2025 Mullen Greece Cultural Journey

Accommodations

Hotel Rex Nafpilo

Located in the heart of Nafpilo, Hotel Rex is the perfect spot for our group. We will be within walking distance of the historic downtown as well as the coast. Rooms come complete with air conditioning and access to wifi.

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Pantheon Gythio City Hotel

Recently and completely renovated, this spacious hotel has been rated as one of the top hotels in Gythion. The hotel is located just a few blocks from the city center and is also situated in front of the water. All rooms have air conditioning and access to wifi.

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Pharae Palace Hotel Kalamata

Pharae Palace is a four star hotel that has 76 comfortable rooms, which have recently been renovated. The hotel is centrally located, just steps away from the waterfront while also in the heart of Kalamata. All rooms have air conditioning and wifi.

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Neda Hotel Olympia

Neda Hotel is just a two minute walk from the center of Olympia, offering the perfect location for our group to explore the area. All rooms have air conditioning and wifi, and there is a beautiful swimming pool as well.

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Crystal City Hotel Athens

Crystal City Hotel is a three star, first class hotel located in the center of Athens.  The hotel has ample space for groups, includes air conditioning and wifi throughout the property, and offers stunning views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill from the 7th floor rooftop garden.

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Group Flight

Our group reservation includes one personal item, one carry-on and one checked bag in each direction. 

Once your flight schedule has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.

Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.

Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.

We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.

FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION 
Air travel can be unpredictable.  Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc.  Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route.  Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night.  Our primary role will be to  keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a  quick and effective resolution.

Host Community and Project Details

Packing List

What follows is a sample packing list but you know yourself better than we do so please adjust accordingly. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on daily outings, weekend excursions and shorter activities.

“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. The list below should cover everything you would need, but know yourself and what you are comfortable traveling with.  We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.

Finally, we recommend consulting a weather forecast for your destination. 

CLOTHES 

• Underwear
• Socks (a mixture of good hiking socks and casual socks)
• T-shirts
• Long sleeve shirts
• Light rain jacket
• Warm jacket for cooler evenings
• Sweatshirt/s
• Comfortable/light-weight pants
• Comfortable/light-weight shorts
• Durable athletic/walking shoes for cooler weather
• Sandals, both casual and sport/water sandals
• Hat/s with good sun protection
• Swimsuit/s

TOILETRIES

• Your basics
• High SPF sunscreen
• Basic first aid
• Hand Sanitizer
• Medications in original packaging. Prescription meds should show patients name

MISCELLANEOUS

• Passport and one photocopy
• Student ID
• Sunglasses
• Journal and pen
• Book/s
• Camera
• Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $100-$200, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
• Durable water bottle (Walking Tree provides all drinking water)
• Soap for washing your own clothes (optional)
• Flashlight/headlamp
• Deck of cards or other portable games
• Portable power bank (optional)
• Sense of adventure

Support Team

At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find the the team members involved in the preparation, planning and execution of your program.

Luke Mueller

Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel and Business Lead - Denver, CO

[email protected]

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Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History

Luke’s path to student travel began in Mexico, during a year abroad in Mexico and Central America. This formative time led him to join an international volunteer program which, after graduating from college, sent him to the small village of San Gerardo de Rivas in south-central Costa Rica. Welcomed by the loveliest of host families, his experience in this tiny town is directly connected to the beginnings of Walking Tree five years later. His love for travel still burns bright, and today he’s lucky to have a wife and daughter who are equally passionate about exploring the world. Settled in Denver, he adores his family and colleagues, skies whenever possible, and is a devoted fan of all Colorado sports teams.

Jordan Sparrow

Director of Operations - Lisbon, Portugal

[email protected]

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University of Kansas – B.A. Latin American Studies; Global and International Studies, Minor in Brazilian Studies

Jordan hails from Kansas City where he spent his entire childhood. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, his first international experience would set the course for the rest of his life.  After high school, he traveled to Guatemala where he began learning Spanish and cultivated a deep interest in everything Latin America. In college, Jordan spent almost half of his university career studying abroad in both Costa Rica and Brazil.  In 2010, Jordan moved to Costa Rica for six years where he began his professional career teaching Portuguese to Costa Ricans and working with Walking Tree Travel.  From Costa Rica he moved to Denver, Colorado and spent seven years traveling the USA and experiencing life as an adult in America for the first time. Jordan is trilingual and has traveled to more than 30 countries around the world. He currently lives in Lisbon, Portugal and enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, biking, spending time at the beach and cooking Middle Eastern food.

George Kokkos

Program Leader

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BA Ancient History and Archaeology – University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Born and raised in Greece, George is a passionate historian an teacher. For the past fifteen years, George has experience in both academic and tourism settings, specializing in making profound and complex subject matters accessible for diverse audiences. He is passionate about the study of democracy as well as ancient Greek mythology. George is a seasoned world traveler and has lead groups of students all over the world. He is a firm believer in providing and promoting education for all.

Group Roster

Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.

• 1 Adam Joas
• 2 Addison Geffre
• 3 Alexander Andrews
• 4 Alison Croci
• 5 Alivia Trujillo
• 6 Amanda Sherpe
• 7 Aubrey Titus
• 8 Audrey Kupper
• 9 Brady Gemperline
• 10 Braelynne Lawler
• 11 Caden Garrison
• 12 Catherine McMorrow
• 13 Charlotte Morse
• 14 Claire Lenich
• 15 Evan Arangua
• 16 Favian Fuentes Loyola
• 17 Hadley Juchem
• 18 Isabella Titus
• 19 Jaxson Cady
• 20 John Hopkins III
• 21 Kaitlin Tucker
• 22 Kylie Jarosz
• 23 Laurel Gerali
• 24 Lea Conroy
• 25 Maddison Sanchez
• 26 Madelyn Meisner
• 27 Mary Hoeft
• 28 Matthew Dean
• 29 Matthew Martinez
• 30 Morgan Stewart
• 31 Noelle Carrington
• 32 Paige Schonher
• 33 Priscella Sanchez
• 34 Samantha Loyola
• 35 Talon Penrod
• 36 Tammy Christensen
• 37 Timothy DeNezza
• 38 William Rainey

Blog and Communication

During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program.  Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families back home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.

Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.

GLC Curriculum

Standards of Behavior

In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational.  As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.

IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL

1. Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
2. Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
3. Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE

1. Getting a piercing or tattoo.
2. Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
3. Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
4. Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
5. Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
6. Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
7. Breaking group rules.

These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.

Health and Safety

We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Greece website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before traveling.

Our in-country staff meticulously prepare for all programs. Walking Tree receives regular updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to proactively stay ahead of any potential security concerns. Our in-country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families through in-depth interviews and visits, and stay informed about important current events in the region.

Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in comprehensive leadership training. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff, and U.S.-based staff.

We collect medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we can meet every student’s needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues not listed during your initial registration process. Leaders and in-country staff are prepared to respond promptly to any mental, physical, or emotional health concerns and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.

Insurance

While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel can be unpredictable. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provision. Detailed explanations of plan options can be found via the link below.

To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry.  Begin by getting a quote here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage that includes CFAR, you must purchase the plan within 14-21 days of your first payment to Walking Tree. Be careful when you read the tenets of the policy to ensure you understand the required timeframe for purchase. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight. Please reach out to us with questions.