Enjoy Karpathos in the off-season

Your Greek Walking Retreat! 19-26 November 2026 & 19-26 March 2027

Step off the beaten path and join us for a guided hiking retreat on stunning Karpathos, the hidden gem of the Dodecanese! 🌿✨

Breathe in endless panoramic views, wander through wild, rugged landscapes, and soak up the turquoise shimmer of the Aegean—always in sight from every mountain and hillside. Our hikes take you deep into the heart of Karpathos, along dramatic ridgelines and through picturesque, welcoming villages bursting with local charm.

Karpathos is a true hiker’s paradise—untamed, breathtaking, and rich with authentic Greek spirit. Experience the island’s vibrant beauty, the warmth of its people, and a climate that invites adventure year-round. If you crave nature, connection, and unforgettable memories, Karpathos is calling. Lace up your boots and discover a Greece few ever see! 🥾🌺

Price Includes

*mentioned price is per person in a double room of a traditional Greek hotel. There is a Sub-charge of €175 for a single room. There is also an option for a more luxurious studio in Pigadia at Alkithea Suites. Please ask us for more info.

English Speaking Tour Guide
Luxurious accommodation
7x breakfast & 5x lunch & 1x dinner
Guided Hikes & Walks
Pick up from and to the airport
Transfers for the hikes

We can help you find the best flight option to the retreat.

Example for Amsterdam to Karpathos and back. We can organize your stay and airport transfer in Athens. Most trips will need to go via Athens and you usually have to spend a night in Athens on either the way to or from Karpathos.

Price Excludes

Flight tickets
Drinks and dinners
Tips for restaurantsAt the start of your trip the guide will collect €15 from every participant to use as tip jar for the restaurants where we eat at during your stay. This way you don't have to worry about the local customs.

Itinerary

Information

Difficulty level

Our hikes are designed for anyone with a reasonable level of walking fitness—you don’t need to be an athlete, but you should feel comfortable walking for a few hours on uneven terrain.

Karpathos is wonderfully rugged, with dramatic rock formations and big open views. Because of that, a few routes include exposed sections and may feel challenging if you have a strong fear of heights. Don’t worry: we’ll talk it through together, and your guide will help you choose what feels right for you.

Good footwear is essential. Please bring sturdy, broken-in hiking boots (preferably high-cut for ankle support) and ideally waterproof. Now and then we cross shallow streams or walk through dry—sometimes muddy—riverbeds, and in winter a sudden rain shower can happen.

Even when the walking part is “only” half a day, we’re out exploring for most of the day, with stops and scenic moments along the way. Expect some uphill and downhill—on Karpathos, elevation is part of the adventure. Trails are generally well passable, with occasional steep sections and low vegetation.

We keep a leisurely pace, with plenty of time for photos, breathers, and simply taking in the views. Most hikes are 7–10 km, with an average walking time of 3–5 hours.

Small groups

We believe nature is best experienced in a small circle—more peace, more connection, and more space to truly take it all in. That’s why we keep our retreats intimate: never more than 12 guests.
To run the trip, we need a minimum of 4 participants.

Personal expenses on Karpathos

For your personal expenses on Karpathos (dinners, drinks and snacks) you should count on about € 150,-.

Tour & hiking guide

Our tour & hiking guides are Dutch and Swedish and English-speaking hiking experts.

In addition to our guides’ knowledge of and love for nature, history and culture, we also like to share our enthusiasm for hiking.

The tour and hiking guides are there to do everything they can to make the trip as great as possible. All guides are trained in First Aid and work with respect for nature, culture and the environment.

Gear

It is important that you make sure you have good equipment. For the excursions and hikes you should have a daypack with enough space for snacks, a large water bottle, a jacket or vest and possibly a camera and/or binoculars.

