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Horseback riding tours
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Sea, Sun and Moonlight Ride on Crete
Crete
Greece
Enjoy the Greek lifestyle- the bright blue sea, the golden sun and tastiest food! Relax on the beach or visit the ancient sites!
Crete is an island in the sun, surrounded by the clear, blue sea and has a rough and wild landscape with mountains reaching 2,5 km high. You can ride within the silence of nature on the tiny island covered with olive-trees, beautiful and natural landscapes, historical places with timeless myths and astonishing tracks to follow. Swim in the ocean and dry on the deserted beach.
The moment you arrive on the hillside, you experience quiet serenity and have a tremendous panoramic view. Under us stretches the Langada Valley with the Apposelemis River crossing through, above us rise the red coloured peaks of the Dikti Mountains. Birds of prey, like the Griffon Vulture, glide along these peaks. The estate is surrounded by a protected Kerm Oak forest and the olive groves stretch down into the valley. On the estate, many protected trees and flowers can be found, many different types of beautiful orchids grow.
This riding program is ideal for the equestrian traveler whose family does not horseback ride. There are golf courses, paragliding, hiking trails and mountain climbing close by!
We combine a relaxing and sun filled holiday with quality horseback action. During the week, we ride out for beautiful 2 hour trips through the Langada Area.
We ride daily through the valley of Langada, crossing the traditional Greek village of Avdou with its Byzantine church.
Enjoy an excellent view over the stables and the Langada valley once we ride up the mountainside.
Journey through the Kerm Oak forest to visit the mysterious Church of the Saint Fotini which is hidden deep into a cave. We return home by quick canters over the plateau of Mochos.
This active holiday combines all the good things of the Cretan life, relaxing on the beach or swimming in the pool, visiting the ancient sites, meeting the friendly locals, enjoying the Greek food and even taking our 4 footed friends for a unique and relaxing ride during the cool evening hours.
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Meeting:
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Avdou
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Airport:
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Heraklion International Airport
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Transfer:
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Heraklion (Iraklion) Airport by taxi or public bus
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Riders:
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Min
1 riders
Max
8 riders
(per riding group)
Max Capacity
24
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Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2009 | 2010
Rates include:
Accommodations in 4 star equestrian hotel Velani with swimming pool, breakfast, dinner, lodging in private rooms with bath, 6 riding days (12 hrs), English speaking guide. Rates are based on 2 people in the Grand Comfort room or 3 people in the Panorama VIP room.
| A | 2010 | 8 day ride, MAP | 8d / 7n | €560 | $860 |
| Single supplement (requested) | €145 | $225 |
| Upgrade to Luxury Rooms | €145 | $225 |
| Non-rider Discount | (€175) | ($260) |
| Children (8-12) rider | (€270) | ($405) |
| Children (8-12)non rider | (€400) | ($605) |
Rates Note:
Non riders: There are many activity options available - from Para-gliding to Caving, Mountain Biking and Hiking to Golfing (5 miles away)
Transfer Option:
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2010
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Transfer from Heraklion airport by taxi approx rate one way
This is a "Group Rate" - to be paid locally
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€
45
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$70
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2010
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Transfer from Heraklion airport by bus approx $5 one way
- to be paid locally
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€
0
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$0
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How to travel to Crete
By Air: A direct flight to Heraklion, Kazantzakis International Airport.
Or from Athens, by domestic flight to Heraklion Airport (flights go almost every hour). Domestic flights are offered by Aegean Airlines or Olympic Airlines.
By boat: A ferry service in between Crete and Piraeus (Port of Athens) is offered by Minoan Lines and Anek Lines. The ferry departs in the evening and arrives the next morning very early. During the high season there is also an extra service during the day.
Please let Hidden Trails know if you'd like to book a taxi transfer. This does need to be done in advance of your arrival, but is paid locally. We advise you to let us arrange the taxi, as not all taxi drivers are willing to drive the last 2 km of unpaved road to the hotel or let you pay extra for this.Please let us know if you would like this, together with your arrival time and flight number. Or you can take a local bus to the hotel.
