Hiking
Mytikas – the mount of gods
Mount Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος ) is the highest mountain in Greece at 2917 meters high (9570 feet). Since its base which is located at the sea level, it is one of the highest mountains in Europe in absolute altitude from foothills to the summit.. In Greek mythology Mount Olympus is the home of the Twelve Olympians, the principal gods in the Greek pantheon. The Greeks thought of it as built with crystal mansions wherein the gods, such as Zeus, dwelt. It is also known in Greek mythology that when Gaia gave birth to the Titans they used the mountains in Greece as their thrones since they were so huge, and Cronus sat on Mount Olympus itself. The etymology and meaning of Olympus is unknown, and it may be of Pre-Indo-European origin.
From the sea coast to the top of mt. Olympus
The origin of the trip is a coast under Mont Olympus. There are many camps , villas or hotels in Plaka Leptokarya or Paralia where you can stay.
Almost all camps are named Olympus. If you plan a climb to Mount Olympus in springtime or autumn, then you have a lot of chances to find free hotel in Plaka or Paralia without reservation.
Litochoro, is the last village encountered before the ride to Prionia. The road from Litochoro to Prionia is well signed. On entering the valley formed by the river Enipeas, steep escarpments are seen, reminiscent of Cheddar Gorge. The road becomes unmetalled from 1700mtrs. The distance from Litochoro to Prionia is about 17 km.
From Prionia to Refuge A Spilios Agapitos (2060)
On the parking place of Prionia village you can leave a car. Close the park place is situated wooden cafe bar where you can stay for a moment. This also a starting point from where you must continue climb on foot. The path to the Refuge Spilios Agapitos is well maintained, and the first kilometers of path is suitable also for casual walkers. The path initially follows the valley of the upper river Enipeas , which is in summer time completely dry. There is evidence that the river was active at other times of the year. The forest comprise of deciduous Beech, and created a nice shade from the heat. The downside was the flies/midges that frequented the woods. In the main the path leads upward, and occasionally crosses the riverbed.
From Prionia to the Refuge “A” under Mount Olympus you need 2:30 – 3:30. Do not forget enough of water. The refuge is situated on an impressive Buff. It is very clean presentable refuge providing food if required for both residential or visitors alike. It is open Sunday to Friday, closed on Saturday.
From Refuge A to the top of mt. Olympus
Refuge “A” Spilios Agapitos (2060 m), Skolio (2904), Mytikas (2918m)
Don’t forget fill up water (again) and before continue trip check the weather report. The path from the refuge follows a steep ridge (Chondromesorachi), by zigzagging upwards through scrubby trees. At 2500 m the metal yellow flag indicating the path to Refuge C, and onwards to Skala/Skolio. The path now crosses westwards to the summit of Skolio. From the ridge of Skala is visible the full extent of the west face of Skala, Mytikas, Stefani and the valley of Xerolaki.
Climb from Skala to Mytikas
Skala (2880 m) – Mytikas (2918 m)
The climb from Prionia to Skolio and Skala is suitable for hikers in a good shape. The ascent from Skala to the summit of Mytikas is pretty pretentious and suitable for hikers without dizziness. The route begins with initial gully descent and continue with crossing of scrambling slopes under mountain crest between Skala and Mytikas. The last part begins in the foothill of Mytikas with couloirs and stepped slabs. There is no special climbing difficulty, except attention because of the risk of rocks falling. The Summit of Mytikas you reach in a few minutes. From refuge “A” to the summit of Mytikas: 2:30 – 3:00 hours.
Return via Louki Couloir
Mytikas – Louki Couloir – Refuge A.
The terrain with tall yellow conical towers on the East side looks like mountain in Dolomites. Descent through Louki Couloir is not difficult – attention on . The route after 30 minutes reach main path which crosses Mytikas from Refuge C to the Muses plateau. The path is avalanche prone in the winter and early spring.
Climb Difficulty: The routh to the Scolio and Skala is appropriate for all hikers. Ascent to the Mytikas require mountaineers with experience. The trip last out one long day.
Gear: A pair of good shoes, trekking poles, water, a hat and sunscreen, helmet because of the risk of rocks falling in last part of route.
Samaria Gorge in Crete, Hiking in Samaria gorge
Samaria or the Samaria Gorge is one of the main sights of Crete. Every tourist who visits Crete will have heard of this beautiful gorge or soon will. The locals call it the “Farangas” or “Great Gorge”, both in admiration at its beauty and to differentiate it from the many other, smaller gorges of Crete.
The Samaria Gorge is in west Crete, in the White Mountains. It is the longest gorge in Europe, with a length of 18 kilometers.
The gorge starts at Xyloskalo (1227 m. above sea level) on the Omalos Plateau and runs down to the seaside village of Agia Roumeli on the south coast of Crete.
Samaria Gorge, Flora and Fauna
The Samaria National Park is exceptionally rich in plant and animal life. In the gorge you will find unique species protected under international law.
It is said that there are 450 plant species in the gorge, and not a single flower may be removed from Samaria, by law. Don’t see this as a pointlessly strict rule, but as the only way to protect the delicate ecosystem of Samaria so that thousands of visitors can continue to enjoy it each year.
In Samaria you can admire the forests of huge pine and cypress trees, a picture from Crete’s past, when the island was covered by forests famous for their timber, ideal for building strong ships.
Inside the gorge you may even meet its famous inhabitants, the wild goats of Crete, which the locals call “agrimia” and tourists call “kri-kri”.
The Cretan wild goat is endemic to Crete and you will probably see some in the village of Samaria, as they often approach the houses at the edge of the village.
Samaria gorge hiking, tips and equipment
Τhe Samaria footpath is very well signposted all along its length and is thought to be the most-walked footpath in the whole of Greece (the second is the Mount Olympus path).
It is impossible to get lost, as you are always moving in a stream of people. There are drinking water springs and toilets at various points.
Samaria is not a simple stroll for those unused to walking.
Anyone can go down the gorge, as long as they have no serious medical problems, but you must be prepared for very stiff legs the next day.
A good pair of hiking shoes is a must, as well as sun block and a hat.
The most tiring part of the walk is the last 3 km before the exit from the National Park. Here there is often another ticket control to make sure no-one is left in the gorge overnight, either because they have had an accident or because they want to.
The landscape at the exit from the gorge is dry and arid with no shade. If you have started your walk in the early morning, you will reach this point in the early afternoon, when the heat of the day is more obvious.
Be patient, because just another hour’s walk away is Agia Roumeli with its inviting beach.
The walk through the Samaria Gorge takes 4-8 hours depending on your pace. Six hours is the normal time, especially if you stop to take pictures and enjoy the amazing natural landscape.
However, if you don’t feel up to the whole route, there is also the “lazy way” as the tour agents call it.
This is a much shorter route from Agia Roumeli up to the “Iron Gates” (Sideroportes), the narrowest point of the gorge.
At the Iron Gates, the gorge is so narrow that you can almost touch both sides as they rise up sheer 350 meters above your head.
The short route is certainly an easy way to experience some, though not all, of the magic of the Samaria Gorge.
Samaria visiting season
There is a cheap ticket to enter the gorge, which is open from mid-April to the end of October. When the gorge opens to visitors depends on the weather.
A downpour may force the people in charge to forbid entry to the gorge, to avoid accidents due to rockfalls or flooding of the stream running through the bottom of the gorge.
You should also be aware that when there is a strong wind blowing, the little boats to and from Agia Roumeli may not be allowed to sail, so you’ll have to wait until conditions improve. This usually happens in the autumn.
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