| 8 days Crete |
CRETE Arrival at the Chania airport where you meet with your guide and are then are transferred to the hotel. Chania is the prettiest city in Crete, renowned for its Venetian architecture. We have lunch in the old harbor. Later in the afternoon, a minibus will take us toPaleochora on the south-west coast of Crete. The hotel where we stay for two nights is close to a sandy beach, and there is plenty of time for our first swim in the Libyan Sea. We take a boat to the lagoon beach of Elafonisi. If we are lucky, our sail might cross the path of dolphins. We walk towards Kedrodassos, a small forest of rare Salt Cedars. Return to Paleochora late in the afternoon. 2 ½ hour walk. Transfer by boat to Agia Roumeli in the morning. Walk in the Samaria Gorge, one of the most impressive sites in Crete. We return to Agia Roumeli and take the boat to Loutro, a very old village of fishermen and sailors nestled against the water’s edge in a small creek. 4 hour walk. In the morning we climb up to the small hamlet of Livaniana (350m). We start descending into the impressive Aradena Gorge. We can watch the great Canavos vultures fly in and out of their nests on the gorge walls. We follow the dry river- bed to the gorge exit. We will swim in the little beach of Marmara (Marble) named after the surrounding marble rags, and have lunch there. Return to Loutro by boat. 3 hour walk. Today we take the impressive-looking path that climbs above Loutro to Sfakia; it is actually not as steep as it looks, we follow the coast along idyllic spots and tiny beaches. We will arrive at the Sweet Water beach to swim and return to Loutro by boat. 2 hour walk. We take the boat to Chora Sfakion and then we are transferred to the village of Komitades at the trailhead of the beautiful Imbros Gorge which we will climb up to the plateau (700m). After lunch we are driven to Chania. 3 hour walk Transfer to the airport for the flight home. All accommodations, all meals from dinner on day 1 through breakfast on day 8, all picnic lunches, group transfers from and to the airport, all transportations throughout the trip, luggage transportations, services of the tour leader - guide, entrance fees in the National Park (Samaria gorge) and Agia Irini gorge, all taxes and VAT. Air fare to and from Crete, personal travel-health insurance, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, personal expenses, entrance fees in Museums, and other sites of interest that are not included in the program. Participants should be covered by their own personal travel-health insurance and prior to the trip. The personal insurance must at least cover medical expenses as well as air rescue and the cost of repatriation. From April to October 2011. All transfers during the trip are included. Hotels in the cities, village pensions throughout the trip (all with private facilities). Every morning we have breakfast in the hotels, picnic lunch en route and a dinner at local tavern. (Vegetarians are welcome on the trips) 4-16 participants. |