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Arrival is possible any time during the season
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Rates do not include:
Drinks, lunch (very inexpensive- to be paid locally at the taverns), dessert. Saddle bag lunch can be purchased in the restaurant for 5 euro. Transfer from Iraklio (Heraklion) airport not included (paid locally).
This partner or family program is an ideal combination for those who travel together with non-riders. Joins 1 of the other sport activities in the hotel like golf, mountain climbing or paragliding.
We ride daily on a 2 hour active trip through the valley of Langada, crossing the traditional Greek village of Avdou with its Byzantine church. We climb up the mountain giving an excellent view over the stables and the Langada valley. We ride through Kerm Oak forest to visit the mysterious Church of the Saint Fotini which is hidden deep into a cave. (2 hours in the saddle and a visit to the cave) and we make enjoy quick canters over the plateau of Mochos. The program includes 6 days horse riding with a total of 12 hours.
Meeting:
Avdou
Airport:
Heraklion International Airport
Transfer:
Heraklion (Iraklion) Airport by taxi or public bus
Distance:
40 km
How to travel to Crete By Air: A direct flight to Heraklion, Kazantzakis International Airport.
Or from Athens, by domestic flight to Heraklion Airport (flights go almost every hour). Domestic flights are offered by Aegean Airlines or Olympic Airlines. By boat: A ferry service in between Crete and Piraeus (Port of Athens) is offered by Minoan Lines and Anek Lines. The ferry departs in the evening and arrives the next morning very early. During the high season there is also an extra service during the day.
Please let Hidden Trails know if you'd like to book a taxi transfer. This does need to be done in advance of your arrival, but is paid locally. We advise you to let us arrange the taxi, as not all taxi drivers are willing to drive the last 2 km of unpaved road to the hotel or let you pay extra for this.Please let us know if you would like this, together with your arrival time and flight number. Or you can take a local bus to the hotel.
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Tack:
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English - Wintec
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Horses:
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Arab, Thoroughbred, Warmbloods,
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Pace:
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moderate with occasional steep terrain 4 hrs/day
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Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
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Level:
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(2
to
3
out of 5) Good Novice+
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Age:
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Min
8
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Weight:
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Max
210
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Riders:
|
|
Min
1 riders
|
Max
8 riders
(per riding group)
|
Max Capacity
24
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Horses - there are:
1 Arab horse, 1 Berber, 3 Thoroughbreds, 4 Dutch warm bloods, 4 Greek
warm bloods, and for the guide 1 Hanoveran. For the children we have 2
Welsh ponies.
We ride on warm blood horses and thoroughbreds as they
have a long breath and a never tiring will for long distance riding.
Training them especially for the mountain work makes that we have a
challenging travel companion for you. Full of strength and courage. But
in the same time be surprised how cool in the head and safe our horses
are.Especially for the novice rider we use reliable and easy horses, to
give them the trust and safety that he or she needs.But for all our
horses’ counts that they are friendly, well cared for, good fed, well
trained and all have an excellent condition for the long distance
riding.
The barn facilities include:
- 14 stalls with connected turnout paddocks giving the horses themselves the choice to go inside or outside.
- Outdoor arena, 45 x 20 meters with an all-weather proof floor a
- Outdoor arena, 15 x 12 meters, for lunging.
- Tack room
- Pasture
- An indoor horse shower
- Bathroom/changing-room and toilets for the guests
Passport and Visa Requirements:
Passports Passport required by all except: (a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. Passports must be valid for the following durations: (a) British and EU (excluding Bulgar. more
The island of Crete has a temperate Mediterranean climate meaning it experiences hot, dry summers and mild winters. Crete has the mildest climate of anywhere in Greece. Summer sees almost no rain, while winter months, especially December to February, can be quite wet. Average temperatures are at their peak in July and August at 26 ºC while January and February see temperatures of 12 ºC on average.
