Off-Road Lake Marathon: 4×4 Tour from Athens

Our Lake Marathon off-road tour takes you from your hotel in Athens into the countryside around Marathon Lake, about 20 km from the city centre, in a modified 4×4 with a private driver. Over four to five hours you follow dirt tracks through olive groves and across the small streams that feed the lake, then finish at the dam with a drink and a view over Marathon. It costs €100 per person.

What is the Lake Marathon off-road tour?

It is a guided 4×4 trip where you sit back as a passenger and let an experienced driver take on the terrain. No licence or off-road experience is needed. Each vehicle carries one driver and up to three passengers, so it feels like a private outing rather than a group excursion.

The vehicles are specially modified for this kind of ground, with upgraded engines, suspension and tyres, plus winches and LED lights for mountain tracks and bad weather. The crew includes experienced drivers and mechanics.

Where does the tour go?

The route explores the wider area around Marathon Lake, a reservoir north-east of Athens created by a dam built in the 1920s to supply the city with water. The dam is faced with white marble from Mount Penteli, which makes it one of the most unusual structures around Athens.

On the way you pass through dense vegetation and olive groves and cross small rivers and streams that flow into the lake. These water crossings are where the 4×4 shows what it can do. The trip ends at the dam itself, where you stop for a refreshing drink and look out over the lake and the Marathon area.

What happens on the day?

• Pick-up: the driver meets you at your hotel or apartment in Athens.
• Out of the city: a short drive of about 20 km brings you to the Marathon Lake area.
• Off-road section: dirt tracks through olive groves and green countryside.
• Stream crossings: the vehicle fords the small rivers that run into the lake.
• The dam: a stop for a drink and views over Marathon.
• Return: back to your hotel or apartment in Athens.

What is included?

• Pick-up and return from your hotel or apartment in Athens.
• A private driver with a modified off-road vehicle.
• A snack and water.
• Insurance.
• Fuel, tolls and VAT.

There is nothing else to pay on the day beyond the balance of your booking.

Is it right for me?

This tour suits travellers who want to see the green side of Attica without hiking, and anyone who enjoys the feel of a proper 4×4 on rough ground. Couples, friends and small families are a good fit. The tracks can be bumpy and the vehicle tilts on uneven sections, so let us know if anyone in your group has back problems or is pregnant.

The minimum booking is two people, with up to three passengers per vehicle. If you are on your own or in a bigger group, contact us and we will check the options.

Good to know before you book

• You ride as a passenger, you do not drive.
• The tour is shorter than a full day, so it fits around other plans.
• Swimming is not part of this route; the focus is the lake and the dam.

When is the best time to go?

Spring is the greenest time, when the streams are running and the countryside around the lake is at its best. Autumn brings mild temperatures and soft light. In summer it can be hot and dusty, so a morning start is more comfortable. After winter rain the tracks are muddier and the water crossings deeper, which many guests enjoy most of all.

How to get there from central Athens

Transport is part of the tour. The driver collects you from your hotel or apartment in Athens and brings you back at the end, so you do not need a car or public transport. We confirm the pick-up time after you book.

Because the tour is a few hours long, it pairs well with an afternoon in the city or a late lunch by the sea after you are dropped back.

What to wear and bring

Wear comfortable clothes and closed shoes, since you may step out on muddy or rocky ground at stops. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen in the warm months and a light jacket in winter. A camera or phone is worth having for the dam and the views over Marathon.