Separated from the north part of the country by the Gulf of Corinth, surrounded by the Aegean Archipelago on the east and the Ionian on the west, the southernmost part of Greek mainland, Peloponnese, welcomes us to explore its rich history and natural diversity on a 6 day 4x4 off-road holiday adventure. We'll explore the natural secrets and rich history of the mountainous and densely forested North Peloponnese, admire breathtaking panoramic mountain views and enjoy the traditional atmosphere and local cuisine of the villages scattered along the way. We'll visit historic monuments and archaeological sites of remarkable beauty. A 4x4 adventure designed for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, seeking to connect with the culture of beautiful Peloponnese.
Trip Highlights
During the first day of your trip, you get a chance to explore the sights of downtown Athens. The world famous Acropolis hill, with the magnificent Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, the Roman Agora and the Temple of Zeus are all within walking distance from your hotel.
For those of you who want to get a first culinary taste of Greece, the nearby neighborhoods of Monastiraki and Plaka are bustling with traditional tavernas and are popular year round.
If you feel like immersing yourself further into the history and culture of Athens, there is the option of joining a walking tour that guides you through the main archaeological sites and areas of cultural interest in the center of Athens. Alternatively you could take part in our Historical Athens Treasure Hunt , a three hour walk through history game that includes visiting the most iconic of Athenian landmarks.
In the evening a welcome dinner takes place at a local bistro. As the chefs prepare delicious interpretations of traditional Greek dishes, we introduce you to the detailed schedule of activities and sightseeing opportunities the rest of your trip holds.
Overnight: 3* - 4* Hotel in the historic center of Athens
Meals Included: Welcome Dinner at a local bistro
Today we leave Athens for the great outdoors and our adventure begins. In the morning, we pick up our vehicles and the tour leaders briefly introduce the group to the itinerary and the security regulations of the convoy.
We drive along the national highway, crossing the Isthmus of Corinth. Our first stop for the day is the town of Diakofto, at the mouth of the Vouraikos Gorge, one of the most beautiful natural settings in Greece. We continue driving off-road, crossing the canyon, towards the scenic village of Zachlorou and the town of Kalavryta.
You can optionally choose to take the Cog Railway from Diakofto to Zachlorou, a world famous ride among train lovers. Going through the canyon, the little train travels through streams, crossing mountain tunnels, over waterfalls, along cliffs and through forests of pine and oleander.
In the evening we have the option of visiting the 'Cave of the Lakes', near the village of Kastria, where we explore the caverns and admire the unique stalactite formations and the string of cascading subterranean lakes.
The day ends with a late evening walk in the centre of the mountain town of Kalavryta, a popular destination for nature lovers throughout the year.
Overnight: 4* Hotel in Kalavryta
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Early in the morning we drive over Mount Helmos to the picturesque village of Planitero and its breath-taking surroundings, a dense plane-tree forest. There, we visit the traditional watermills at the sources of Aroanios River.
After a short break, we continue driving past the old villages of Kleitoria, Aroania and Lampeia, towards the oak forest of Foloi, a unique ecosystem entirely covered by deciduous oaks. The mysterious atmosphere in the forest made ancient Greeks believe it was inhabited by Centaurs and Fairies.
In this magnificent natural scenery we have some time to relax and unwind, before we continue driving to Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and one of the most important sanctuaries of Ancient Greece.
Once there, we take a guided walking tour of the ancient stadium, we visit the museum and get a chance to see famous sculptures such as the decoration of the temple of Zeus, the magnificent Hermes of Praxiteles and the statue of Nike of Paionios.
Our final destination for the day is Vytina, a picturesque small town on Mount Mainalo in Arcadia where we arrive late in the evening.
Overnight: 4* Hotel in Vytina
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner
Leaving Vytina early in the morning, we drive to the historic village of Dimitsana and the Gorge of Lousios, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Arcadia and a popular destination for adventurers interested in hiking and water activities.
Along the dense forest surrounding the Lousios river, numerous hiking trails lead us to the Byzantine monasteries, 'Moni Prodromou' and 'Moni Philosofou', built on the steep rocks overlooking the river banks.
Depending on the season and the weather conditions, we have the option of rafting in the Lousios river. Lousios canyon is an ideal place for a short break, before we continue our off-road driving, crossing Mount Mainalo, the highest mountain in Arcadia and an ideal place for an unforgettable 4x4 off-road driving experience.
We arrive back to our hotel in Vytina later that evening.
Overnight: 4* Hotel in Vytina
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic Lunchu00a0
A morning drive, crossing the mountain range that separates the Arcadia and Argolida provinces in Central Peloponnese, gives us the chance to have another great 4x4 off-road driving experience. We have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful panoramic views and the amazing succession of the natural landscapes of the region.
Afternoon finds us at the, legendary in Greek Mythology, village of Nemea, which in modern times is famous for its wineries. Here we take a short walking tour through the vineyards and cellar of a traditional local winery and we get the chance to taste a great range of local wines.