In general, Crete experiences winter days that can sometimes be rainy and windy and feel quite cold. January sees the most rainfall, with some parts of the island averaging 14 rainy days in the month. Showers are frequent from November until February. Winter temperatures average about 12-14ºC. Temperature rarely falls much below double figures in lowland and coastal Crete though Heraklion did record a temperature of -0.8 ºC in 2004. In February 2004 Crete did experience an unusually cold period of weather which saw the whole island dusted in snow. Normally, though, snow is very rare anywhere on the island apart from in the higher mountains.
Springtime weather on the island can still see a number of rainy days, especially in the north, though clear and mild days are frequent. Temperatures can begin to hit the 20s and the sea begins to warm up.
Summer begins in earnest from June. The period June to September sees almost no rainfall and average temperatures of around 25 ºC. Daytime temperature in mid summer is often in the low 30s, though can sometimes reach up to 40 ºC. Summer 2002 saw the mercury rise to a stifling 45 ºC.
Temperatures begin to cool off in late September, and the now dry island begins to receive some much needed rainfall. Early autumn is a pleasant time with calm, clear days. The weather becomes more unstable from November as rainy and windy days increase, though sunny days with temperatures in the low 20s are not uncommon.
Different parts of Crete can experience very different weather patterns, due in the main to the weather barrier created by the mountain ranges that stretch from ease to west across the island. The south is on average a couple of degrees warmer than the north and is also drier. Similarly eastern Crete is drier and warmer than those regions in the west.
Crete straddles two climatic zones – Mediterranean and North African. Southern Crete falls into the North African climate zone, enjoying warmer weather and averaging over 2800 hours of sunshine a year. The varying climates on the island are reflected by the landscape and vegetation. The south can be very arid, especially in summer, while the north is more green and verdant. Southern Crete’s similarities with the North African climate are evident in the fact that African swallows remain year round rather than migrating south.
The mountain regions can experience heavy snowfall in winter due to their high elevation. Snow can often remain on the higher peaks such as Mt Ida until June. At these heights there is a distinctly mountainous climate, with large temperature variations between the seasons. Weather conditions often change rapidly. This mountain climate is very different from the coastal and lowland regions on the rest of the island.
The winds that visit Crete have an important role in shaping the island’s weather patterns. Cold, wet and windy winter days are experienced when the strong northern winds hit the island. The sirocco winds arrive from the southeast bringing hot, sand filled air from the deserts of Africa. When the sirocco winds arrive the island becomes very dusty and hot and visibility can fall. However, when they blow in winter they bring warm air and pleasant temperatures. Southerly winds in the summer months can sometimes bring stifling temperatures of up to 45 ºC. On other summer days the welcome ‘meltimi’ winds arrive from the north-west bringing a much needed cooling breeze to the island. When the wind blows from the east, Crete usually experiences calm and clear weather.
Sea temperatures around Crete are generally warm, and bathers can swim comfortably from May right up to November. The water remains above 20 ºC during these months, peaking at 25 ºC in high summer. The sea temperature will drop to about 15 ºC in February before beginning to warm again with the onset of spring.
In the mountains it can also be cold in May or September.
The hotel has laundry available, one wash costs 5 euro.
