DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
CRET-27
COST
£3295
DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
CRET-27
COST
£3295
One of the most exceptional botanical areas in the Mediterranean, Crete is also well-known for its fauna, fascinating history and mythological heritage. Our tour will explore the islands’ natural springtime wonders alongside archaeological remains.
Overview
WILD & ANCIENT
This tour is part of ACE’s ‘Wild & Ancient’ series, unique products designed to showcase the many interwoven aspects of the landscapes we visit. These tours incorporate natural history (particularly flora and fauna, but often also geology and insect life), interpreting the landscapes, their ecology and their conservation, while also shedding light on an array of fascinating historical sites, from the Bronze Age Nuraghi of Sardinia to the Neolithic monuments of Orkney. On some tours, the archaeological and historical content is provided by an additional Tour Director or local guide. No prior knowledge is required to enjoy the experience. Please read the advertised itinerary carefully and if you would like further information about a specific tour, contact the ACE office.
Its mountains and gorges alive with wildlife, Crete is one of the most exceptional botanical areas in the Mediterranean, boasting a superb flora containing at least 160 endemic species, including ebony, rock lettuce and birthwort. In the spring, myriad orchids grace archaeological sites, and fields sparkle with wild gladioli, irises and ever-multiplying wild tulips. The head of the Samaria Gorge, where centuries-old cypresses stand sentinel, harbours mountain plants such as aubretia and yellow Star-of-Bethlehem. Crete is also celebrated for its fauna, from the kri-kri – the wild ancestor of the domestic goat – to the rare bearded vulture that haunts the island’s mountain passes.
Our tour adopts a holistic approach designed for both seasoned wildlife travellers and those discovering these themes for the first time. The island’s magnificent landscape will be explored as a habitat for Crete’s flora and fauna, a foundation for enthralling ancient civilisations and a stage where Greek myths – from the terrifying Minotaur of Knossos to the flight of Icarus – have played out.
The coastal town of Elounda will introduce us to waders, migrant pipits and larks; while Elounda Bay conceals the sunken city of Olous, a prosperous port during the Minoan era, beneath shallow azure waters. A nearby cliff walk will reveal wild gladioli, endemic orchids and birds of prey riding the updrafts.
We will dedicate a day to the landscape around the ruins of the Minoan and Mycenaean site of Malia – where the marsh shore is covered in dainty white Cretan chamomile, pale pink catch fly and wild tulip – and the palace at Knossos. Crete’s historical and mythological past comes to life again at Dikteon Cave, where the infant Zeus once hid, and the palace complex at Gournia, which provides a vivid impression of ancient Greek life. The Lassithi Plateau, meanwhile, will offer us wonderful panoramic views across the island, surrounded by orchids, upland plants and fruit groves.
On our arrival in Omalos, we will embark on an introductory walk around the edge of the Plateau of Omalos, past orchards and sinkholes, looking up at the mountains that we will explore the following day and spotting birds that may be resting here during their migration south.
BRONZE AGE LEGEND
Scenes from Greek mythology echo across our tour. The Bronze Age palace at Knossos once contained the mythical Labyrinth built to house the Minotaur, while the Titan goddess Rhea is said to have hidden her infant son Zeus in the cave at Dikteon. Zeus later took the Phoenician princess Europa to Crete, where she became mother to King Minos; and it was also here that Icarus, son of the Labyrinth’s master architect Daedalus, flew too close to the sun in his efforts to flee from Crete across the Aegean Sea.
Tour Director
Kevin Hand
Kevin Hand is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. A former president of the Cambridge Natural History Society, he has led tours to Crete for many years.
Tour Director Kevin Hand, MSc, MCIEEM, is a conservationist and environmental consultant with a special interest in birds, mammals and ecotourism. Kevin led a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia, a project on sustainable forest use in the Ecuadorian Amazon with the Yachana Foundation, and ran National Tree Week in the UK for 13 years. In 2017 he was appointed President of the Cambridge Natural History Society and continues to act as Vice President. A previous Trustee of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, as well as a reserve warden, Kevin currently chairs the Newmarket Chalk Streams Trust and is a Biodiversity Surveyor for the RSPB.
– ACE customer on a 2025 tour to Crete led by Kevin Hand
Our Accommodation
Our first five nights are spent at the Miramare Resort & Spa, a small hotel close to the sea near Agios Nikolaos. In Omalos we will stay at the Neos Omalos, a mountain resort hotel, for two nights. This hotel offers a simpler, more basic standard of accommodation, however the surroundings and welcome make for a very special atmosphere.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Gatwick 0700 on Easyjet, arriving Heraklion 1300. Transfer to Agios Nikolaos for five nights at the Miramare Resort & Spa.
**Owing to our early departure time on April 13 (Day 1), ACE is pleased to offer a complimentary overnight stay at a Gatwick Airport hotel on the night of April 12. Please let the Sales team know if you would like to take this up when you make your booking**
Day 2
Morning talk followed by visits to the coastal town of Elounda (waders, migrant pipits, larks in former salt-pans) and peninsula of Spinalonga (sunken city of Olous). Afternoon: boat trip to Venetian island fortress of Spinalonga, followed by cliff walk (wild gladioli, endemic orchids, birds of prey).
Day 3
Minoan Palace of Malia (marsh shore with short turf covered in Cretan chamomile, catch fly, wild tulip and emerging sea daffodils) and Palace of Minos at Knossos (Bronze Age archaeology; legendary home of the Minotaur).
Day 4
Lassithi Plateau (large, fertile mountain plateau with panoramic views) for orchids, upland plants and fruit groves with optional visit to Dikteon Cave (birthplace of Zeus – subject to opening).
Day 5
Morning: ruins of Gournia (unusual Minoan town), rocky coastline in search of Cretan ebony. Afternoon: gigantic gorge mouth at Monastiraki (chough colony, Alpine swift).
Day 6
Transfer to the Neos Omalos Hotel in the mountains of western Crete for two nights. Afternoon walk around the edge of the Plateau of Omalos, past sinkholes and orchards, looking up at the mountains that we will explore the following day.
Day 7
Across the Omalos Plateau to Samaria Gorge, exploring little-known paths, searching for mountain plants (endemic Cretan tulip, aubretia, yellow Star-of-Bethlehem, centuries-old cypresses), with possible sightings of bearded vulture and agrimi (wild goat).
Day 8
Depart Chania 1435, arriving Gatwick 1645.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
Participants should have a good overall level of fitness for this tour, as a number of visits will involve negotiating rugged or uneven terrain. Walks will be gentle, with plenty of stops, however travellers should be prepared to spend a number of hours on their feet. They should also be comfortable undertaking a boat trip. For more information, please consult our fitness requirements as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
Practicalities
Owing to our early departure time on April 13 (Day 1), ACE is pleased to offer a complimentary overnight stay at a Gatwick Airport hotel on the night of April 12. Please let the Sales team know if you would like to take this up when you make your booking.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £280.
Cost Details
Spring in Crete: Birds, Wildflowers & Ancient Ruins
April 13 - 20, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, seven dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £295.
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