Hiking in the trails of the Arcadian Shepherds – Mainalon Trail

6 days   Hiking/NatureLove Guided Tour

Trip Info

990€

Arcadia occupies the central mountainous Peloponnese and in ancient times its area was even larger, since Arcadia was considered to be the whole mountainous Peloponnese. According to mythology, the founder of Arcadia was Lykaon, son of Pelasgos and the nymph Kyllini, who founded the first city that the sun “saw” on earth. This was Lykosoura, at the foot of Lykaion, the holy mountain of the Arcadians who faced this mountain, with awe. They believed that in Lykaeon the matter was losing its shade by overthrowing every reasonable explanation of the natural phenomena. They also believed, along with many other Greeks, that Zeus was born on the mountain of light, Lycaeon, and that the nymphs Neda, Thiesoa and Agno, nursed him and washed him on the river Lousios.

Pan, the god of nature and fertility, protector of the shepherds, was born in the rugged mountains of Arcadia. He was constantly wandering in the forests and rivers of the Peloponnese, chasing Arcadian nymphs with intense erotic mood or playing his souravli.

In a cave of Mount Killini the shy Pleiad Mea, one of the seven daughters of Atlas, gave birth to god Hermes, as a result of her union with Zeus.

With these peculiar mythological beliefs, Arcadia became synonymous with a wealthy utopia, a place of peace and harmony, a dream country where a man could live without worries, meditating in the midst of a hedonistic dream. This bucolic archetypal has passed into the history of Western art and the world of ideas in many forms and expressions and became a theme of Baroque and neo-classical painters, with the most characteristic work that of the paintings of Nicolas Poussin “The shepherds of Arcadia” with the mystical inscription ET IN ARCADIA EGO.

Inclusions

Accommodation
5 overnight stays in Hotel, hostel, camping, monastery, shelter, guesthouse
Meals

• 5 breakfasts
• 6 lunches with a soft drink or beer or local wine
• 5 dinners in traditional taverns with a soft drink or beer or local wine
Transportation
• Minivan
Activities Included
• 
Entrance fees included
• 

Exclusions

Museum Tickets and Archaeological Sites

Drinks and soft drinks (except the above)

Gratuites (optional)

1st Day

Athens – Corinth canal-Ancient Tegea- Wine tasting-Lunch Karytaina– Stemnitsa (Dinner-overnight stay)

2nd Day: Mainalon Trail

 Stemnitsa– Hiking Saint John Prodromos Monastery – Lousios gorge – Philosophos monasteries (Old and New) – Open – air water power museum –Dimitsana (overnight stay)

Total Hike duration: 6,5 hours Difficulty level: Β

3rd Day: Mainalon Trail

Dimitsana –Ancient Tefthis – Panorama –Zigovisti Village – Pleiovouni top  (1643 μ ) – Vlachika plateau – Logos cave – Byzantine church of Zoodochos pigi – Elati village (Overnight stay)

Total Hike duration: 8 hours Difficulty level: Β+

4th Day: Mainalon Trail

Elati village –Mylaon gorge – Sibligades – Vytina –Zarzi Bridge-Tzavaraina bridge – Nymfasia village (Overnight stay or at Vytina) 

Total Hike duration: 7 hours Difficulty level: Β

5th Day: Mainalon Trail

Nymfasia village – Dryodasos (Oak forest) –Kernitsa Monastery  – Kernitsa small Castle monastery – Magouliana village – Sanatorio – Ela creek – Valtesiniko Village (Overnight stay)

Total Hike duration: 7 hours Difficulty level: Α+

6th Day: Mainalon Trail

Valtesiniko Village – Palaiokastro– Old Lady’s stone – Cold fountain– Lagadia  Panorama– Lagadia village-Lunch- (By bus to Vytina) – Capsia  –Wine tasting – Athens)

Total Hike duration: 5,5 hours Difficulty level: Α+

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Group rates

All year round

Upon request

Additional Information

Group leader

All our Epic Tours offered are accompanied by one of our local English speaker group guides. The aim of the group guide is to take the hassle out of your trip and to help you have the best experience possible.
The guide has excellent knowledge of the places visited and will provide you information throughout the whole trip, including historical, cultural and social aspects. Your guide takes care of all the essential things of the tour, offers suggestions for things to do and see and introduces you to the local communities.

