14 Day Guided Alpine Motorcycle Tour in Greece

Greece is very well known for its large coastline that expands over 16000 km. Ιn addition to this, it’s famous worldwide for its extremely large number of islands, with estimates ranging from somewhere around 1200 to 6000.

However, the fact is that Greece is a mountainous country, with hundreds of mountains and thousands of peaks. According to official data from the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering & Climbing which included hill elevations of higher than 300 meters, the land that is appropriate for farming and use, is not more than 25-30% of Greek Land. 35% of land is between the 300 meter altitude and up to 800 meters, while 31% is over 800 meters. With such a vastly rocky surrounding, Greece has 413 mountains that are over 1000 meters (3,000 feet) high.

According to the same source, there are also 53 mountains in Greece over 2000 meters high. Furthermore, 138 are between 1500 and 2000 meters και 222 are between 1000 and 1500 meters. Greece’s highest mountain, Mount Olympus, at an altitude of 2918 meters (9,573 feet) is isolated just south of the city of Katerini.

Greece’s mountains are a continuation of the Balkan mountain range, which are also the eastern extension of Central Europe’s Alps. This vast Alpine mountain range system, in the shape of a bow, is by far the greatest in Europe. Starting from South-East France and crossing almost half the continent, through many countries, it ends on central west Greek land, forming the famous mountain range of Pindos. At Pindos, you will find the Vikos Gorge that is listed as the deepest gorge in the world by the Guinness Book of Records, in terms of its greatest width to depth ratio.

Within this astonishing mountainous landscape, which spreads through hundreds of traditional villages, delicious taverns offering home-made food, and thousands of unknown curvy - full of hairpins - mountain roads, you will find lakes, waterfalls, rivers, old stone bridges, free range cows, goats and pigs and virgin forest scenery. You will find exquisite beauty through 1500 meter or more high routes and passes, which will ensure a unique riding experience.

Τhis is a special tour totally dedicated to Greek Alpine routes, aimed at the non-compromising motorbike rider.

Tour overview

• Arrival in Athens, welcome dinner
• Acropolis - Bafi Refuge - Athens
• Athens - Nafpaktus
• Nafpaktus - Kremasta Lake
• Kremasta Lake - Ioannina
• Ioannina rest day
• Ioannina - Nymfaio
• Nymfaio - Olympus
• Olympus - Kalabaka
• Kalabaka/Meteora rest day
• Kalabaka - Lake Plastiras
• Lake Plastiras - Delphi
• Delphi - Athens, farewell dinner

Note

You should definitely have with you: your driving license (at all times) and any motorcycle clothing you need. At minimum ensure you have your helmet and raincoats (jacket and trousers set).

Skill levels required for the tour:

Beginner

• can ride for two to three hours
• minimal riding experience
• assistance required
• comfortable with curves and leans
• basic experience with unsurfaced roads
• short distance ascents and descents

Intermediate

• can ride for three to four hours
• average riding experience
• little assistance required
• comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• average experience with unsurfaced roads
• steep ascents and descents

Advanced

• can ride for five to six hours
• extensive riding experience
• assistance on demand (if required)
• experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
• comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

Prespa

Prespa is the name of two freshwater lakes located in the north-western corner of Greece, at 850 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains. The Prespa Lakes region is a natural park of great significance due to its biodiversity and endemic species. Prespa is protected under the Ramsar convention as a wetland of international importance and a European Important Bird Area, as well as being included in Natura 2000, a network of the EU most precious natural areas.

Prespa contains the largest breeding colony of Dalmatian pelicans in the world, a mixed colony of pelicans and the largest colony of Pygmy cormorants in Europe. Prespa is well known for its natural beauty and its high biodiversity with unique characteristics. It hosts more than 1,500 species of plants, 40 species of mammals, 260 of birds, 32 reptiles and amphibians, and 17 species of fish including a number of species found only here.

