I want to share some advice climbing the mountais
1. everyone can do it but be prepared, not worried but prepared
2. There is lots of stuff, detailed and recommended in the internet
3. Prepare, even if you are in good cardiovascular shape, you need to practice climbing and strengthen your muscles by climbing stairs etc
4. As you go up, plans may change, you may be more tired than expected or the weather may change
5. As things change, do not overdo, go with whatever you can
6. Do not take stupid risks, the mountain is always there, you live only once
7. Start early so in case of problems you'll have time for corrections
8. enjoy every moment and take everything into your soul, it is a very special experience
9. Be kind to people and they'll be kind to you, the travelers as well as the workers on the mountain, help and friendship can take you a long way
10. There is a debate about taking or not taking walking poles, I strongly recommend to take
11. It is a physical and a spiritual experience, go for it

After a great stay in Litochoro (where I bought a cheap but very necessary walking stick of 9 Euro) at "To Palio Litohoro" hotel we drove to the National Park's Prionia trail head and parked. The lot has a small restaurant and rest rooms. Last chance.
I have read a lot of hiking reviews for Olympus and I will describe the hike from the point of view of a 55 year old woman in moderately decent shape (brisk walker/ easy yoga) and my grown daughter. We did our hike over 3 days ending on October 1 2015.
We hiked the E4 trail on day one to Refuge A - a fantastic place to stay. Great fun. Great people. Good blankets. Good food. Donate to their dog charity at the front desk - its a raffle for a good cause.
We started early afternoon and the hike that most do in about2 1/2 - 3 hours actually took us almost 4 hours. But we did it without sore muscles the next day so that is all good.
We got up early the next day and there was soft cloud cover but up we went. If I remember correctly it took us about another 4 hours to get to the summit at an easy pace, never winded. Its just an endless up up up but nothing difficult. When you get tired take shorter steps. Once out of the woods its a rock trail with the most amazing views appearing and disappearing with the clouds. Endless rock. Small steps, use your stick to pace. We reached the summit and decided to finish up with Skala, the obvious choice for us. We also did a lot of wandering around there. FUN! What views. I can;t imagine it on a clear day but our clouds were fun as they came and went.
Stayed at Refuge A the second night. And after a good breakfast next morning we hiked down in the light rain in about 3 hours.This was an end of September hike - if you do the same dress in layers. You will take off and put on layers throughout the day in the fall at least. Bring rain PROOF gear. Wear good shoes. Pack as light as you can. Enjoy - it was the highlight of our Greece/ Turkey trip for sure!

Mt. Olympus is a stunningly beautiful mountain full of history and legends. I had trouble getting good information on this hike before doing it so I thought I would write about what I learned in the hope that it would encourage others not to miss this incredible experience. Summiting “the home of the Gods” can be a challenging 1 day adventure for the experienced and fit hiker. Or a multi day excursion for those who prefer to spend more time on the mountain. Due to its system of extremely well run huts (refuges) most people choose the two or three day option. If you do, this hike is appropriate for almost any moderately fit person.

1. Route/Itinerary – Your first decisions will be which route to take and how many days you would like to spend on the mountain. The most popular options are:
#1 Prionia Trailhead to Skala Peak and backtrack
#2 Prionia Trailhead to Mytikas Peak and backtrack
#3 Prionia Trailhead to Mytikas Peak, crossing over the summit to Refuge B. Then descending to Refuge A via the Muses Plateau and from Refuge A to the trailhead.
If you choose option #1 you could either do the entire hike in 1 day or hike to Refuge A on day 1, summit Skala and return to the trailhead on day 2. Or you could also spend a second night at Refuge A on night 2 after summiting Skala Peak. Keep in mind that the entire hike (out and back) is 11 miles and 5695 vt. ft. elevation gain.
If you choose option #2 everything is the same as option #1 except on summit day you will hike an additional ½ mile from Skala Peak to Mytikas Peak and then back again. This will also add an additional 420 vt. ft. in elevation gain.
If you choose option #3 you can do the entire route in 1 day (13 miles and 6370 vt. ft. elev. gain) or you could either spend night #1 at Refuge A, summit and then return to the trailhead on day two. Or you could spend a second night at either Refuge A or B and return to the trailhead on day 3. Option #3 was my choice and I am glad that it was. You get to see a lot more of the mountain by not backtracking the whole way and the route after summiting Mytikas is beautiful and more remote. You also pass by the Throne of Zeus and the Muses Plateau where wild goats often come to graze.
I know all this probably sounds confusing but once you see it on a map it is fairly straight forward and I think it is important to give the options some thought before deciding which is best for you.

