Introducing the Highlander Olympus Trek in Greece

Introducing the Highlander Olympus Trek in Greece

Peter joins the Highlander Adventure Team on Greece's highest peak to explore the new Highlander Olympus Trek, launching next year

Trekking might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of visiting Greece. Ancient ruins steeped in mythology, island hopping through the Aegean Sea, or feasting on the country's delicious cuisine are all likely to register first. Step onto Mount Olympus, the highest and most legendary of all Greek mountains.

The massif is home to a network of hiking trails and mountain huts to support hikers on the slopes of the fabled “Throne of the Gods.” According to legend, Zeus, the king of the gods in Greek mythology, lived at the highest point in the country at the 2,902 m (9,521 ft) forepeak of Stefani, also known as Thronos Dios (Throne of Zeus).

Atlas & BootsSummit ridge of Olympus with the throne of Zeus on the left side

The Highlander Olympus Trek, one of the newest additions to the Highlander Adventure collection, was due to launch this year but was postponed due to local lockdowns. As a result, I was invited to participate in an abbreviated three-day event on the mountain to explore the route and some of the trail's highlights.

Highlander Olympus Trekking

Distance: 102 km (64 mi) Ascent/Descent: 6,338 m/6,337 m More information: highlanderadventure.com

The Highlander Olympus circular route takes hikers on an exciting journey through a national park rich in history, culture and ecological diversity. The terrain surrounding the sacred mountain in Greece's oldest national park is home to over 1,700 species of plants, 100 species of birds and 30 mammals, including wolves, jackals and Greek chamois.

The slopes below the tree line are densely forested in some places, while the higher rocky peaks are often shrouded in clouds, often making the summit invisible to the mortals living in the valley.

Atlas & BootsOur campsite at the Agia Triada monastery

The trail begins and ends in the village of Litochoro, circling the south of the mountain before turning north and then heading east up the lower slopes and summit ridges. Our team planned to complete sections of the trail using vehicles to move between checkpoints and trailheads.

I met the team in Thessaloniki, the closest international airport to the Olympus chain, and went to checkpoint two, a small campsite outside the monastery of Agia Triada near the tiny village of Sparmos.

Atlas & BootsAbout to leave Christaki Refuge

We camped for the night before heading to Christaki Refuge, the site of checkpoint three, in the morning. Located at approximately 2,430 m (7,972 ft), the refuge is often used as a starting point for day hikers who want to climb Mount Olympus as quickly as possible, as it can be reached by 4×4 vehicle. Most multi-day hikers now start from Priónia or Litohoro in the east of the mountain.

We stopped at the refuge to organize our gear and take a few photos before putting on our backpacks and heading up the mountain. We joined a rocky path that gradually moves up the mountainside, following the E4 trans-European long-distance footpath, which traverses the entire Olympus massif as part of its 10,000 km (6,200 mile) route from Spain to Cyprus.

At the escarpment the trail turns to the Muse Plateau at 2,650 m (8,694 feet), where the truly spectacular views begin to unfold. The huge rocky peak of Mount Olympus with its striking series of spiky pinnacles towers above the surrounding sea of ​​clouds.

We stopped at the 2,911 m (9,551 ft) sub-peak of Skolió, with its phenomenal views, for a short break before continuing along the escarpment to the next sub-peak of skala at 2,866 m (9,403 ft).

Move up the lower slopes

The official Highlander route does not lead to the true highlight of the mountain, the 2,918 m (9,570 ft) peak of Mytikas, as it requires challenging climbing, classified as Class 3 climbing in the US or Category 3 climbing in the UK system. A detour to the summit is possible for anyone who is confident in their abilities and comfortable climbing over exposed rock faces.

We were keen to conquer the highest peak, so we left our heavy packs in skala and began the exciting climb to Mytikas. The Kaki skala, or devil's staircase, initially descends steeply into the abyss that separates the two peaks, before the route winds back and forth, up a steep gorge, rounded ledges and over depressions above a series of stomach-churning drops.

Atlas & Boots

Crossing from Skolió to Mytikas peak

The Mytikas summit platform offers panoramic views of a carpet of clouds, interrupted only by the jagged peaks of the Olympus massif. On clear days you can see all the way to the sparkling Aegean Sea.

The detour takes an additional two hours from the skala summit and requires a significant amount of energy after an already long day of hiking. Hikers should only attempt the Mytikas summit climb if they have climbing experience and are comfortable in exposed terrain.

After the obligatory summit photos, we retraced our route back to skala and then joined a gravelly path that descends quickly as it bisects a scree slope. We descended into the clouds as the trail reached treeline again on the way to Spilios Agapitos Refuge. We continued through a peaceful section of the forest known as the “Forest of Silence” and on to Priónia, the location of checkpoint four.

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Atlas & Boots

More scenes from the hike

We didn't camp in Priónia, so we met our jeeps to continue along the trail to the monastery of Agios Dionysios. There we camped in a small clearing in the forest next to the path, ready to complete part of the final section to Litohoro in the morning.

Although we had good weather for the summit, we were always aware that a rainstorm was due to hit the region and it arrived in force in the morning. The four-hour hike from our campsite at the monastery was pretty miserable, although we did drive through the beautiful Enipéas Gorge with its dizzying, forest-covered cliffs and cliff-side viewpoints.

When we arrived in Litohoro we were soaked, so we ducked into the nearest cafe to order cups of steaming coffee and change into dry clothes.

Atlas & BootsPeter in Skolio

In total, our team completed 40km of the 102km trail and saw three of the four checkpoints as well as the start and finish lines, giving them a good idea of ​​what the Highlander Olympus Trek will offer hikers when it launches next year.

With dense atmospheric forests, deeply cleft gorges and an iconic summit ridge, the journey across the cloud-covered cave of the ancient Greek Pantheon was everything the myths suggest: magical.

How to register

The final date for the 2022 Highlander Olympus Trek 2022 has yet to be confirmed but is expected to take place in June.

Early bird entries start at €149 ($180) per person. If you join a group there are four for three deals.

The Highlander website contains registration information as well as further details on checkpoints, route, equipment and some basic guidelines for hiking in the region. You will receive further information including joining instructions after registering.

Let me know if you sign up for the hike as I plan to return next year to complete the entire route. I hope to see you out there!

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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