Panagiotis Kotronaros, born in Athens in 1970, is a Greek mountaineer, climber, mountain sports instructor and professional mountain guide. His mountaineering career began in 1988 but his greatest success came several years later in the spring of 2004, when he led the Greek National Mountaineering Team in the first ever successful ascent of Mount Everest.

He is also an inspirational speaker at leadership, teamwork and empowerment seminars and organizer of corporate team-building events, a member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), the Hellenic Coaching Association (HCA) and the Global Institute for Leadership Development (GILD).

He studied Mechanical Engineering and holds a degree in Sports Coaching, but his passion for mountains and life in nature led him to pursue a career in mountaineering and outdoor activities. His business activities include the establishment of the Mountain Sports School “BASE CAMP” (2001), the commercial department for the sale, rental & certification of technical-mountaineering & sports equipment “BASECAMP TECH” (2011) as well as the travel agency “BASECAMP TRAVEL” ( 2014), which are mutually supported business activities under the name “KOTRONAROS GROUP”.

The deeper vision of Panagiotis Kotronaros’ business initiatives, is to contribute to humanity by providing the appropriate “tools” (inspiration, mental empowerment, experiential education, experience & knowledge) to the personal development of all people, in their effort to conquer their own summits and their own goals from 0 to 8.848m, while giving them the opportunity to discover the beauty of our planet, to identify with nature, to listen and protect it.

Mountaineering action

Panagiotis Kotronaros became known to the public as the leader of the National Mountaineering Team “HELLAS-EVEREST 2004”, the first Greek expedition that managed to summit the highest peak in the world in May 2004. He participated in and led many mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas (Everest 8.848m, Cho Oyu 8.201m, Dhaulagiri 8.167m, Shisha Pangma 8.046m), in the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia (Communism peak 7.500m, Korzenefska 7.134m, Lenin peak 7.134m), in the Andes (Aconcagua 6.942m , 2 missions), in Ecuador (Amazon, Chimboraso volcanoes 6.310m and Cotopaxi 5.986m), in Africa (Tanzania-Kilimanjaro 5.896m, 7 missions and Morocco Atlas 4.167m, 3 missions), in Caucasus (Elbrus 5.642m, 7 missions ), eastern Turkey (Ararat 5,167m), the Alps (Mont Blanc 4,808m, 17 missions), the jungles of Borneo in the Pacific Ocean (Mt. Kinabalu 4,095m) and Vietnam (Mt. Fancipan 3,161m) and in the Wadi Ram Desert of Jordan (Mt. Jebel Um Adaami 1. 783m) gaining, among other things, extensive experience in risk management and team leadership in adverse conditions.

His climbing activities include rock, ice and mixed routes in the Himalayas (Kusum Kanguru 6,350m, Kwande Ri 6,189m, Ama Dablam 6,808m), Africa (Mt. Kenya 5,199m), Alps (Aig. Du Courtes, Val di Lilaz, Mt.Blanc du Tacul, Tour Ronte, Aig. du Midi, Fredo Spur, Monte Rosa, Materhorn), Bulgaria (Rila), as well as on the most important slopes of Greece (Olympus, Astraka, Giona, Vardousia, Varasova, Meteora). He has also completed cross-country ski crossings in most Greek mountains as well as canyoning in the most important Greek gorges (Gorgopotamos, Mavromatis, Roska, Enipeas, Orlias etc.).

​Business activity

In 2001 he founded the Mountain Sports School “BASE CAMP” for the purpose of training in mountain sports and in 2011 the commercial department for the sale, rental & certification of technical-mountaineering& sports equipment “BASECAMP TECH”. In 2014 with the establishment of the travel agency “BASECAMP TRAVEL” he dynamically entered the field of conference tourism undertaking the organization &execution of large corporate conferences and adventure trips, making the participation in mountaineering expeditions all over the work accessible to the general public, after appropriate training & preparation. On a professional basis he has organized, led and realized over 70 mountaineering & climbing schools as well as over 50 mountaineering expeditions in every corner of the earth: Himalayas, Pamirs, Andes, Alps, Caucasus, Ecuador, Tanzania, Kenya, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan , Jordan, Borneo, Vietnam etc. The three different divisions of his company (service, commercial and travel), are a complete set of mutually supported business activities called “KOTRONAROS GROUP” and aim at the comprehensive and high quality support of both individuals and corporate clients.

Educational activity

Since 1997 he has been teaching non-stop the techniques of mountaineering, climbing and mountain rescue in schools of the Hellenic Mountaineering Federation (EOOA). He is the vice-president of the professional Association of Greek Mountain Guides (ΣΕΟΒ) and has trained many disciplines of the Special Forces of the army (EMAK) as well as high-altitude workers. Since 2006 he has been collaborating with leading companies in all sectors as an inspirational speaker in leadership, teamwork and human resources empowerment and is the organizer of corporate team-building events. Since 2012 he is a member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), the Hellenic Coaching Association (HCA) and the Global Institute for Leadership Development (GILD). He is also a member and special advisor on the development of outdoor activities training of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises of Outdoor Activities (ΣΕΤΕΥΔ).

​Sports action

Apart from his action in mountaineering and climbing, Panagiotis Kotronaroswas from a young age passionately involved in athletics and later in various sports of endurance on land and sea, with successes in the Spartathlon super marathon (246km), the swimming crossings of Toroneos&Messiniakos (26 & 33km), Ironman Triathlon (3.8km Swim + 180km Bike + 42.2km Run), adventure races (Pindos Crossing, Hebridean Challenge etc.) and long distance mountain races (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 160km, Virgin Forest Trail 120km, Olympus Marathon 44km etc.).

• 5 participations in the international super marathon road race “SPARTATHLON” (Athens-Sparta 246km). B.R: 34 hours and 54 ‘, 1997.
• 4 100km super marathon races (2 bronze medals), B.R: 8h.32΄, Athens 1995.
• 2 80km super marathon races (1 bronze medal), B.R: 6h.44D, Athens 1995.
• 17 42.2km marathons. B.R: 2h.47’11 ’’, Patras 1994.
• 10 swimming crossings of Toroneos gulf 26km in Halkidiki, from Kallithea-Nikiti (1991-2004), B.R: 7h.34 ′ (1993).
• 3 swimming crosses of the Messinian gulf 33km from Koroni-Kalamata (1994-1997), B.R: 10h.08΄ (1994).
• 1 18km swimming race on the Nile River, Egypt 1996.
• 1 Ironman Triathlon race (3.8km swimming, 180km cycling, 42km running), B.R: 10h.16′, Netherlands Allmere 1993.
• 1st team place in the World Military Patrol Championship, 100km in Biel Bienne, Switzerland, with the National team Spec. Forces (1993).
• 1st place individual in the three-day adventure race (adventure race), crossing the Pindos mountain range “Pindos Crossing 2000” (80km mountain running, 160km mountain bike, 4km kayak, orienteering & climbing).
• 2nd place individual in the 5-day Hebridean Challenge 2001, Scotland.
• 4th place team in the three-day adventure race “Pindos Crossing 2001”.
• 5th place in the international mountaineering marathon “Olympus Marathon 2005” 44Km, B.R: 5 hours 43 ‘.
• Mountain Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), Mont Blanc, Alps 160km, 2006.
• Virgin Forest Trail (VFT), Rodopi, 120km 2008, 2009.