Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese

Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese

Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese is an 8 day active driving tour combining historic sites and exciting outdoor activities.

ACTIVE PERIOD
Throughout the year
Fixed departures
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
3
DURATION
8 days
Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese
Price from €1505
PRICE FROM € 1505 - BOOK NOW!

Overview

Varied and rich in history. A perfect combination of interchanging mountain and sea scenery with traditional villages, historical sites, trekking paths, rivers, gorges and much more….

The Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese,  combines some of the area’s most important sites with a lot of fun, action and touring. The aim is to show you as much as possible of the “musts” but also to escape you from the touristy places only and reveal you the hidden beauties of the Peloponnese.

Starting from Athens, our first destination is  the pretty seaside town of Nafplion. We will visit the sites of Ancient Mycenae and the theatre of Epidaurus and chill down with a sea kayaking tour. In Central Arcadia and based in authentic stone mountain villages we will explore the majestic Lousios Gorge. Two days of culture, history and lots of fun await for us with our Rafting and Hiking experiences in Lousios Gorge. We then move south exploring  the charming Mani peninsula, renowned for its beautiful coastline, forts and stories on pirates and vendettas. Our loop tour ends in the Byzantine Citadel of Mystra in the historic town of Sparta, a UNESCO world heritage site.

See the itinerary map here.

Day 1
Athens to Nafplio
Day 2
Mycenae – Epidaurus and Sea Kayak
Day 3
Trekking in Lousios Gorge
Day 4
Rafting in Lousios Gorge (or River Trekking in Neda during summer time)
Day 5
Ancient Messene and continue to Kardamyli
Day 6
Sea Kayak n Kardamyli
Day 7
Areopoli – Diros Caves – Vathia – Cape Tenaro
Day 8
Visit Mystra and drive back to Athens

Activities / Schedule

Athens to Nafplio

We are leaving the lively city of Athens behind with destination Nafplio. Short stop at the Corinth Canal, the six-kilometer waterway connecting the Ionian and Aegean seas. Nafplion, considered one of the prettiest towns in Greece, is the first capital after independence and a major port since the Bronze Age. Take your time to enjoy a stroll in the alleys of the town and climb the 999 steps to Palamidi fort to enjoy a panoramic view.

Overnight in Nafplio.

Distance: 135Km about 2 hours drive 

Mycenae – Epidaurus and Sea Kayak - 23km

We start our day with sightseeing to Mycenae and Epidaurus. Mycenae, a place intrinsic in the works of Homer, 9th century BCE poet. Enter the Mycenean citadel through the Lion's Gate and wander through the remaining ruins. Admire the enormous Cyclopean walls - still a wonder how they were created- and enter the imposing Lions gate to the site that dates back to 1350-1200BC.  Just outside the walls, do not forget to visit the Vault-shaped tombs of Lions, Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra, and the Treasury of Atreus. Continue our visit to the third-century theater of Epidaurus, one of the best-preserved classical Greek structures renowned for its superb acoustics. Epidavre site was set up in honor of the God of Medicine, Asklepios, son of Apollo and Coronis and enjoy the wonderful location of the shrine which is on the Unesco World Heritage list. Time for some action with a refreshing sea kayaking tour. paddling from the first capital of modern Greece, with  different fortresses in our view. We visit the famous fort of Bourtzi, built in 1473, on a tiny inlet right in front of the port. then we paddle towards the old town of Nafplio, under the cannons of the Old Town’s 1st line of fortification, while the UNESCO World Heritage fortress of Palamidi dominates the view right above it. As soon as we exit the port, we paddle along the ancient road of Nafplio, under Akronauplia fortress, and are rewarded with the breathtaking views of the dominant cliffs covered in succulent vegetation with the fortress as its crown at the top.

Overnight in Nafplion.

