Explore the Wonders of Hiking in Crete: Unforgettable Trails and Adventures
Cycling, Cooking Classes, and Culinary Experiences in the Heart of Crete
Length
7 Days
Group size
4-12 travelers
Travel style
Wanderer
Crete: Active Taste Adventures
Trip highlights
Hike in Samaria Gorge
Traditional Cooking Class
2 Old Towns Chania & Rethymno
e-Biking through Cretan landscape
The Feast experience
Slow Food Cooking Experience
Be a Farmer for a Day
Soap Making with Olive Oil
Meet local producers
Destinations:
Arrival information:
Crete is one of the most famous islands in Greece. While it is well-known for its Mediterranean cuisine, it is also famous for its amazing hiking trails and landscapes. Get to experience both in this 7-day tour of Crete.
You will stay in the Old Towns of Chania and Rethymno during your trip. Every day a new activity awaits you. Explore the unique landscape by bike or on foot and taste the authentic Cretan cuisine through cooking classes and other culinary experiences.
Still not enough? Extend your stay by a few days wherever you like.
You can be sure that Crete will enchant you with its authentic and diverse nature and show you a Greece that hardly any other tourist experiences.
Depending on local conditions, the order of the visits can be changed, but the entire programme will be adhered to.
Accommodation may be subject to change depending on availability and season.
Why book with Feast?
✔ Book with confidence: 20 years of experience VTT
✔ Small groups of 4-12 travellers
✔ All experiences, meals, guides and daily transfers included
✔ Sustainable travel, avoiding mass tourism sights
✔ Complete and flexible rescheduling without inconvenience, complexity, and stress with our Flexi option.
Every booking supports local communities through a small donation to our V Social Foundation. By clicking on this link, you can find out more about these projects.
Map
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Crete!
Meals Included: Dinner
Transportation: Private Taxi (0:30h), By Foot (2:00h)
Welcome to Crete! Today is the start of your trip and you will arrive in Chania. Your tour guide will welcome you at the hotel in the evening for a short tour, during which you can get to know the winding alleyways of this enchanting town. Afterwards, a first dinner awaits you, where you will have a first taste of traditional Crete cuisine.
Yamas and welcome to Crete!
Nefeli Hotel
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Bar
Restaurant
Room Safe
Internet/Wifi
Day 2
Slow Food and Hiking
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: Private Bus (3:00h), By Foot (3:30h)
Ready for your first full day on Crete? After a filling breakfast, you will drive by bus to the starting point of your first hike. Enjoy the lush landscape and the enchanting springs of Tromarisa during your two hour hike.
After your hike you will get the ultimate Slow Food experience. Get to know the tavern Dounias, where you will be able to experience activities like picking olives, feeding the farm animals and collecting vegetables from the garden. The farmers will cook a delicious meal with the produce you collected using a special slow cooking technique - without any electricity! Gather around a big table and enjoy the lunch you helped prepare! Did you know that in Greece dishes are shared when eating together?
After returning to the hotel and resting for a bit you will have dinner together at one of the many authentic taverns in Chania.
Nefeli Hotel
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Bar
Restaurant
Room Safe
Internet/Wifi
Day 3
The Famous Samaria Gorge
Samaria Gorge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Transportation: Private Bus (1:00h), By Foot (5:00h), Boat (1:00h)
Today you will hike the famous Samaria Gorge, so prepare yourself for some unique natural spectacles! You will finish the hike around the afternoon and perhaps you will also have some time for a swim - a perfect reward for this challenging day!
You will then take a small boat to the picturesque bay of Sfakia. There, small fishing boats rock gently on the waves. From there your bus will bring you back to Rethymno where you have the chance to relax for the rest of the evening.
Hiking information: Length: 16 km, difference in altitude: 1200 m, hiking time: 5 hours
Terrain: Steep descent. The terrain is uneven. The entire hike is not recommended for people with knee problems, diabetes (instability) or similar health impairments. We advise against open footwear (e.g. sandals or flip-flops) and recommend sturdy, sure-footed and closed hiking boots.
Achillion Palace
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Room Safe
TV in room
Internet/Wifi
Day 4
Soap Making with Olive Oil & Biking
Soap Making with olive oil
Ebike Tour
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
New day, new activity!
Today you will discover Crete by bike! On a bike tour in the Arkadi region, you can enjoy the cool wind and make small stops to hear interesting anecdotes along the way.
Afterwards, you can rest over lunch in a taverna.
Then it's time to immerse yourself in local life. Together you will make fresh soap from local olive oil. During a workshop with the Kotzanioglou family, you will follow all the steps of the soap-making process and take your own product home with you at the end!
After this eventful day, you will enjoy a relaxed dinner with delicious Cretan food.
Achillion Palace
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Room Safe
TV in room
Internet/Wifi
Day 5
Meet a local shepherd
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The day starts with a hike around the mountain Plirotis. You will take in the breathtaking scenery and also learn a thing or two about the local herbs, fruit and vegetables growing in the region.
