Island of Crete - Sea and Peaks

The Island of Crete is not just a summer destination. Beneath the famous beaches and ancient ruins lies a mountainous world of exceptional scale and wilderness - limestone peaks rising above 2,400 meters, gorges carved over millennia down to the sea, and palm forests where rivers meet the Libyan coast. This 7-day trekking program unveils this Crete — and it does so in October, the best month of all: the summer heat has passed, the crowds have disappeared, the light is golden and soft, and the sea is still warm enough for swimming. And while the focus is on the mountains, the program also includes visits to some of the island's most famous beaches.

Program:
Day 1️⃣: Flight Sofia - Chania
Our Cretan adventure begins the moment you land. A direct flight from Sofia takes us to Chania in just 90 minutes — one of the most beautiful cities in Southern Greece and your first touch with the island. Landing is in the late afternoon. Check-in, dinner at a traditional tavern, and a briefing for the next day.

Day 2️⃣: Mount Gigolos - one of the impressive peaks in the White Mountains
Stand at the Ksiloskalo parking lot and look up. That vertical limestone wall dominating the skyline above the entrance to the gorge is Gigolos - and today you will stand at its summit. The trail climbs steeply through old, bent cypress trees and rocky switchbacks to the Linoseli saddle at 1,700 m, from where the entire massif of the White Mountains suddenly unfolds in a stunning panoramic view. From the saddle, a short but thrilling climb on solid rock leads to the summit. The reward is complete: Chania and the Aegean Sea sparkle far to the north, the dark blue Libyan Sea and the distant island of Gavdos - to the south, and the great chasm of the Samaria gorge - 1,200 meters straight below your feet. Tonight you fall asleep knowing that tomorrow you will descend into it.

⏱️ Duration ~ 6 hrs
📏 Distance ~ 10 km
📈 Elevation gain ~+900m ~-900m

Day 3️⃣: Samaria Gorge - one of the longest gorges in Europe
From the same starting point as yesterday - but now we descend. The Samaria Gorge is one of the great mountain hikes in Europe: 16 kilometers through a UNESCO biosphere reserve, carved in the heart of the White Mountains by the Taraios River over millions of years. We set off above the tree line in cool mountain air and spend the next six hours delving deeper into the land. The walls rise to 300 m high. October is the best month for this journey: golden and soft light, the maple and branches change their colors, wild goats sometimes appear on the rocks, and the summer crowds have long disappeared. The hike ends in the small fishing village of Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea.

⏱️ Duration ~ 6-7 hrs
📏 Distance ~ 16 km
📈 Elevation gain ~+0m ~-1250m

Day 4️⃣: Beaches and Relaxation
After two demanding days in the mountains, this is our day to catch our breath. We head to two of Crete's most iconic beaches — Balos and Elafonissi. Balos impresses with its shallow turquoise lagoon and white sand, where the sea blends into dozens of shades of blue and green, and the view of the Gramvousa peninsula gives a sense of an almost unreal landscape. Elafonissi, on the other hand, is famous for its fine pink hues in the sand and crystal-clear water, shallow and warm - ideal for a long, leisurely time by the sea. A day for relaxation, sun, and slowly experiencing the island.

Day 5️⃣: Preveli Canyon and Palm Beach
Nothing fully prepares us for Preveli. The Kourtaliotiko Gorge cuts south through dramatic 300-meter limestone walls, the river cascades down waterfalls and gathers in turquoise pools before reaching the only tropical beach of its kind in all of Europe. We walk along the Megalopotamos River through the forest - wading through shallow crossings, squeezing under overhanging rocks, walking in the shade of oleanders and ancient plane trees - until the canyon walls open up and we step onto a beach surrounded by hundreds of wild date palms, their reflections shimmering in the river lagoon just meters from the open sea. We will swim in the river. We will swim in the Libyan Sea. On the way back, we will visit the ancient Preveli Monastery, perched on a rocky promontory above the shore - one of the most significant religious and historical sites in Crete.

⏱️ Duration ~ 4 hrs
📏 Distance ~ 7 km

Day 6️⃣: Psiloritis — The Roof of Crete, 2456 m
This is the day that the entire program leads to. Psiloritis — also known as Mount Ida and Timios Stavros - is the highest point in Crete at 2456 m and a UNESCO geopark. The road to the Nida plateau at 1500 m is remarkable in itself: a vast treeless basin surrounded by peaks, silent and almost lunar.

The ascent follows a well-marked path to the main ridge, and then along it, through increasingly wild and windy terrain, to the small stone chapel at the very summit. On a clear October morning, we see both coasts of Crete at once - the island is spread out in all directions beneath us like a relief map. This is a peak that remains forever.

⏱️ Duration ~ 6-7 hrs
📏 Distance ~ 16 km
📈 Elevation gain ~+900m ~-900m

Day 7️⃣: Flight Chania - Sofia
We stroll along the harbor of Rethymno once more in the early light, when the old town is quiet and the fishing boats have just set out. We find a last table in the shade for strong coffee, letting the conversations of the week flow as they will. Then - transfer to Chania airport for the flight back to Sofia. We depart with tired legs, a full map, and a very clear idea of what Crete is at its core: a wild, proud, ancient island where the mountains rise straight from the sea.

💵 Price (until June 15) 930 € / 1818.92 BGN 💵
💵 Price (after June 15) 970 € / 1897.16 BGN 💵

For reservations: https://epictours.bg/programs/treke-crete-island-mount-ida-psiloritis

The price includes:
✅ Licensed mountain guide
✅ 6 nights in a hotel/guesthouse.
✅ All ground transportation
✅ Mountain insurance with a limit - 5,000 euros.

The price does NOT include:
❌ Plane tickets Sofia - Chania - Sofia. Prices as of March 24, 2026 - 60 euros one way (without checked luggage!)
❌ Meals and personal expenses

ℹ️ The guide reserves the right to change the itinerary depending on circumstances and weather conditions! ℹ️