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Greece Hiking Adventures

Greek Hiking Adventure v3

Greece - an adventurer's dream, steeped in ancient history, rugged mountains, & stunning islands to explore!

Greece's ancient history, incredible landscapes, stunning beaches, vibrant cultural scene, and world-renowned Greek cuisine, make it a colorful and memorable travel destination. Discover the very best of this fascinating country on a hiking adventure exploring spectacular parts of the E4 (European Trail) in the ruggedly beautiful White Mountains of Crete, hiking coastal tracks by sapphire waters, sea kayaking in sensational Santorini, and venturing through the prehistoric archaeological site of Akrotiri. Conquering Greece’s highest peaks in the ‘Home of the Gods’, Mount Olympus, culminates as the pinnacle of this epic adventure. Experience a perfect blend of challenging action, balanced with time for relaxation. After the heart-pumping activities, swim in the turquoise sea, meander through charming, white-washed villages, sip ouzo overlooking the spectacular sunsets, and soak up what promises to be an unforgettable journey - your very own Greek Odyssey! 

Greece Trip

Europe

Crete & Santorini Hiking Adventure

  • Duration 11 days
  • Activity Level Level 4 
    • Activity Level 4

      Challenge Accepted

      I'll let my trusty guides sweat the small things, so I can focus on my goal. Getting to the top, reaching the end, achieving my dreams! Sure, it'll be tough, but the views will be worth it.

    Read more about the Active Range

 ADULT

Experience the very best of iconic Greece as you sea kayak and swim Crete’s turquoise waters, hike the heights of Mt Olympus, explore ancient sites and meander through white-washed villages in Santorini.

Trip Start: Chania Trip End: Thessaloniki
ACT Deals page

The Summit of All Sales - 30% off every 2nd traveler!

Get 30% off every second traveler’s adventure of a lifetime - only until April 30, 2024. 

Choose an epic adventure from 25 countries, 6 continents, and over 85 itineraries, and bring a friend or family member to save 30% of their trip! Got a bunch of fellow adventurers? The more the merrier! Every second group member gets 30% OFF!

This is an unprecedented offer and spots are selling quickly - book now to secure your dream adventure!

Offer ends April 30, 11:59 PM (Pacific Daylight Time).  

*Terms & conditions apply – see below

 

Terms & Conditions

*Offer applies for every second guest for trips departing no later than June 30, 2025, valid for new bookings for two or more guests made no later than April 30, 2024 (11:59 pm US PDT). A 30% discount is applied to the pre-tax trip cost for every second guest booked, and all other guests are subject to the full advertised trip cost. To secure the booking and discount, a 50% deposit is due at time of booking. Your 50% deposit is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-changeable. If you change or cancel your trip, you will forfeit your 50% deposit, and no refunds will apply. Discount cannot be combined with any other offers. Other restrictions may applyWe highly recommend purchasing Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We recommend Redpoint Insurance – you can find details here. 

30 off 2nd traveler deal

The Summit of All Sales - 30% OFF Every 2nd Traveler

Limited Time Deal!

Get 30% OFF* every second traveler’s adventure of a lifetime!

Choose an epic adventure from 25 countries, 6 continents, and over 85 itineraries, then bring a friend or family member and save 30% on their trip! Want to bring a group of friends? Every second group member's adventure is 30% OFF!

The offer applies to ALL trips. Spots are selling fast, so BOOK NOW to secure your next adventure!

Offer must end April 30, 11:59 PM (Pacific Daylight Time).

*Terms & conditions apply – see below

 

*Offer applies for every second guest for trips departing no later than June 30, 2025, valid for new bookings for two or more guests made no later than April 30, 2024 (11:59 pm US PDT). A 30% discount is applied to the pre-tax trip cost for every second guest booked, and all other guests are subject to the full advertised trip cost. To secure the booking and discount, a 50% deposit is due at time of booking. Your 50% deposit is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-changeable. If you change or cancel your trip, you will forfeit your 50% deposit, and no refunds will apply. Discount cannot be combined with any other offers. Other restrictions may apply. We highly recommend purchasing Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We recommend Redpoint Insurance – you can find details here.

Europe FAQs

Do I need a visa to visit countries in Europe?

It is your responsibility stay up to date on the latest visa and entry requirements for your destination. Please use the CIBT entry tracker on our website as a guideline or visit the relevant immigration webpage for the country (or countries) you're visiting more information.

Do I need vaccinations to visit Europe?

You do not need vaccinations to visit any of the European countries in which we operate. Easy!

Do you recommend buying travel insurance?

