Two hand-built journeys through mainland Greece, from the mythic heights of Zagoria to the archaeological heart of the central west. Choose your road.
A challenging, one-of-a-kind ten-day tour into the hidden depths of Zagoria.
This tour is not for the faint of heart, but for those who can brave its mythic heights, the rewards will be untold. Travellers will see every landscape imaginable while taking in rare sights, fascinating history, and untrodden routes. As the days go on, the riding increases in difficulty; with our guidance, you will discover parts of Greece that few travellers have been lucky enough to see.
You’ll touch down in Athens, the birthplace of democracy. We’ll pick you up from the airport and take you to your first hotel to unwind. From there we highly recommend joining us on a short walk through the historical centre of our capital city. Beyond the world-class museums and celebrated food scene, Athens is full of wonderful surprises that will easily keep you entertained for the day. Come the evening, we’ll have a special welcome dinner and briefing where we all get to know each other and discuss the week ahead.
From Athens, we’ll travel by quiet roads to the archaeological sites of Delphi – once home to Pythia, Greece’s greatest oracle. A downhill cruise will take us to our lunch stop for the day, in a seaside town famed for the freshness of its seafood cuisine. Then we venture back into the mountain air, exploring the wooded highlands and settling for the night in the tiny, secluded village of Pavliani.
Brunch fans will delight at our first stop of the day, the river-city of Trikala – one of Greece’s undiscovered culinary gems. But it’s our next break when things get truly special; we’ll unwind at the breathtaking Baros Pass where you’ll want your camera ready for the unreal mountain scenery before riding on Greece’s highest paved road (1,900m!). After a brief sojourn into the traditional villages of the Kalarrites for a tavern dining experience, we’ll move on to even greater beauty. In Pramanta we will visit 800-year-old monasteries carved into the cliff faces. We’ll stay in the village of Tzoumerka, perfect for an evening stroll and a tasty meal.
The fourth day is our day of rest. Our only scheduled riding will be a scenic mountain drive to Ioannina, the biggest city of the Epirus region (often described as Greece’s best-kept secret). This is the ideal day to dedicate time to appreciate Greek culture. We can wander through the fascinating Ali Pasha Museum, experience some local cuisine, and even take a boat tour of Lake Ioannina – complete with a stop on an unnamed island.
We will start the day with mountain roads that cross the legendary Stone Forest. Prepare for epic views at our first rest point of the day: the dramatic Vikos Gorge. Measured against its width, it’s the deepest canyon on Earth; it’s no wonder that the locals say it’s been carved by the gods themselves. After a coffee stop in a traditional forest village, we’ll head onwards to the unique stone bridge of Aristi – crossing the crystal-clear waters of Voidomatis. After arriving at stunning Papingo, we’ll take some time out to explore the secrets of this ancient region on foot.
Our activities on our sixth day are to some extent, ‘in the hands of the gods’. If the water conditions are right, then we’ll head to the river for some epic white-water rafting and a dive into the deep-blue rock pools. If not, we’ll go on a once-in-a-lifetime trek to Drakolimni, an area of secluded mountaintop lakes, slanted plateaus, awe-inspiring views, and some of the freshest air you’ll ever breathe. In the evening, we place our fates in the hands of another god – Dionysus, god of wine – with a tasting tour through a local winery, traditional food included.
The seventh day contains some of the most difficult riding that we offer, but also the most magnificent. After a coffee stop in Distrato, we’ll push on through ever-changing vistas, each one surpassing the last. We’ll travel on through gorgeous Valia Kalda and Vovousa, stopping only for some photos, rest, and a well-earned lunch. Your reward for the heavy day will be a glorious lakeside drive around Aoos and an early arrival in the ruggedly beautiful Metsovan villages of Pindos.
When it comes to sightseeing, we like to save the best until near the end. On your penultimate full day of the tour, you’ll travel to Meteora – where if the giant stone pillars aren’t awe-inspiring enough, the monasteries perched upon their crests will be. These UNESCO World Heritage sites have earned their reputation as one of the most incredible places on Earth. We’ll have plenty of time to guide you around the best of them before cruising to the romantic port-city of Volos, renowned for its extraordinary seafood restaurants and great nightlife (think rooftop bars with views of the lapping waves).