After your hike, you will drive by bus to meet one of the local shepherds. See how cheese is made, how the vegetables he grows there are cultivated and maybe also visit the distillery, where the local product Tsikoudia is made! How exciting to meet locals of this region and enjoy your lunch there.
After returning to your hotel and resting for a bit you will get to participate in a Cretan cooking class in the evening, where you will learn all about the traditional dishes and get to prepare your own dinner!
Achillion Palace
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Room Safe
TV in room
Internet/Wifi
Day 6
Plants and Herbs of Crete
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transportation: Private Bus (3:00h), By Foot (3:00h)
Explore the Southern region of Rethymno today, while doing a hike around the region of Preveli. Explore the island while discovering unbeaten paths and end your hike at the beautiful Preveli beach. Maybe you are in the mood for a dip in the water?
After lunch, you will have some time to rest and get ready for a really special visit: the Maravel garden. You will learn all about different kinds of herbs and plants and have dinner prepared for you with vegetables from the garden. But the real highlight will be the sound and light plant show once it gets dark. This is something you cannot miss!
Achillion Palace
Type: Hotel
Visit Website
Facilities:
Air conditioning & private bathroom
Room Safe
TV in room
Internet/Wifi
Day 7
Goodbye Crete!
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transportation: Private Taxi (0:30h)
A last breakfast is scheduled for today before you set off to leave Greece behind you for the time being. Blissfully, you look back on unforgettable moments and unique memories and swear to yourself on the way to the airport that you will come back to continue travelling the real Greece.
Or would you prefer not to fly back home just yet? Then why not spend a few more days here or maybe in Athens? Whatever you decide to do, our travel specialists will help you discover the most beautiful places.
Dates & Prices
Start date
End date
More Info
Guide
Availability
Price
26
May
2024
1
Jun
2024
From
EUR 2,099
Show more
Info
English speaking tour: This trip is being conducted in English.
Your guide for this tour
The tour guide for this trip will be announced shortly. Our guides are culinary specialists of the Mediterranean area, and are at least bilingual. Each of our guides is unique and brings their own personal touch to the trips, so you can discover the region as if you were travelling with a friend!
The indicated flight times and airlines may change, as we have to plan well in advance of the day of departure.
26
May
2024
1
Jun
2024
English speaking tour
From
EUR 2,099
1
Sep
2024
7
Sep
2024
From
EUR 2,099
Show more
Info
German speaking tour: This trip will be held in English.
Guide
Alexandra
Your guide for this tour
Alexandra ist in Nordgriechenland im Schatten des Olympus aufgewachsen. Ihre Liebe zur Natur und den Bergen entwickelte sich in jungem Alter bei Wanderungen auf den Gottesberg. Nach ihrem Studium auf Korfu und verzaubert von Licht und Landschaft ist sie nach Kreta umgezogen. Kleine Dinge wie Steine, Krauter, Insekten geben ihrem Forschungsdrang Stoff, um Zusammenhänge zu erkunden. Immer mit Respekt zur Landschaft und Tradition, sucht Alexandra die Harmonie zwischen Natur und Kultur.
The indicated flight times and airlines may change, as we have to plan well in advance of the day of departure.
or
1
Sep
2024
7
Sep
2024
German speaking tour
From
EUR 2,099
or
15
Sep
2024
21
Sep
2024
From
EUR 2,099
Show more
Info
English speaking tour: This trip is being conducted in English.
Guide
Alexandra
Your guide for this tour
Alexandra ist in Nordgriechenland im Schatten des Olympus aufgewachsen. Ihre Liebe zur Natur und den Bergen entwickelte sich in jungem Alter bei Wanderungen auf den Gottesberg. Nach ihrem Studium auf Korfu und verzaubert von Licht und Landschaft ist sie nach Kreta umgezogen. Kleine Dinge wie Steine, Krauter, Insekten geben ihrem Forschungsdrang Stoff, um Zusammenhänge zu erkunden. Immer mit Respekt zur Landschaft und Tradition, sucht Alexandra die Harmonie zwischen Natur und Kultur.
The indicated flight times and airlines may change, as we have to plan well in advance of the day of departure.
or
15
Sep
2024
21
Sep
2024
English speaking tour
From
EUR 2,099
or
Preferred date unavailable? You'd like to book further ahead in the future? Contact us
Info
Single Room Supplement
When booking online, you can choose the option "share room (if possible)". If no other participant chooses this option, you will be accommodated in a single room. The cost of the single room is EUR 320 and Feast will in that case pay 50% of the single room supplement, the rest will need to be covered by you. We will notify you approximately one month before the start of the tour.