The same evening we arrive at the town of Nafplio on the east coast of the Peloponnese. First capital of Greece and one of the most elegant and romantic cities of the country, the old city of Nafplio welcomes us with a lovely seafront promenade along its narrow scenic alleyways and a traditional dinner at one of its beautiful tavernas at sunset.
Overnight: 3* Hotel in Nafplio
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
In the morning, we have the option of taking a short boat trip to the fortress of Bourtzi, a beautiful small island very close to the port, built by the Venetians to provide protection against pirates.
Our last stop on our way back to Athens is Epidaurus, a small fishing village on the east coast of the Peloponnese, surrounded by orange and olive groves. Due to its strategic location it was one of the most important harbors in ancient times and a Unesco World Heritage site today.
Depending on the time of year, we may visit the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, a 13.000 seat, 2350 year old theater. In ancient times, ceremonies in honor of Dionysus, God of wine, were held at the theater, while nowadays, the Epidaurus Festival takes place every summer, the most important of Greek cultural festivals.
Early evening our convoy arrives back to Athens, where we drop off the vehicles and our 4x4 adventure ends.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
In order to guarantee a memorable overall experience throughout your adventure with Bearing True South, we have carefully handpicked a mix of family-run, traditional hotels and guesthouses for your accommodation.
In all our trips, accommodation is operated on a twin share basis. This means that travelling as an individual, you will be sharing accommodation and room facilities with another person of the same sex or your partner, spouse, family, friend etc. There is also the option of booking a single room for an additional cost depending on availability at the time of booking. Our usual accommodation as described on the extra info of our tour may alter due to lack of availability. On such an occasion accommodation of similar standard will be arranged.
When travelling with Bearing True south, you will experience a great variety of delicious food, based on traditional Greek cuisine. Emphasizing on the regional cuisine of our destinations, we have carefully selected local, family run, restaurants for our groups.
Generally all breakfasts, picnic lunches as well as some lunches and dinners are included in the standard tour price. This gives our groups the opportunity to enjoy their meals all together and taste a larger variety of local dishes in each destination we visit. When a lunch or dinner on a specific day is not included, you are free to explore at your own expense, the food options in the town or village we are staying. Feel free to ask your tour leader to suggest a local restaurant. On a camping day or when we have a picnic lunch, we usually buy local cheeses, vegetables, meat and bread from local markets so you don't miss out on the specialities of the region.
For the meal plan of the tour please refer to the day to day itinerary and the extra info of the tour. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, have any food allergies or any special requests when it comes to food, please let us know at the time of booking.
The style of travel in our adventures provides a great deal of excitement, however it is dependent on several factors, such as weather, terrain conditions and technical problems of our transportation. These may create unexpected circumstances throughout our tours that we have to deal with by making minor changes to the tour itinerary or the activities included in a particular day. For that reason the described day to day itinerary is used as a guideline which gives us the flexibility to make changes when needed.
Some of the activities listed in the day to day itinerary are included in the standard tour price, while there are also optional activities at your own expense. When a guided tour at a historical/cultural site is mentioned, the cost of a professional guide is included in the standard tour price. In every outdoor activity we work with fully qualified operators whose safety track has been extensively assessed personally by us. The necessary equipment needed for every outdoor activity is always provided by the local activity operators. For your personal gear please refer to prepare for your trip below. Please note that all activities are subject to availability, while due to the time limit in each destination, it may not be possible to do all the optional activities listed in the itinerary. In the following list you can find the tour activities, included or optional as well as the approximate prices of the optional ones:
Activities included in the standard tour price:
Guided tour in Ancient olympia
Wine tasting tour in Nemea
Epidaurus Archaeological site
Hiking in Lousios Canyon
Optional activities at your own expense:
Historical Athens Treasure Hunt: 35 euros pp
Acropolis Hill and Parthenon: 12 euros pp
Acropolis Museum: 5 euros pp
Half day (4 hours) Athens guided walking tour
Cog railway ticket (one way from Diakofto to Kalavryta): 10 euros pp
Cave of the Lakes: 9 euros pp
Rafting in Lousios River: 35 euros pp
Fortress of Palamidi in Nafplion: 4 euros pp
Boat trip to the fortress of Bourtzi in Nafplio: 4 euros pp
Please refer to What's included/What's not included section for the services that are included or not in the standard price of your tour. For the optional activities of our tour, outdoor activities and cultural sites? entrance fees, take a look at the Tour Activities.
In appreciation to the outstanding quality of services provided throughout your adventure, you may also consider tipping your Tour Leader and Local guides. Although tipping is not compulsory and it may not be customary to you, it works as a kind voluntary gesture to the people who will guide you throughout your adventure.
Each traveller is different when it comes to spending money while travelling. Take your spending habits and requirements into account and prepare your tour budget allowing for food, drinks, souvenirs and participation in activities not included in the tour price.
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency in Greece. You can exchange your currency for Euros at the airports or in major towns. Cash may also be drawn for ATMs available in most of our destinations. Credit cards are widely accepted in Greece. However, you should always have some cash on you, as in some remote villages no ATMs may be available.
