Greece Mount Olympus Ascent

Mount Olympus, Greece · Greece

Challenging7 daysEurope~£500 est.

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Overview

Mount Olympus earns its mythology. From Litochoro, almost at sea level, the trail climbs through the Enipeas gorge to Prionia, then up through beech and black pine to the Spilios Agapitos refuge at 2,100m, where most parties sleep before the summit day. The final push to Mytikas at 2,917m goes via the Kaki Skala — an exposed Grade 3 scramble where the holds are good but a slip would not be — with the rock towers of Stefani, the Throne of Zeus, alongside. Afternoon thunderstorms are the trap: they build fast off the Aegean in summer, and you do not want to be on the Kaki Skala when the rock is wet. Start the summit leg at dawn and carry a helmet — parties above knock stones down the couloirs. The season runs mid-June to September; May still holds snow that turns the scramble into mountaineering. This is one of Europe's cheapest big days out: refuge half-board around €50, no permits, and Litochoro is two hours by train from Thessaloniki. £500 covers a comfortable week including a spare weather day.