A unique nature resort on Crete is Skalopatia. Skalopatia is situated in Central Crete.

We will start our hiking tour van the village’s kafenion, where we start our hiking tour of approximately 22 kilometers. We organize this hiking tour weekly from March until December. This hiking tour has not yet been discovered by mass tourism. This hiking tour has unique scenery with lots of impressive nature with small rivers. There live a lot of turtles in this nature resort on Crete. It is impressive to see how these turtles live in the clear blue waters of the lakes and how the turtles are sunbathing on the many rocks.

For who is hiking on Crete suitable? We adjust our hiking tours to our guests. We organize (on request) heavy walking tours (27 kilometer), medium walking tours (22 kilometers) and light walking tours (12 kilometers). All options are available on request. We like to advise to wear good walking shoes and socks. It is also very important to bring enough water with you during the tour; the hiking track will lead you straight through impressive nature.

Kalderini’s on Crete: Kalderini’s are old donkey paths from the old days where all villages where attached through donkey paths. You will be able to recognize lots off these donkey paths when hiking through Skalopatia. These kalderini’s where the only transportation on Crete from 1850 and many years before. During your walk you will see also a lot of places where the animals like donkey, sheep and goats could drink water on their journeys. From Central and Middle Crete you are able to find lots of old kalderini’s which eventually through small villages end in the capital of Crete, Heraklion. 

Route: we will leave from the village kafenion. After our coffee we will walk down to the Skalopatia resort, an area full of wine ranks and olive fields. We will reach an old Venetian bridge, a beautiful location. Walking on Crete summer and winter.

After the bridge we will walk downhill for about 500 meters, with fantastic views over the gorge. After our descending walk we will arrive at a small sweet water lake. This little lake is situated surrounded by lots of trees, for example oak trees and planate trees. Here you are able to spot the first turtle we will see during our hiking tour. We will follow the kalderini, through a busy area with next to us a small river, where lot of water plants grow. After a few kilometers we will arrive at the spot where in the summer hundreds of turtles live. It is necessary to walk very quietly to this spot, because we don’t want to scare the turtles away! Our path will lead us further to an old water reservoir, where in the old days water was collected for the surrounding villages. After the water basin, which is constructed beautifully from old sandstones, we will continue to walk to the river.  

Along this path are beautiful rock formations and after a few kilometers we will walk through a jungle area. Here exist still an old Cretan bush, with lots of different plants, flowers and herbs. You are also able to spot lots of bamboo and oleanders here. After this area we will walk through a small orange tree yard. At the end of the orange tree yard we will arrive at the lowest point of our hiking tour. Our path will lead us uphill through a gorge. From the gorge we will have a splendid view on the river and all nature we have passed on our walking trip before! Halfway through our walk we will enjoy our lunch in a deserted village, with small deserted house made of sandstone. Between the sandstone you are able to find lots of fossils. After our lunch we will continue to walk uphill. You will be able to visit a deserted old church among the way. After this old church we will you downhill again and we will arrive at the next turtle spot.

Our hiking tour will lead us next through field with a lot of fences; these are here for sheep and goats. We will have to open and close lots of fences, because we don’t want the sheep or goats to escape! At the end of the gorge we will stop at an old deserted church with some sheepherder barns. From this spot you will be picked up to go back to your accommodation. When we do our heavy hiking tour, we will continue to walk to sea level.

Plants, flowers, trees and herbs on Crete (Skalopatia) on the way: Anthemis riga, Malcomia flexuosa (Cruciferae), olivetrees, ciprestress, orangetrees, Arum idaeum Cousrur (Araceae), Cyclamen, Maquis, Cistus salviifolius, Phlomis fruiticosa, Lavandula stoechas, Asphodelus aestivus, iris, Phrygana, Polygala monspeliaca, Ophrys, Orchis quadripunctata, Ebenus cretica, oleander, Dracunculus vulgaris.