45-DAY - ULTIMATE GREECE, CRETE, CYPRUS, North MACEDONIA via a section hike on the E4 Long distance hiking trail...

$3300.00 ALL INCLUSIVE (SEE FULL ITINERARY BELOW)

^the E4 in Crete

DATES:  June 10-July 28, 2026

^ North Macedonia 

^ E4 on island of Crete

Join a small group, as we depart NYC to Athens, for a 45 day jaunt on the E4 hiking trail in GREECE, CRETE, and CYPRUS. We will pick a starting point as a group, and decide where to hike on the E4 in mainland Greece to start. Sections of the North Peloponnese are significant with ruins and history. When we have had enough of one section, we can get local buses to other areas. We will be attempting a full hike of the island of Crete OR Cyprus. You can decide as a group. If we choose Crete, we can still finish in Cyprus and explore there and go to the official end, which is the airport on Cyprus, which works out ideally. 

 

There is the opportunity for us to acclimate and deal with the rigorous terrain and elevations in Greece, by starting on the Menalon Trail. The hardest hiking trail I have ever been on, besides Turkey. The Menalon is a historic and scenic odyssey through Arcadia, and the tiny villages and towns along the way present incredible opportunities to get your feet wet with locals, delicious and healthy cuisine and incredible views. It's a immersive journey through the rugged landscaped of Gortynia, spanning approximately, 72 KM's (though feels like 500), with an elevation gain of around 9000 feet. You read that right. At its end we can head onto any section of the E4 that we would like. The choice is yours as a group. A couple of you have delved into the Menalon Trail before, and so you know what to expect. :)

 

The majority of our hike will be on the island of Crete, and/or Cyprus. The Crete section of the E4 is around 300 miles. The Cyprus section is around 334.  After our stint in the north getting our feet wet, we may have to pick either island to hike because of time constraints, or do a little of each area. Can we do 634 miles in 45 days with time off to explore, beaches, sightsee, and down time? Probably not lol. But we can try. 

 

Detailed info below:

 

E4 and NORTH PELOPONNESE INFO HERE

MENALON TRAIL INFO HERE

CRETE E4 VIDEO CHECK THIS OUT HERE

CYPRUS E4 DETAILED INFO HERE

 

No lack of variation

 

The E4 in Cyprus is a trail with a lot of variety; coasts and cliffs, forests, national parks, archaic villages, and farmlands together with mountains in the Troodos Mountains. You walk through a landscape of high ecological, historical, archaeological, cultural, and even scientific value. For example, at Larnaca, you walk alongside a salt lake. Next to this, Cyprus has many endemic species, such as the Cypriot mouse, the golden oak, and the Cyprus cedar. The latter is abundant, especially when the trail runs through Cedar valley. The trail starts and ends with many coasts and cliffs, but in between, you walk through a lot of forests, farmlands, and mountains that you might not expect so quickly on the relatively small island. The highest point in Cyprus can be found in Troodos National Park, with infamous and notoriousMount Olympus (1952 meters) is touched upon by the route for a few kilometers. Although the Troodos national park is also a popular hiking area, the E4 is still a quiet route. 

 

For the Northern Peloponnese- the sites of Aigio, Gulf of Corinth, Corinth, (inland Mount Kyllini),  Archealogical Site of Mycenae). The E4 trail in the northern Peloponnese begins in the port of Egio, near Patras, and treks south through significant landscapes like the Vourakos Canyon and the villages of Kalavryta, Vytina, and Tripoli, before continuing south to Sparta and eventually reaching Gythio and the coast.

 

In Crete, there are two sections to choose from- mountainous and coastal sections. Many of the areas is rugged and follows roads, while other parts are incredibly remote, often times having to bushwack from the trail that is poorly marked. It also offers some of the best and most pristine beaches in the world.

 

In North Macedonia, it would do us well to take it in as tourist, instead of hiking there. Getting many guided tours of the history of the area, pre and post war, and offering to delve into its incredible culinary scene and amazingly friendly people, keeping out stay in Skopje, the capital, before heading back to either Athens or another part of Europe for our flight back to the U.S.

I'm as stoked to present this to you and excited to explore the ancient sites of Greece while hiking across its incredible terrain! Reach out for more info!

 

ALL INCLUSIVE: registration includes ALL airfares, hotels, buses, trains, Ubers, most meals, city center tours, local guides, hop-on/hop-off bus tours in Athens, all lodging (paid campsites, airbnb's or hotels and hostels), group meals on occasion,. hiking trail food, fuel, ground transportation, international trek insurance). SIGN UP HERE

^ Cyprus 

^Athens