More and more people choose for an individual walking holiday instead of an organized walking holiday in a group. The big advantage of a self guided walking tour is that you keep your own pace; you can stop whenever you feel like and you are more free in your choice where to go walking. On our region, Apokoronas, there are many possibilities to go walking on your own with the help of a walking guidebook and/or map or by booking an individual walking holiday at one of the many travel companies.

When you book an individual walking holiday, most organizations will arrange almost everything for you. You walk with the help of walk descriptions that are given to you by the travel company. Travel, accommodation and luggage transfer are included. The most popular self guided walking holidays take place in the South-West of Crete, along the south-coast and the White Mountains. Other popular areas are in the Rethymno area or at the west-coast (near Kastelli) and eastern Crete. Travel Companies that also organize individual walking holidays are summarized on this website.

There are enough possibilities for those who like to walk with the help of a walking guide book and/or maps. On this website you find a summary of available Walking guidebooks and Maps that are available for Crete.
An impression of the beautiful region of Apokoronas in Crete. It has great possibilities for Walking!

Many possibilities to go walking on your own

Discover the Region with a Bike

Crete is a true El Dorado for cyclists. Greece's largest island spoils weekend pedal pushers, leisure bikers, cross-country-cruisers, adrenalin addicted downhillers and altimetre hunters alike. Guided Bike Trekking Tours and sporting Mountainbike Tours will initiate you into the unspoilt wonders of Crete.

If you can suffer leaving your sunbed on the beach or at the pool for just a day – or even half a day – you may discover the original Crete beyond the shores. And it is certainly worth exploring! Rugged cliff coasts, traditional mountain villages, fragrant orange gardens, gnarled olive groves and the aromatic bouquet of Cretan herbs will accompany you on a bike tour, which will always give you a true insight into the famous Cretan hospitality as well.

Discover the Region by bike

Diving Activities
ELEPHANT’S CAVE

The cavern’s entrance is between 7.5 and 12 meters deep with a width of about 9 meters. After swimming in for about 40 meters a series of exquisite red and white stalagmites and stalactites are revealed to greet divers as they emerge into the cave. Divers enter a world that has existed peacefully, for centuries transformed into a fabulous underwater paradise of colour and remarkable natural features. The cave’s natural “decoration” is absolutely magical. Gorgeous white and red formations decorate the ceiling and floor, glinting in the briefest touch of light. The existence of these formations above and below the water surface is a clear indication that the cave has been shaped several thousands of years ago, when the sea waters were much lower. Among the treasures of the cave are the fossilized remains of an elephant which include vertebra, teeth and a tusk. Especially interesting apart from the elephant bones are the numerous deer bones that belong to both normal and dwarf deer, merely 30cm tall. This is a spectacle that has to be seen to be believed.

BRITISH WRECK

The name Minnewaska comes from the American Indian word meaning clear water. The ship was built in Belfast in November 1908 and It was 183 meters long constructed as a passenger steamer. During the first world war the ship was used by the British military to transport troops. On the 29th November 1916 the ship was leaving Souda the troops onboard when she struck a mine laid by a German submarine UC23. Hold below the water line she started to sink Captain Gates steered a course to the nearest land to try to beach the ship in the area of Marathi. Here all the survivors from the explosion made it to the shore the wreck remained here for many years until it was sold to a Italian company for scrap. One section was too deep to salvage and it is this 50 meter long, 10 meter wide section that can be seen by divers today at a depth between 12 and 20 meters.