As an Active Adventures traveller, It’s essential you take out travel insurance to cover the likes of personal injury, medical expenses, trip cancellation for your travel with us. Please head to our Travel Insurance page for more in-depth information and insurance provider options. It’s also important to check your insurance covers all the activities you’ll be partaking in, in case you’re travelling to altitude or looking at extreme sports.

Can you help me find international flights to Europe?

Our preferred Travel Partner Fuzion Travel can assist with you with flights and other travel arrangements. Let them know your preferred travel plans, including any stopovers or extra nights’ accommodation, and they’ll put everything in place for you. They offer a total travel solution and five star service that you’ll want to tell your friends about!

What's included on your Europe trips?

Accommodation

On your Europe trip you'll stay in a variety of places depending on the destination and activities. For the most part you'll stay in nice, locally owned, beautiful family run hotels in great locations, with private bathrooms, free wifi, great breakfasts and warm local hospitality. Whilst in more remote areas we use rifugios or backcountry cabins - in the Alps these rifugios are more like hotels with private bathrooms and all the mod cons! Whereas in Iceland they're more rustic with outhouse bathrooms (flush toilets) and gas heating. 

Transport

Your transport will be a mixture of private van, private bus, bike, kayak and your very own two feet on our trips in Europe. You'll spend most time hiking, biking or paddling everywhere though!   All your transport is included from the start of your trip and we'll drop you at the airport at the end. The details are all listed in the trip specific itineraries.

Meals

All your meals are included as described in the itinerary except on your free days. We have found that people enjoy checking out what is on offer by themselves sometimes, so you can go and see what's out there! On every other day and especially after any long hikes, we've chosen places to eat that can cater for our hearty appetites, work well with our small groups (they know we are coming) and provide us with an authentic destination specific culinary experience. There are always options for you, so you can either be brave or choose something more familiar. You can be assured that on all our trips we will make sure you are very well fed, and Europe's vast array of cuisine won't disappoint you!

Trip leaders

Our trips are all led by an experienced Trip Leader. Our Trip Leaders are very proud to work with Active Adventures and often lead our trips for many years, for which we are very lucky and very grateful, as it means we're able to consistently offer a fantastic level of service. They work closely with our local specialist guides to provide you with a seamless, fun, exciting and memorable trip. They will happily share with you as much or as little as you want to know about the history, culture, social aspects and lifestyle of the country you are visiting.

What rooming is provided on your Europe trips?

Our trip fares are based on a twin-share rate (two people per room), though in some places we use two-bedroom units, in which case you may be sharing a separate bathroom between two to four people. In certain places, ie; the refuge/refugio’s and mountain cabin’s, there will be shared rooms with up to 10 people and a large bathroom with private cubicles which is shared by everyone at that accommodation.

Do you charge a forced single supplement if I'm a solo traveller?

We welcome many solo travelers on our trips – in fact, we get so many solo travelers and they always say it’s a great way to travel alone, but not actually by themselves. You’ll have an incredible adventure sharing your experiences with other like-minded travelers, and the best part is we don't charge extra for solo travelers, providing you don’t mind sharing a room. However, for bookings within 90 days of your chosen departure, a forced single supplement will apply if there is no other guest of the same gender already booked to share with.

If you prefer not to share a room at all, you can upgrade to a single room, if one is available. If your trip uses refugios or mountain cabins which can only accommodate guests on a multi-share basis, the upgrade cost will reflect this.

How many people are there on each of your Europe trips?

We generally take up to 14 people per trip, although this can vary, and all our trips have at least two of our guides to look after you (apart from the occasions we have a small group). We have found that our trips tend to attract a particular kind of person and many people have commented that the social scene was one of the highlights of their trip!

What kind of clothing should I be packing?

Once you've booked your trip, you'll have access to a gear list in your portal on exactly what to bring along. The gear list is carefully thought out to provide you with everything you need to be warm and happy, or cool and relaxed, whatever the weather! So it is best to bring everything we recommend along, if you don't bring everything you need, we can't guarantee your comfort.

Do I need hiking boots or are hiking sneakers okay?

You will need proper hiking boots - trail shoes are not good enough. We'll be taking you to some awesome places where you'll be hiking over a variety of terrain, therefore your boots should have full ankle support and a stiff sole with a high profile tread. It's also important that whichever footwear you decide to bring that it's well broken-in and waterproofed before you come down. If you have good ankles that will be able to cope pretty well with varied terrain, then good hiking shoes should be fine, but if not then hiking boots will give you better support.

What is the food like in Europe?