On our ninth day, we’re lucky enough to stop in Thermopylae – the “Hot Gates” not only mark the mythical entrance to Hades but the site of the legendary “300” battle between Leonidas and Xerxes. It won’t all be battle and glory; we’ll stop for lunch in the seaside town of Kamena Vourla – where delicious speciality dishes abound. From there, we’ll head back to Athens where our legendary journey will reach its end. We’ll say congratulations with a final dinner together, and probably a late night!
1,430 unforgettable kilometres later, and it will finally be time to head home! After such an epic adventure together, we suspect the goodbyes could be difficult. We’ll make sure all of your airport journeys run smoothly and hope to see you again.
A magical nine-day journey across the central-western panorama.
From mountain-top monasteries to the Gates of Hades, this archaeology-packed trip contains some of the most diverse landscapes in Europe, UNESCO World Heritage sites aplenty, super-scenic secret routes, and loads of fun and relaxation.
Your first taste of Greek flavour. After touching down in Athens, we’ll make sure you get to our hotel safely. We’d urge you to spend the afternoon wandering Athens’ historic heart on foot. With the Parthenon overhead and ancient history around every corner, you won’t be short of things to see and do. In the evening, you’ll meet the rest of the crew at our welcome dinner where we’ll tell you all about the week ahead.
On day two, you hit the road. We’ll take you the scenic route to the stunning mountain ruins of Delphi, where we’ll stop to explore its archaeological museum and landmarks. When you’re ready, we’ll drive to the small seaside town of Itea for the freshest of seafood lunches. Then we’ll get back on the road and enjoy an easy coastal ride up the Gulf of Corinth to the traditional town of Nafpaktos – our home for the night. If all goes to plan, you should have plenty of time to wander the quaint walled harbour of Nafpaktos at your pleasure.
Day 3 is packed with fun! After just a few hours of riding, we’ll arrive in the heavenly Lefkada Island. Once here, we’ll store your luggage and give you two options. You could choose to circle the island’s glittering shores, and check out Lefkada’s beaches, three of which rank among the world’s best! Alternatively, choose a beach and get your adrenaline kick with some high-octane watersports, including waterskiing, surfing, kite surfing, or even scuba diving.
Our journey will take us further along the peninsula to the region of Epirus on the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. We’ll be riding through an area of rich history and we’ll be sure to show you the best photo stops along the way. By this stage, you’ll be getting hungry, so we’ll make a lunch stop at the classical town of Preveza. The afternoon’s drive is a real showstopper; you’ll be in bliss all the way to our destination of Parga. We’ll arrive there early, giving you plenty of time to explore the narrow streets, dine in the old port, tour the castle, or get straight back in the sea for some more fun!
We call day five our ‘day of rest’, but whether you put your feet up or your foot down is up to you. If you’d like to stay local, then explore the museums and beaches in the classical Greek town of Parga – nobody could judge you for a day in a hammock with a cocktail in hand. Or if you fancy another island adventure, take a day-cruise to the picturesque Antipaxos.
From scenic mountain passes to the highest paved road in Greece, your sixth day with us contains some spectacular routes. We’ll stop at fabulous museums and lakeside cities with a memorable organic lunch in the heart of the ancient Kalarrites stone village. After arriving in our destination for the evening, the mountain town of Metsovo, we can go out for a journey through time in the remote Pindos villages.
The penultimate full day of the tour features arguably the greatest site in Greece, and one of the most remarkable places you’ll ever stand in. We’ll have lunch in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora, where religion, archaeology and geology meet to make a sight you’ll never forget. After showing you the best of the monasteries, we’ll take you down hidden forest roads to the azure waters of Lake Plastira, where we’ll have the opportunity to embark on canoe trips or hikes around the magnificent body of water.
It may be our final full day together, but that’s no reason not to make the most of things. After departing from our lakeside home, we’ll head to the Hot Gates of Thermopylae – where sulphur springs are said to lead to the cavernous entrance to Hades. Home to one of the most famous battles in history, the Spartan archaeological offerings are far from sparse. On the drive back to Athens, we’ll stop by one of our favourite seaside spots for lunch and freshly roasted coffee with a view. Back in Athens, we will have an extra special farewell dinner, and very likely an ouzo or two.
With bags packed, new friends, 1,244 kilometres on the clock, and a lifetime’s worth of memories, it will be time for a final farewell and our respective journeys home.
Tell us which road is calling and we’ll craft the rest. Join a group departure or take either route as a fully private tour.
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