West Crete walking holiday
- Mar - Nov
- Small Groups
- 10-14 days
- Customizable
"Explore ancient paths through incredible landscapes with ravines, natural springs, gorges, canyons, unique flora & fauna to the stunning Libyan sea beaches..."
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During our West Crete walking holiday you’ll experience incredible landscapes, beaches, culture and delicate ecosystems, mainly plants, birds and butterflies. Together with our expert naturalist, you will explore the beautiful Cretan coast & mountains, three spectacular gorges, picturesque remote villages and incredible beaches.
The prefecture of Chania is the greenest part of the island as the range of the White Mountains ensures the highest rainfall in Crete. You’ll stay at the picturesque old town of Chania and then continue to the coastal villages of Palaiochora and Loutro, at the Sfakia region where you’ll enjoy incredible views to the Libyan sea. All walks end at Crete’s spectacular beaches.
By joining our West Crete walking holiday, you’ll get introduced by a local to a side of Crete that few people know about.
Here is an example of what you will experience during our West Crete walking holiday:
Join our West Crete walking holiday and you will:
Walk and explore the history, culture and unique natural world of Chania district,
Discover areas of unique natural beauty with your own private guide,
Hike one of the most beautiful gorges in Crete,
Walk to magical parts of the islands that you would never discover on your own,
Learn about the local herbs and plants, birds and other members of the animal kingdom, above and under the water!
Visit traditional Cretan villages,
Experience customs and traditions, cultural happenings, local feasts with Cretan music and dance,
Sample organic, home-made food locally produced wherever you eat,
Swim at the magical waters of the Libyan sea,
Stay at traditional family run guesthouses,
7-day, 10-day or 14 day walking holiday adapted to fit your schedule… possibility to combine this walking holiday with visiting other islands such as Santorini or Naxos & the Small Cyclades.
The carefully chosen walks during our West Crete walking holiday are graded as easy to moderate. We will walk mainly on paths of moderate gradient with ascents of up to 500m in a day. We will walk up to 5-6 hours in the day including stops to rest and for lunch. Being predominately limestone some parts of our paths can be quite rough and stoney.
The below itinerary is a sample. We like to adapt the itinerary based on the wishes and level of our guests.
Flexible itineraries are available: We can organise longer, more challenging hikes or more relaxed-paced walks offering you more time to relax and enjoy the sea and sun of the Libyan sea.
The above itinerary can be combined with our walking holiday in Santorini!
We have reserved for you a lovely authentic family-run guesthouses at a very central locations in Chania, Loutro & Palaiochora. The owners are very hospitable and helpful and are known to provide the most delicious breakfasts. We’ll send you full details.
The combination of natural beauty and culture but also the hospitality of her residents will make this holiday unforgettable for you.
Solo travellers are welcome. It’s always more fun to walk with a group of like-minded travellers.
Please contact us for further information and advice.
We organise our West Crete walking holiday all year round apart from July and August when it’s too hot.
Spring and autumn are the best times of year for walking. In spring nature is at its most abundant. The island is covered with a blanket of wild flowers. During the walks you can also discover rare orchids. The colorful butterflies are a feast for the eyes; you smell herbs like thyme, oregano and sage. In the summer, it is a little drier but in autumn the first rains bring a new shower of flowers and amazing autumn colors.
The best time to visit:
- March: blossom is out.
- April to mid June: for wild flowers, sunshine and moderate temperatures. The Easter period is recommended as it’s one of the most important celebrations in Greece and you’ll have the chance to experience traditional feasts and gatherings.
- September to end of November: for warm seas, gentle weather and autumn flowers. Grapes and olive harvests.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@nofootprint.gr
WEST CRETE WALKING HOLIDAY FEES
7-day or 10-day walking holiday staying at traditional family-run guesthouses:
All prices are per person for two people sharing a standard double room.
- 7 nights – Low Season EUR 867 High Season EUR 964
- 10 nights – Low Season EUR 1,191 High Season EUR 1,324
Supplement for single rooms:
- 7 nights – Low Season EUR 105 High Season EUR 140
- 10 nights – Low Season EUR 150 High Season EUR 200
WEST CRETE & SANTORINI WALKING HOLIDAY FEES
10-day or 14-day walking holiday staying at traditional family-run guesthouses:
All prices are per person for two people sharing a standard double room.