-daypack with a capacity of at least 25 litres
-(mountain) hiking boots with thick (profile) soles, preferably high-closing and broken in (due to possible overweight or loss, we advise you to put on your walking shoes during the flight or to transport them in hand luggage)
-breathable clothing, but also something warm for in the evening
-swimwear
-rain jacket and cardigan or sweater
-suntan lotion, sunglasses and sun hat
-insect repellents (with DEET)
-large water bottle or hydration backpack (camelbak) of at least 1.5 to 2 litres or several small bottles
-for picnics during the walks: seat mat and pocket knife
-optionally extendable hiking poles
-a towel for swimming
-debit card
-some cash (payment by PIN or credit card is not possible everywhere, but we have ATM’s in Pigadia)
-no more than 20 kg baggage
-valid passport or ID card (must not be expired)
-copies of travel and health insurance
-optionally a compass, binoculars, camera, plant and bird guide
-any first aid supplies you may need, such as: stretch bandages, sports tape or means for masking blisters
-toiletries

Karpathos off-season

Have you visited the island during the summer months and you’re now curious to see it during its wintersleep period? Or you’ve heard about Karpathos and look for the calmest time to visit? Even though the islanders are relaxing a lot more in the winter after the hard work from the summer, you will find plenty of places to go to for food and drinks. The local inhabitants are out and about on the street themselves a lot more since there is less tourism in the winter and therefor less work to do. You’ll get a sense of how it would be to live on Karpathos as a foreigner when visiting the island in the off-season.

You won’t find sun-beds on the beaches nor are the touristic shopping streets functioning this time a year, but there are plenty of restaurants open like To Ellinikon, Ciao, Apse Vise, Del Mar, and many more. The villages all have their local tavernas open with the biggest difference from summer to winter being the now Greek menu for the locals. The islanders are still very welcoming to tourists in the winter months. They are just expecting it less, so you’ll get into interesting conversations more easily with the locals.

Accessibility

This trip is not suitable for participants with reduced mobility.

Cancellation policy & insurances

Please note! We organize your stay and the guided trip on the island of Karpathos, but the booking of the flight is done separately by the participant. You usually cannot change or cancel your flight tickets free of charge. From the moment of booking, a 100% cancellation and modification fee applies.
For Art and Walk’s main cancellation policy please look here: https://artandwalk.com/cancellation-policy/ We might change a hiking location or swap the days during the week due to the weather conditions.
We charge a €200 deposit (payable via PayPal or bank transfer) upon booking to save your spot and the rest is to be paid upon arrival to Karpathos in cash.
Please make sure you have a valid travel and health insurance when traveling to Karpathos. You’ll be asked to sign a hiking waiver stating you are fit to walk.

Accommodation

In Pigadia, you’ll settle into your own stylish studio with a kitchenette at Alkithea Luxury Suites—a calm, comfortable base just a short stroll from the harbour, shops, and seaside cafés.

In Olympos, you’ll experience something completely different: an overnight stay in a traditional family home, lovingly restored from historic village spaces—sometimes even an old blacksmith’s workshop—now transformed into a cosy, character-filled room. Authentic, simple, and unforgettable.

Alternative walking program (if minimum participants are not reached)

Sometimes a winter group is smaller than expected. If we don’t reach the minimum number of participants for the full Winter Walking Week program, we’ll still make sure you have a beautiful, well-organised week on Karpathos.

Instead of cancelling, we’ll offer an alternative walking program with a selection of our favourite routes — combining island villages, mountain views, and classic Karpathos landscapes.

What the alternative week can include:

Menetes to Pigadia – a rewarding walk from the mountain village down towards the coast

Aperi to Profitis Ilias – a scenic route with wide views and a peaceful, high-point finish

Mountain Villages Walk – a cultural walk through traditional villages

Lastos Hike – one of our signature hikes, with varied terrain and a true “Karpathos” feel

Agios Ioannis Spoa – our cave-church day, with big skies and unforgettable panoramas

What changes (and what you get instead)

We skip the included group lunches in this alternative version of the week.

In return, you’ll receive private guidance: a more personal, flexible experience with extra attention to pacing, route choices, and the kind of support that’s only possible in a smaller group.

What stays the same

Guided walks (small-group, personal, and safety-focused)

Careful pacing and route choices based on the group and the weather

A warm, local experience — the kind of week we’d want as guests ourselves

Good to know

The exact order of walks may change due to weather conditions and group preferences.

We’ll confirm the final plan with you in advance, so you know what to expect.

If you have questions about the alternative program (or want to check whether your week is likely to run as the full retreat or the alternative), just send us a message — we’re happy to help.