Europe Trip Leader
Kostas Vasileiou was born and raised in Ioannina, Greece, and now lives in the historic village of Kipi in the Vikos Gorge. He holds a professional mountain guide's license from the Alpine Club of Greece and has also led trekking expeditions in Nepal. "Being a Trip Leader puts me in contact with many people from other cultures and lets me learn from other people's way of thinking. On my trips, I try to give people a chance to see the real, unspoiled Greece and to enjoy the warm hospitality of the people. I hope that trip members will come to share my love for the tradition, history, and beauty of Greece." Kostas speaks English and French and studied Byzantine art and Greek history at the University of Ioannina.
Our TeamKostas was one of the best guides we've ever had—confident, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable. There was never a cultural or historical question about Greece he could not answer, and we felt very comfortable in his hands.
Alex F.
Brooklyn, NY
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is an excellent leader. Personable, knowledgeable, smart, funny, generous spirit. What more would a traveler want?
Anne H.
Hillsborough CA
Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus
Kostas was fabulous—upbeat, safe, caring, attentive, tuned in, well prepared, present. He wanted us to know Greece, to understand his country in a deeper way. And I do and am grateful for it.
Barbara C.
Tempe, AZ
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is larger than life! He obviously has a ton of experience and quickly assessed our hiking abilities. I always felt safe and well looked after. His knowledge and enthusiasm are infectious, and he imparted his love of hiking, Greek culture, and food.
Barbara N.
Oakland, CA
Great Hikes and Cuisine of Crete
A remarkable leader with a fascinating background and broad knowledge of Greece. He paced the trip superbly—especially the hikes—and went out of his way to keep us informed and satisfied.
Barry A.
Redding, CT
Hiking in the Greek Isles
If Greece had a Mt. Rushmore it would include Plato, Aristotle, Zorba, and Kostas! Need I say more.
Bill B.
Portland, OR
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas Vasileiou is a charming, witty, personable guy. He totally made the trip. You can’t find better than Kostas.
Candy H.
Del Mar, CA
Kostas is a "larger-than-life" individual with a passion for his country and its people. He inspired confidence, and I would not hesitate to take another trip that he was leading.
Carmen B.
Miami Beach, FL
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas was a huge presence on our trip. We all grew to love him. He was knowledgeable, caring, professional, patient with us, and made the trip memorable. I envy anyone going on another venture with him!
Catherine S.
Bethesda, MD
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas helped make the trip. He has friends everywhere, has an outgoing personality and wealth of experience, and answered all manner of questions, from identifying strange plants to geologic formations to the history of settlements on the islands.
Charles S.
Larkspur, CA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas's vast knowledge of the land and history, both ancient and recent, was amazing. He kept us entertained the entire trip. Awesome guide!
Cheryl L.
Parkdale, OR
Hiking in the Greek Isles
We love this wise man, this natural host, this adventurer, this man of Greece.
Chris M.
Fish Creek, WI
Greece: Zagoria and Mt. Olympus
Kostas Vasileiou was an amazing man who desired to show us the country of Greece from the inside out. Wonderful!
Chris M.
Milwaukee WI
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas was fun, knowledgable and concerned about the trip participants. He did everything possible to make the trip a success. And it was!
Dena S.
Memphis, TN
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas handled everything beautifully. He was a great guide to the terrain, food, architecture, and history. He kept us smiling! His obvious love for the area and pride in its people were delightful.
Ellen Q.
Irvine, CA
Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus
Kostas was superb! He made the group very cohesive and everyone felt very much part of the group. His enthusiasm was wonderful, as was his knowledge. He is a master of what he does!
Ellen S.
Pensacola, FL
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas embodied the spirit and hospitality of Greece. Next to him, I was the group's best eater. The food of Greece was spectacular!
Felipe O.
Lake Elsinore, CA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas was great, a true professional. I always felt we were in good hands. He knowledge of the history, terrain, and local conditions was exceptional.
Fred L
Surrey, England.
I can't say enough positive things about Kostas—he was awesome. He has so much knowledge of the history and culture that he shared and that was a big part of the fun of the trip.
Gwynne W.
Lebanon, NJ
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is a star! We had such an outstanding experience and felt extremely well taken care of while in Greece.
Jayne T.
Bernardsville NJ
Not only does Kostas know everyone, he is passionate about his country and extremely knowledgeable about all facets of history, culture, and politics. An outstanding leader.
Jean H.
Houston, TX
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas was an awesome guide. I loved his personality and command of the trip. You can tell he is grounded and familiar with the area.
Jennifer R.
