Top Crete Outdoor Activities

After an early departure at about 6 am we first stopped at Omalos around 8 to have breakfast and then we headed to the entrance of Samaria National Park. Our guide was Christina who is very passionate about Samaria and has hiked the Gorge many times before. It is definitely a very demanding hike, about 15km mostly downhill walking on rocks that can be slippery and therefore dangerous. Once I slipped and fell and also twisted my ankle but got medical treatment (pack of ice, bandage, painkiller) by a licensed doctor at the next rest stop. I also met Christina there who kindly lent me her personal walking sticks that turned out to be very helpful on the remainder of the hike. I definitely recommend the tour if you're fit enough and have good hiking shoes because the scenery is breathtaking. Be aware it's a long hike where accidents can happen but you'll be awarded by the beautiful landscapes and a greek lunch (own cost) in Agia Roumeli. After the lunch we hopped on a ferry to Sougia where our bus was waiting to take us back to Chania. We arrived back around 10 pm, so it's definitely a whole day trip.

It was very interesting trip to Imbros Gorge. The hike was easy enough and the views were definitely worth it. Please ensure to have cash to pay for the entrance and keep the ticket as it will be needed at the exit. The transport was comfortable and we had a small group which was nice. We also had some time to explore Sfakia, which was very beautiful seaside town.

It was nice to be picked up by a guide and a small tour bus. We didn’t have to worry about driving the narrow windy roads through the mountains.. The stop was perfect for a bathroom and refreshment break on the way to the beach and the lunch break after the beach was perfect. The beach was so beautiful with soft sand and nice warm and shallow water. Too bad we didn’t see much pink sand. We arrived about 10 min before crowds of people came so we were able to rent two sun beds and umbrella. It would’ve been too hot if they weren’t available. Really enjoyed the beach. Thought it was much nicer than Balos beach

This was by far, one of the best activities and tours we have done and a great way to see the more mountainous side of Greece. It’s a family business and you can tell the people that work there all have a great time. Mike was our guide, and he made the whole day so fun, high energy, and informative along the way. I am so glad we did this tour and will recommend this tour / company to anyone who comes to visit Crete! Thank you, Mike, for making our day so memorable!

Samaria Gorge! So, you think you want to hike it. Excellent idea! It is quite, quite beautiful. But should you hike it and how should you hike it? Well, you clearly have an adventurous spirit so, assuming you have the oomph to back up your spirit, the only question left is should you arrange it yourself or go with a guide? We pondered this and decided on going with Sara from Platanos Tours / Elafonissos Travel and what an absolutely fabulous decision it was. Firstly, Sara hikes the gorge three or four times a week, so she most assuredly knows it and loves it…!! And she will share all of that with you on the bus to the gorge and whenever she comes across you as you hike down. Secondly, no, you don’t hike in a group. Everyone hikes separately at their own pace with Sara following later to offer her insights into the gorge if she comes across you and to help anyone who needs it. Thirdly, having an early morning pickup arranged beforehand, having Sara make sure there are tickets for the boat so you can spend your post-hike time in the sea not trying to get onto it in a boat, and having a bus back waiting for you after you get off the ferry? Precious! Hiking Samaria is a wonderful experience, but why not make it even better by going with the delightful Sara?!

Well-organized tour with interesting stories from the guide and an amazing beach. You get about 4 hours at the beach, but keep in mind that it takes around 20 minutes to walk from the bus stop to the shore, so in total you spend about 3h30m on the beach. Afterwards, we had about 1 hour in the village and enjoyed dinner. I would have preferred a better bus, as some seats in the back were broken. However, overall I definitely recommend this tour — the guide made the trip amazing with his jokes and funny facts. Special thanks to the driver, who drove carefully along the serpentine road, so we didn’t feel sick during the ride.

Great experience that was out of our comfort zone. George, Harry and Barbara were wonderful and made us feel safe! We also loved that the pictures they took were provided via Airdrop before the excursion ended. For anyone booking in the future, a sturdy set of tennis shoes would be best. Water shoes and Chaco’s/Teva’s were not good choices, when you are walking thru the gorge over uneven ground/rocks/in the water, etc.

From pick up at the hotel to drop off everything was very well organised. The horses are incredible and extremely well looked after. I always worry when booking a trip like this it will be like the old school pony trekking with board horses but not the case here! The owners take great care in choosing the right horse for you, I have a hip issue at the moment but they worked around that to ensure I was safe and that I was enjoying the experience with out making me feel isolated from the rest of the group. Once back we had an incredible lunch served with home made wine, the food just kept coming and was so so good! The owners are welcoming and funny and make the experience a joy. Would we go again absolutely! As an experience rider I would love to go out for longer and get to see so much more of this beautiful countryside. Thank you for the experience We will always remember to have 'one more meat ball' ! 🤣