Day 1 Meeting at Boudolas refuge

On day one, we’ll all get together at the Bundola shelter in the afternoon. The itinerary and gear list will be discussed on the first evening. We’ll have dinner and wine on the beautiful balcony while gazing at the twinkling lights of Thessaloniki and the Aegean to the northwest.

Accommodation: bunk beds in a mountain hut

Meals: no meals included

Day 2: Boudolas refuge – Petrostrouga – Koromilia

The sunrise will give us a beautiful start to the day, and the refuge’s east orientation means we won’t have far to travel before getting there. Even though we have 14 kilometers to cover today, we will be rewarded by the scenic dense forest that begins with beech trees along a beautiful stream and continues on a relatively easy path all the way to Mana. We’ll take a less-traveled, steeper route up from Mana to Barba. After a lengthy rest, we’ll press onward along the principal route leading to Petrostruga. Just before we reach Petrostruga, we’ll stop at the cave of Ithakisios to learn about its history and to search for a unique plant that survived the last glacial period and can only be found on Olympus. We’ll take a long break for lunch and rest at the Petrostruga shelter before continuing on to the Koromilia shelter. In the late afternoon, we’ll take the same route that ancient Greeks used to bring cattle for sacrifice at Petrostruga; for centuries, cattle breeders also used this route. Our destination for the night is the Koromilia refuge, a first-rate establishment with cozy rooms and a breathtaking balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea, which we will reach in the late afternoon. After a hearty meal provided by the hotel’s management, we plan to turn it in for the night.

Hiking time: 7-8 hours

Distance: 14 km

Gain altitude: 1200 meters

Accommodation: in a mountain refuge, in bunk beds.

Meals: Breakfast at Boudolas Refuge, and dinner at the Koromilia refuge

Day 3: Koromilia – Boudolas

There isn’t much positive altitude in the distance we need to cover today, so we can take it easy and enjoy breakfast on the refuge’s terrace while taking in the stunning scenery. This is where we learn about the importance of the microclimate that is created in Olympus and the reason it has so much biodiversity; the trail begins at the refuge and passes by four streams; the vegetation is fierce and you constantly change; and there is no specific structure. Along the way, we’ll also make our way through Olympus’s thickest Itamo forest. When we get to Mana, we’ll just keep going in the same direction until we reach Stavros. You’re all welcome to come and have one last beer with us.

Hiking hours: 3-4 hours

Distance: 9 km

Gain altitude: 430 meters

Meals: Breakfast

Minimum number of people: 4 people

Difficulty: 2/5