  • Paddling distance: 7km
  • Difficulty level: very easy
  • Duration of the kayak: 4 hours

Trekking in Lousios Gorge

Early in the morning we continue to a less touristy but very inspiring mountainous region in central Peloponnese, renowned for its rich in history villages like Dimitsana, Stemnitsa and Karytaina. Today we will hike in the inspiring Lousios Gorge. The hike offers a beautiful combination of history with nature. We will walk amongst trails of dense vegetation going parallel and criss crossing the Lousios River. We visit monasteries that appear to be literally hanging from the cliffs and end the trek at the archaeological site of Ancient Gortys. This is one of the most stirring of all Greek sites as it is based along the rushing river known in ancient times as the Gortynios. 

Overnight in Stemnitsa.

Distance: 135Km about 2 hours drive 

 

Rafting in Lousios Gorge (or River Trekking in Neda during summer time)

Loussios river is where Zeus used to bathe himself! In the spectacular densely vegetated gorge and in the river’s crystal clear waters, we invite you to enjoy rafting and discover the hidden natural paradise of the area. The descent is of 2nd-3rd  degree of difficulty, starting from Lousios, continuing to Alfios River, and ending to the spectacular bridge of “Koukos”. Optional activity during summer time River Trekking in Neda Gorge. Having enjoyed our traditional Greek lunch we spend a leisure evening in Stemnitsa.

  • Difficulty level: easy
  • Duration of the rafting: 4 hours

Ancient Messene and continue to Kardamyli

Heading to the Mani peninsula we make a small deviation to visit Ancient Messini. Ancient Messini is one of the most important excavated cities of Greece. The ancient city is well preserved due to the fact that it was never destroyed or covered by a newer settlement. Inside the archaeological site the visitor will find sanctuaries, public buildings, houses, fortifications and funerary monuments. We continue our journey southwards entering the messinian Mani and picturesque Kardamili, a very beautiful sea front town.

Sea Kayak n Kardamyli

Our trip starts from the old harbor of Kardamyli, the place we meet. At the beginning of the activity we attend a brief but comprehensive introduction to the basics of sea kayaking. We get our kayaks and begin to enjoy an excursion where each little cove hides a special surprise such as hidden caves, cliffs with spectacular formations and unique beaches with sand or pebbles such as the well-hidden beach of Foneas with the white pebbles and the sandy beach of Delfinia. Weather and time permitting we head to Stoupa and the beach of Kalogria with its fine golden sand and turquoise waters. The beach of Kalogria is known as the beach of Zorbas, as this was the place where writer Nikos Kazantzakis met his hero of his book Zorba the Greek. Halfway we make a relaxing stop for swimming, snorkeling and a picnic with local traditional delicacies. After our activity we travel even further in deep Mani and overnight in Limeni  another beautiful sea village.

  • Difficulty level: easy
  • Duration of the kayak: 4 hours

Areopoli – Diros Caves – Vathia – Cape Tenaro

We start our day with a visit at Diros Bay where we will tour the impressive Glyfada sea caves. These caves, open to the public since 1963, are rated amongst the best of their kind in the world. You can visit the caves by boat and admire the delicate stalactites and stalagmites. We then drive or bike towards Cape Tenaro, the southernmost point of mainland Greece.

On our way, we will stop for a short visit to the partially restored tower village of Vathia. The basic settlement of Vathia was formed mainly after the 18th century, flourished in the 19th and began to decline in the 20th. A little further down the coast, you will start the day’s walk. A route will take you from the settlement of Kokinoghia and along the coast to a lighthouse. At kokkinogia there used to be a temple to God Poseidon, but it was converted by Christians into a church. At the beginning of the path from Kokkinogia towards Tenaro, you will see a decorative mosaic dated to the 1st century AD, which is from the floor of a Roman villa. After 45 mins walking from Kokkinogia, you will end up the southern-most tip of mainland Greece. There you will find a lighthouse. On the West of the lighthouse is a cave that Greek legend claims was the home of Hades, the god of the dead. As the southern-most tip of mainland Greece, Tenaro is famous for being on the migration path of birds headed to Africa. You can end the day with a refreshing swim.