| … this list is only a guideline for you |
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| Travel documents and Voucher |
| Flight tickets |
| Passport |
| Visa (check with your consulate) |
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| RIDING GEAR |
| Riding pants or Jodhpurs (used if possible!). No jeans. |
| Riding boots that are also comfortable for walking. Mini chaps. |
| Riding helmet. Best if you bring you own. We have simple helmets for free in the stables. |
| Riding gloves |
| Hat (with chin strap) for sun protection |
| Lightweight Rain coat |
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| PERSONAL CLOTHING |
| Jacket or sweater for cool evenings |
| Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts |
| Jeans |
| Shorts |
| Underwear and socks |
| Pyjamas |
| Bag for dirty clothes |
| Trekking boots/ comfortable shoes |
| Swimsuit |
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| ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING |
| Personal Toiletries |
| Insect protection |
| Personal medications |
| Sore cream (for the emergency) |
| Sewing kit |
| Handkerchiefs |
| Adapter for electric appliances |
| Camera and enough extra film or batteries |
| Belt pack |
| Address book and pen (for postcards!) |
| Sun glasses with strap |
| Sun tan lotion and lip balm |
Sorry, no video is currently available for this tour.
*Important Notice: The following ratings have been submitted by guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Hidden Trails, its partners or employees.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy but Hidden Trails is not liable for any errors or omissions.
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|
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The moment you arrive on the hillside you experience the serene quietness and the tremendous panoramic view. Under us stretches the Langada Valley where the Apposelemis River flows. Above us rise the red colored peaks of the Dikti Mountains. Birds of prey, like the Griffon Vulture, glide along these peaks. The estate is surrounded by protected Kerm Oak forest and olive groves stretching down to the valley. On the estate many protected trees and flowers can be found, like different type of beautiful orchids.
The hotel suits its surroundings; it is built with real natural stones collected from the land it stands on which give it a robust and natural look. The hotel has a neo-classic style creating a romantic atmosphere for long summer nights.
The main building houses the reception and a cafe with a large balcony where you can drink your Greek coffee or Rakí. In the main building you also find Restaurant Veláni with its large terrace overlooking the riding place and the valley. The restaurant serves typical Cretan food which is famous for being healthy and its use of olive oil. The olive oil is our own and is produced by the olive grove of the estate.
Reception, café and restaurant have opening hours.
On
the arrival day guests are welcome the whole day, but guests rooms are
not ready before 2 PM. On departure day guests leave the room before
9.30 AM, but are welcome to spend their last day in the hotel. A
shower/changing room and toilets are available.
The twelve hotel rooms are grouped into two bungalows, each housing six rooms. The bungalows are quiet and lay separately from the main activities. The rooms are large and comfortable and have tremendous views over the valley. Each room has a large bathroom with bathtub. The rooms have heating and air conditioning (both included in the price), a large glass door of two meters and a private terrace. Room cleaning and towel change is every 2 days. Sheets are changed once a week.
Next to the main building lays the naturally formed large swimming pool that comprises an area of 100 meters squared. Its depth ranges from 130 to 160 meters. There is a separate children’s pool of 11 meters squared; it is 40 centimeters deep.
You have the free use of "sun beds" around the pool.
Meals
The stay is on a basis of half board: breakfast and dinner in Restaurant Veláni. Dinner is your choice from the menu and includes a starter, main dish and salad. Drinks, lunch, desserts and other foods are not included. The food we serve is traditional Cretan/Greek: food from a traditional woodfire oven, many vegetable dishes, mezedes, or grilled meat. Sometimes our guests prefer if we eat the Greek way (mezedes) and we put several dishes in the middle so everyone can try them!
If you are out riding over lunch, a saddle-bag lunch can be purchased at the restaurant.
Other activities:
The following activities are
available nearby (no included)Paragliding (only for experienced
flyers), hiking, caving and mountain climbing for all levels. It is
possible to rent mountain bikes.A 18 hole golf course is located nearby
(5 miles). The wide sandy beach of Anissaras is 10 miles away.
Horses - there are:
1 Arab horse, 1 Berber, 3 Thoroughbreds, 4 Dutch warm bloods, 4 Greek
warm bloods, and for the guide 1 Hanoveran. For the children we have 2
Welsh ponies.
We ride on warm blood horses and thoroughbreds as they
have a long breath and a never tiring will for long distance riding.
