Itinerary
Day 1
Meet at Heraklion airport and transfer to our hotel. In the evening we will have a brief presentation of the whole trip and will continue with a dinner at a traditional tavern. Welcome to the gastronomic reality of the authentic Cretan cuisine! (Overnight at Heraklion)

Day 2 (3 hrs walk)
This is our river-trek day. We will cross "Kourtaliotis" gorge from its source to "Preveli" Palm Beach. On the way will come across an abandoned olive oil mill, a Venetian bridge, and hippy huts. The exit of the gorge gives an unforgettable picture, as the river comes out in the sea through the forest of palm trees. In summer days we will live the amazing experience of walking this gorge through the actual river. (Overnight in Plakias)

Day 3 (6 hrs walk)
Starting early in the morning, our minibus will bring us at the mountain hut of the highest mountain of Crete. Following the E4 path, we will reach the very top (2456m) in approximately 3-3 1/2 hours. From the highest summit we can enjoy a full view of Crete. We can stare at both Kritiko Pelagos (Aegean Sea) to the north and Liviko Pelagos (Mediterranean Sea) to the south, all the islands that surround Crete, and of course all the mountain ranges of the island. Returning by the same path back, we then travel to Sivas village at the south area of Heraklion. (Overnight in Sivas).

Day 4 (1-2 hrs walk)
"Agiofarago" means "Gorge of Saints". This gorge used to be the shelter of the monks of the near-by Monasteries. We will walk through the gorge that leads to one of the most beautiful and quiet beaches of Crete at Liviko Pelagos. There we have the chance to see the cave - house of a monk, a local hero during the revolution of 1866. We will also be impressed by the view of a natural lagoon connected underground with the sea.(Overnight in Sivas).

Day 5
After breakfast we drive to the largest plateau of Crete. Lassithi plateau had over than 10000 windmills some years ago, used for pumping out water for the locals to water their fields. We will have the chance to experience a small journey through mythology by visiting Dictaion Andro, the cave where Zeus was born. We will also have time for a short walk in the plateau to see the windmills. (Overnight at Lassithi)

Day 6 (6-7hrs walk)
From Lassithi plateau we will ascend the highest summit of mountain Dikti (2148m). During our ascent we will have the opportunity to see some pairs of Eagles flying over the cliffs of the impressive west face of the mountain. The summit offers us an unbelievable view of Lassithi plateau and the east area of Crete. We descend by the same route until Agios Georgios village at Lassithi plateau. (Overnight at Lassithi)

Day 7
Today we drive back to Heraklion, and will visit Knossos, to enjoy the magnificent archaeological area holding remains of a Minoan city that thrived 3500 years ago and the famous palace dated 170-1450 B.C., excavated by Sir Arthur Evans at the beginning of this century. In the afternoon we are free to explore the city of Heraklion or to continue our culture excursion by visiting the very interesting archaeological museum, with exhibits from the Minoan period. (Overnight in Heraklion)

Day 8
This is the end of our trip. We transfer you to Heraklion airport at a convenient time.

Price / Person: € 895

Price Includes:
Services of the tour leader – guide, all accommodation (7 nights in double rooms), all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on the last day, all picnic lunches, group transfers to and from Heraklion airport, all transport throughout the trip, baggage transport.

Not Included:
Transport to and from Crete, personal and travel insurance, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, personal expenses, entrance fees in Museums, and other sites of interest that are not included in the program.

Period: From May to October 2005.

Available Dates:

May 7 - 14
June 11 - 18
July 9 - 16
August 6 - 13
September 17 - 24
October 1 - 8

Transport
We travel by our own rented air-conditioned mini-bus, which leaves us to walk and continues, with our baggage, to the next place where we will stay for the night.

Accommodation and Meals
Full Board. Hotels in the main cities, local inns and village pensions, throughout the trip (all with private facilities). The trip prices are based on double occupancy.

Food
Every morning we have breakfast in the hotels, picnic en route for lunch and a nutritious dinner at local taverns with dishes of personal choice or traditional Greek and Cretan cuisine. (Vegetarians are welcome on the trips)

Group Size
4 - 16 participants.

Activity Level
The two gorges offer easy treks with a maximum of 3 hours walk. For Mt. Dikti and Mt. Psiloritis, participants need to be in good physical condition with a little of experience, as we walk for approx. 6-7 hours, mostly uphill, on the big mountains and remote terrain.

Equipment
Daypack (approx.25-35l), trekking shoes, mountain clothing (waterproof wind jacket, polar fleece sweater etc.), water bottle, gloves, hat, sun cream, sun glasses, swimming suit, casual clothing.

Note on Itineraries
Please bear in mind that the itinerary can be altered for numerous reasons beyond our control (e.g. harsh weather, trail conditions) to ensure the safety and the well being of the group. The final hiking selection is left up to the trip leader.

Our Other Trips
We offer a variety of trekking, rock climbing, canyoning, caving, horse riding and mountain biking trips throughout Crete.
Please visit our website at Cretan Adventures in order to find out more about a fascinating way to get to know the landscape, culture and the people of Crete! Contact us for more information.

Adventures Great and Small © copyright 1996-2005