Discover Peloponese tour - Rustika Expeditions

Greece
September 24th – October 4th 2024

Type – standard offroad / van / truck tour
Duration – 12 days
Wild camping + 1 official camp
Covering approximately 1.650 km (1150 onroad / 500 offroad)
Technical difficulty – 1-3/10
Scratching rate – 0-1/10 (practically NONE)

Price per vehicle – 1.889 €

The Peloponnese is the large peninsula that hangs from the rest of the Greek mainland by the canal of Corinth. Its wild, mountainous landscape is dotted with the ruins of Mycenaean palaces, ancient temples, frescoed churches, and countless medieval hilltop castles built by Crusaders and Venetians. At Mycenae, visit the hub of a civilization that dominated Greece a thousand years before the Golden Age of ancient Athens. Hike up the stone rows of the world’s best-preserved ancient theater at Epidavros. Run a lap at Olympia, site of the first Olympic Games. Enjoy the stunning landscapes of the wild Mani Peninsula and the charming old Venetian towns of Monemvasia and Nafplio. And as you hop from town to town, compare Greek salads, fishes and mountains-and-olive-grove views.

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Tour highlights

Complete tour on Peloponnese.
-Visits: Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Ancient Olympia, Byzantine Cite of Mystras, Ancient Messini, Prodromou monastery and many others.
Off roads, marvellous wild camps in forests & beaches.
Beautiful Landscape and picturesque villages.

Approximate area of the tour

Start of the tour will be at Patra harbour in the afternoon of September 24th, from where the group will take a short route to the first campsite.

On day two (25.9.) the route will be 184 km long, starting with a trip from Gianniskari to the Foloi Forest, which is the largest forest of oaks in the Balkans. Extends on a plateau that occupies the southwestern slope of Mount Erymanthos, located 25km from Olympia. It is one of the largest, rarest and most beautiful oak forests planted in Europe occupying an area of 4200 hectares. Afterwards we will descend for a visit to the ancient Olympia. Ancient Olympia: This is where the Olympic Games took place every four years for over 1100 years, until their abolition by Emperor Theodosius I in AD 393. It is one of Greece’s most evocative ancient sites.

Site tickets (not included in the tour price): €12 for full price, €6 reduced price for people over 60 years old.

After the visit to Olympia, we will depart towards our camp on a beach close to town of Zacharo.

26.9. Zacharo-Ancient Messini-Methoni-Pylos-Gialova (193km)
Ancient Messini: Ancient Messini was founded in 371 BC after the Theban general Epaminondas defeated Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra, freeing the Messinians from almost 350 years of Spartan rule. Built on the site of an earlier stronghold, the new Messinian capital was one of a string of defensive positions designed to keep watch over Sparta.
Site tickets: €10 for full price, €5 reduced price for people over 60 years old.
The castle of Methoni:
Built by the Venetians in the early 13th century on a rocky promontory, the castle of Methoni is among the largest ones in the Mediterranean. You’ll be astonished at the bridge stone of 14 arches which connects the castle to the shore instead of the timber one that used to stand in its place before the Venetians ever got there.
Site tickets: €3 for full price, €2 reduced price for people over 60 years old.
Bivouac at the beach near Pylos.

27.9. Gialova (Pylos)-Chapel St.Theodora-Prodromos monastery-Stemnitsa (185km)
Departure in the morning to see the famous beach ”Voidokilia” which is the most famous beach in Messinia and one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece! The curve of Voidokilia is shaped like a giant Greek omega, from the two rocky promontories that define the entrance of the beach. White sand, warm turquoise water, lush vegetation and a peaceful lagoon make Voidokilia beach true heaven on Earth.
Chapel of St. Theodora: A miracle of nature.
It was built between the 10 th and 12 th centuries. According to tradition, the construction of the church is linked to the martyrdom of a young girl from the region, whose name was Theodora. This small chapel supports 17 large trees that emerge from the roof and the walls of the chapel. Each tree weighs nearly a ton and extends to more than 20 meters high. For hundreds of years, the roots remain invisible and the inhabitants could not find a scientific explanation for this phenomenon.
We continue our tour to the mounts of Mainalon to reach the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist (Agios Ioannis Prodromos, or Prodromou). The Monastery was built in 1167, on the opposite side of the Lousios gorge, 200 meters from the shore. It flourished during the Turkish occupation, receiving many dedications and donations, thus having the ability to carry out a great charity work. Our camp will be in the fir forest of Stemnitsa at an altitude of 1,250m. Unique high spot for our vehicles in the area.

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28.9. Stemnitsa-Megalopoli-Leontari-Sparta (146km)
Beautiful tracks and roads to reach Sparta and our campsite in Mystras.

29.9. Mystras-Taygetus Mountain – Skala (113km)
Mystras: Visit the byzantine town of Mystras and you will automatically understand why this location stands so unique within the Greek sites. Mystras is one of the cities that preserve not only medieval churches but also ordinary houses, mansions and palaces of the Byzantine Empire. Site ticket is €12 for full price, €6 reduced price for people over 60 years old. After the visit we will cross the Mountain of Taygetus and our journey ends at Skala and our camp at the beach.

