5 days hiking ikaria

cost

typical week

reservation

Hiking Ikaria for those who just want to enjoy the mountains and landscapes of Ikaria. Reserve accommodation at our guesthouse, located in a spot ideal for hiking, participate in our guided hiking tours and other activities, meet other people and immerse in the natural environment and culture of the island.

Ideal for solo travelers or small groups of friends who want to relax in a quiet environment, in direct contact with nature. Languages we speak: English & Greek

Ikaria has recently become known as the blue zone, for the longevity of its inhabitants, who seem to forget to die! The morphology of the island with its high mountains and steep paths, the local diet, the relative isolation, the slow pace of life, and the relations of the inhabitants of the local communities are some characteristics of the island that may explain this paradox.

Accommodation

Each of our guests has his own private room in the Ikarian Center guesthouse. You do not share your room with other guests you do not know beforehand. You can share your room, sometimes at no extra cost, with a friend traveling with you, regardless of whether or not the friend is participating in our courses or activities. All rooms are heated, equipped with private bathroom and kitchenette and can accommodate up to two people. The center’s guest house is located right next to the course/work area, in a quiet mountain location, not far from the sea. We are located in a magical part of the island, 1.5 Km away from the settlement of Arethousa and 3 Km from the seaside Karavostamos, in direct contact with the natural environment. The view of the sea and the mountain as well as the starry sky on clear nights is enchanting. You will experience the calm and relaxation that direct contact with nature gives to a person’s daily life. The common areas of the facilities help contact with other residents, as well as isolation, thus supporting the development of a healthy sociability among the guests.

Cost

Cost includes accommodation in a private room at the Ikarian Center, simple meals (lunch and dinner) from Monday to Saturday, free transport from the port and airport on Sundays, local transport, and activities (such as lectures and screenings, traditional dance lessons, cooking evenings , etc.

• One or two person in a private room:
  €100/overnight (minimum 5 overnights, check-in: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, check-out: Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

To see an accurate cost breakdown select the dates in the booking calendar at the end of this page and see the cost breakdown below the calendar

Hikes and Activities – Week schedule

Every day, except Fridays and Sundays, we organize guided walking tours. During these walks you will enjoy the unique nature of the island and a landscape that is constantly changing: from a dry barren mountain with rocks carved by the surrealist artist “wind”, to dense forest, small lakes and small river beds. In the background most of the time: the sea.

Hikes in a typical week

• May , June, 2nd week of September -until last week of October:

Morning and afternoon hikes are organized, depending on the day:
Days with morning hikes: Tuesday and Thursday
In the morning (8:30 – 9:00), we go hiking. We walk on routes of moderate difficulty for 4-5 hours, with short breaks. We return in the afternoon and have lunch. The afternoon is free for relaxing, reading and if the weather is good, swimming in the sea.
Days with afternoon hikes: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
The morning is free for rest and reading. From 16:00 (15:00 in September), after lunch, we walk for about 3 hours with short breaks on paths of the area, of easy or moderate difficulty. We return and have lunch.

• July

During July we do offer activities, but not hikes.

• August – 1st week of September:

We do not offer hikes or any other activities, however you are welcome to reserve a room for your summer holidays. Please don’t forget that you must come with your own vehicle, no transport is organized by us during this period of time.

• After last week of October:

Only morning hikes are organized every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Start 9:30. We walk for 3 – 5 hours with breaks, on paths of easy or moderate difficulty. From 15:00 to 17:00 we work on picking olives, in the olive grove of the Center.

Other activities

In addition to the hikes, we organize a series of activities:

• Visits to local wineries and olive mills (in November)
• “Cooking evenings”, where we will all cook local dishes together
• Local traditional dance lessons
• Lecture on local architecture and history of the island.
• Evenings of Greek music

The activities take place in the Center from 19:30 or 20:00 for about an hour and a half. Visits to wineries and olive mills take place during the walks.

Typical questions

Reservation

Consult the booking calendar below for the dates you can register and room availability. Check-in: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Check-out: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. To complete your reservation you must make a payment of 30% of the total amount, following the instructions you will receive in your email after making your reservation. Deposits are non-refundable if you cancel your reservation for any reason, but you can join the program the same year or the following year.

Hiking during November of each year is also combined with olive harvest

Looking for a Greek language course?

Find one here

7 days picking olives

See more