A Greek Odyssey: guided walking and swimming in the heart of the Pelion Peninsula, Greece
Dates: 21 – 28 August 2024
Price: €600 (approx.. £515) per week
NB: 10% discount until 9th July 2024
This includes accommodation, all meals (apart from taverna night on Sunday), guided walking & swimming outings, transport to/from walks. It does not include flights/travel to Greece or drinks/snacks when out on walks.
A week exploring the beautiful Pelion Mountains, valleys and beaches, on pathways that lead us through forests, past gushing rivers, waterfalls and mountain springs, along ancient kalderimia (old donkey paths), down to the shimmering and crystal clear Aegean sea.
These guided Hiking weeks offer you the chance to:
- Relax and unwind.
- Walk and swim, feeling fitter and more energised as the week progresses.
- Be a part of the Kalikalos community, sharing the walking experience and your love of nature
- Enjoy your surroundings, spend time walking off the beaten track; most walks will include time to swim, either in crisp river pools or the warm sea.
- Explore the Pelion and its hidden places with an experienced walking leader and a small group of like minded people.
- Enjoy pure Pelion spring water every day and delicious, freshly prepared vegetarian food.
- Visit local tavernas and beach cafés en route on our walks and taste the ‘real Greece’.
- A series of holy days (holidays), to reconnect with nature and ourselves within it.
I am rejoicing in the gift of a beautiful holiday, perfect in every way. Sun, sea, mountains, sunrise, moonrise, stars and ocean, waterfalls and pools and in amongst it all, friendship and laughter, good food, beautiful plateas, alive with local community…. come and experience it for yourself if you will…
Michelle Brydie
‘Hiking with Michelle is a joy. Michelle has deeply researched the locale & this shows. The walks are creative & carefully tailored to the needs of the group. It’s blissful hiking along the mountain paths, passing through unspoilt villages & ending up dropping into the Aegean Sea. The hikes are embellished by Michelle’s sharp sense of humour & her hilarious & witty Welsh anecdotes. Of the many group hikes that I have undertaken, Michelle’s are without doubt the most fun.
Geoffrey Wallace (R.I.P. Toto)
‘Michelle turned out to be a right laugh….She started off by emphasising the importance of enjoying the journey, going at our own pace and enjoying the view, but on the way back down from our 10 hour mountain ridge walk, all that went out the window and she kept telling me to ‘hurry up, or else we’ll never get back to the taverna before daybreak!’. I couldn’t have been cajoled along by a funnier and more cheeky walking guide. The blend of laughter, gentle exploration and plenty of swimming were just right for me….apart from the ‘you know what’ walk, the pace was always to suit the group. And did I mention her packed lunches? They were to die for (not literally, she has got a food hygiene certificate), most welcome on our long walks. Thanks Michelle, I reckon I’m going to try out your Welsh Wanderings next, once the weather brightens up!
Gusta (London)
‘The Pelion was so beautiful I ended up going there twice in one year. I particularly enjoyed the mountain ridge walk and discovering the caves at Damouchari and Fakistra. I can definitely recommend the kayaking and Kalikalos is very welcoming! The chocolate desert at Damouchari is worth a try (if you like that sort of thing)’
Megan (Vancouver, BC)
I wanted to say what a wonderful walking holiday I had in Greece guided by the awesome Michelle Brydie. She was inclusive, informative, knowledgeable and above all FUN. I would do it again in a heart beat. Thanks Michelle
Gareth Bayliss (currently discovering the delights of Australia)
I am rejoicing in the gift of a beautiful holiday, perfect in every way. Sun, sea, mountains, sunrise, moonrise, stars and ocean, waterfalls and pools and in amongst it all, friendship and laughter, good food, beautiful plateas, alive with local community…. come and experience it for yourself if you will…
Michelle Brydie
‘Hiking with Michelle is a joy. Michelle has deeply researched the locale & this shows. The walks are creative & carefully tailored to the needs of the group. It’s blissful hiking along the mountain paths, passing through unspoilt villages & ending up dropping into the Aegean Sea. The hikes are embellished by Michelle’s sharp sense of humour & her hilarious & witty Welsh anecdotes. Of the many group hikes that I have undertaken, Michelle’s are without doubt the most fun.
