Best 14 Ecotourism activities on Crete Island

Join in a unique river trekking experience at the heart of Crete island. You will discover the hidden wilderness of a Cretan gorge by hiking through it. The walk starts by swimming to an amazing well hidden waterfall. Its power and greatness will impress you. Then we will follow the river’s bed splashing into crystal clear waters and natural pools having fun inside a beautiful natural landscape. Our gorge is a unique ecosystem and you will have the chance to observe several amphibious animals such as frogs , colourfulll dragonflies , sweet water turtles and if we are lucky spot some vultures flying above us ! The middle part of the route is isolated from the crowds and suitable for everyone without demanding parts. Later on we will stop for a snack under some huge plane trees having time to swim around and prepare local tea for everyone! Before we finish our tour we will walk through some beautiful gardens with tropical vegetation and a typical Cretan olive grove. Last but not least if you wish to have lunch follow us on a shady Greek taverna for some Greek tapas and a cold beer. We will provide you with the suitable equipmnet to enjoy the most of it .

Discover one of the most beautiful beaches in the world on this day trip from Rethymno to Elafonissi. Experience a heaven on earth, with soft white and pink sand, exotic crystal-clear water, and cedar trees that extend down to the coastline. Visit traditional villages like Elos and Kaloudiana. Get picked up from your hotel area in the morning, then stop for a short break in the traditional village of Elos. Time permitting, enjoy time to have breakfast or a coffee (cost not included). Afterward, depart for Elafonissi. On the way, see small traditional villages combined with typical Mediterranean scenery. Admire the rugged landscape around the Topolia Gorge. At Elafonissi, get 4 hours of free time to soak in the sun and enjoy the spectrum of shades of blue that this beach has to offer. At the end of your tour, stop at the village Kaloudiana, where you can explore the village and have refreshments or food (not included). Later, get driven back to your accommodation in Rethymno.

Start your day by meeting your guide at the farm, where you will have a cup of coffee before taking a basic riding lesson to make sure you feel safe and comfortable while riding a horse. Then, hop on your horse to begin your ride out into the mountains. After riding for about an hour, you’ll arrive at the top of the Finikia mountains, where you’ll stop for a break. Help yourself to a soft drink, or fruit, and take a moment to admire the amazing views and snap a picture or two. In the distance, you can spot the nearby mountain of Archanes, the place where the Greek God Zeus is said to be sleeping. Then get back on your horses and make your way back to the starting point. After riding for about another hour, you’ll arrive at the stables and then sit down for a delicious traditional Cretan lunch, including homemade wine. After lunch, have a seat out in the garden of the farm, help yourself to some more wine, or enjoy a few more minutes with our horses. At about 12:45 PM, you will head back to your hotel or apartment.

This is the ideal diving course for those who want to try scuba diving but do not have a diving certificate. Enjoy a pre-dive lesson and always be accompanied by a certified instructor. Begin your day with the basic theory on diving and the skills necessary to do so. You will then move on to real-life diving under the supervision of a certified instructor. During the dive, you will have the opportunity to explore the bottom of the sea in Agia Pelagia, learn the basic commands, and get the chance to observe up-close the fish and sea creatures living near the seabed.

This is an alternative tour which lets you see another face of Chania, seen from a non touristic point of view, exploring for about two and half hours neighborhoods such as Agora (Municipal Market), Dikastiria (Court area), Halepa (aristocratic neighbourhood of Chania) and Tabakaria (old tanneries). We will pass by Venizelos House and the Russian Style Church of Agia Magdalini. During this ride you will see the rest of the city which also has its history and beauty. It is a tour which invites you to explore, to enjoy and to look deeply. At the end we will taste traditional pastries and a beer (or soft drink) on the nightfall. Throught the most eco friendly way you will see and live it like a local would. You will need medium level biking skills cause there will be few small uphills during this ride. The ride it takes place in the city traffic and not in a bike lane.

At 9:30 AM sail east out of the bay past the Souda Fortress on a small uninhabited island. If the winds are favorable stop to take a dip or some photos at the pebbled beach of the scenic white chapel of Agiannis. Follow the coast on the wind and marvel at views of the Ottoman fort high up on the hills and the fort of the Idjedin prison just below it. Continue past the seaside villages of Kalyves and Almyrida, around the Isle of Karga before reaching the lighthouse on the peninsula of Drapano. Again, if the gods of the winds are with you the boat will anchor in a tiny, secret cove for another quick swim. The wind will dictate if the boat sails northeast to a very small cove with beautiful sandy waters or otherwise northwest around another small island to a beautiful lagoon. Either way, the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) will be in view, serving as the backdrop to the cruise. After dropping anchor, enjoy a swim or snorkel and play in crystal clear turquoise waters while a freshly cooked Cretan/Spartan lunch is prepared with Greek specialties such as local pasta, sautéed vegetables, fresh salad, mama’s olives, goat cheese and fresh bread with wine and beer to wash it down and a dessert of fresh yogurt and sweet fruit.  Following a relaxing meal sail back to the port as the sun starts to set, arriving back by around 5:30 PM. Even if you’ve never sailed before have a go at taking control of the boat with expert supervision for a roughly 30 nautical mile trip.