Kastoria

The city of Kastoria that flourished during the 19th century due to fur trade is built on the shores of the beautiful lake Orestiáda, surrounded by imposing mountains. Wander around the old neighborhoods of Doltsó and Apozári, and admire the 19th century grand mansions (three-storey buildings with large windows and enclosed balconies), owned by the rich fur traders of Kastoriá! Take a leisurely walk around the lake, watching the birds that inhabit this fantastic wetland, or board on the ferry to enjoy a romantic lake cruise! Climb to the top of the hill and take in breathtaking views of the city.

In this area, you will also visit the “Dragon’s Cave”, the only cave in Greece with fresh-water lakes, and Dispilio, an archaeological site containing remains of a Neolithic lakeshore settlement that occupied an artificial island.

Dispilio appears to have been occupied over a long period, from the final stages of the Middle Neolithic (5600-5000 BC). A number of items were found here, including ceramics, wooden structural elements, seeds, bones, figurines, personal ornaments, flutes (one of them dating back to the 6th millennium BCE, the oldest ever found in Europe) and what appears to be the most significant finding, the inscribed Dispilio Tablet. The Tablet is one of oldest discoveries (5260BC) of human’s effort to communicate by the written word.

Vergina

The city of Aigai, the ancient first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, was discovered in the 19th century near Vergina, in northern Greece. The most important remains are the monumental palace, lavishly decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes, and the burial ground with more than 300 tumuli, some of which date from the 11th century B.C. One of the royal tombs in the Great Tumulus is identified as that of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

UNESCO’s Committee decided to inscribe the nominated property on the basis of cultural criteria considering that the site is of outstanding universal value representing an exceptional testimony to a significant development in European civilization - the transition from classical city-state to the imperial structure of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. This is vividly demonstrated in particular by the remarkable series of royal tombs and their rich contents. The Committee decided to add to the proposed criteria cultural criterion, since the paintings found at Vergina are of extraordinarily high quality and historical importance.

Zagorohoria

Zagori or Zagorohoria is a network of 46 villages spread all over the northern mountains of Ioannina. Mountains are divided by the sharp gorge “Vikos”. Villages are known for their outstanding natural beauty and their exclusive construction. Here you will find free horses or cows on the streets and 60 arched stone bridges. The unspoiled natural environment makes you feel like time has stopped. Steep cobbled paths, zigzags through beech woods, gray stone houses tiled with giant slabs of slate compose the sole scenery of Zagori.

Cape Tainaron

Also known as ‘Cape Matapan’ is situated at the end of the Mani, Greece. Cape Matapan, almost 5.500kilometers away from Nordkapp/Norway is the southernmost point of mainland Greece and Balkan Peninsula. It separates the Messenian Gulf in the west from the Laconian Gulf in the east. Cape Matapan has been an important place for thousands of years. There is a cave at the tip of Cape Matapan that Greek legends claim was the home of Hades, the god of the Dead.

The ancient Spartans built several temples there dedicated to various gods. On the hill situated above the cave lay the remnants of an ancient temple dedicated to the sea god Poseidon. As the most southern point of the Balkan Peninsula, the cape is on the major migration route of birds headed to Africa.

+−

• 13 nights’ accommodation
• Motorcycle rental
• Daily breakfast
• Two dinners including a glass of wine (welcome and farewell dinners)
• Tour leader on motorcycle (English speaking)
• Executive medical care and travel insurance
• Briefing package outlining the trip details - i.e. safety tips, notes about attractions and sights, hotel information and route features
• Travel to and from the motorcycle rentals (for those who rent a motorcycle)
• A MotoVoyager memorandum
• All applicable taxes

• Petrol
• Parking
• Road tolls
• Entries to the monuments and museums, archaeological sites, natural sites, etc.
• Tour guides at attractions/museums
• Main meals, drinks, and snacks (except welcome and farewell dinners)
• Any personal expenses
• Transfer to and from airport (available upon request, with extra charge)
• Any bank transfer fees
• Anything that is not mentioned in the “included in tour price” section

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.