8 Days Trip in Crete with Rock-Climbing, Hiking, Sea Kayak

If you got just 8 days for your holidays to spend in Greece and you love the outdoors then look no further than this trip. It is organized to get the maximum from your visit. We will hike to the highest summit in Crete (2456 meters), sea kayak in the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean, and enjoy top-class rock climbing in limestone. We will overnight in tents or small apartments. The listed cost (990€) is for overnight in tents. For accommodation in small apartments please get in touch with us to discuss the best possible scenario.

Requirements

• The trip involves many days of outdoor activities and therefore is wise to have previous experience in most of the sports that are involved.
• For rock climbing, it is not necessary to have experience, but for sea kayaking, it will be good to have some experience.
• Depending on the group's abilities we might be able to exclude one of the listed sports from the program. Contact us if that is the case for you.
• Regarding hiking, you should be able to hike for up to 5 hours in rocky terrain. In any way, if you are not sure about your skills don't be disappointed, most of the time we are able to offer advice and maybe an alternative plan.
• For a group of 4 or more, we can customize completely the trip to suit your needs. Below you will find a brief overview of the schedule for the week. The plan many times change due to weather (especially for the sea kayak trips) but more or less you will get an idea of what to expect.

Itinerary

Day 1: Our trip officially begins in the morning at Heraklion city where our staff will meet you. The exact meeting time will be determined depending on the participants' flights. We can collect you from any place in Heraklio or elsewhere in Crete upon request. We will spend a relaxed morning discussing the preferences of the group and designing the activity week according to the weather, abilities, and thoughts of everyone in the group. Once everybody is ready for departure we will enjoy a great drive across Heraklio prefecture until we reach Psiloritis mountain. This is one and a half, max two hours driving. Our target for the first day will be the highest summit of Crete, Timios Stavros summit at 2456 meters. The view from the top is outstanding. On a clear day, you can see most of the island. The whole hike takes approximately 5 hours.

Day 2: Time for some sea kayaking. We will choose the location based on the weather forecast and group abilities. Will try to visit one of the top paddling destinations in Crete. Caves, remote beaches, and vertical cliffs will be all around the trip. Paddlers with no experience can get a tandem (double kayak) which is more stable and easier to paddle in wind. Experienced paddlers can enjoy any of our top sea kayaks from Nigel Dennis, Valley/Northshore, or P&H.

Day 3: Time for some rock climbing today! We will spend the day at 800 meters in the Asterousia mountains doing various climbing routes in excellent limestone. There are routes for all levels (from 4a up to 7a). Our guides will lead the routes so you have nothing to worry about. Be sure that it will be very unlikely to find anyone else with knowledge of the island and its mountains like us.

Day 4: 4th day is for hiking in the famous Lasithi plateau. Lassithi plateau had over 10000 windmills some years ago, used for pumping out water for the locals to water their fields (mainly for growing potatoes). You will have the chance to experience a small journey through mythology by visiting Dictaion Andro, the cave where Zeus was born! You will also have time for a short walk on the plateau to see the windmills. Optionally you can hike Mt Karfi for viewing ancient settlements (Overnight in Lassithi). We will hike for about 3 hours this day. Driving takes approximately 2 hours to reach the Lasithi plateau.

Day 5: From the Lassithi plateau, you will ascend the highest summit of mountain Dikti (2148m). During the ascent, you 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 an unbelievable view of the Lassithi plateau and the east area of Crete. This depends on the weather as on the next day we will paddle in eastern Crete.

Day 6: Paddling from Elounda to Spinalonga island will be our trip for the 6th day. The island was subsequently used as a leper colony from 1903 to 1957. It is notable for being one of the last active leper colonies in Europe. The last inhabitant, a priest, left the island in 1962. This was to maintain the religious tradition of the Greek Orthodox church, in which a buried person has to be commemorated at the following intervals of 40 days; 6 months; 1 year; 3 years; and 5 years, after their death. Other leper colonies that have survived Spinalonga include Tichilesti in Eastern Romania, Fontilles in Spain, and Talsi in Latvia. As of 2002, few lazarettos remain in Europe. The paddling distance is about 15km and can be extended if the group wants it.

Day 7: One of the best climbing areas in Crete will be today's destination. Agiofarago is a gorge located in the south part of the Heraklion region (central Crete) and it has more than 200 routes already in place. Great limestone (sharp at some parts) with a wonderful beach for swimming and snorkeling. There are options for climbing, hiking, and swimming if you like.

Day 8: We will depart for Heraklion in the morning giving time for a visit to the renowned Heraklion Archaeological Museum and Knossos. Knossos archaeological area holds remains of a Minoan city that thrived 3500 years ago and the famous palace dated 1700-1450 B.C., excavated by Sir Arthur Evans at the beginning of this century.