What's included
All transfers during the trip (comfortable, air-conditioned minibus)
All described activities & entrance fees
Travel documents, detailed information and recommendations on what to take with you
All Meals as specified in the programme
Tour guide on site
Overnight stays in half double room (as standard) - single room available at an extra charge
Overnight tax
10 EUR donation to the VSocial Foundation to support community projects https://www.vsocialfoundation.org/
Lots of fun and experiences!
What's not included
Arrival and departure, transfer from the airport or railway station
Additional drinks
Tips
Travel cancellation and travel health insurance
FAQs
Can I cancel my trip?
If the traveller withdraws before the start of the trip or does not start the trip, Ventura loses the right to the travel price. Instead, Ventura may demand reasonable compensation from the traveller. This shall not apply if Ventura is responsible for the cancellation or if unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances occur at the destination or in its immediate vicinity, which significantly impair the performance of the package tour or the transport of persons to the destination; circumstances are unavoidable and extraordinary if they are beyond the control of the party invoking them and their consequences could not have been avoided even if all reasonable precautions had been taken.
Ventura has defined this claim for compensation to which it is entitled in the following cancellation fees. The calculation is made taking into account the time of the cancellation declared by the traveller up to the contractually agreed start of the trip, the expected saving of expenses and the expected acquisition through alternative use of the travel services. The compensation shall be calculated as follows according to the time of receipt of the declaration of cancellation by Ventura or the travel agent:
a) General cancellation fee (as a percentage of the travel price):
For bookings in the CLASSIC fare: up to 65 days before departure 20% from the 64th to 30th day before departure 25% 45% from the 29th to 15th day before departure from the 14th to 7th day before departure 60% from the 6th day before departure 80% 90% on the day of departure and in the event of a no-show
For bookings in the FLEXI fare: up to 65 days before departure 0% from the 64th to the 45th day before departure 10% from the 44th to the 30th day before departure 20% from 29 days before departure, the cancellation fees are identical to those of the CLASSIC rate
b) Special cancellation fee:
Special offers/specials, individually prepared package tours and group tours may be subject to special cancellation conditions, to which explicit reference is made in the respective service description or travel advertisement/offer and the travel confirmation in accordance with Art. 250 §§ 3, 6 EGBGB.
Ventura reserves the right to demand higher, specifically calculated compensation instead of the above cancellation flat rates, insofar as Ventura can prove the occurrence of significantly higher expenses than the applicable cancellation flat rate.
Do I need travel insurance?
We advise you to take out travel cancellation insurance, as it can always happen that you are unable to travel shortly before the departure date due to unforeseen illness, an accident or for other reasons. Repatriation assistance insurance is strongly recommended!
If you pay for your Feast trip with your VISA credit card, you are normally insured, but please ask your bank to confirm this. If you do not wish to take out insurance, Feast cannot be held liable.
Feast's travel insurance offer:
We offer 3 types of insurance (cancellation cover/all-round cover/travel cover) when you book online through our partner HanseMerkur. Of course, you can also contact other insurance companies of your choice.
The following links will take you to the insurance booking portal. After booking, you will receive your insurance documents and invoice directly from our partner HanseMerkur.
For Germany, Austria and Belgium, click here https://secure.hmrv.de/rvw-ba/initBa.jsp?baid=419&adnr=4562815&fTypId=0&locale=de_DE
For Switzerland, click here https://secure.hmrv.de/rvw-ba/initBa.jsp?baid=800&adnr=4577797&fTypId=0&st=HMINT&locale=de_CH&mId=21
You can book your travel insurance at any time from the moment you book your trip up to 30 days before the start of your trip.
Is the flight and transfer to and from the airport included?
No, all our tours include an individual journey in order to avoid unnecessary national bundled flights and to give you the opportunity to organise your journey individually.
We are happy to help you plan and decide on flights, train connections or intermediate stages.
If you need a transfer from the airport or train station, we can organise this for you.
What are the payment terms?
A deposit of 20% of the tour price is due upon receipt of the invoice. Please transfer the remaining payment no later than 21 days before departure. Bank transfers from Germany and other EU countries via IBAN and BIC are fast and inexpensive. You can also pay conveniently by credit card.
What happens if the minimum number of participants is not reached?
According to our terms and conditions, we can cancel the trip if the minimum number of participants is not reached up to 21 days before the start of the trip. As a rule, we will inform you one month in advance to discuss alternatives. You can then, for example, choose another date or an alternative trip. If these options are not suitable for you, we will refund the full travel costs already paid. However, it is rare that a trip cannot be realised. As soon as a trip is guaranteed to take place, we will highlight this on our "Dates & Prices" page.
When should I book my flight or train tickets?
You can start organising and booking your journey as soon as we have confirmed that the trip is guaranteed to take place. This happens at the latest approx. 30 days before the start of the trip. If the minimum number of participants has already been reached, you will of course be informed immediately.
Crete: Active Taste Adventures
From
EUR 2,099
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Your contact
Anna
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