Climb Mount Olympus (2918m)
- Greece
- 3 nights
Summit the highest mountain in Greece and stand on top of the 'Mountain of the Gods'
What's Included?
- Activities & Certified GuidesAll itinerary activities with an expert, local, English-speaking mountain guide
- Guesthouse & Mountain hut2 nights in a guesthouse, 1 night in a mountain refuge
- Meals2 breakfasts at your guesthouse
- TransfersAirport transfers and everything in between
- EquipmentHelmet, harness and rope
- Small Like-minded GroupsSolo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 8 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From…excluding flights
Highlights
Climb to the summit of the legendary Mount Olympus (2918m), one of the world's most famous peaks
Hike along forested trails as you explore the beautiful and varied landscape, the mythic home of the Greek gods
Ascend and descend along different trails to ensure a unique and unforgettable experience each day
Itinerary
Day 1
Head to Litochoro, at the base of Mount Olympus
GuesthouseTwin shareShow Day 1 detailHide detail
Arrive into the coastal city of Thessaloniki – the second largest city in Greece, it's considered to be Greece's cultural capital. It is a fantastic place to explore on foot, so we recommend you fly in early if you have time. Your host will pick you up late afternoon and take you to Litochoro: a small town at the base of Mount Olympus, which is about an hour and a half's drive away. Settle into your guesthouse, then you can head out for dinner with your group.
Day 2
To the 'Plateau of Muses'
Hiking8-9hrs · 12km · 1600m upMountain hutMixed dormBreakfast includedShow Day 2 detailHide detail
It's an early start this morning as you set off on a drive to the trailhead at Prionia (1100m.) The trail meanders through a forest of pine, fir and birch and you'll meet hikers from all over the world, before breaking through the treeline and getting a stunning view of the many summits of Mount Olympus. Push on to the refuge at 2650m where you'll be spending the night – here, you can relax with a hot meal and a view over the 'Plateau of Muses'.
Day 3
Summit Mount Olympus
Hiking8-9hrs · 12km · 268m up · 1800m downGuesthouseTwin shareShow Day 3 detailHide detail
After an early breakfast, your guide will decide which of the two potential summits to attempt based on weather conditions and the group's fitness. The first option is to ascend Skala Peak (2882m) and cross a narrow ridge to the adjacent Skolio Peak (2911m). The tougher option is to attempt the mountain's highest summit, Mytikas (2918m) – but with a couple of hundred metres of exposed scrambling at the end, this route will be a challenge. Either way, you'll enjoy some incredible views over the surrounding gorges and peaks before descending along a different path to the Gkortsia trailhead, where you’ll return to Litochoro. Celebrate your summit success with a cold afternoon beer.
Day 4
Time to head home
Breakfast includedShow Day 4 detailHide detail
Tuck into a last breakfast at the hotel, before hopping into the van for your transfer back to Thessaloniki Airport – or you can get dropped off in the city itself if you want to explore Thessaloniki.
Practical Stuff
Getting There
- Nearest airport
- Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport (SKG)
- Pick up
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)
17:00 on Day 1 - Drop off
- Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)
12:00 on Day 4
This Trip is Graded Level 6
What is and isn't Included?
What's included
- Guided hike from Prionia to the Plateau of Muses
- Guided hike to summit Mount Olympus and descent to Gkortsia
- Expert, local, English-speaking mountain guide
- 2 nights in a guesthouse
- 1 night in a mountain refuge
- 2 breakfasts at your guesthouse
- Group arrival transfer from Thessaloniki Airport on Day 1
- Group departure transfer to Thessaloniki Airport on Day 4
- Transfers during the trip
- Helmet, harness and rope
What's not included
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion, but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your host can help with advice; however, we would suggest €50 per day from the group as a guideline.
