Take a day trip from Rethymno to set out on an outdoor adventure into Samaria Gorge National Park. Hike at your own pace with a guide over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees, along a river, and by fresh-water springs. Keep an eye out for mountain goats roaming in the wild. Begin your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge with pickup and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains, where you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike. Challenge yourself with 17 kilometers of walking over rocky terrain. Be accompanied by a mountain escort who speaks English, German and French. Get briefed about your hike and get your tickets for the entrance and ferry boat from your escort. These fees have to be paid to the guide upon arrival. After breakfast, enter the Samaria Gorge. Walk at your own pace as your guide will be at the end of the group to help out if you need them. At the end of the trek, visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find a number of taverns, bars, and shops. Enjoy some free time to take a swim or have some lunch. A meeting point will be arranged so you can collect your ferry tickets from your guide. Late in the afternoon, board a boat to go from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the pickup point.

Embark on a guided hike in the Samariá Gorge on a day trip from Rethymno or Chania. Get your daily dose of exercise, enjoy the panoramic views and take a swim.  Discover the longest gorge in Europe, an area of stunning natural beauty. See its many flowers and herbs and the crystal-clear spring waters that flow from the mountains. Following an early morning pickup from the nearest point to your accommodation in Rethymno or Chania, travel through the mountains passing the plateau of Omalos. Arrive at some wooden stairs at the start of Samariá Gorge. You can opt to start the walk straight away or get some breakfast at the taverna before you begin. Hike for approximately 6-7 hours and experience the magnificent landscape on a 16-kilometer walk. Once you have finished the hike, there will be ample time for a swim and lunch at a taverna in Agia Roumeli.

After pickup from your hotel in the Rethymno area at approximately 7:30 AM, journey by bus to the Imbros Gorge in the eastern part of the White Mountains of Crete. Upon arrival, enjoy an easy 3-hour hike through the narrow passages and marvel at the stunning rock formations. The Imbros Gorge is the second most popular gorge for walkers in Crete after the gorge of Samaria. This picturesque gorge is smaller (8km long) than the Samaria but is just as beautiful. During your descent you will visit various famous locations such as the Stenada (the gorge's narrowest passage), Mesofarango (a wider passage) and Xepitira Arch (a natural stone arch). You'll then arrive at Komitades Village where buses will be waiting to bring you to Chora Sfakion for some relaxing free time at one of the taverns or cafés overlooking the sea. Continue by bus to the south coast and visit a beautiful beach for a refreshing swim in the Libyan Sea. Relax and enjoy a traditional lunch before the bus trip back to Rethymno area at approximately 5:30 PM.

Discover Imbros Gorge, which runs parallel to the more famous Samaria Gorge. Although the Imbros Gorge is smaller, many people prefer to cross here because it offers a very different hiking experience than the Samaria Gorge. After your tour, enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea and lunch at a village taverna. Enjoy hotel pickup and arrive at Imbros around 10 AM. Have breakfast and then hike about 2.5 hours to discover the beauty of this narrow natural passage. Learn about the rock formations and the legend of the 2 brothers that Imbros is named after. For many years, the Imbros Gorge served as part of the trail that connected Chania to Hora Sfakion. Stroll through a piece of World War II history, as you walk where thousands of British soldiers passed through after the Battle of Crete to get to Egypt.  End your hike in Komitades Village and then depart for Sfakia. Take a swim in the refreshing Libyan Sea and eat lunch with the locals in the taverns before returning to your hotel.

Escape into the wilderness of Crete on a private guided day trip to the Gola Di Imbros and Hora Sfakion from Rethymno. Explore the canyon, spotting rare species of birds as you hike, and refuel with a traditional Cretan lunch. Make a stop in Hora Sfakion and soak in the sun on Vrissi beach. Get picked and drive to the Gola Di Imbros, enjoying scenic views of Crete on the way. Arrive and follow your guide to the beginning of the trail. Descend into the canyon, winding between the narrow, towering rock faces that cover the trail with shade. Listen to your guide as they point out rare plants and wildlife that grow and live in this arid environment. Look out for tulips, Dyer’s alkanet, and the colorful scabiosa. Hear distant bird calls and keep an eye in the sky for blackbirds, thrushes, crows, hawks, and eagles. Pass by a stone arch and depending on how you feel, choose to end your hike here and get lunch back at the starting point, or continue another 15 minutes through the canyon to the village of Komitades for lunch in a traditional Cretan tavern. On your private trip, the choice is yours. After lunch, leave the Gola Di Imbros behind and drive to the coastal town of Hora Sfakion. Take a relaxing walk on pebble beaches or the picturesque Vrissi beach. Wave goodbye to the sea and transfer back to Rethymno.

