet your guide at Litochoro Marine Museum Central Entrance (navy Museum), at 2:00 PM on day 1 of your itinerary. End: Your guide will drop you back off at Litochoro square central church between 11:00 AM and 12:00 midday on day 3 of your itinerary.

During this trek, you will be making a steep scramble up Mitikas. This is not technical rock climbing, rather we will be using a short-roping technique which is standard for this route and this type of terrain. You will be provided with helmets and harnesses for this 'climb'. Short-roping is a mountaineering technique that involves a rope team moving together on steep or technical terrain, typically with shorter rope intervals between climbers. The leader anchors the rope to provide a measure of security for the entire team (i.e. the rope is not attached to the rock). The climbers maintain a shorter rope length between them, allowing for swift communication, increased control, and quicker response to potential hazards.

The Refuges are located in remote parts of the Greek mountains. As such, the menu is often limited. As there are no other options, meal prices are also fairly steep. Expect to pay around 6-8 Euros per meal. The food is cooked by the refuge staff and we cannot guarantee that there will be options for specific dietary requirements. Unfortunately, we are also not permitted to bring our own food to eat at these refuges (you may of course bring snacks to eat along the trail).

During parts of the year, certain refuges are closed. In May & June, there can still be snow blocking the passes. This affects our trip and where we overnight in the following ways; May : Agapitos refuge is the only one open on Mt Olympus, we stay at this same refuge both nights during this month. June 1st to June 20th: Due to the snow at the upper part of Mount Olympus and the high peaks, there is no access or connection to the Muses Plateau. The two overnights are at Agapitos Refuge. After June 20th: the connection between the east and the northeast side of Mt. Olympus is free of snow. The 1st overnight is at Agapitos Refuge and the second overnight is at Petrostrouga Refuge.

Other FAQs

The minimum age for this trip is 12 years.

The best months to climb Mount Olympus are July and August (summer). During this time of year, the climate is the most stable. Remember, because you'll be high up in the mountains, the temperatures are cool. You will still need gloves and a beanie at the summit.

If you want to spend more time in Litochoro on either side of your trip, then the Bayiri Petit pension is an amazing choice for accommodation.

Yes, if you want to rent hiking poles, these are available from the 55Peaks Mountain store at Litochoro Central Square.

Your head guide is Akis

All trips on Skyhook are run by small, hand-picked local guiding companies. For this trip your guides run Olympus Alpine Guiding, based in Katerini.

By booking through Skyhook you'll be joining a small-group trip. This can make it nice and sociable (you'll be added to a group chat after booking), and guarantees great value for money!

Akis