Explore the Palace of Knossos and learn the traditional craft of pottery on this tour of Cretan culture and heritage. After pickup at your hotel, start your day at the Palace of Knossos, one of the birthplaces of the modern world. Visit the palaces, the villas and other excavated buildings. Continue to a traditional pottery village in the mountains, driving on pretty roads lined with olive trees. See how Cretans have produced their wonderful pottery for thousands of years. Enjoy the fantastic opportunity to try your hand at this ancient craft, with the guidance of a master potter.  During the tour, enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant with wine or water included. At the end of a wonderful day, start the drive back to your hotel, where you’ll be dropped off.

Join us for a unique experience to snorkel towards an all-year-round massive waterfall. Drinking water bursts out of the wall making this an incredible place to visit. In this experience we organize transport to the location, and we have a short hike to the water stream where it’s time to get wet. In the wetsuits we follow the stream upwards until a beautiful, but we mean, beautiful natural lagoon. From here we take the snorkels and swim further into the cave and reach the big waterfall.

The hike to the Samaria Gorge is a must for everyone who decides to book a tour with our tour agency. Preserved and protected environment, stunning mountain passages and wildlife indigenous to Crete are waiting for you in this private tour of the Samaria Gorge. Our excursion for you to hike the lengthy 16 km trail starts at the lowlands, the city center, and the neighboring valleys of Chania, where we will make a short stop at a private farmstead to supply ourselves with fresh organic fruits for the lengthy excursion to the Gorge of Samaria. The free avocados, oranges and Grapefruits of the lavish farm will give us energy, while we start to understand the microclimate of Crete, especially the lowlands, in contrast to the highlands, the White Mountains of Crete, and the Creeks of Samaria, where we will be heading. After this small stop, our experienced tour guide will take the route towards Omalos Plateau, and the Samaria Gorge: He will carefully explain the route, and the various stops inside the Samaria Gorge National Park, some hints for better endurance and trouble-free pass towards the Village of Agia Roumeli. He will also supply to you a special booklet with crucial information and undisclosed secrets of the area, so as to be prepared and enhance your hike to the Gorge of Samaria. After a short while, we reach an altitude of 1300 meters, at Xyloskalo (Greek for Wooden Steps), where our guides leaves you and you start the descent through those wooden steps in the untouched nature of Crete! Beware of the wild herbs you may come across and the famous Kri- Kri, the indigenous Cretan goats that reside in the Samaria Gorge! After 6-7 hours, you will eventually reach the end of the Gorge, in the desolate and beautiful fisherman’s village of Agia Roumeli. A rewarding swim in crystal clear waters and a nutritious lunch at the traditional Cretan Taverns with Authentic food are mandatory for the full experience! In the afternoon, you take the vessel from Agia Roumeli towards Sfakia Port (as there are no roads connecting those villages!) where you will again see our private guide that will return you safely to your hotel in the late afternoon.

After jumping onboard, our first stop on this full day trip is Balos beach, a lagoon of outstanding natural beauty located at the far tip of Gramvoussa peninsula, the most western point of Crete. The whole area is been declared a protected area by the Natura 2000 programme and conservation of the area is our top priority. Leaving only our footprints in the pink-white sand, we take a swim in the turquoise waters of Balos and Gramvoussa island before heading to our next stop, Menies. This hidden cove is located on the northeastern shore of the Rodopou peninsula, parallel to Gramvoussa. Menies is located on the site of ancient Diktynna, that was the most important temple of the goddess Vritomartis, which is believed to be goddess Artemis. After a refreshing swim on the pebbly beach, we make our way back along the coast towards Chania. We cannot miss the opportunity of making a stop alongside Thodorou island, a protected haven for the endangered wild Cretan goat “agrími” (or easier, “kri-kri”). The island is uninhabited and is also a Natura 2000 protected area. After our last dip in the clear blue waters, we head back to Chania harbour, if we´re lucky we might see the turtles!