| 8 days sea kayaking, hiking Crete |
CRETE Day 1: Chania Arrival at Chania airport; the group is met by their guide. Transfer to the hotel. We leave the city of Chania and head south to Paleochora. After checking in at the hotel, we will have our first (wet!) hands-on experience with the sea kayaks through lessons on basic safety, paddling technique and sea orientation. Afterwards, we are free to explore the local beaches and dive in the crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea. We leave Paleochora and paddle our kayaks to Sougia. On the way there we will spend some time looking at the remains of the ancient site of Lissos. We leave Sougia and the sea to walk up the Agia Irini Gorge. The path is good and the scenery beautiful, quite different from that of the previous days. We arrive at the top of the gorge (600m) for lunch. Afterwards, the minibus brings us to Omalos in the White Mountains, where we will spend the night. (4 hours’ hiking) The first part of the walk at Xyloskalo is the steepest, but the path is very well constructed; soon (after 1 hour) we reach the bottom of the gorge and follow the river-bed. We can stop to eat our packed lunch by the river. After 6 hours of walking, we reach the village of Agia Roumeli where we will spend the night. There is plenty of time for swimming or just resting on the beach. (5-6 hours) Today we paddle our kayaks from Agia Roumeli to Loutro, leaving early. We go by kayak from Loutro to Sfakia, stopping on the way to swim at the Sweet Water beach. From Sfakia, an old village situated against the backdrop of the tall peaks of the White Mountains, the minibus brings us back to Chania. A last opportunity to explore the city of Chania. 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 kayak equipment (single or double kayak, life vest, paddle) 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. Period: From April to October 2011. We travel by our own mini-bus, which leaves us to walk and continues, with our baggage, to the next place where we will stay for the night. 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. |