Torrance, CA
Greece: Zagoria and Mt. Olympus
Kostas was one of the best leaders we've had on an adventure travel trip. It's a lot of fun hiking with an expert in his own backyard. He knows the specialties of each dining establishment and made sure we got a taste of everything.
Jim and Carol B.
Kensington, MD
Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus
Kostas was a marvelous leader, a great historian, very interested in the well being of the trip members. His drive and passion to show us the best of Greece was evident.
John T.
West Hartford CT
Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus
Kostas is largely responsible for making this an exceptional trip. He is a true character and absolutely delightful.
Judey L.
Houston TX
Greece and Zagoria
Kostas is the best! He was so knowledgeable and fun and he was tuned into everything going on in the group. I was especially touched by how concerned he was that I got enough to eat at each meal, since I'm a vegetarian.
Karen B.
N Bethesda, MD
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is the most wonderful guide we can imagine. His boundless enthusiasm; attention to every little detail; giving us surprise snacks and local liqueurs, ‘magic’ sea-sick pills, and other gifts (a cake for our anniversary, a CD of music we admired); giving terrific instructions and inspiring confidence for the more challenging hiking segments—he was absolutely wonderful.
Kate A.
San Francisco, CA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is bigger than life! He knows his mountains and how to lead people through them so very, very well. He is extremely welcoming and gracious, warm and gregarious, a perfect representative of Greek culture. He loves his cuisine and proudly shares a rich variety of it. And, he's right! It is amazingly delicious!
Kathy H.
Longmont, CO
Greece: Zagoria and Mt. Olympus
Kostas is an incredible trip planner and leader. He is ahead of everything and very efficient while also offering wonderful personal stories, knowledge about Greece and the Cyclades and a generous introduction to the culture, food and lifestyle of Greece. He takes pride in making it the best trip he can and goes out of his way to accommodate all travelers.
Kim R.
Gloucester, MA
Kostas has so much experience and such depth of knowledge, both of which greatly enhanced our trip. Also, he devoted much attention to having us experience Greek cuisine. We sampled over 162 types of food!
Laila D.
Twin Lakes, CO
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is a gem. He shared his knowledge of the area’s history and local foods with enthusiasm.
Lynn M.
New York, NY
Greece Private Journey
Kostas' passion for Greece and the islands we visited was wonderful and make the trip so much fun!
Mashenka L.
Golden, CO
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas really made this trip very special and allowed us to really see the true Greece! His knowledge of history was just fabulous.
Nancy B.
Portola Valley, CA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is a great guide, and lots of fun. We had a great group of hikers, too!
Nancy E.
Oakland CA
Kostas is exceptional. How he professionally handled 14 people of mixed skills and personalities is still a wonder to me.You are fortunate to have him on your roster of guides.
Natalie S.
Howard, PA
Hiking in Crete
Kostas was personable, knowledgeable, flexible, and very able. I enjoyed his insight on life and humor.
Nena L.
Washington, PA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
It;s difficult to find words to capture my appreciation, awe, and affection for Kostas. The stories of his amazing life kept us enthralled on the spectacular trails and many evenings over a local wine or raki.
Niles B.
Madison, WI
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas Vasileiou is probably the best trip leader I have met so far and I have been doing active trips for the past 20 years. His experience as a guide is exceptional and he is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.
Parul Doshi
Chester Springs PA
Greece: Zagoria & Mt. Olympus
Kostas is bigger than life, a good guy, most helpful and kind, and certainly well well versed in Greek history and culture. He definitely blew life into the experience.
Richard F.
Montgomery Village, MD
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Could not have asked for, or even imagine, a more experienced, knowledgeable, professional, engaging, and awesome guide for this trip.
Robert T.
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas was fantastic! I cannot say enough good things about him. His biggest concern was our overall happiness and satisfaction with the trip. He went above and beyond any expectations of a trip leader. I have been traveling extensively for more than 10 years and have never met a better guide.
Sally S.
Delafield, WI
Legends of Greece
Kostas is the real ‘Most Interesting Man in the World.’ He is full of great, rolicking stories, and clearly loves sharing them and his country with other people. He anticipated every need and arranged everything to perfection. He seemed to know everyone everywhere we went.
Susanne R.
Brewster, NY
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Kostas is a great leader, knows everything and everyone, warm, hearty, and fun to hike with.
Suzanne W.
Weybridge, VT
Greece: Zagoria and Mt. Olympus
Kostas Vasileiou is a truly great trip leader. If all your leaders are like this, you have a great crew.
Victor D.
Chagrin Falls, OH
Kostas is a superstar whose passion for his homeland, attention to detail, care for the needs of his clients, and depth of knowledge of the area all made an unforgettable experience!
Weezie J.
Concord, MA
Hiking in the Greek Isles
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our adventures around the world. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!