Mount Olympus Trail

The Mount Olympus Trail is a roughly 12-km point-to-point mountain trail in northern Greece, climbing from Prionia (1,100 m) to the Mytikas summit at 2,918 m and gaining about 1,820 m of elevation over two days. Rated challenging, it crowns the highest peak in Greece and finishes with an exposed scramble through the Kazania gully to the mythical throne of the gods.

About the Mount Olympus Trail

Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, topping out at 2,918 m on the Mytikas summit, and the Mount Olympus Trail is the classic two-day route that hikers use to reach it. The mountain rises straight off the Aegean coast near the town of Litochoro, so the vertical relief is dramatic: from the trailhead at Prionia (1,100 m) you climb almost 1,820 m to the top. Greece's first national park was established here in 1938, and the massif holds more than 1,700 plant species, making it a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as well as a peak of ancient mythology.

The standard trail is a point-to-point line that links the road-head at Prionia with the Spilios Agapitos refuge (2,100 m), then continues up the Zonaria traverse to Skala (2,866 m) before the final scramble to Mytikas. Most hikers spend the night at the refuge, summit early the next morning, and descend the same corridor. While the distances are modest — about 12 km of trail in total — the relentless gradient, the altitude and a Grade-I scramble near the top push this firmly into the challenging category. If you enjoy big alpine objectives, you may also like our guide on how to hike the Theth to Valbona Trail in Albania, another Balkan classic that pairs well with an Olympus trip.

Route Overview & Stages

The table below breaks the trail into its working stages from the Prionia trailhead to the Mytikas summit and back. Times assume a fit hiker carrying an overnight pack.

Total moving distance for the up-and-back is around 12 km on the ascent line and a little under 18 km counting the return, with roughly 1,820 m of climbing. Strong hikers occasionally push the whole thing in a single long day, but splitting it across two days at the Spilios Agapitos refuge is far safer and more enjoyable.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Mytikas (2,918 m) — the literal high point of Greece and the mythological throne of Zeus, reached by a short but exposed scramble.
• Spilios Agapitos Refuge (2,100 m) — the historic stone hut on the treeline, the social hub of every two-day climb, run by the same family for decades.
• Skala summit (2,866 m) — the broad ridge shoulder where the maintained path ends and the scramble to Mytikas begins.
• Skolio (2,912 m) — the second-highest peak, a non-technical walk-up that delivers the best view of the sheer Stefani (Throne of Zeus) wall.
• Kazania gully — the loose, near-vertical chute between Skala and Mytikas, the trail's crux and a place to move carefully one at a time.
• Prionia trailhead (1,100 m) — the road-head with a seasonal taverna and the last reliable spring before the climb.
• Enipeas Gorge — the alternative 10-km approach from Litochoro, threading crystal pools and waterfalls below Prionia.
• Plateau of the Muses (2,650 m) — an alpine basin with the Giosos Apostolidis and Christos Kakkalos refuges, used on the longer Gortsia loop.

Best Time to Hike the Mount Olympus Trail

The summit window runs from mid-June to early October, when the snow has cleared from the Kazania gully and the high refuges are staffed. Outside that window, snow and ice turn the upper scramble into serious mountaineering terrain. As of 2026, the Spilios Agapitos refuge typically opens around mid-May and closes in late October, but the safe rock-scrambling season is shorter than the refuge calendar suggests.

The single best month is September. Summer heat has eased, the afternoon thunderstorms that plague July and August are less frequent, the gully is reliably snow-free, and the crowds that fill the refuge in August have thinned. Daytime temperatures at the refuge sit around 12–18°C in September, dropping near freezing before dawn at the summit. July and August are warm and dependable for snow conditions but bring busy huts and a real thunderstorm risk after midday, so summit early. June can still hold old snow in the gully — check refuge reports before committing.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The Spilios Agapitos Refuge (Refuge A) at 2,100 m is the standard overnight stop, with dormitory beds for roughly €15–€20 per night and hot meals available; reservations are essential in July and August. Higher up, the Giosos Apostolidis and Christos Kakkalos refuges on the Plateau of the Muses (2,650 m) charge a similar rate and suit the longer Gortsia circuit. Wild camping inside the national park core is restricted, so most hikers base in Litochoro, where guesthouses and hostels run €35–€70 per double room. Carrying your food and counting calories carefully matters at altitude — see our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day before you pack the refuge meals or your own supplies.