- 7 nights Crete & 3 nights Santorini – Low Season EUR 1,212 High Season EUR 1,347
- 10 nights Crete & 4 nights Santorini – Low Season EUR 1,605 High Season EUR 1,784
Supplement for single rooms:
- 10 nights – Low Season EUR 150 High Season EUR 200
- 14 nights – Low Season EUR 210 High Season EUR 280
We offer group and special offers for our West Crete walking holiday. Please contact us for further information…
The West Crete walking holiday fees includes:
- 5 or 8 or 12 guided walks
- Naturalist/biologist guide
- Accommodation
- Breakfast
- 2 picnics
- 24% VAT
- Transfer to the accommodations
- Transfers to and from our starting and ending walking points
- Client’s information brief by e-mail
- An arrival briefing
- Presentations on the Aegean biodiversity, local flora and fauna
- 24 hour support on the island for any troubleshooting or advise
- Transfer from the accommodation to the ship on departure
Book your walking holiday on West Crete…
Itinerary
As you stroll through narrow lanes and hidden back streets you’ll discover the neighbourhoods where once Christians, Muslims and Jews used to coexist, secret gardens, ancient ruins, parts of the Byzantine wall, the Venetian fortifications and buildings and Ottoman mosques and dwellings… myths and legends about invasions, occupations, resistances and independence will come alive and fascinate you. Supper at one of our favourite local taverns.
These 2 gorges constitute the perfect setting for our naturalist guide to introduce you to the unique biodiversity and flora of Crete. Our circular walk will end at Karanou village where you’ll enjoy a drink at the local “kafenio” with panoramic views to the surrounding mountains covered with olive groves. Time for lunch and a swim at the nearest beach!
Walking distance: 7km, 2.2 hours. Actual walking time: 3-4 hours. The path is considered easy.
Our hike starts from the oldest monastery in Crete, Gouverneto, built in 1537 and situated on a rocky site near the entrance of the gorge Avlaki. Its architecture is unique as it resembles a fortress with four towers with bastions to protect its corners. It is believed it was founded by the hermit monks of the seaside Katholiko Monastery (whose ruins we’ll visit shortly) on top of a pre-existing ancient temple so as to protect themselves from pirate raids.
We’ll descend towards the sea and Avlaki gorge by following the stone paved path. On the way you will meet Arkoudospilio Cave, the ruined monastery Katholiko and the cavernous church of St. John, where the hermit lived. Our hike will end at the beautiful bay and beach of Stavros where you can enjoy a lovely swim and lunch.
Walking distance: 9km, 3 hours. Actual walking time: 4-5 hours with stops for observations and rest. The path is considered easy.
In the gorge you will find around 450 unique plant species, protected under international law, in order to safeguard this delicate ecosystem. You’ll walk past huge pine and cypress trees and you may meet its famous inhabitant, the endemic wild goat of Crete or “Kri-kri”. The walk through the Samaria Gorge takes 5-8 hours depending on your pace and it is totally worth it! Six hours is the normal time including stops to rest and appreciate the natural landscape and wildlife.
We’ll end the day with a swim at the deep blue waters of Ag. Roumeli and then we’ll take the boat to Palaiochora where we’ll spend the night. Walking distance: 16km, 5 hours. Actual walking time: 6-8 hours with stops for observations and rest. The path is considered moderate.
Walking distance: 10 km, 3.1 hours. Actual walking time: 4-5 hours with stops for observations and rest. The path is considered easy to moderate.
Walking distance: Option for 9km or 16km, 3-5 hours. Actual walking time: 4-6 hours with stops to swim, visit Lissos and rest. The path is considered moderate.
Walking distance: 13km, 4.5 hours. Actual walking time: 6-8 hours. The path is considered moderate.
Walking distance: 11km, 5 hours. Actual walking time: 7-8 hours. The path is considered moderate.
Imbros gorge became a refuge for Christians during the Turkish occupation and a base for revolutionaries. For Australians, New Zealanders and some British, walking through the gorge of Imbros is almost a pilgrimage. Many Allied troops walked through the gorge in May 1941 in order to escape the island to Egypt. We’ll end the day with a swim and a beautiful meal by the sea.
Walking distance: 8km, 2.5 hours. Actual walking time: 4-5 hours with stops for observations and rest. The path is considered easy.
Map
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“The guides, Annie and Melita, were fantastic and showed me a part of Greece I never would have seen. I especially loved how they took care of ordering our food and introduced to us to the Cretan delicacies. Meeting new, like-minded people is always a highlight of a group tour. Wonderful holiday in all ways. A great value. Thanks!”
Dina & Ralph, USA
“Thanks to beautiful Crete, dazzling blue and white, splashing of vibrant flora. But always a generous people, even in the face of tourist rudeness. We are so blessed by Loutro and its people! And without you – your creative problem solving, your commitment to choosing special activities, your willingness to spend all your time with us, your positive attitude and energy, our experience would have been so different. Many efharistos!”
Ward and Gale, USA
“Thank you for my introduction to Greece! It has been an incredible trip. I loved the hikes, swims, food and most of all your leadership for all we experienced. All the best.”