We use a minimum three-star rating,conveniently located hotels and apartments with all the essential modern conveniences. Lodges that practice good eco-tourism, use products and hire staff from the local villages, walk lightly on the surrounding environment and are true to the area they represent.
Accommodation on all our trips is on a twin or double bed basis. Single upgrades are available upon request and depend on availability.

Concerning the transportation, our company cooperates with leading transfer companies which use vehicles of the latest technology with the most stringent standards. All minivans are equipped with comfortable seats, air condition and large windows.
Our experienced drivers will do everything they can so that your transfer be safe and pleasant.
In all our Epic tours offered, we have made an effort to include as many attractions as possible, therefore reducing our stay in the bus to the minimum, by making many stops.

When it comes to meals, Epos Travel & Tours strikes a perfect balance, since gastronomy is one of the main aspects of the total tour experience offered.
We include most meals (at selected seaside or traditional taverns) to save you time and money, yet we also leave enough free time so you can sample Greece’s gastronomic delights on your own.
Epos travel packages vary as to the number of meals included.All provided meals are clearly stated on the tours’s inclusions section.
As most of our hotels offer anything from coffee to a full breakfast, you can start the day the way you like best with high quality local  products.
Lunch is your chance to make culinary discoveries of your own – Your tour guide can give you tips about recommended places if asked.
When your itinerary includes a special experience, such as fishing on a hired boat,rafting or wine tasting, lunch will be included.
Please note that if you have any special dietary requirements you should inform us prior to the trip. We can provide vegetarian and vegan meals. Please feel free to contact us, regarding any questions you may have about food, so we can provide you the best options possible.

Meeting and finishing point: Most of our tours -unless otherwise stated in the trip’s information section- start and end at Syntagma square in Athens. Tours commence at 08:00 on the starting date and finish between 21:00 and 22:00 on the finishing point. Please note: In case you leave Greece on the day the tour ends,it is advisable to book your return flight at least 3 hours after our scheduled return time. That will give you the tranquillity and ease of mind, avoiding any unfortunate events that could blemish you vacation.

When you book  with us, please have in mind that our tours don’t include any accommodation before or after the tour. So we advise you to make any stay arrangements for the date the tour ends. In relation to your arrival date and your stay in a hotel in Athens or in another city for one or more days before or after the trips, please feel free to contact us and we shall arrange it at no cost.

With regard to your transfer to and from the airport, we are able to help, if you ask us about it. We can arrange a private transfer from the airport to your hotel in Athens and vice versa 24/7. Your private driver will be waiting for you at the exit of the airport, holding a placard with your name on it.
Regarding the issue of your air ticket you know that the sooner you buy it the more cheap it comes. You are most likely to find lower prices in your home country. But it is worth trying together.

Please check if you belong in one of the Free or Reduced admission categories below.

Free admission for:

• Members of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece and equivalent Chambers of member-states of the EU, upon presentation of their membership card

• Members of the ICOM-ICOMOS, upon presentation of their membership card

• Students of University – Higher Education Institutes, Technological Educational Institutes, Military Schools or equivalent Schools of EU member states, as      well as Schools of Guides, upon presentation of their student identity card

• Young people, up to the age of 18, upon presentation of their Identity Card or passport for age confirmation.

Reduced admission for:

• Greek citizens and citizens of other Member – States of the European Union who are over 65 years old, upon presentation of their ID card or passport for verification of their age and country of origin
• Students of University – Higher Education Institutes, Technological Educational Institutes or equivalent Schools of countries from outside the European Union, upon presentation of their student ID cards

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