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine (opens in new tab), as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Where You'll Stay
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
What You'll Eat
Refuges on Mount Olympus serve simple, hearty meals for around €10-15 per person. Breakfast usually consists of bread, butter, marmalade, honey, cheese, coffee/tea/milk and chocolate spreads. Lunch is often sandwiches, fruits, eggs, energy snacks and…
Optional Extras
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation
- Litochoro village extra night (double/twin room)
- …/per night
- Litochoro village extra night (single room)
- …/per night
Upgrades
- in Litochoro only (not in the mountain hut)
- …/per person
For solo travellers looking for their own space, it is possible to request a private room upgrade on Day 1 and Day 3 of the trip (when you are staying at the guesthouse in Litochoro) – see Optional Extras for pricing. Please request this at the time of booking (subject to availability).
Transfers
- Private transfer from Thessaloniki city or airport to Litochoro village (per vehicle per way)
- …
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Ratings & Reviews
- 2 stars (0)
- 1 star (0)
Category rating
- Food
- 5.0
- Guides & crew
- 5.0
- Accommodation
- 5.0
- Itinerary
- 5.0
Latest Reviews
Customer Photos
Before You Travel
What to Pack

Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
FAQs
What do I do about drinking water?
There is a mountain spring in Prionia and another around 45 minutes further on where you can refuel your bottle. There are no other springs close to the hiking routes so bringing enough water with you is essential. Alternatively you can buy a bottle of water at the refuge for €1 - €2, however, please remember to take this with you when you leave the mountain to keep this beautiful landscape as clean and perfect as possible.
Can I leave my excess luggage somewhere?
Any excess luggage can be safely left at your local host's trekking office in Litochoro.
What is Plan B in case of adverse weather?
In adverse weather conditions, it may not be safe to ascend the exposed peaks. Your local host will monitor weather conditions and act accordingly. In the event of high amounts of snow in spring, it may be necessary to modify the itinerary of earlier departures in the year, in order to ensure your safety and enjoyment during the trip.
High altitude (over 2500m): what factors should I consider?
This trip visits locations at or above 2500m, where some people may experience symptoms of Altitude Sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
Previous experience at altitude doesn’t guarantee the same response again – your body can react differently on each trip. However, having been at altitude before is still valuable: it gives you a better understanding of how your body might respond, what symptoms to look out for, and how to manage your pace and energy levels.
Your guide is trained to manage the risk of altitude sickness by controlling the rate of ascent, monitoring group wellbeing, and responding appropriately if anyone feels unwell.
Before booking, we recommend considering your personal health, particularly if you have any pre-existing conditions, and consulting a medical professional if you’re unsure. Arriving early to allow your body to acclimatise can also make a big difference.
Your travel insurance must cover the maximum altitude reached on this trip and include emergency evacuation.
Hot climate: what factors should I consider?
This trip operates in areas where daytime temperatures can reach extreme highs, where limited shade and high humidity can also be a factor. These conditions can affect physical performance and increase the risk of dehydration or heat-related illness. Your guide will adjust the pace and monitor the group closely, but hydration, proper clothing, and sun protection are essential.
Before travelling, consider your ability to be active in high temperatures and consult a medical professional if you have concerns – especially if you have any cardiovascular or heat-sensitive conditions. Arriving a day or two prior to the trip may help you adjust gradually to the heat.
Can I book on my own?
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Who is running the trip?
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
What is the official travel advice?
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
What vaccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
How are the trips priced?
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
Why are your adventures only for adults?
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
Who else will be on my trip?
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
What's the weather like?
Mount Olympus has a large elevation range, which makes the weather highly variable. Summer temperatures generally range between 0 and 20 °C, with cooler temperatures occurring near the top, especially at night. Strong winds are typical above the treeline, while most days are sunny or partly sunny, with thunderstorms occurring roughly a third of the days during summer. Before you travel, your host will be happy to assist with any queries on the mountain conditions and the best clothing and equipment for your trip; some items will be available for hire on arrival, see the Kit List section above for more details.
What's the carbon footprint for this trip?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 188kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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Departure dates
Thursday 18th June 2026
to Sunday 21st June 2026
Last minute - Host approval required
…Thursday 25th June 2026
to Sunday 28th June 2026
Last minute - Host approval required
…
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