You will be met upon arrival at the Athens airport by your experienced Bold Earth expedition 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 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 set out for an unforgettable river hike through the Neda Gorge. Our idyllic, sun-splashed hike culiminates at a magnificent waterfall. On our last day in this beautiful remote camp, we raft another section of the Alfious River after completing an awesome rappel from a towering 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 and sail 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 Parta 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!
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.
LEARNING • SERVICE • LEADERSHIP