European cuisine is varied and delicious, usually incorporating lots of fresh produce, cheese, local meats, bread and pastries. Icelandic cuisine is famous for their local seafood, specifically their cod as well as lamb, bread and skyr- a soft yogurt-like cheese. The sheer abundance and variety of produce, wine and meats will satisfy any palate.
Vegetarian options are varied whereas vegan choices are slightly more limited though if you let us know beforehand we’ll make sure you have options! We provide drinking water and you’ll be able to buy espresso and/or alcohol (and other drinks) in most places.
Vegan choices may be limited but we’ll do our best to help find things you may like. While glutenfree meals are possible, there may not be a huge variety available for gluten-free options either - as most local breads and pastries contain gluten. Dinner meals are often very late in the evening too as per the local customs.

What if I need a special diet?

We are accustomed to catering to the following special diets:

• vegan (no meat or animal products) *please discuss this option with us - difficult to accommodate in Spain (Camino)
• vegetarian (no meat products)
• pescatarian (vegetarian, and eat fish)
• no red meat (eat chicken & fish)
• gluten intolerant (no wheat, rye, barley or oats)
• lactose intolerant (no dairy products)

You will get the opportunity to specify your particular requirements when you fill in our pre-trip questionnaire. If you have any other dietary requirements please let us know well in advance, via email or the online questionnaire.

What is the currency in Europe?

The currency in Austria, France, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands is the Euro €, in Croatia it's the Croatian Kuna, in Iceland it’s the Icleandic Króna kr and in Switzerland it’s the Swiss Franc CHF.
In Switzerland if you’re near the border (ie Geneva or while on your Tour du Mont Blanc trip) most places will accept Euro’s for payment, though they’ll charge you extra for this convenience.

How much spending money should I bring and where do I get local currency?

Our trips include all transportation, guiding, meals and activities (except where indicated on the itinerary). The only things you will definitely need cash for are drinks other than water (drinking water is fine to drink from the tap on all our trips), souvenirs and tips. 

Usually the easiest thing to do is use your credit or debit card to withdraw money directly from your home account, in local currency. There are plenty of ATM's and banks in larger towns in Europe, and ATM's will accept all major credit cards and many debit cards. Cash advances are the most convenient way to get cash.

Will the altitude affect me in Europe?

No. even though we're in the Alps, we don't go into any areas where altitude is a major factor. The only place where you'll find altitude is a factor is on the trip up to Aiguille du Midi above Chamonix but you'll be taking a cable car up there and won't be there for too long!

Do I need to speak the local language?

A little would be helpful, especially on arrival and for ordering food in restaurants, but it's certainly not required. English is spoken in most hotels, airports and tourist areas though not everywhere. Our local guides are all fluent native speakers so if you don't have time to learn a little before arrival you don't have to worry... they will take care of everything.

What time zone is Europe in?

For the majority of the summer season Austria, Croatia, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and The Netherlands are in the Central European (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) whilst Iceland is on GMT time.

What type of plugs and voltage do you use in Europe?

European countries operate on a 220V AC system with Plug Type C which consists of two round parallel pins while the wall plug has two holes where it is connected.

Will I have access to Internet/WiFi?

WiFi is available almost everywhere in cities and easy enough to find in most towns/villages so you can rely on having regularly access during your trip. If you have data roaming switched on, then you'll be able to use the internet on your smartphone, but beware of the fees! WiFi is available at most of the accommodations that you'll be staying at, sometimes for a small cost so check this out at each location when you arrive.

If I book a trip with my children, will I be sharing a room with them?

Active Adventures & Austin Adventures family vacations are naturally about spending time with family and as such, most families opt to share rooms on our trips. At time of booking, families consisting of four guests with children aged 17 and under will be automatically assigned one shared room. However, the following alternative rooming allocations are available:

  • Families consisting of four guests with all children aged 13 and above are welcome to opt for additional rooms as per advertised double occupancy adult rates.
  • Families consisting of four guests with at least one child aged 12 and under are automatically assigned a shared room. However, families can opt to pay the adult rates for all guests in their family to have an additional room.
  • The same principles apply for families consisting of more than four guests.

Rooming preferences are subject to availability and must be communicated in writing at time of booking. Automatic assignments as per this policy will be applied in the absence of any specification provided by guests. Any request for additional rooms during trips will be at the guests’ own expense and subject to rates made available by the accommodation provider at the time. All minors (guests aged 17 and under) must be accompanied by at least one adult.

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Why Travel With Us

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Experience adventure the way you want

You’ll be inspired and exhilarated, enjoying mind-blowing scenery on foot, in a sea kayak, or by bike - all at your own pace.

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We're proud of our New Zealand roots and you’ll love our professional and warm style of hosting. We’re always here to help with planning... even hiking boot recommendations!

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With an average of 12 guests per departure and an industry-leading average 6:1 guest-to-guide ratio, you'll get to know your fellow travelers and have the flexibility to go at your own pace.

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