Daily itinerary 10 days
walking tour EAST CRETE
Day 1. We meet at Heraklion airport at 18.00 hrs.
Transfer by minibus to
Mochos, inland to the south of Malia. If you are already staying in Rethymnon we will organize your transport.
Day 2. Our first walk starts at the village Krassi.
There we will see one of the oldest plane trees of Crete! After an hour's walk we arrive at the Monastery of Panagia Kera. From there a short drive to the highest and most well known place of the Lassithi Plateau where windmills used to do their work.
Here our second walk starts, first some steep climbing with breathtaking views all around, than slowly downhill over ancient footpaths ending at the Lassithi Plateau itself.
Day 3. On this day we will change hotels and drive to the south.
Our first stop will be at the excavation of the Minoan Palace of Malia. We drive on to the village Kalo Chorio, where we will make a relatively easy round walk. First it goes uphill along an old donkey path.
We will have our picnic at a small chapel under pine trees and surrounded by orchids. The second part of the walk is downhill on country roads with beautiful views over the Mirabello Bay, Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga.
At the end of the day we will arrive in
Mirtos where we stay the next two days.
Day 4. A more demanding but splendid walk from the village of Mithi up to Metaxochori. We walk along old footpaths and field roads in the midst of pine trees. The descent brings us to the Sarakina gorge.
Depending on the water level we may cross this gorge.
Day 5. Departure from Mirtos. We return to the north coast along a beautiful scenic route. On our way there is a walk in the Kalamafka area. It looks as if big rocks have been scattered all over the landscape which is now cultivated but still rugged and very impressive.
In the afternoon we visit the Minoan excavations of Vasiliki.
Tholos, our next resort, has a bay with an idyllic beach.
Day 6. A day off. There is the possibility to visit the small town of Agios Nikolaos or the village of Elounda. From there, boat trips are organised to the island of Spinalonga, well known from the book "The Island" and from the movie "Who Pays the Ferryman?"
There is also an option to go for a short walk in the surroundings of the hotel. And last but not least, there is the almost private Tholos beach near the hotel.
Day 7. A short transfer to the village of Lastros. We start walking on an old, partly paved footpath with a gentle slope. Slowly the lush green vegetable gardens with orange trees make way for olive trees. The higher we go, the more barren our surroundings become. We start our descent on old terraces, now overgrown, sometimes a bit difficult to find a good foothold. Then we traverse the almost abandoned village of Melisses. The final part of our walk going down to Kavoussi is along a stunningly beautiful and very old paved mule track, winding down in serpentine loops, parallel to a deep and narrow gorge.
Day 8. Departure from Tholos. We start a walk from the village of Mardati along field roads and an old footpath up to Kroustas. Going down along a shady footpath and through olive groves, the walk brings us to the famous church of Panagia Kera with its outstanding frescoes.
Afterwards we will soon arrive in
Kritsa and our next hotel.
Day 9. Our last walk leads us through the impressive gorge of Kritsa. The return route brings us higher up through an unspoilt stony landscape, for a large part along an old footpath. From here we have several beautiful views of the gorge we walked in this morning.
Day 10. After breakfast transfer to Heraklion airport.
Dates in 2012
» Friday October 12 - Sunday October 21
Price
» 690 € per person
» additional charge single room 95 €.
Further information on 8-10 day walking tours.