2. Trailhead. Most people stay in the town of Litochoro the night before the hike. It is a beautiful small town with all the amenities (hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) that you will need. The most popular trailhead to Mt. Olympus is Prionia. It is a 25 minute taxi ride from Litochoro that costs about 25 euros. The trailhead at Prionia has a large parking lot and a very good restaurant/store where you can buy last minute supplies, use the bathroom, etc.

3. Elevations
Trailhead at Prionia - 3800 ft
Refuge A - 7070 ft
Skala Peak - 9410 ft
Mytikas Peak - 9580 ft

4. Trail Distances and Vertical Feet Climbed
1. Tralhead at Prionia to Refuge A (Agapitos Hut): 3 miles, 3290 vt. ft.
2. Refuge A to Skala Peak: 2 ½ miles, 2405 vt. ft
3. Skala Peak to Mytikas Peak (highest pt.): ½ mile, 420 vt. ft.
4. Mytikas Peak to Refuge B (Apostolidis Hut): 1 mile, 125 vt. ft.
5. Refuge B to Trailhead : 6 miles, 130 vt. ft.

5. Estimated Hiking Times (not including breaks) – Of course this is a very difficult thing to estimate due to differences in conditioning, pack weight, weather, etc. The guideline below is for most reasonably fit hikers with a 15-25lb pack.
Ascent from Trail head to Refuge A : 2-4 hours
Ascent from Refuge A to Skala Peak: 2-4 hours
Skala Peak to Mytikas Peak: ½-1 hour
Descent to Trail head using the same route: 3-5 hours
Crossing over the top of Mytikas to Refuge B: ¾- 1 ½ hours
Descent from Refuge B to Refuge A: 1-2 hours
Descent from Refuge A to Trail head: 1 ½-2 ½ hours

6. Word of caution – The entire hike from Prionia to Skala peak is very straightforward. Yes it is steep in places, but it is not technical nor dangerous. It is an appropriate trail for anyone in reasonable condition. This is also true of the trail from Refuge B back down to the trailhead at Prionia. There are however two sections of the trail that are not appropriate for people who are either afraid of heights or who lack basic scrambling experience, coordination, etc. These are the sections of trail from Skala Peak to Mytikas and the initial descent from Mytikas, whether it is backtracking to Skala Peak or descending toward Refuge B. Neither of these sections require you to be a rock climber nor do you need technical equipment but both require you to use your hands and do some scrambling. Both sections have exposed areas where a fall could be serious and there is always the danger of falling rocks dislodged from climbers above. Many hikers, including myself, brought helmets. Many people reach Skala Peak, take one look at the route to Mytikas and say no thanks. No problem, they still summited Skala Peak and had a wonderful experience on Mt. Olympus. The day I was there it seemed like about 50% chose to continue on toward Mytikas. If you would like to summit Mytikas but are uncomfortable with these more difficult sections another option is to hire a guide

7. Water – Water is available at all of the Refuges and also at a spring about half way from the trailhead at Prionia to Refuge A. There is no water along the trail from Refuge A to Mytikas. I carried 1 ½ liters from Refuge A to the summit and it was plenty.

8. Huts – I did not spend a night in any of them but from what I saw and learned from others who had they are excellent. You can also buy meals or snacks to go if you are day hiking.

9. Clothing, etc. – Mt. Olympus has mountain weather that can change rapidly. Be prepared. Clothing that you can layer, a raincoat, warm hat and gloves (for warmth and to protect your hands when you are scrambling). The sun can also be strong so sunglasses, sunscreen, and some type of hat for shade are also recommended.

10. Pace – The trail is steep in places especially the last hour before Skala Peak. Trekking poles help walking both up and down these sections. Start slow and if there is any doubt in your mind that your pace is too quick slow down. You will enjoy your time in the mountains more and you will have a greater probability of reaching your goal.

Hiking Mt. Olympus was one of the highlights of my time in Greece. I hope that it is one of yours also.

Enjoy!