Training them especially for the mountain work makes that we have a
challenging travel companion for you. Full of strength and courage. But
in the same time be surprised how cool in the head and safe our horses
are.Especially for the novice rider we use reliable and easy horses, to
give them the trust and safety that he or she needs.But for all our
horses’ counts that they are friendly, well cared for, good fed, well
trained and all have an excellent condition for the long distance
riding.
The barn facilities include:
- 14 stalls with connected turnout paddocks giving the horses themselves the choice to go inside or outside.
- Outdoor arena, 45 x 20 meters with an all-weather proof floor a
- Outdoor arena, 15 x 12 meters, for lunging.
- Tack room
- Pasture
- An indoor horse shower
- Bathroom/changing-room and toilets for the guests
|
Tack:
|
|
English - Wintec
|
|
Horses:
|
|
Arab, Thoroughbred, Warmbloods,
|
|
Pace:
|
|
moderate with occasional steep terrain 4 hrs/day
|
Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
|
|
Level:
|
|
(2
to
3
out of 5) Good Novice+
|
|
Age:
|
|
Min
8
|
|
|
Weight:
|
|
Max
210
|
|
Riders:
|
|
Min
1 riders
|
Max
8 riders
(per riding group)
|
Max Capacity
24
|
Horses - there are:
1 Arab horse, 1 Berber, 3 Thoroughbreds, 4 Dutch warm bloods, 4 Greek
warm bloods, and for the guide 1 Hanoveran. For the children we have 2
Welsh ponies.
We ride on warm blood horses and thoroughbreds as they
have a long breath and a never tiring will for long distance riding.
Training them especially for the mountain work makes that we have a
challenging travel companion for you. Full of strength and courage. But
in the same time be surprised how cool in the head and safe our horses
are.Especially for the novice rider we use reliable and easy horses, to
give them the trust and safety that he or she needs.But for all our
horses’ counts that they are friendly, well cared for, good fed, well
trained and all have an excellent condition for the long distance
riding.
The barn facilities include:
- 14 stalls with connected turnout paddocks giving the horses themselves the choice to go inside or outside.
- Outdoor arena, 45 x 20 meters with an all-weather proof floor a
- Outdoor arena, 15 x 12 meters, for lunging.
- Tack room
- Pasture
- An indoor horse shower
- Bathroom/changing-room and toilets for the guests
Passports
Passport required by all except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Passports must be valid for the following durations:
(a) British and EU (excluding Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia) passports must be valid for length of intended stay.
(b) Australian, Canadian, USA and excluded EU passports must be valid for at least three months beyond length of stay.
Note: EU and EEA nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
Passport Note
Greece is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.
Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) nationals of EU countries for an unlimited period;
(b) nationals of Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Romania and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
(a) 2. EU nationals staying more than 90 days or for employment (including establishing a business, trade, profession or commercial activity) have to apply in person to the consulate general of Greece for a national visa; (b) Greece refuses admission and transit to holders of travel documents issued by the area of Cyprus not controlled by the Government of Cyprus, and holders of UN laissez-passers; (c) Some nationals may have to register with the Aliens Department of the nearest police station within 48 hours of arrival. Contact the nearest embassy/consulate to determine whether this is necessary prior to travel.
Types of Visa and Cost
National visa: £30.
Working Days Required
Three to 14, dependent upon nationality.
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
1 |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No/2 |
| Australian |
No |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
No |
| Other EU |
No/2 |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
No |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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Sea, Sun and Moonlight Ride on Crete
Tour Code: IT-GR-SRCR01
8 days /
7 nights
~$860.00
Difficulty :
Lodging: 
Introduction
Day to Day Itinerary
Rates |
Dates
Accomodation
General Information About Crete
Tack:
English - Wintec
Horses:
Arab, Thoroughbred, Warmbloods,
Pace:
moderate with occasional steep terrain...
Walk, Trot, Canter,
Airport:
Heraklion International Airport
Google Map
Image Gallery
Image Slide Show
Customer Trip Rating
Climate
What To Bring
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