Hiking Lousios Gorge & Olympia Tour
Duration: 2 daysJoin this tour to experience the incredible steep Lousios Gorge with its clear waters and follow the marked and breathtaking route to take you on a once in a lifetime experience to discover your naturalistic side. On the second day you have the chance to explore the history behind the Olympic Games on their birthplace, in Olympia.
A magnificent tour, ideal for both nature and history lovers!
The reference list of what you will see and experience during the 2 Days Hiking Lousios Gorge and Olympia tour includes but is not limited to:
- View of the Saronic and Corinthian coastline
- View of the Salamis Island
- Corinth Canal
- Hiking at Lousios Gorge
- Traditional Villages of Dimitsana, Stemnitsa and Vitina
- The Prodromou and Philoshophou Monasteries on the limestone rock formations or the Open Air Museum of Water Power
- Archaeological Site of Olympia
- Temple of Zeus
- Temple of Hera
- The Stadium
- Archaeological Museum of Olympia
- Famous statue of Hermes of Praxiteles
We can customize this tour to your needs.
If you want to skip or add something, please let us know in advance.
Day 1
Meet your chauffeur at lobby of your accommodation early in the morning to leave for the Lousios Gorge at Peloponnese. We will drive westwards and you will have the chance to enjoy the magnificent Greek coastal scenery along the Athenian coastline. After 50min of an easy ride we will arrive at our first stop the enginnering marvel of Corinth Canal.
From there we will continue straight to Lousios Gorge. Lay back for the next 2 hours and enjoy the marvelous scenic beauty of Greek countryside till we will reach our final destination, Lousios Gorge. Lousios gorge is located in the area of mountainous Arcadia in the heart of Peloponnese and offers great opportunities for adventures for the nature lovers. The remote picturesque Stone villages Dimitsana, Stemnitsa and Vitina with their cobblestone winding paths staring at the gorge of Lousios are waiting -almost untouched- to be explored.
Ideally visited during spring or summer, the magnificent Gorge provides an opportunity to step your foot in the beauty of Greek nature and explore its local flora and fauna. Follow the meandering rocky paths and you will see how the gorge is a shelter to small mammals and water creatures but also a nest for predatory birds. You can spent about 3 hours to explore the area and start your little hiking adventure.
If time and mood permits the Monasteries that exist in the area worth to be visited. The limestone rock formations have served as a living space for hermit monks in the old times. This natural hideaway became a foundation for the monasteries named The Prodromou and Philoshophou that are lying to this day in the Arcadian gorge of Lousios.
Your chauffeur will be waiting for you at the drop off point. At the end of your hiking adventure we suggest a break for lunch. This exploration would not be complete without a homecooked lunch in the traditional village of Dimitsana. We will continue to Olympia, that we will reach after a 2hrs driving.
Overnight in Olympia
Day 2
Ancient Olympia is a place whose beauty and value cannot be fathomed by words and descriptions. It is the place that has been admittedly the most glorified and worshiped sanctuary of the ancient world, dedicated to the father of humans and the Gods, Zeus. The first Olympic Games were held here in honor of God Zeus back in 776B.C. and has become nowadays an international athletic celebration, that exceeds borders and nationalities, begins in this exact place every four years.
You will be able to see the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, of the Temple of Hera, the Stadium with its spectacular capacity of 45000 people. Take your time to explore the ruins of the ancient facilities on site and then continue to the Museum.
Finally the Aarchaeological Museum, that constitutes the last section of our tour, is filled with remarkable exhibits, including the famous statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles. Your chauffeur will be waiting for you to take you for lunch in Olympia before we will depart for Athens.
Driving time to Athens 4hrs
Entrance fees into Olympia area & Museum are 12 Euro pp (combined ticket obtained at the ticket office).
Free admission for:
- Journalists
- Persons under 18 (with current identification to prove age)
- University students from Greece and the E.U
Free admission (for all) on the following dates:
- 6 March
- 5 June
- 18 April
- 18 May (International Museums Day)
- The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
To stay informed about any applicable admission fees please click here
To buy your tickets in advance click here
- Summer Period: 1 April – 31 October
- Winter Period: 1 November – 31 March
Opening hours for the archaeological area of Ancient Olympia:
- Winter period: Tuesday – Sunday: 08:00-15:00, Monday: 10.00 – 17.00
- Summer period: 08:00- 20:00
All sites and museums are closed or have reduced opening hours, on the following holidays:
- 1 January: closed
- 6 January: closed
- Shrove Monday: 08.30-15.00
- 25 March: closed
- Good Friday: until 12:00 closed
- Holy Saturday: 08.30-15.00
- Easter Sunday : closed
- Easter Monday: 08.30-15.00
- 1 May: closed
- Holy Spirit Day: 08.30-15.00
- 15 August: 08.30-15.00
- 28 October: 08.30-15.00
- 25 December: closed
- 26 December: closed
To stay informed about the sites’ opening hours please click here
There are a few things that are useful for you to know before participating in one of our tours:
- Comfortable clothing and sensible, flat-soled walking shoes are recommended for most locations. Sun glasses, a hat and sun screen are also suggested since the Mediterranean sun is extremely hot during the summer months.
- Photography is permitted in almost every site throughout the tours and if it is prohibited you will be informed beforehand.
- Local currency (euros) might be needed in order to pay at the spot small entrance fees and small expenses.
- In case one of our guests has some special needs, is under certain medication or has a limited walking endurance you can let us know during the organization of your customized tour and we will make sure that small breaks are incorporated into your itinerary.
- Also it is suggested that you bring with you a small bottle of water or something small to eat in case you need to during the tour.
- Furthermore if an individual has advanced accessibility needs you can let us know and allow us to customize the tour to fit your needs.