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Active Culture Self Drive Tour Peloponnese

Description 5 Days car rental and guide escort/ driver & firm price upon request

Period of operation : Throughout the year
Price: In 4 star hotels: @345€/personIn 3 star hotels: @265€/person
Duration: 5 days
Minimum attendance: 4 participants

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Description

In the heart of the Peloponnese is the area of Orini Arcadia, a region offering amazing opportunities for exploration of the Greek nature, in combination to a pleasant stay in picturesque stone villages.

The area contains some of the most beautiful landscapes in Greece, with dramatic hills and stunning gorges (Lousios and Neda Gorge) and flowing rivers.

This in combination with its traditional villages such as Karytaina, Dimitsana and Stemnitsa offer a unique experience of the real cultural Greece. Through our self drive program you will explore this area through entertaining activities and our local guides will reveal you the secrtes of their homeland.

After a good dose of nature and adrenaline we continue to one of the most important archaeological sites of the world, Ancient Olympia the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

To make your return less tiring and in order to add some more adventure we have included a final stay in the village of Kalavryta in the foothills of Mt.helmos renowned amongst many for its cog railway.

The program is self drive, and includes hotel bookings. Local activities handled by local TH base and trip dossier with hints and places of interest. We can also offer car rental and guide escort/ driver upon request.

Itinerary

Day 1: Athens to Levidi or Vytina
The trip starts and ends in Athens. The previous day or early this morning you will receive from a Trekking Hellas representative your folder with all vouchers and necessary documents for your trip along. Depart for your vacation. En route we recommend a visit to the impressive Cave of Kapsia (entrance fee is 4€/person) Kapsia Cave is one of the 10 most impressive caves in Greece. Situated beneath Mount Mainalon, it belongs to a complicated system of sinkholes in the Mantineia Plateau. Some of the rarest and most spectacular formations ofcolorful stalagmites in Greece are to be found in the “chamber of wonders” offering a unique exhibitions of nature’s art.
(Distance between Athens Levidi or Vytina 175Km or 193KM – about 2-2,5 hours drive).
O/N Levidi or Vytina Villages

Day 2: Trekking in Lousios Gorge
After your breakfast, drive to the meeting point for your hiking tour in Lousios Gorge.
The trek 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.
Optional adventure fun activities archery and flying fox. O/N Karytaina or Dimitsana Villages.

Day 3: Rafting in Lousios Gorge
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 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.
After the activity and a nice meal drive to ancient Olympia.
On your way can make a small deviation to visit the ancient sanctuary of Epikourius Apollo in Vasses (a temple constructed by Iktinus - the architect of the Parthenon himself). Arrive and O/N in Olympia
(Distance between Karytaina and Olympia 86Km about 2 hours drive).

Day 4: Explore Olympia
Explore the areas numerous historical sites, namely the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia, the archaeological and Olympic Games Museum, the monument of Cubertin. Late in the afternoon continue to the town of Kalavryta.Kalavryta is a mountainous town at the foothills of Mt.Helmos. Some of the essential points of interest are the Ski Resort (situated just outside Kalavrita), the Vouraikos Canyon which can be approached through the "Odontotos" (a rare example of a fully functional cog railway, offering breath-taking view), the Cave of the Lakes (close to the village Kastria of the Municipality of Klitoria, where the natural beauty of the lakes and the stalactitic decor attracts a great number of visitors), the historic monasteries as well as the beautiful mountain villages of the region.
O/N in Kalavryta (Distance between Olympia and Kalavryta 100Km about 2,5 hours drive).

Day 5: Kalavryta Vouraikos Gorge (The Cog Railway Nature Trip) and back to Athens
Travel with the cog railway (The route lasts one hour, is about 22,350 m. long and at an altitude of 750 m. Crossing 49 bridges and passing through extremely beautiful landscapes, the railway has fairly been qualified as “a remarkable technical project”, with ground installations that constitute “historical monuments”) or walk (there is a hiking path (sort of) parallel to the train tracks which is very nice.
The trip from Kalavrita to Athens lasts about 3 hours.
(Distance between Kalavrita to Athens 200Km about 3 hours drive).

Price Includes

Accommodation in local guesthouses and/or hotels in with breakfast for 4 nights
• Rafting or River Trekking in Neda Gorge
• Trekking in Lousios Gorge
• Trip dossier: with map of the area, and information about your trip.
Not Included:
• Car Rental
• Meals (lunch & dinner)
• Optional activities such as archery and flying fox
• Guiding and entrance fees to sites and Museums, Kapsia Cave, Vasses and Ancient Olympia.

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