Olympus refuges in winter 2026-27

When do the Mount Olympus refuges close for winter 2026-27?

Refuge A closes in the last week of October, usually on the 28th. Apostolidis closes at the end of October. Kakkalos runs into early November.

The Refuge A facilities page says it opens daily from mid May to late October, "usually closing on the 28th". Its seasons page is blunt about winter: the building is secured, there are no staff, and there is no access to the hut or its facilities. The E4 path is not officially closed, but the refuge strongly discourages winter trekking unless you are experienced, equipped and self-sufficient.

Up on the plateau, the park agency's January 2026 refuge sheet lists Apostolidis as daily from early June to the end of October, with winter stays "by prior arrangement". Visit Olympus gives Kakkalos a summer season from late May to early November. Dates move with the weather, and every source tells you to confirm with the managers.

Which Olympus refuges stay open in winter?

Stavros on the Litochoro to Prionia road is open all year. Petrostrouga, Koromilia and Krevatia take guests at weekends or by arrangement, and the cafe at Prionia stays open.

Stavros, also called the Dimitrios Boundolas refuge, sits beside the asphalt road about halfway up from Litochoro. It has 30 places and, per Visit Olympus, opens daily all year except Mondays in winter. The NECCA sheet gives its restaurant hours as 09:00 to 18:00 from October to April. For most winter visitors it is the highest warm room you can drive to.

Petrostrouga, at 1,920 m on the Gortsia route to the plateau, is where sources disagree. Visit Olympus lists it as open year-round. The more recent NECCA sheet says daily from May to October and weekends only in winter, by prior arrangement. Phone ahead and treat it as a weekend option. Trekking Hellas runs one-day winter hikes to Petrostrouga, which it pitches as an introduction to walking in snow.

Kakkalos is the odd one out. It reopens for a spring ski-touring and mountaineering season from March to mid or late April, depending on snow. That is for people with skis, crampons and avalanche training.

Can you climb Mount Olympus between November and May?

Only as a winter mountaineering trip, with ice axe, crampons, avalanche awareness and no staffed refuge to fall back on. For almost every visitor the answer is no.

Above 2,000 m Olympus is under snow for roughly nine months a year, and wind can stack it 8 to 10 m deep in gullies. The first snow of last season fell on 2 October 2025 above 2,500 m, with minus 1 C recorded at Kakkalos. Zonaria and the Louki couloir, which are scrambles in August, turn into steep snow and ice.

In May 2026 a young climber set out alone from Refuge A toward Mytikas with snow still near the summit and died in the Zonaria area. Our safety post covers what that and the other recent accidents teach. The short version: if the refuges are shut, the summit is shut for you unless you have winter alpine experience.

What can you do on Mount Olympus in winter instead?

Visit Dion, walk the lower Enipeas gorge near Litochoro, drive up to Stavros or Prionia when the road is clear, and see the mountain from Platamon castle.

The low country stays green and open. Dion runs winter hours from November to March and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; our Dion tickets post has the times and the free Sundays. The gorge path from Litochoro sits well below the snow line in most weeks. A guest on the small-group forest hike wrote: "This walk was magical as it was wintertime and in the lowest part of the valley, it was frosted."

Check the small print. The Dion and Enipeas day trip says that in poor weather the gorge walk may be swapped for Litochoro or the Monastery of Saint Dionysios. The old monastery near Prionia is listed as open April to October, so in winter you are more likely to see the newer monastery near Litochoro. None of these trips goes anywhere near the summit, in winter or summer. That is fine. They were never meant to.

Dion with entry and a guided tour, lunch in a village, then a short walk into the Enipeas gorge. Back in Thessaloniki by mid afternoon.

★ 4.6 · 8 hours · from $57

Explore the Dion and Olympus day trip → Tour details

When do the Olympus refuges open in 2027?

Expect Refuge A from mid May, Kakkalos from late May and Apostolidis from early June 2027. Snow often lingers on the high route into June.

Refuge A gives its season as mid May to late October; the NECCA sheet says the beginning of May. Apostolidis says early June on the agency sheet and around mid June on its own services page, depending on conditions. Neither has published exact 2027 opening dates yet, and both depend on the snow.

Opening day does not mean summer conditions. Refuge A warns that snow patches can sit above the helicopter pad at the top of the zig-zags when it reopens. If you want the summit, plan for mid June to September. Guided climbs such as the two-day Mytikas hike and the one-day summit from Kalyvia run in the June to October window.

How do you book an Olympus refuge for summer 2027?

Phone or email the refuge directly. Refuge A says pre-booking is essential, especially at weekends, and asks for a deposit for Friday to weekend stays.

Refuge A takes bookings on +30 23520 81800 or [email protected], in the order requests arrive. Its published EOOA rate is EUR 18 a bed for non-members and EUR 13 for club members, with meals extra; the page carries no year, so check the price when you book. Guests must arrive by 20:00. Bring a sleeping bag liner, a towel and a torch.

Apostolidis answers on +30 23510 82840 or [email protected]. Weekends in July and August fill first at both. Book a guided trip and the refuge night is arranged for you: the Mytikas hike sleeps at Apostolidis, and the operator handles the bed. For the whole picture of how hard the climb is, read how hard it is to climb Mount Olympus.

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