At Bearing True South, we operate 'Land Only' based adventures. This means that flights to Athens International Airport (ATH) are not included in the tour price. Travellers are responsible to make their own travel arrangements and make sure that they will be able to join the group at the joining point and time announced when booking, as described at the overview of the tour. Please note that the finishing point of the tour is always the same as the joining point
Our 'Land Only' adventures provide you the flexibility to join one of our tours as part of longer holiday in Greece. You may spend a couple of days before or after your tour in Athens or even visit another Greek region, combining adventure, leisure and rest. If you want post tour accommodation for Athens let us know and we can arrange it for you.
In Athens, you may also consider joining one of our day activities. Take a dive at one of Greece's numerous wreck sites, easily accessible from downtown Athens, or participate in our Historical Athens Treasure Hunt, a 'walk-through-history' game around Athens.
Bearing true South travellers are required to be in good physical health in order to be able to participate in one of our adventures. Please read through the day to day itinerary carefully and take into account the 'Level of Difficulty' icon that appears on each one of our adventures, before booking your place.
If for any reason you are not able to participate in activities included in the tour itinerary, please inform us before booking. For any other important health issue please don't hesitate to contact your tour leader.
Travellers with Bearing True South are required to hold valid travel insurance, covering a minimum medical expenses due to accident or sickness and 3rd party liability. We strongly advise you to ensure that your insurance covers you for all outdoor activities you intend to participate in during your adventure. There might be an additional charge for certain ones. Your travel insurance needs to be evident when you join our tours.
Holding a valid passport and visa in order to visit Greece is your responsibility. Generally EU citizens or citizens of Member-States of the Schengen Agreement do not need to display a visa in order to travel to Greece.
Visas are not required by holders of valid passports from the following non-E.U. countries if they want to visit Greece and remain in the country for up to 3 months (90 days): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Israel, Monaco, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein
For travellers not coming from the above countries, please contact your local Greek embassy/consulate for visa information. Please also note that most countries expect you to have at least 6 months validity on your passport in order to be issued a visa.
Before you travel, we encourage you to learn about the region you'll explore while on a tour. From local weather conditions to information on geography, local history and culture, all are essential in order to make the most out of you tour, while minimizing the possibility to face unexpected, unpleasant circumstances.
Greece in general has warm and humid summers lasting from May till October while temperatures reach mid thirties Celsius especially between June and August and the possibility of rain is generally low. In May and October weather can be less predictable with some rain and chilly temperatures being possible especially in Greek mainland. Greek winters are generally mild, with temperatures rarely getting lower than 5 degrees Celsius in most of our destinations. In the mountains, weather can be tough to predict all year round. Generally, cool temperatures and occasional rainfalls occur especially at night, a fact that you have to take into account when packing for your adventure.
When touring with us, you are expected to bring with you a backpack or suitcase that you should keep as light as possible, as well as a daypack for your personal items and valuables (for the times when long outdoor activities are part of the tour).
Travel documents: Passport, visa if required, valid travel insurance,valid international driving license (for self-driving tours), diving certificates (for diving tours)
Personal health care items: personal medication, sunscreen, insect repellent, travel sickness tablets, sunglasses, insect bite gel
Clothing/walking/camping gear (depending on the season and tour): fleece/soft-shell jacket, waterproof & windproof jacket, thermal underwear, waterproof trousers, wool hat, gloves, sun hat, long trousers (wearing shorts is not permitted in monasteries), shorts, swimming costume, t-shirts, hooded tops, waterproof hiking shoes/boots, trainers/walking shoes, wool socks, personal mattress and a 3-4 seasons warm sleeping bag (when camping is included in the itinerary), torch, umbrella.
If our dates don't suit your plans, or if you want to experience one of our adventures with your family or group of friends, we can arrange a private tour just for you on the dates that suit you, based on one of our existing itineraries.
Furthermore, with a minimum number of 4 participants, all of our tours can be customised as far as date of departure, activities and itinerary are concerned, according to your group's requirements. For groups of less than 4 travellers, standard tour prices are subject to change. In that case, please contact us in order to get a new quote.
For more information don't hesitate to contact us with your ideas at : sales@bearingtruesouth.com and we'll get back to you shortly with detailed information and pricing.
Duration: 6 days
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Group Size: Generally 4-24, maximum 4 persons per vehicle, a minimum of 4 persons is required
Ages: 8 years and older, younger kids travel at the parents' discretion and responsibility
Please have a valid EU or International Drivers Licence with you if you intend to drive your 4x4 vehicle
Accommodation:
3 nights 4* Hotel / 2 nights 3* Hotel
Meals/Drinks:
5 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches (days 2,6) / 2 Picnic Lunches (days 3,4), 3 Dinners (days 1,3,5), welcome snacks
Transport:
4x4 vehicles rental costs, 4x4 vehicles full insurance (4 drivers per vehicle so you can share driving with your fellow travellers), leading vehicle expenses, fuel costs, toll costs, Airport transfers
Tour Staff:
Bearing True South Tour Leaders, Outdoor Activities Instructors, Local Guides
Tour Activities:
For outdoor and cultural activities included please refer to Tour Activities
Airline tickets
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Optional activities as listed in Tour activities