Sunny skies and diverse natural beauty are the order of the day. Hidden beaches, deep mountain gorges, and vestiges of great civilizations. Like a gift from the gods, Crete is a hiker's paradise.

Savor tranquil moments at seaside cafés. And soak up Crete's legendary hospitality as you explore the nooks and crannies of the rugged, undeveloped western part of the island.

If you’re a foodie, you'll be in heaven in Crete, where ‘locavore’ is not a trend but a way of life. Rural tavernas often produce their own meat, cheese, olive oil, raki, and wine, and catch their own seafood.

Served in the Greek tradition, and shared as a group—and often followed by dancing to Greek folk music—we'll savor fresh seafood and other local delicacies. Slow food made fresh from locally sourced ingredients.

We'll enjoy local wines, fresh fruit, grilled lamb, vegetables featuring luscious tomatoes and olives, homemade desserts, wild Cretan thyme honey, and Greek coffee. 

Breaking bread together.

Raising a glass of local wine to toast a day well-spent.

Breathing in the fresh air, experiencing the invigorating sights and sounds of robust Greek life together.

Breaking a sweat and cooling off in the warm, blue-green waters of the southern Mediterranean.

Unwinding in each other's company at day's end.

All of this, and a lasting bond naturally emerges among us.

Discover a fascinating mélange of Greek, Turkish and Venetian cultural influences. An ancient land, Crete was first settled by prehistoric peoples in the 7th century BC.

Over 4,000 years ago, the Minoans of Crete were the earliest recorded European civilization. This long, varied history has deeply influenced and enriched the architecture, gastronomy, music, poetry, traditions... and everyday life.

Mention the ‘Greek Islands’ and everyone automatically thinks of Santorini or Mykonos. But nearby Crete has the same DNA, without the same body count! On our hikes, we'll pass an occasional deserted farmhouse, lazy-but-nimble Cretan goats, and a small ghost town with a well. ​We'll refresh ourselves on beautiful, hidden beaches, and lodge in charming, remote villages and towns—many of which can only be reached by boat or on foot—inhabited by high-booted, long-mustachioed, espresso-drinking Cretans. If you learn at least a few words of Greek, you'll be rewarded by your status being elevated from a plain old tourist to an honored xenos, which means 'guest'.

The hikes we'll take may end up being some of your very favorites of all time! The Samaria Gorge, a World Biosphere Reserve, is simply breathtaking.

Many of our hikes will take us high above the sea, with panoramas to rival any.

Experience Crete with your boots on the earth, close to the vibrant heart of this warm and welcoming Mediterranean island. 

The 3 small, locally-owned inns we've selected are all rated as #1 in their respective towns by enthusiastic guest-reviewers on the popular travel website TripAdvisor.

They're clean, simple, comfortable inns, run by friendly Cretan owners who love to go the extra mile for their guests.

Both Ken and Hans have years of experience in Greek life. They've both lived in Greece and know the culture.

Ken, Hans and Kos are are fit, skilled leaders, with an expertise in logistics, and a deep love for people.

Kos brings his skills and experience as a certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician. Read their full bios here.

Light-hearted and fun, full of new discoveries and friendships, invigorating to your senses and restorative for your soul.

To taste the real Greece—slowly and up close—is to become more alive, to be infused with that particular brand of happiness available to the traveler with feet on the earth and heart wide open.

Add in the unimaginable warmth and robust generosity of the lively Cretans, and you've got yourself an unbeatable prescription for what ails you.