The Mediterranean passion for culture, adventure, sport, food and life surrounds us as we sail, dive, kayak and windsurf in this cultural center of the universe.
$6,888.00
Three CPR and First Aid certified Venture Europe guides; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all camping and camping gear (except sleeping bags, sleep mats and mess kits); all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and all hotels or hostels.
Flights to/from Athens, Greece and Rome, Italy; optional gratuities, extra snacks and souvenirs.
Our adventure begins in the cradle of western civilization, the city of Athens. Our first adventure is rafting on the amazing Alfios River.
Next, we hike to a magnificent waterfall and to the Lousios River to enjoy a thrilling zip-line across the gorge!
On the way to Lefkada Island we visit the 3,000 year-old Olympic stadium. On Lefkada Island we spend our days doing a multitude of water and beach activities. We stay at our beach camp for seven nights while participating in sea kayaking, snorkeling,, windsurfing and an introductory SCUBA diving course.
Next we travel to Italy by ferry to the Amalfi coast. We visit Pompeii, the most important archeological site of Europe.
No visit to this area would be complete without a beautiful hike along the Amalfi Coast. Finally, we thoroughly explore the history and grandeur of Italy’s capital city, Rome; including the Colosseum, Vatican City, Pantheon and vintage Italian pizza!
You will be met upon arrival at the Athens airport by your experienced Venture Europe leaders. After a complete gear check to assure that you are prepared for the diverse and demanding regions we explore, we load up our custom vehicles and head off! During orientation we get to know each other and learn what to expect in the days ahead. Our daily routine, jobs and safety rules are explained, and the process of growing together as a group begins. We drive to the center of the city where we drop our gear at the hotel and take some time to enjoy the city. Over a dinner in the historic Plaka district we review the exciting itinerary of the next few weeks. The next day we visit Athens main sites.
We leave Athens for the Peloponnesian region, where we set up camp at Alfios and familiarize ourselves with our tropical surroundings. Our first activities offer non – stop action on the water! We descend the Alfios River in rafts with a professional river guide who teaches us the basic techniques for a safe and enjoyable journey. Our guides drive us to the starting point of our Greek trek – the Monastery of Filosofou. Our hike follows the Louisos River, combining history and nature in a beautiful landscape. After crossing a gorge by zip – line we head back to the camp and pack our gear for tomorrow’s departure. On another thrilling day we do a refreshing river hike through the Neda Gorge finishing at a magnificent waterfall. Our last day in this beautiful remote camp we raft another section of the Alfios river after doing a rappel from a bridge!
Our drive to Lefkada island takes us first to the archeological site of Olympia, the birth place of the Olympic games. Lefkada Island is the perfect destination to continue our water activities. We start with sea kayaking to hidden coves where we can snorkel. Then a two-day introductory SCUBA dive course, appropriate to the absolute beginner is planned. Certified divers who bring their log book will be able to do more advanced dives. For our service project we will clean up one of the beautiful beaches on Lefkada and then stay there for the night and sleep under the stars. Finally, we also harness the trade winds of the island as we windsurf on the pristine, turquoise water of the Ionian Sea. When the winds are too strong we will go tubing behind a boat.
We travel to Patra town from where we will travel overnight by ferry to Italy. Arriving in Bari, Italy, we travel on to the Amalfi coast.
We have the chance to explore the Pompeii archeological site. The magnificent ruins of Pompeii offer rich insight into the daily life of the Romans. The ancient city was covered in lava from the most famous volcano disaster in history when Mt. Vesuvius blew its top in AD 79. The next day we hike the “Path of the Gods”, a great hike at the Amalfi coast with great views of the towns, bays and island around.
All roads lead to Rome, and so does ours at the end of this splendid trip. We take in some of the amazing sites that Rome has to offer: the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Roman Forum, and we also head over to the world’s smallest sovereign state, Vatican City, with the St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. We end our journey with a dinner out in the Italian capital where we toast to our new friends and fond memories of Italy and Greece!
This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.