Mt. Olympus! Mountain of the Gods! At almost 3000 meters above sea level one can find Mytikas (2918m), Mt. Olympus’ highest peak. Declared as a national park 50 years ago, a regime of conservation was carried out with the aim of preserving the flora and fauna, maintaining a biodiverse ecosystem which allows us to see many plant and animal species today. With the help of our licensed guide we will commence our two-day ascent of Mt. Olympus, knowing that in the wake of our descent warm beaches will await us. In our return, we will also visit the Meteora as well as the nearby St Stephen’s Monastery.
First day
Departure from Belgrade at 4 am from the agreed place (parking in front of the Sava Center). Arrival in Katerina / Paralia about 12h, just in time for a lunch break and a brief dip into the sea. At 15h we continue to Prionia (1100m) and at 15:45 we start to climb. Ascent goes through a beautiful coniferous forest, and then continues through beautiful terrain overlooking some of the surrounding peaks. After 3 hours of hiking, we arrive at the Spilios Agapitos home (better known as the home A) at a height of 2100m, for a well-deserved dinner and good night rest.
Total length 6km, 1000m ascend.
Second day
We get up early, at about 5 am, and then after breakfast start our ascend. The beautiful forests from the day before give way to a rock and stone terrain, and the trail becomes harder due to a somewhat stronger climb. As we approach the summit, a glimpse of the beautiful landscapes of Olympus opens. We come to the top of Skala (2866 m), a slippery slipway path, which can be tiring due to a slightly higher inclination and partly unstable soil. From Skala you can go left for another top, Skolio (2911 m), and if someone is not able to climb Mitikas, this will be a plan B.
We are at the top just before 9 am, that is 3h from the beginning of the ascent and enjoy the glorious view from the top. After that, we are going the same way back to Prioni where we left our vehicles. It takes about 5 hours total for our descent.
The total length of the track is about 3.7km and 800m of climb. The total length of the slopes is 9.5km along the 1800m altitude difference. We continue with our transportation to Larisa, and then Kalambaka. Free time and overnight.
Third day
We wake up early, and have breakfast at around 8 am. Then, we head to our tour of the Great Meteora Monastery and Sveti Stefan Monastery. Afterwards, at 11 o’clock we departure to Nei Porija for a well-deserved rest on the beach, and lunching at around 15:30 pm. Finally, we are packing in to our transport and start our road trip to Belgrade, with the occasional stops. We arrive in Belgrade sometime after midnight.
Itinerary
Friday
- Departure from Belgrade at 04.00 h
- Transfer from Belgrade to Katerina: 04.00 – 12.00 h
- Lunch break and a brief dip in the sea: 12.00 – 15.00 h
- Ascend to 2.100m, to home A (Spilios Agapitos home): 16.00 – 19.00 h
- Dinner and overnight stay
Saturday
- Breakfast: 5.30 – 6.00 h
- Climb to Mitikas peak: 06.00 – 15.00 h
- Transfer from Prionia to Kalambaka: 15.00 – 19.30 h
- Dinner and overnight stay
Sunday
- Breakfast: 08.00 – 09.00 h
- Tour of Great Meteora and Saint Stefan monasteries: 09.00 – 11.00 h
- Transfer to Nei Porija for a rest on the beach: 11.00 – 15.00 h
- Lunch and departure for Belgrade: 15.00 h
- Arriving in Belgrade at around 00.00h