30.9. Skala- Monemvasia-Reichia (144km)
Among the things to do in the Peloponnese, a visit to Monemvasia is a must.
The village is located on the east coast of Laconia, south of the Peloponnese. Monemvasia sits on a rock and is connected to land by a dyke. The particularity of this citadel is that it is completely built on the side of cliffs and that you will only be able to see it after passing under the surrounding wall, a unique entrance door. From the outside, it is completely undetectable. Our next camp will be on the beach.

1.10. Reichia-Leonidio- Astros (152km)
Departure to the small town Leonidio surrounded by gigantic red mountains, giving it a special charm. Break in Plaka: A small picturesque port, with fishing taverns. Again we camp on a beach, close to the town of Astros.

2.10. Astros-Nafplio-Epidaurus-Kandia (92km)
No off road today. Free day of vacation and tourism. Visits:

Archaeological Site of Tiryns. Α city built by the Cyclopes!
The fortification of the hill of Tiryns (8km from Argos) which protects the palace complex, is such an impressive construction that the ancient Greeks could not believe that it was built by human hands. Thus, the architects of Tiryns were said to be the Cyclopes, who came to the city with Proetus, its legendary founder, from distant Lycia.
Site ticket is €4 for full price, €2 reduced price for people over 60 years old.
Nafplio: In the Peloponnese, you’ll encounter a vibrant city-museum with listed architecture and majestic Venetian castles crowning the town Holidays in the Peloponnese and an aerial view of Nafplio: tile roofs, grey stone, grand homes and a blue-green sea.
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus: a living ancient theatre, a one-of-a-kind archaeological site and the famous Asclepius of antiquity. Site ticket is €12 for full price, €6 reduced price for people over 60 years old.

3.10. Kandia-Corinthe-Loutraki-Perahora (159km)
Before we setup camp in the afternoon we will visit the Canal of Corinth: The Corinth canal, an ancient dream made real. The canal finally opened in 1893 after 11 years of digging. Six kilometres long, it slices through cliffs 90m high and is a perennial favourite with sightseers. Our camp for the night will be to a marvelous beach after the town of Loutraki.

4.10. Perachora-Loutraki-Kefalari-Kallianoi-Kyllini-Lake Tsivlou (248km)
In the morning we will cross beautiful off-road tracks from the WRC Acropolis special stages. Our itinerary ends by the Tsivlou lake, where we setup camp. Lake Tsivlou is an alpine lake lying at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level on the mountain range of Chelmos, in Achaea.

5.10. Lake Tsivlou-Kalavryta-Plataniotissa-Leontio-Patra (117km)
Kalavryta town welcomes you as one of the hot winter destinations in the Peloponnese. This beautiful town lies at the foot of Mt. Chelmos and it is a must-visit buzzing place during the cold months of the year on account of its ski centre.

Descend to Patra in order to embark on your ferry back to Ancona. End of the tour!

Tour requirements

Minimum requirements for Discover Peloponese tour

AT tyres recommended (500 km of offroad is still present in the tour)
camping gear (a rooftop or classic tent, or vehicle equipped for sleeping inside)
items needed for food storage and preparation, folding chairs and tables
basic tools for car repair and maintenance

Tour price covers

Included in the tour price

dual GPS navigation systems in the guiding vehicle(s)
all fuel and other expenses for the guiding vehicles
personal counceling before and during the tour
GPS tracks, that will be made available to the participants in GPX format upon request
technical assistance in tricky situations by the guides
handheld dual-band radios

NOT included in the tour price

individual fuel and toll costs
individual food and drink expenses
payment for sleeping in the offical camp (one night)
individual accomodation expenses before and after the tour (on your way to Igoumenitsa)
ferry transfer on your way to Patra and back
entry tickets for the historical sites that we visit in the tour
optional tourist guides for the historical sites
servicing expenses by third parties, if needed
other individual expenses

What else you should know about the tour?

Timing:
– On some days the departure is at 8:30 am and others at 9:00 am, after the briefing.
– The midday stop for picnic is between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. depending on the conditions of the off road tracks crossed.
– The estimated time of arrival at the campsites is at 5:30 p.m. unless unforeseen circumstances happen.
Assistance:
– In case of a health emergency, we have several hospitals in the
big cities and health centers in small towns/villages in the mountains.
– In Greece, as in all of Europe, there is the emergency number 112.
– In case of technical problem with your car, your guide will be able to assist and offer you a garage on all stages.
Preparation of your 4×4:
Any 4X4 in perfect mechanical condition is fit to participate to the Tour. No special preparation is required.
Fuel:
Standard fuel tanks are sufficient because we will pass by refueling stations on all days.
Documents:
Passport or identity card.
Green insurance card (valid for Greece).
Personal preparation:
Clothing:

Take light clothes.
A fleece jacket for parties that may be cool at the bivouacs.
A rain jacket. We never know with the weather.
-Swimsuit.
All camping gear.

All tour participants will receive and introductory informative email with all the remaining relevant data for the tour one month prior to the tour start.