Kayak South Crete
This is our best selling kayak expedition and there are several reasons for this but the major one is the outstanding landscape. A big part of the route is protected from the strong north winds by the massive of White mountains (48 summits above 2000 meters!) with plenty of remote beaches and of course sunshine!
Overview of the trip
This six days expedition is suitable to new paddlers (2-3 years of experience) as well but you will need to be able to travel with 6-7km/hour to join the trip. Will be great to have experience in winds as part of the trip is exposed to katabatic winds. Will try to avoid them by doing proper timing/planning but occasionally that is not possible. If you are in doubt about your skills contact us and will let you know if you will be fine to join the expedition.
The villages/towns of Palaiochora,Sougia,Loutro, Sfakia, Agia Roumeli,Rodakino,Plakias,Agia Galini and Matala are just a few that we will pass during our trip. If we don’t paddle a day or so due to bad weather there are plenty of hiking options including the famous Samaria gorge which in most cases we are able to hike all or part of it.
EXPERIENCE NEEDED
The whole expedition is about 135km.
Due to driving distance the 1st day we wont be able to paddle more than 10k and same for the last day.
That give us roughly 20km per day excluding those 2 days. Bad weather days will make it necessary to increase the daily kilometres up to 30 or more.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
The trip fee includes all of the paddling equipment. High quality composite kayaks from Nigel Dennis & 3kymia are avaiable. There are also plastic Valley Etain 17-5 & 17-7 for those that prefer them.
Air or ferry to Heraklion on the island of Crete, lunches, drinks and any kind of food, personal clothing and accessories, baggage and trip cancellation insurance, airport taxes and gratuities are not included.
CAMPING & FOOD
The expedition is self catering. Usually we each look after our own breakfast, lunch and snacks and prepare a group evening meal in turn.
You are welcome to bring some food from home if you wish, however I suggest we buy most of the food, and especially water, after we meet in Heraklio. We will buy 2 days worth of food and water at the beginning as there we will be able to restock during the route.
Meals in seaside towns, or beach side taverna's, are a possibility but not every day if weather is bad and we have to change the plan. You will be informed on time anyway by our guide about getting or not supplies.
During off season (late October to late April) we will need carry supplies for at least 3 days.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURES
Our trip officially begins in the morning at the Heraklion city where our staff will meet you.
Exact meeting time will be determined depending participants flights.
The best place to fly to is Heraklion airport as it is much easier from there to deal with transport. The second biggest airport in Crete is that one in Chania city. Plenty of charter flights going there as well and if you do find a much cheaper flight for that airport then go for it! Bare in mind that in this case you will need to meet us in the starting point (roughly 10-15€ by bus - takes nearly 2 hours to get there).
We will meet in a central place near Heraklio (will sent you the exact spot by email). Once everybody is ready for departure we will enjoy a great drive across north and south west Crete down to the Palaiochora village. This is about 4 hours driving. During the drive will make a stop for a coffee and we will review the itinerary for the week and answer whatever questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be able to leave my suitcase with you?
Ideally try to have all your stuff for the trip inside multiple and small dry bags and those inside a suitcase or any other rucksack. It is important to have your stuff in either rucksack or suitcase as usually we have very limited space inside the car and need to carry all passengers stuff in the roof rack with straps. The driver can store afterwards your suitcase or rucksack in our warehouse and bring it back to you once the trip finish. Of course if you are staying in a hotel prior and after the trip you can ask them to store your stuff there if you prefer.
When in your opinion is a good time to do the expedition?
May, June, September and October used to be the best months for paddling in terms of calm sea. If you want to plan an early multi day trip then April and May are good choices or mid November for a late season trip. If you have no problem paddling in winter then March is a superb month. The scenery is outstanding as most of the mountains are covered by snow. Ground temperature at the sea level varies from 8-18oC while water at 15oC. March is usually a calm month in terms of sea conditions.
Can I rent all camping equipment?
We can provide all the equipment for camping apart from sleeping bag for an extra cost.
You can get a high quality 3 or 4 season tent for an extra 50€ for the whole duration of the trip and also the mattress.
Stove (complete set from Trangia) and gas canister are an extra 30€ and is suitable for 2-3 persons.
What to bring for the trip?
- Swim suit
- Sun hat
- Sun screen
- Sun glasses
- Towel
- Wet shoes (neoprene) along with an extra normal shoe for hiking.
- Light clothes as well as some warmer ones (ie. fleece) depending the season.
- Head torch
- Sleeping bag
- Mosquito repellent
- Any medication needed for special personal medical condition.
What sea conditions should I expect during the trip?
Having 6 days calm weather is nearly impossible.
Expect to paddle up to 1.5-2 meter waves occasionally and in strong head wind for some time during the trip.
This is an adventure trip!
How can I pay to book/confirm for the trip?
Please fill the booking form as it has extra information that we need.
Once you fill the booking form we will let you know within 1-2 days about the availability and will send you a link where you can pay the 20% of the total price to confirm booking.
You can pay us the rest of the money either in cash or with your credit card two days before the starting date as we need to have the funds cleared before the trip.
