8-Hour Southern Crete Tour to Kourtaliotiko Gorge and Preveli Beach

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore the southern side of Crete, where wild gorges and deserted beaches retain their natural beauty
• 02 Discover Kourtaliotiko Gorge, where the wind creates applause-like sounds through the caves and cliffs
• 03 Experience one of Crete's top river trekking landscapes with vertical cliffs and year-round flowing water
• 04 Visit Preveli Beach and its uniquely beautiful palm forest, one of the island's most famous coastal spots

Discover the unspoiled southern side of Crete, where wild gorges, crystal-clear waters, deserted beaches, and picturesque villages create a landscape of rare beauty. On the way to the southern coastline, visit Kourtaliotiko Gorge, whose name comes from the local word kourtala, meaning applause. Because of the geology of the gorge walls and its many caves, the wind creates sounds reminiscent of clapping. The journey continues to Preveli Beach, famous for its uniquely beautiful palm forest and considered by many to be the island's most beautiful beach.

Discover the unspoiled southern side of Crete, where wild gorges, crystal-clear waters, deserted beaches, and picturesque villages create a landscape of rare beauty.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 8 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Heraklion, Crete

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Kourtaliotiko Gorge and Southern Crete Scenery

• As in every famous tourist destination, so in Crete, the usual landscape consists of large, luxurious hotel units and busy, illuminated streets.
• You will not encounter any of this on the southern side of the island, which to this day has maintained its natural beauty despite the rapid tourist development.
• Wild gorges, crystal-clear waters, deserted beaches, and picturesque villages compose a picture of rare beauty. On our way to the southern coastline, we come across the Kourtaliotiko Gorge.
• The name Kourtaliotiko Gorge and river comes from the word kourtala, which in the local dialect means applause.

2

Day 02

Preveli Beach and Palm Forest

• Due to the geology of the gorge walls and the many caves that are created, when the wind blows, sounds reminiscent of applause are heard.
• The wild nature of the Cretan gorges, the impressive vertical cliffs, and the water flowing all year round make it the first choice for river trekking in Crete.
• The gorge ends at the famous beach of Preveli with its uniquely beautiful palm forest. It is the second most visited beach on the island, but for many, the most beautiful.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Certified English-speaking driver
• A bottle of water for each passenger
• Meet-and-greet services
• Liability insurance
• Private transportation with premium-category vehicles
• Baby seats

What's Not Included

• Lunch at a local restaurant

Know before you go

• In case your pick-up point is the port or the airport of Heraklion, you must provide us with the appropriate information (flight number or ship name, respectively) when booking. In this case, our driver will wait for you in the arrivals area with your name written on a tablet screen. Any delays or changes in your arrival time should not concern you, as our company's customer service department monitors the progress of your flight or cruise and constantly updates the schedule of drivers and cars.
• If the pick-up point is a hotel, our driver will arrive promptly at the reception area to pick you up. The procedure is the same when your pick-up point is an accommodation or a villa.
• The starting time is completely flexible and is determined after consultation with you based on your schedule.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Heraklion, Ελλάδα

Tour start

Crete, Greece

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.