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Crete Kayak Camping Adventure
Crete Kayaking and Camping - a self-supported adventure on the south coast of Crete! Gorgeous coastline, warm waters, sandy, remote beaches, and delicious local cuisine make this expedition a trip of a lifetime!
Lodging | Activities |
|---|---|
Tents | Kayak, Camping, Multi-sport |
From | Duration |
|---|---|
Heraklion | 8 Days, 7 Nights |
Skill Rating | Van Supported |
|---|---|
2 | Yes |
Single Supplement | Price |
|---|---|
$400 | $2,645 |
Included
Guides, ground transportation, support vehicle, night one, two, seven lodging (based on double occupancy, single supplement applies $300, meals per itinerary (1 Dinner, 3 breakfast), all kayaking equipment, instruction and entry fees for the Samaria Gorge National Park.
Not Included
Most meals and drinks per itinerary, airfare to/from HER, tent, sleeping bags/mats, personal clothing and accessories, full medical, baggage and mandatory trip cancellation insurance, airport taxes, and gratuities not included. Solo occupancy supplement not included.
Upcoming Dates:
October 3-10, 2026
October 11-18, 2026
May 28-June 4, 2027
September 27-October 4, 2027
ITINERARY
Day 1: Our adventure officially begins at the Heraklion Airport, where your Northwest Passage guides will meet you in the Arrivals section. It’s a small airport; you can’t miss us. From there we begin our scenic transfer to the south coast village of Matala where we will soak up the beach town vibes and embark on a gorgeous sunset hike. (Dinner)
Day 2: Today we jump aboard the support van and transfer to the mountain village of Omalos. From there we’ll begin our descent of “the Grand Canyon of Europe,” the Samaria Gorge. It’s quite a day. We start on a mountain plateau, descend into a pine forest, walk through Europe’s deepest canyon and emerge on the remote beach hamlet of Agia Roumeli. The Samaria Gorge is a hike you’ll never forget. Hardy hikers will enjoy logging the “bonus kilometers” up to a Turkish era ridgeline sentinel fortress that offers panoramic views of the Libyan Sea. Tonight we stay with old friends of The Northwest Passage at their beachside hotel and take in the nighttime serenity of lapping waves rolling up to a peaceful village. (Breakfast)
Day 3: Today is our first day of paddling, and tonight is the first of three that we’ll spend camping out on a Cretan beach. We’ll begin our day by getting acquainted with our kayaks and learning some basic skills before setting out along the coast. We’ll take at least two breaks during our paddling day (as we do each paddling day). We break for coffee at a beachside taverna that neighbors a Byzantine era chapel commemorating the location where Saint Paul was shipwrecked on Crete. We also break for lunch at Marmara beach which is home to a taverna that’s touted as one of the two best beachside eateries in all of the Mediterranean (join us on Santorini to experience the other). From there we paddle on to our campsite. Weather will influence our campsite selection but we plan to stay the night at Sweetwater Beach and enjoy a delicious dinner in the memorably quaint nearby town of Loutro. (Breakfast)
Day 4: Depending on weather conditions we will either continue paddling east to our next campsite or stay put and spend the day hiking the magnificent trails in the Loutro area. Our favorite route scales a 2,000’ coastal ridge before dropping back down to the sea through a sheer-walled slot canyon. We would certainly also carve out some time to enjoy a drink and / or a traditional meal in unforgettable Loutro.
Day 5: We continue our Cretan paddling voyage to Palm Beach, a freshwater estuary with, as the name suggests, a tropical appearance that sits beneath the Preveli Monastery. Ask your guides about the WWII history of Preveli specifically and Crete in general. It’s an incredible story that comes alive when you’re hiking and paddling in the actual setting of the bygone dramatic events. Just before reaching Palm Beach we’ll drop by one of The Northwest Passage’s secret spots, the “Cretan Grotto Azzura”. Discovered by our own Rick Sweitzer, this blue grotto is just as mesmerizing as the more famous (and exponentially more crowded) blue grotto on the Isle of Capri.
Day 6: We continue our paddling journey east towards Matala. Highlights include the beautiful, remote beaches of Trio Petra and Agios Pavlos. Our route leads us past sea stacks and caves before ending in the town of Agia Galini. After settling in to your accommodations, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the evening in this historic Cretan port town.
Day 7: After getting an early start, we knock out the final stretch of our return journey to Matala. After beaching our kayaks we’ll check into our accommodations for the night, and enjoy the afternoon in beach town heaven. For those that are up for it, we highly encourage a visit to Red Beach where you can indulge in our secret Minoan Mud spa treatment. (Breakfast)
Day 8: Today we say farewell to those who are saying farewell to Crete. Northwest Passage guides can help facilitate any airport or port transfers. (Breakfast)
Note: This is our intended itinerary. As with any adventure travel, the forces of nature can be unpredictable, causing us to make adjustments and changes to the itinerary. Rest assured that our many years of exploring Crete have provided us with numerous options if changes need to be made. If it is too windy to paddle, various hiking, cultural and historical options will make you glad for the winds.
