Mount Olympus, in northeast Greece, has been known as the home of Zeus and the major Greek gods since before the time of Homer. The semi-legendary author of the Odyssey and the Iliad included this dramatic mountain in his stories of the gods and as the source of thunderbolts from Zeus. It's no surprise that magical stories grew up around Mount Olympus. It rises almost straight from the Aegean Sea to a height of 2917 meters (that's 9570 feet or nearly two miles), making it the tallest mountain in Greece and the second tallest mountain in the Balkans. Its lower slopes are broken by narrow, densely forested gorges marked by waterfalls and caves where lesser gods and other spirits were said to live. Its peaks - and there are 52 separate peaks - are snow-capped for 8 months of the year and often hidden in the clouds the rest of the time. In this journey, we will explore the culture, history, gastronomy, and lush nature of the area starting from the village of Litochoro, situated at the foothills of the mountain, and will hike our way all the way up to the Mytikas peak and the throne of Zeus while staying in mountain refuges along the way.