Vardousia High Country Enduro

This mid-summer 2014 Adventure Travel Event was executed in partnership with Klim Greece (Most Wanted Warehouse) and Touratech Greece (MAKAN). At the time, the two founders of Mythical Routes, Angelo and Paris Baltoyannis, served as official Klim Ambassadors, and our objective was straightforward: evaluate the Klim Badlands Pro suit under the relentless heat and volatility of the Greek summer. With ambient temperatures consistently above 30°C, the real test lay in airflow and thermal management. Waterproofing was never in question. As expected, the vent architecture delivered exactly as intended—wide open under the sun, sealed shut moments later when a sudden mountain shower swept across our path.

Vassilis and Angelo debating over who gets the next turn on the BMW R100GS, with Vassilis insisting, “Come on, you just looked at it, that counts as a ride!”

We rolled out from Athens toward the Vardousia massif, riding in the shadow of Mount Giona. Over the weekend, the odometer climbed past 800 kilometers, with roughly 80% on raw gravel—terrain that exposes any weakness in rider, bike, or gear. The off-road section began immediately after Mandra, threading through the dirt networks of Mount Pateras and Helicon. Arahova offered a short tactical pause: one strong coffee, a couple of power bars, a moment to regroup.

Riding the legendary BMW HP2 Super Enduro—equipped with semi-factory Öhlins suspension and that unfiltered boxer engine—delivers a truly unmatched experience.

From Parnassos Livadi we re-entered the gravel, carving a line through the sprawling Giona forest complex. By late afternoon we reached the oak forest of Pentagioí (Long Ridge), just beyond the Mornos reservoir. It was the ideal place to camp—quiet, isolated, and wrapped in the clean silence only deep mountain forests can deliver. Under a clear sky, with gear spread out to cool and the fire settling into embers, the atmosphere captured the essence of travel enduro without needing to say it.

Morning came early. Coffee by the fire, quick checks on bikes and luggage, and we were back on the trail. The route climbed toward the upper flanks of Vardousia and later Mount Iti, delivering a mix of demanding gravel and sweeping high-altitude views. The final point of the journey was the Leonidas monument at Thermopylae—a sharp reminder of where myth and history intersect. Minutes later we were in the geothermal springs, letting the mineral water strip away two days of dust before beginning the return ride home.