6 day – “Easter / Spring adventure II”

After we have been introduced to the place’s history by visiting the cultural center and museum, we go rafting or monorafting & inflatable kayaking in the Pinios river, which flows deep below the village. The starting point for the river ride is only 10’ drive from Ambelakia. We are going to raft or monoraft in the Tempi valley route. The route is very enjoyable, crossing one of the most well-known and historical land marks of the country. This excitement will last for about 1.30’ hours. We change back in to our dry clothes, enjoy a picnic lunch at the end of the ride by the river, before transferred back to your accommodation in Ambelakia or visit places of special interest. We will guide and advise for this.

Duration of the actual rafting, 2.00’ hours. Overall activity’s duration, 4.00’ to 4.30’ hours, including the gearing up time, briefing, local transfers, stops, picnic e.c.t.

Hiking: Walk to the main summit by the north west side. By road, we move to the village of Spilia from where we are transferred by road to the Kanalos location at 1500m. From this point onwards, we start the walk to the summit. The first part of it, is up the north west slopes of the mountain and then, in a south west direction, we move with great views up the eastern ridge, which leads us to the summit. We return by the same route back to Kanalos location where we have our picnic lunch. The walk is classed as easy to moderate and takes 3.00’ to 3.30’ hours, both ways.

Rock climbing After lunch, we are transferred by road (15’) to the Seloma pass at 1000m, where we gear up for rock climbing at the near-by Seloma rock climbing site. A beautiful spot with great views and great rock for the “vertical game” enjoyable for the young and the old! After about 3.00’ to 3.30’ hours of climbing, we make our way down to the densely forested eastern slopes of the mountain to our Mt. Kissavos base, where we are to spend the night in a hostel type wood cabin, at 370m with great views of Mt. Olumpus and the Aegean Sea. Have a hot shower, a well-earned supper and a good rest.

Overall both activities’ duration, 7.30’ to 8.00’ hours, including the gearing up time, briefing, local transfers, stops, picnic e.c.t.

If you choose the Via Cordata & Hiking. After a good breakfast, we are transferred to the starting point of the walk in (10’ by road), the same as for the Apollo Ridge, at 20m. We take the so called “clefts’ path” – an escape way full of legends and stories – quite steeply for the first 20’ and easier for the rest of the length, until we reach the starting point of the Via Cordata traverse at about 270m. This hike will take 1.00’ to 1.10’ hours of moderate / challenging walk. Gained altitude 250m. Here, we gear up and your guide /s introduce you to the basics of safety and use of equipment. The feeling is unique as you make this high traverse across the cliffs enjoying views beyond words! Duration of the Via Cordata route, 1.00’ hour. At the end of the traverse we descend through a ravine and after a series of 3 small abseils particularly enjoyable by the younger ones, we reach the main classic path – after 1.00’ hour’s descent – to continue with the classic Tempi valley crossing route, all the way to the east-end of the valley, finishing at a picturesque chapel where the picnic is waiting for us, at about 100m. This will take another 1.45’ hours of easy but very nice hike. Altitude loss, 150m. Minimum age 11 to 12 years. Overall duration of the activity, 5.45’ to 6.00’ hours including the gearing up time, briefing, local transfers, stops, picnic e.c.t.

If you choose Canyoning. After breakfast we leave the wood cabin and move by forest dirt road through dense forest, along the eastern side of the mountain. The activity today is canyoning and our destination is the Kalypso canyon. This canyon is a nature’s wonder. A completely different world from what we have experienced up to now. Geared up, we walk up the slope for about 20’ and get into the canyon. An amazing environment of waterfalls, crystal clear pools and dense vegetation welcome us. While in the Canyon, we continue walking and scrambling up stream for another 10’, until we reach the great waterfall, 75m high! It is indeed a unique and exceptional spot! After having a drink and cookies at the spot, we make our way down stream to start the real canyoning in the Kalypso II section with a series of jumps, waterslides, dives, fly-foxing over pools and abseiling alongside waterfalls.

Duration of activity (in the canyon) 3.30’ to 4.30’ hours.

Overall duration of the activity, 6.00’ to 7.30’ hours, including the gearing up time, briefing, local transfers, stops, picnic e.c.t.

Note that in the case of families with children of 7-10 years, we do the Kakoskala Ia canyon, as this is more appropriate for the period of time and the actual ages.

At the finishing point we have a picnic lunch in the forest before we return to the base and the cabin for the night.

Today we will enjoy a sea kayaking ride along the Mt. Kissavos coast route, exploring a very beautiful coast line in the sea kayaks. The last night’s accommodation can be in a hotel in the Mt. Kissavos coastal area. Duration of paddling, 2.00’ to 2.30’ hours. Overall activity’s duration, 4.30’ to 5.30’ hours, including the gearing up time, briefing, local transfers, stops, picnic e.c.t.