Getting There & Back

The gateway town is Litochoro. The nearest railway station, Litochoro/Leptokarya, sits on the Athens–Thessaloniki main line; trains run by the national operator reach it in about 4.5 hours from Athens and 1 hour from Thessaloniki, after which a local taxi covers the final 18 km up to Prionia (roughly 30–40 minutes). The nearest airport is Thessaloniki (SKG), about 90 km and 75 minutes north by car. From Litochoro, the Prionia road-head is reachable only by taxi or private car as there is no scheduled bus, so arrange a transfer in advance. Plan train times with the Hellenic Train network before you travel.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to hike the Mount Olympus Trail, and there is no entry fee for the national park itself. The only costs are your refuge bed, meals and the Litochoro–Prionia transfer. Refuges request advance booking in peak season, and you should always sign the logbook at the hut so wardens know who is on the mountain. Current opening dates, weather advisories and conservation rules are published by the Olympus National Park Management Authority.

Gear & Packing List

This is an alpine objective with an exposed scramble, so pack for cold mornings, loose rock and fast weather changes even in summer. A capacity of 35–50 litres comfortably holds an overnight kit for the refuge. The lightweight, frameless 2400 Windrider suits hikers who keep their base weight low, while the larger 3400 Windrider or the supportive Abisko Hike 35 give more room for warm layers and a rope if you choose to belay the gully. Beyond the pack, bring a warm mid-layer, a hardshell, gloves, a head torch for the pre-dawn summit start, sturdy boots with grippy soles, and at least two litres of water capacity since springs run dry above the refuge. A helmet is strongly recommended for the rockfall-prone Kazania gully. If you are still choosing a pack, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 compares the top tested options.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the high-mountain character of Olympus appeals but you want to explore more of Greece on foot, two very different trails make natural follow-ups. The Menalon Trail in the Peloponnese is a gentler, well-waymarked long-distance path through gorges and stone villages, ideal as a recovery trip. For something short, spectacular and lower-altitude, the Samaria Gorge Trail on Crete drops through one of Europe's longest gorges to the Libyan Sea. Both pair well with an Olympus summit to round out a Greek hiking itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Mount Olympus Trail?
Mid-June to early October is the safe summit season, once snow has cleared from the Kazania gully and the refuges are staffed. September is the single best month: stable weather, snow-free rock, cooler temperatures around 12–18°C at the refuge, and far fewer crowds than the busy July and August peak.

How difficult is the Mount Olympus Trail?
It is rated challenging. The path to the Spilios Agapitos refuge is a steep but straightforward hike, yet the final section from Skala to Mytikas (2,918 m) is an exposed Grade-I scramble up the loose Kazania gully. You need a head for heights, sure footing and good fitness; technical climbing skills are not required for most parties.

How long is the Mount Olympus Trail and how far per day?
The standard route covers about 12 km from Prionia to the summit, with roughly 1,820 m of climbing. Most hikers split it over two days: around 6 km and 1,000 m of ascent to the refuge on day one, then a shorter but harder 3 km push to Mytikas and the full descent on day two.

Where do you sleep on the Mount Olympus Trail?
The usual overnight is the Spilios Agapitos Refuge at 2,100 m, with dormitory beds for about €15–€20 and hot meals; book ahead in July and August. The Giosos Apostolidis and Christos Kakkalos refuges on the Plateau of the Muses are alternatives. Many hikers also base in Litochoro, where rooms run €35–€70.

Do you need a permit to hike Mount Olympus?
No permit and no national park entry fee are required to hike the Mount Olympus Trail. Your only costs are refuge beds, meals, and the taxi transfer from Litochoro to the Prionia trailhead. Always reserve refuge spots in peak season and sign the hut logbook so wardens know you are on the mountain.