My wife and I just returned from our Kayaking Adventure in Crete. While I'm
seldom at a loss for words, there are things about this trip that are
difficult to convey accurately. In many ways, I felt as if I was transported
back in time 2000 years...only I still had internet access and could watch
Greek pro soccer on a flat screen HD TV at a seaside taverna, that was only
accessible on foot or by water. It was an odd and beautiful juxtaposition of
the ancient and the modern that was totally natural, comfortable and most of
all fun.
By way of background, my wife and I are mid fifties and pretty active. We are
regular gym goers, ski 45 to 50 days a season and paddle the quiet waters
around our home near Long Island Sound in Southeastern Connecticut regularly.
Neither of us had ever been to Europe and after building careers, raising
kids and putting them thru college, now was our time. So there was a lot of
anticipation and build up to this trip. I can say unequivocally that it
exceeded my expectations.
Our trip was guided by Northwest Passage founder and owner Rick and his
assistant guide Emily. Rick is a pretty interesting guy. A middle American
small business owner and family man who's job happens to be leading adventure
trips around the world to places like Crete, Italy and the North and South
Pole to name just a few. Having done this trip for many years he definitely
has it dialed in. Totally on top of the situation both on and off the water,
you always felt he was in complete control. Emily was as adorable as she was
competent and friendly. Together they made the whole trip move seamlessly.
But for me, the star of the entire experience is the water around the island.
I had always held a vision of that water based on travel photos that I have
seen, but no photo can do it justice. The beautiful, warm, crystal clear aqua
seas around Crete are simply magnificent. When the sun is overhead and the
water is calm you can see down over 100 feet or more. When the sun changes or
the wind kicks up they can change to sapphire or inky black. And around every
turn there is endless variations of rock, cliff and sea formations that I
never tired of looking at. The paddling could be challenging at times (we hit
some pretty strong headwinds on a few occasions)but I never felt anxious or
uncomfortable. Each day the paddling was broken into 3 legs and anyone who
chose to could opt out if they didn't want to paddle one or more sections.
Between Rick and Emily they adapted to both the individual and group needs,
so I think that everyone got as much or as little as they wanted on any given
day.
On land the accommodations were clean, comfortable and waterfront. The food
was simple, local, fresh and delicious. They people were universally friendly
(I suspect due largely to the fact that Rick has been there so many times
that when we walked in it was like the return of the prodigal son). Best of
all, our group brought together a diverse selection of strangers who finished
the week treating each other like friends and family. It was as completely
authentic and unpretentious an experience as I can imagine having.
If you want to sit on a beach all day and have a cabana boy bring you Rum
Punch while you are on vacation, this might not be the trip for you. If, on
the other hand, you want to literally immerse yourself in some of the most
beautiful water in the world, experience life like a local and finish each
day with that wonderful fatigue that comes from doing a vigorous but fun
activity all day long (and makes that first cold beer taste like heaven) this
is your adventure. My sincere thanks to Rick, Emily and all the Northwest
Passage staff for truly making this the trip of a lifetime!! Rob and Ann
Keville, East Lyme, CT.
Our Belize kayak and camping trip was not what anyone expected due to unseasonably windy, rainy and cool weather. But we had a grand adventure nonetheless! How many times in your life do you get a chance to help a Belizean captain right and bail his swamped boat? Learn the ebb and flow of life on a tiny uninhabited Caribbean island? See a tiger ray leaping from the water trying to shake off the eel attached to its middle? Backpedal furiously to avoid a collision with a huge loggerhead turtle swimming your way as you snorkel? Eat comforting conch stew at a picnic table, the taste heightened by the sweetness of plantains and sharpness of the ubiquitous Marie Sharp's hot sauce? We experienced all that and much more with our small group this February. Our guide and fearless leader CP was perpetually cheerful and accommodating even as we confronted multiple days of high seas after landing on Moho Caye. He gave us opportunities to kayak whenever conditions permitted but also kept us safe. The local support team of Ian and his son Shane were steady and resourceful even under adverse circumstances. In addition to providing information, guidance and motor transport when needed, they fed us well, including platters of fresh fruit and hot fry jacks cooked in a primitive outdoor kitchen. This was our fourth trip with Northwest Passage, and we are on the lookout for our next one. As always, the company and its excellent staff provided a personalized, unique and fun adventure trip. Derek Belize 2026
My son and I had a fabulous time. Crystal clear water for paddling and swimming. Great scenery. Clean, comfortable accommodations. Wonderful professional, competent, helpful, friendly and enthusiastic guides Chris and Sean. I'd do it again in a heartbeat but I think next time I'll try a different trip.
By Chuck F on Sep 30, 2024
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