Overnight in Limeni.

Visit Mystra and drive back to Athens

After our breakfast we travel the via the southern  slopes of impressive Mt. Taygetus to Sparta and the byzantine citadel of Mystras.

Mystras was a fortified town in Morea (the Peloponnesus), on Mt. Taygetos, near ancient Sparta. It lies approximately 8 kilometers west of the modern town of Sparti. The town of Mystras was built as an amphitheater around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape. In 1989 the ruins, including the fortress, palace, churches, and monasteries, were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Arrival in Athens.

Important Info

In a glance

CURRENCY
euro (€)
TIMEZONE
UTC+02:00 (EET)

Price

Price per person:

Self Drive Mode

3 star hotels

  • 1.505€/pp for 4-6 participants
  • 1.750€/pp for 2-3 participants

4 star hotels

  • 1.605€/pp for 4-6 participants
  • 1.850€/pp for 2-3 participants

Fully Guided Mode

3 star hotels

  • 2.835€/pp for 4-6 participants
  • 4.270€/pp for 2-3 participants

4 star hotels

  • 2.975€/pp for 4-6 participants
  • 4.410€/pp for 2-3 participants

Fixed Departure Price: 2.835€/person

Fixed Departures

2024

  • January 14-21
  • February 11-18
  • March 10-17
  • April 14-21
  • May 12-19
  • June 09-16
  • September 15-22
  • October 13-20
  • November 10-17
  • December 08-15

General Information

The tour is designed both on fully guided or self drive mode and accommodation may vary from 3 stat charming guesthouses to more luxurious 4 stat hotels. As the tour is totally customizable, we can also arrange top range hotels so please feel free to contact us in order to design the perfect private experience for you. You can extend your tour further by visiting the Ancient site of Olympia or joining our Kalavryta based activities. Based in the beautiful Orias Guesthouse and Farm enjoy unique hospitality in spacious rooms overlooking Mt Chelmos and delicious meals with homegrown ingredients straight from the farm. Trekking Hellas offers a variety of activities in Kalavryta and the Peloponnese, like the  Vouraikos Cog Railway Hike or the  Off Road Tour in Mt Chelmos.

Equipment

Please try to travel as light as possible. Although you do not need to carry your entire luggage while walking, you will still need to carry it over short distances. Also, remember you unpack and repack on most nights. You can leave the luggage that you don’t need on the trek, at the hotel in Athens or in our offices.

  • Large rucksack or holdall to contain all your luggage; waterproof liner recommended
  • Good waterproof top (Gore-Tex recommended or similar) with hood.
  • Thick socks for walking
  • Spare shoes for the evenings (optional
  • Daypack (small rucksack, 20-40 liters) to carry picnic lunch, water bottle, cold/wet weather gear, camera, etc; straps should be strong, not too narrow and preferably padded. In wet weather, belongings should be packed in waterproof plastic bags inside the pack
  • Warm clothes for the evening including spare trousers and top (fleece jackets/pullovers are warm yet light); plus optionally thermal underwear, for April  and October
  • Sweatshirts or T-shirts for walking, at least one with collar and long sleeves (against sunburn)
  • Your own personal water bottle(at least 1 liter). As part of our environmental policy and actions, we are committed to eliminating the use of plastic water bottles.

Reviews

Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese

Active & Culture Tour Peloponnese is an 8 day active driving tour combining historic sites and exciting outdoor activities.

Price from €1505

BOOK NOW

FAQs

What should I bring with me?

  • What is listed above in Equipment section

What's the meeting point & time?

Meeting Point: Trekking Athens,12 Parthenonos Street, Koukaki, Athens, 11742. (400 m from Sygrou Fix metro station / 500m from Acropolis metro station) – Click Here


Time: TBA

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