End of program. Departure.

Pricing policy:

Our multi activity holiday programs / trips are meant mainly for you who “Plan your own holiday” or for you who want to “Do it yourself”. By being retailers and providers at the same time on these actual programs, we are able to deliver and provide a personalized service at an excellent price, without compromising on the quality of our activities. As local activity suppliers, our expert knowledge of the area ensures for you a more personal feel and direct communication with us and the area, thus, more control on your behalf, over your holiday.

Our multi activity holiday programs / activity combinations are designed and put in place for every different proposal / program in such a way, that only our experience and knowledge concerning the local conditions could achieve towards your maximum enjoyment. It took long sessions of evaluating various elements and parameters like the group’s type – individuals/family/children’s age groups – the activities’ level and the time period in relation to the weather conditions, before reaching the desired outcome. We believe that we have succeeded there achieving the harmony we were seeking. Our clients’ comments which have helped us a lot towards it, are in favor of this. We are grateful to them!

Just take the advantage of this work, at prices that you will find nowhere else for such full, well designed, high-quality multi-activity holiday programs!

So, the Prices apply mainly to the independent traveler, who will have their own means of transport, thus, come independently from their accommodation to the meeting point for every activity and back, with our and our website’s directions at all times. During the booking procedure and contact with us you will also be given all the information / directions needed to get from the airport to your accommodation. The “Google Maps – our activities Destinations” in our website will help you a lot towards it. We take care of the appropriate accommodation for you, being close and handy to the activities area.

As it is explained below (“Things you should know” at “Transport”), if you do not have your own means of transport, the transfers from the arrival stations to your accommodation and back, as well as the transfers from the accommodation to the activity’s location and back, will be done by us at an extra cost.

Note that if you are less than 4 persons without other participants in your actual available dates, we can do the full program exclusively for you if you wish, at an additional 25% if you are 3 persons and 45% if you are 2 persons on the activities price. This means an 18.5% for 3 persons and 33.5% for 2 persons on the above total (activities + accommodation) prices.

Things you should know

Meals & Meal Plan: This trip is organized on a half board basis, as breakfast goes with your accommodation and lunch will be a picnic meal with traditional Greek dishes and tastes prepared with great care by the Olympos Trek team, usually during or after the activity, being included in the price. Two evening meals, one welcome and one farewell, are included in the price.  The rest of the evening meals are not included in the price and will be taken in local restaurants as this will give you a perfect opportunity to sample real Greek hospitality and delicious food, typical of the region. Water and juices for the children are included with the activity but alcoholic drinks for the adults are not.

Transport: From the airport to your accommodation in Litochoro, in case you do not have your own or hired means of transport (rented vehicle), the best suggested way is the public transport (train or bus), as our area of activities and the accommodation establishments are very close to the main road and rail streams of transport on the eastern side of the country. The nearest airport is the Makedonia airport of Thessaloniki, 1.00’ hour by train or bus to Nei Porior Rapsani train stations, being very close to the activities area and the various accommodation establishments. The “Proastiakos” train runs almost every hour from Thessaloniki to the above destination for 18.00€ return. From the airport you take the bus (number 78) to the main train or bus station in Thessaloniki. It takes 20’ to 30’ and costs €01.00. The buses also run in the same manner, though a bit more expensive than the train. They run from Thessaloniki central bus station via Katerini where you change bus to Litochoro or to Leptokaria.

If you land at “Eleftherios Venizelos” airport in Athens, the train seems to be again the best option. Only the journey in this case takes 4.15’ to 5.00’ hours, depending up on the train you are using. From the airport you take the metro or the Proastiakos train to the “Stathmos Larisis” (Larisa’s station) in Athens, from where you take the train to Larisa, where you change train (take the ”Proastiakos” train) to Litochoro.

Note that during the activities / holiday, all local transfers will be provided by us, from your accommodation to the activity’s location starting point and back to your accommodation and this is included in the price. If you have your own means of transport, you come to the prearranged meeting point for the day’s activity.

Group size and Staff: Maximum group size is 16 people and minimum 4. This trip is led by Olympos Trek and supported by expert local instructors / guides with great knowllege of the local conditions.

Health: No specific requirements on this tour. If you are reasonably fit and in good health, have a sense of adventure and basically swim (for canyoning), any previous experience is not necessary.

Insurance: It is a prerequisite of booking any Olympos Trek outdoor activity program that you possess adequate insurance with certain requirements that must be met by your policy.

Responsible Tourism: Tourism has an effect on any area, it is essential to minimise the negative impact that we may cause. We do not allow our clients or staff to damage the physical environment by leaving litter or rubbish lying around. Anything we take in to an area we must take out again.