Preparation and gear briefing Arriving in the entrance of Kourtaliotiko gorge, we are immediately amazed by the majestic walls that stand hundreds of meters high. We take the stone steps that lead us to the source of the river that formed this scenery through the ages. There, we can visit the little church of S. Nicolas Kourtaliotis, the local saint that lived here as a hermit, and learn about the old myths of the gorge. We take some time to put on our neoprene suits and our personal gear, distributed by the team leaders. Then, the instructors will give a safety briefing so that we can understand the use of our gear and learn to trust it. Now we are ready to get the fun started! Canyoning games in the river The source of Kourtaliotiko river becomes a natural playground for us! You are welcome to rappel down the steep canyon wall next to the waterfall and try adrenaline jumps in the water as many times as you wish. We swim around, we take pictures, and we play like kids. Our specialized instructors and guides will be next to you at all times to ensure your safety and guide you through the different activities. Short river trek Our adventure continues further down the river. Hiking towards the south, we soon discover a small cave called “the fairy cave” – if you are lucky enough, you may see one hiding behind the stalactites and stalagmites.

Start with pickup from your and meet your guide for the day. Drive up into the White Mountains to the famous Askifou Plateau. After a short coffee break, travel along ravines and gorges to the village of Chora Sfakion, a former rebel stronghold against Venetian and Turkish occupations in centuries past. Following the rugged south coast, enjoy the views of Gavdos, the southernmost island of Europe. Arrive at the picturesque village of Plakias and enjoy some free time for relaxation and swimming in the crystal-clear Libyan Sea. On the way back along the north coast, stop at the Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Walk down approximately 200 steps to the bottom of the gorge and enjoy the views of a beautiful waterfall. Finally, be returned to your hotel.

Explore the part of Crete known as wild Crete, far away from tourist hotspots and crowds. Begin your tour with a 2-hour hike from the region of Plakias to a beautiful beach with views over the Libyan Sea. Gaze at olive groves, rock formations, and rugged cliffs as you walk on this flexible tour. Decide where and when you want to swim, as you pass stunning deserted beaches. Enjoy lunch like the Cretans, in a small tavern with a gorgeous sea view. Taste fresh fish from the grill with refreshing dry wine, made by local grape varieties. Continue your hike towards the north coastline, walking on an impressive and strange rocky terrain. Cross the mountains back to your accommodation and admire the beautiful Mediterranean sunset.

Admire the ceramic artwork in the town of Margarites and take a nature hike on this van tour from Rethimno. Take your taste buds on a journey with a delectable Cretan lunch. Immerse yourself in Cretan culture with a live music demonstration and dancing.  Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation in Rethimno. Sit back and relax on your air-conditioned van ride to the mountains. Begin a leisurely walk near the foothills of mountain of Psiloritis. Reach the charming village of Margarites. Step back in time as you walk down narrow paths of Margarites and admire stone-built homes surrounded by old Venetian mansions. Marvel at the colorful and creative ceramic artwork as you walk. See how villagers have kept the pottery tradition alive.  Pass by the remains of Venetian and Ottoman pottery workshops and notice how their work affected how they built their workshops. View how they kept large rocks next to their windows, so villages would have a place to tie up their horses.  Explore the winding streets with your guide and take in the vibrant colors before continuing to the gorge of Margarites. Capture pictures of this stunning natural landscape that is dotted with cypress trees and low shrubs. Go into the gorge and listen to the sound of running water.  See traces of an old irrigation system before heading to a goat pasture. Follow a small stream which gives way to rock formations, before finishing your hike in a forest glade with a splendid chapel overlooking breathtaking views.  Stop for a delicious lunch of mezes, olives, rusks bread, and gruyere cheese. Sip on plenty of raki (grape and anise liquor) and listen to live Cretan music. Delight your ears with songs played on laouto and lyra instruments.   Hear about traditional styles of song like the mantinada and erotokritos. Be moved to dance like a local. Return to your accommodation in Rethimno at the end of your tour. 

Explore the nature of Crete on this long hike through fields and flowers. Follow a guide through the beautiful scenery of Crete, see sheep and goats, and enjoy a picnic with the guide while taking in the landscape. Be picked up from your hotel in the Rethymno district at around 9:00 and arrive at the imposing Monastery of Arkadi to begin the hike. Open 11 fences during the hike and enter 11 different pastures, each one with its own story to tell. Follow shepherd's paths, explore Cretan nature off the beaten tracks and learn all the little secrets and traditions of Cretan agriculture. Experience the hike in three different stages, beginning with the first part of the hike, which is quite easy. Enjoy the sensation of leaving behind the view of the sea and going towards the mountains, and on clear days, see the highest peak of Crete, and in the springtime, walk through green fields and countless flowers. Stop for a small picnic prepared by your guide for the second part of the hike, and eat the same snacks as the shepherds while admiring the magnificent view of the sea from above while feeling the cool breeze. Finish the second part of the hike at a small church, which is open to the public most of the time. Move out of the easy path for the third part of the hike where the path becomes more difficult, follow the E4 (European Path Network), and pass unmarked fields. Visit an abandonned church as well as a newly built one, built inside a rock. Open the last fence and feel free and calm, full of beautiful memories to bring back home. Return to the car at the end of the hike and end the journey in a small kafeneio, a typical Greek café, where the food served is homemade and suitable for all preferences (vegetarian friendly). Relax and enjoy, the charm of the café and the owner's kindness is more than enough to make you feel at home.