Geoffrey Wallace (R.I.P. Toto)
‘Michelle turned out to be a right laugh….She started off by emphasising the importance of enjoying the journey, going at our own pace and enjoying the view, but on the way back down from our 10 hour mountain ridge walk, all that went out the window and she kept telling me to ‘hurry up, or else we’ll never get back to the taverna before daybreak!’. I couldn’t have been cajoled along by a funnier and more cheeky walking guide. The blend of laughter, gentle exploration and plenty of swimming were just right for me….apart from the ‘you know what’ walk, the pace was always to suit the group. And did I mention her packed lunches? They were to die for (not literally, she has got a food hygiene certificate), most welcome on our long walks. Thanks Michelle, I reckon I’m going to try out your Welsh Wanderings next, once the weather brightens up!
Gusta (London)
‘The Pelion was so beautiful I ended up going there twice in one year. I particularly enjoyed the mountain ridge walk and discovering the caves at Damouchari and Fakistra. I can definitely recommend the kayaking and Kalikalos is very welcoming! The chocolate desert at Damouchari is worth a try (if you like that sort of thing)’
Megan (Vancouver, BC)
I wanted to say what a wonderful walking holiday I had in Greece guided by the awesome Michelle Brydie. She was inclusive, informative, knowledgeable and above all FUN. I would do it again in a heart beat. Thanks Michelle
Gareth Bayliss (currently discovering the delights of Australia)
You could spend a week or maybe two embraced by the welcoming folds of Kalikalos, acclimatising and gently building up to your week of walking, enjoying the experience of shared community, making new friends, infusing your body and soul with health and vitality.
5.5 days of guided walking and swimming around the magnificent mountains and coast of Pelion.
Starting off with gentle explorations of the surrounding area, walking down to the beach, with the potential of a mountain ridge walk and then finishing with a longer coastal walk. Taking in villages, woods, mountains, gorges, beaches (some only accessible on foot), springs and rivers.
Our ‘base-camp’ will be in the charming mountain village of Anilio, at Kalikalos, an Holistic Holiday Centre that runs a ‘Living – Learning Summer School’ from May to September.
Kalikalos is based in a house surrounded by a large productive garden, which supplies some of the food for our delicious meals, below the garden is woodland. It is based in the hills on the North Eastern side of the Pelion peninsula on the East side of mainland Greece, not far from the Island of Skiathos and three miles from the sea.
Pelion is an unspoilt and beautiful region of Greece, topped by Mount Pelion, with beech, chestnut and olive groves cascading down to a shoreline containing many spectacular beaches on the edge of the Aegean Sea.
€600 per person
21st – 28th August 2024
You can extend your holiday as a ‘Living in Community’ guest’ before or after your hiking week (€350 per person per week).
You will be expected to be fairly fit and enthusiastic about walking.
As part of your ‘Kalikalos experience’ you will be invited to join the community to help with simple tasks such as washing up, food preparation and a spot of gardening (you choose).
This is generally a lot of fun, a great way to meet people and feel part of the community: an enriching aspect of this holiday experience.
Useful links about our Greek walks
Frequently asked questions:
Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival Wednesday – meet each other, get acclimatised, explore the centre and Anilio, evening meal
- Day 2: Thursday – a.m. – community meeting and sharing circle – lunch – p.m. – a gentle walk to the beach, (Plaka) – approximately a 1.5 hour walk, then walk to Aggios Ioannis for pick up and lift back to the centre .
- Day 3: Friday (all day) – a lift up to Kissos to explore the village and nearby pool, then walk down to Papa Nero beach or Mourressi then Papa Nero (group can decide).
- Day 4: Saturday (all day) – Lift to Tsangarada, explore at least two of the platias then walk down to Damouchari then later along to Papa Nero for pick up.
- Day 5: Sunday (all day) – After breakfast, a lift to Pouri via coffee in the platia at Zagora then walk down and along the coast to Chorefto to meet up with others from the centre. (this is Taverna night!)
- Day 6: Monday (all day) – early drop off at Ski resort then walk across the mountains taking in 2 of the Pelion peaks (1450/1455 metres) then back down to Kissos. This is the longest walk of the week (about a 9 hour walk) or alternatively the waterfall walk starting from the same place ending up being picked up (we can decide as a group).
- Day 7: Tuesday (all day) – lift to Mylopotamos, then walk onwards to two other beaches (Limnionas and Labinou), then back to Mylopotamos. In the evening we have a fireside sharing circle and music.
- Day 8: Wednesday – pack up & goodbyes, or extra week ‘Living in Community‘ or as a Community Participant.
Please note: this itinerary is flexible and may change and adapt to the wishes and needs of the group, none of the walks are compulsory.
Enjoy one of the best guided walking holidays in Greece
Click below to go to the booking form or call directly on 07974 135 756