Project History
The founder journey, rescue-team purpose, and the first shape of 12RT.
Open
Stories
Stories And History
Project origin, rescue-team purpose, first challengers, interviews, and practical trail lessons.
The challenge began as a solo 2020 journey linking the shelters of Olympus and raising support for volunteer mountain rescue. The stories keep that thread alive: route design, first completions, radio communication, emergency shelters, food and water lessons, and the stubborn joy of finishing.
Featured Stories
Editorial stories
Project History
The origin story: a 14-day solo route in 2020, twelve shelters, rescue-team fundraising, and the idea of a Camino de Olympo.
First Olympus 12 Refuge Challenger
A challenger diary with Litochoro, Prionia, Livadaki, cold shelters, low water, wrong turns, stamps, and hard decisions.
Challenger Interview
A completion interview from a challenger who finished the 92.5 km circular route in 5 days and 9 hours.
Rescue-Team Story
The rescue thread behind the project: radios, emergency shelters, volunteers, and mountain safety.
Nutrition And Hydration Tips
Food and water planning for long refuge-to-refuge days, especially the emergency-shelter half of the route.
Uniting The 12 Shelters
The public idea behind uniting the twelve shelters of Olympus into one challenge.
Continue exploring
Trail
The Trail
A circular 92.5 km Olympus route with 7,650 m of positive elevation, long multi-day pacing, and several sections that deserve real caution.
ChallengeThe 12 Refuge Challenge
One passport, twelve shelters, twelve stamps, and no time limit: complete Olympus in the way your mountain experience allows.
RefugesOlympus Refuges
Olympus has fourteen shelters in total: eight organised refuges with summer services and six emergency shelters for prepared mountain users.
ToursGuided Tours
Four support levels for different hikers: Self-Guided Plus, Semi-Guided, Fully Guided, and All Inclusive.
TrailSafety And Hiker Rules
Twelve practical rules for walking Olympus well: shared dorms, limited water, no showers, pack weight, weather, food, and Leave No Trace.
About / InfoMount Olympus
Greece's highest mountain: 55 peaks above 2,000 m, ravines, forests, streams, myth, and the 2,917 m summit of Mytikas.