Hiking tours on Cos and Nisyros

The start of this tour is the arriving hall of the airport Cos KGS. Depending on your arrival time,we will meet at the airport and drive to the capitol town of the island. At Cos we will accommodate at the hotel near the old port. If you arrive at a time that does not fit to the other participants, you will get the hotel address and take a taxi to Cos town & the hotel. Of course the taxi fare is included in the price and will be paid back to you by the tour guide. At the evening (or earlier) we will all meet and stroll through the lanes of the down town. We will have a tasty dinner at a local tavern.

The town of Cos has got a long history and the traces of ancient life can be discovered by strolling through the lanes of the down town. The first place to visit will be the Venetian castle with its many ancient statues and architecture fragments. Later we will find the ancient Agorá, the ancient market square with some columns and buildings. At the central square we will relax in the café of the woman´s cooperative with Greek coffee, a frapé and local sweets. The next target will be the ancient road and western archaeological area with its gymnasium or the Roman odeon (music theatre). If the archaeological museum will be reopened until this journey (it is under re-construction), we will try to visit it also.

Depending on which time our ship will be sailing to Nisyros island, we will have time for strolling through Cos town or we will have time after the arrival on Nisyros to do a first round trip there. The sailing itself takes about 1,5 hours with the MS Panagia Spiliani (or similar). If there is no ship from Cos, we may take taxis to Kardamena town to sail from there. On this trip we will see the volcano islands of Strongyle and Yali, where mining is going on. Our accommodation will be in the harbour of Mandraki on Nisyros.

Nisyros is one of the most interesting volcanoes of Greece. And the best introduction to understand how it was active is to visit the modern volcanological museum at the village Nikia. There are videos, photos and rock samples that will show us all aspects of this great volcano island and also the other Greek volcanoes. It makes it easier to discover the volcano on our hike to the hydrothermal explosion crater Stefanos in the centre of the valley. This huge caldera is one of the most scenic landscapes in Greece. At the crater bottom of Stefanos volcano we will watch the active gas exhausts (fumaroles) and boiling mud pools. We can refresh at a little café and than hike at the western part of the island back to our hotel.

Nisyros is an ideal island for hiking tours and walking tours, but if you have not been up in the mountains of this island, you have seen nothing. The hike on the little paths lead us to the most scenic landscapes and to the most mysterious places. There are hidden chapels, prehistoric sites and romantic valleys. Our target will be the highest point of Nisyros and the so called „hanging garden of Diavatis“ where we will have a longer break with a barbecue. We will have a great view over the neighbour islands and into the volcanic caldera.

Today we will have a minibus available and will visit the abandoned spa of Avlaki. In the area we can wander through the terraced fields and search for rare minerals such as spinel, garnet and green pyroxene. In Nikia we can refresh ourselves on the village square later. We will continue to Emporio village, where we have a great view into the caldera and can have a snack at the balcony of Nisyros (optional). Dinner in the main village Mandraki.

Early in the morning or at afternoon we will sail back to Cos island and will go back to our hotel from the first days. There will be still time to stroll through Cos down town or optional to hire cars to do another tour on the island Cos. In the evening we will meet for a last dinner.

Depending on which time your flight leaves Cos airport, you may have still time to do your shopping, taking a bath (the beach is situated 5 minutes from the hotel) or doing your own program. In any case there will be a transfer by taxi around 2 hours before your departure. If you want to stay longer on Cos (or Nisyros) please tell us at your booking, so we can organize the accommodation for you.

Transfers from Cos airport to the hotel

• sailing to Nisyros and back to Cos
• Family run hotel in the down town of Cos
• Family run hotel at the harbour of Nisyros
• Entrances
• Halfboard on all days
• Guided by the Nisyros expert Tobias Schorr
• Transfers in rented cars & minibus
• German insurance  "Reisesicherungsschein"*

*Please note that this is no travel insurance, but it is a duty to give it to the participants due to a German law.

• We can help you at the booking of your flights to Cos
• Ticket to Cos is not included
• Your private equipment
• Your travel insurance (we recommend one!)
• Souvenirs
• Tipps
• Alcoholic drinks

6 to 10 People. Small, individual groups from 2 people on request!

8 Days Cos - Nisyros 1690,00 Euro
Single room supplement: 150 Euro

13-20 May 2023

On Cos we will stay at a nice family run hotel near the old harbour. It is situated in a good position, ideal for exploring Cos down town. The rooms are equipend with TV, fridge, AC, WC/shower, wireless internet and a balcony.

At Nisyros we are staying in the best hotel in the center of Mandraki town.

Tobias Schorr has been living on the most western part of the active Greek volcanoes, the peninsula Methana. From 1996 he is doing guided, geological and photographic hiking tours on Methana, Milos, Santorini and Nisyros. He is an experienced expert of Nisyros and knows about the nature, geology and history of this interesting region. On his walking tours he will show you all aspects of Cos & Nisyros. He will guide you to the most beautiful photo points, interesting geological and archaeological sites and discovers rare animals, plants (like orchids) and minerals. He has got long experience as an co-founder of an volcanological tour operator in organising geological & volcanological tours to all 4 Greek volcanoes, to Ethiopia and other regions.

The hikes on this tour are varied and not difficult for hikers. However, if you have never hiked before, are not sure-footed or have stamina, some tours might seem difficult. On the hikes it can be rocky, scree and also steep. Not so "steep" that it borders on mountaineering or someone with a lack of a head for heights gets scared, but just exhausting. It can also be warm or even hot. So if you know that he / she has problems walking over steps and stones under normal conditions or who has only recently had an operation, you may not be so suitable. The hikes are not such that you run up the mountain quickly and in a super sporty way and everyone is considerate if someone is not that fit on a day. But it would be a shame if you suffered on vacation because you didn't expect a hiking trip to be physically demanding.