Fast Menalon Trail - with Accommodation in Stemnitsa and Lagkadia

6 days
T2 trails
Distance: 15 - 20 km / 9 - 12 mi per day
500 - 1000 m / 1640 - 3281 ft ascent per day

> A combination of culture and nature, that is the Menalon Trail!
> Spend your nights in cozy Greek accommodations
> Accommodation before and after your hike is included

The Menalon Trail in Arcadia, in the Peloponnese. It doesn't get much more Greek. Sure, islands like Crete and Corfu are stunning for their perfect combination of mountain and sea, but the 'real' Greece can be found on foot deep in Greece's interior. Churches and monasteries, thousand-year-old donkey trails and watering holes, quiet villages and a small glass of ouzo to end the day. Forget the mileage and the athletic challenge: on the Menalon Trail, you take it easy in the Greek way.

Take it easy, that was always the idea behind the development of the Menalon Trail. Not everyone has the time for that and some others just like to speed up things up. Nothing wrong with that. We crafted this faster version of the Menalon Trail. The same 75 kilometers of hiking pleasure but in only 4 stages. This version of the Menalon Trail also includes accommodation in Stemnitsa, your starting point, and Lagkadia, the goal for your trek.

Itinerary

Day
1

Arrival in Stemnitsa

Today you arrive in Stemnitsa, the village of goldsmiths and headquarters of the Peloponnesian Senate in 1821. Relax! There are a few good hiking days ahead of you. The directions in this description will take you to the villages where your accommodations are booked.

Pension Mpelleiko in Stemnitsa

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Pension Mpelleiko in Stemnitsa
Day
2

Stemnitsa - Dimitsana

Duration: 03:40 h
Distance: 13.6 km / 8.5 mi
Ascent: 610 m / 2001 ft
Descent: 770 m / 2526 ft
Today we cross the famous Lousios Gorge to reach Dimitsana. Do you love ancient monasteries and churches? Then you already knew that the Menalon Trail is perfect for you. Along the way, we traverse ancient farmlands, pass the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ and admire the view of the Lousios Gorge, before entering the paved path leading to Prodromos Monastery. Nestled against the walls of the gorge, this monastery has a very nice fountain to visit. We walk on to the Old Philosophou Monastery from 963 and then to the New Philosophou Monastery founded much later, in 1691. Finally, we reach the beautiful Dimitsana.

Pension En Dimitsa in Dimitsana

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Pension En Dimitsa in Dimitsana
Day
3

Dimitsana - Vytina

Duration: 06:40 h
Distance: 27.7 km / 17.2 mi
Ascent: 820 m / 2690 ft
Descent: 750 m / 2461 ft
Footpaths and dirt roads take you past the small monastery of St Apostoli. If you thought this is the last monastery, you are wrong. Many more monasteries and churches will follow in the coming days. Just after passing the Immortality Monument, the guard of Theodore Kolokotronis, leader of the 1821 War of Independence, we enter the centre of cute Zigovisti. The War of Independence is a familiar story to every Greek. After Zigovisti, you trek across the western Menalon massif past a stunning ravine. From Elati, you hike back to the M route and find the old mule track to Vytina via several paths. Along the way, you pass the Pirgaki springs, which supply Vytina with drinking water. You will also find the remains of the ancient Acropolis of the ancient city of Methydrion along the way. Vytina is the main town in the region, here you can spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Pension Guesthouse Teloni in Vytina

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Pension Guesthouse Teloni in Vytina
See entire itinerary

Included

  • Accommodation

    We will arrange your accommodation on the Menalon Trail in hotels, inns, and guesthouses. Accommodation will be private in single, double or twin rooms and with en-suite bathroom where possible.

  • Full travel guide

    We will send you on your way with a digital travel guide which includes a route description, interactive Menalon Trail hiking maps, and the most important information applicable to your trek.

  • Baggage Transfer

    This trek includes the transfer of your luggage throughout the entire Menalon Trail trek. Your bags will be picked up every morning from the hotel lobby and will be driven to your next next accommodation. Baggage transfers allow you to travel lighter during the day and enjoy the walk in a more relaxed manner.

  • Breakfast

    Breakfast is, if possible, included in this trek and it will be provided every morning at your accommodation.

Excluded

  • Traveling to and from

    You have to make your own way to the starting point. The total amount does not include personal transport. This also applies to any transport from the end point of your trail.

  • Transfers

    Should you need any form of (public) transport on location, this is not part of the trekking package. This includes the use of taxi, bus, cable cars, gondolas etc.

  • Travel Insurance

    Your international travel insurance is your own responsibility. Discuss your itinerary with the insurance company before your trek.

  • Lunch and Dinner

    Breakfast is, if possible, included in the price of the trek. You can get lunch and dinner at the shops, hotels, and restaurants along the way.

FAQ

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Contact our Trekking Expert
Annemiek Meulenbeld

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