Heraklion Full-Day Jeep Safari Tour with Cooking and Pottery Lessons
by Safari Experts Crete
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€184Overview
This full-day jeep safari tour in Heraklion lasts about eight to nine hours and includes off-road driving, cooking, and pottery lessons. The tour begins with hotel pickup and travels to Potamies, a traditional village where visitors spend about 30 minutes at a local shepherd’s home. There, they observe goat milking and cheese making, followed by tasting of local products such as cheese, raki, and olive oil. The route continues through gardens with seasonal fruits and vegetables to Aposelemis Dam, the largest water supply project in Crete, where the submerged village of Sfendili can be seen. Next, the tour visits Avdou, a village known for its well-preserved buildings and informative signs about its history. The jeep then climbs dirt roads through the Ebassas gorge, with views of the mountains. During a short stop, the guide collects local herbs including oregano, thyme, and sage. A brief visit to the windmills of Lasithi Plateau follows, where the stone windmills once used for irrigation are explained. The tour proceeds to Pinakiano for a cooking lesson lasting about 45 minutes, led by local professionals. Participants prepare traditional dishes using local ingredients and herbs. After cooking, the group visits a pottery workshop in Psychro for a 30-minute lesson on ceramic art, including the opportunity to create a personal piece. The next stop is Plati, where visitors have 30 minutes to walk through village alleys and may choose to have coffee at a local cafeteria. Lunch takes place in Krasi at a traditional restaurant for about an hour and a half, featuring food cooked in a wood oven and paired with local wine. After lunch, there is a 15-minute visit to the village square to see the 18th-century aqueduct and the monumental plane trees, including Crete’s oldest tree, over 2,000 years old. The day ends in Malia with a 30-minute visit to an olive oil mill to learn about olive oil production, followed by a tasting session. The tour uses 4WD Land Rover Defender or Mercedes Vito vehicles and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, cooking and pottery classes, experienced drivers, and fuel. Private expenses are not included. Walking shoes, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, jacket, and water are recommended.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Potamies
Starting at the hotel, the tour reaches Potamies village where guests visit a traditional mitato to meet a local shepherd family. The process of milking goats and cheese making is shown, along with flour production in a herromily. Guests can taste cheese, raki, and olive oil from the shepherd.
30 min
Aposelemis Dam
The tour continues through village gardens with fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables to Aposelemis Dam, the largest water supply project on Crete. The submerged village of Sfendili, with old houses visible under the water surface, is a notable sight.
10 min
Avdou
Next is Avdou, a representative Cretan village where all buildings are preserved. Informational signs explain the village’s historical formation.
Ano Kera
The jeep ascends dirt roads through the Ebassas gorge, offering views of mountains and natural surroundings. At a short stop, the guide collects local herbs such as oregano, thyme, and sage.
30 min
Windmills Of Lasithi Plateau
A brief stop at the windmills of Lasithi Plateau showcases stone windmills with white sails once used to pump water for irrigation. At its peak, the plateau had over 10,000 windmills.
5 min
Pinakiano
Guests participate in a cooking class led by local professionals, preparing dishes with fresh local ingredients and herbs.
45 min
Psychro
The tour visits a pottery workshop in Psychro where guests learn ceramic art techniques and create their own pottery pieces. Psychro is part of Lasithi Plateau, known for its hospitality.
30 min
Plati
Time is given to walk through the alleys of Plati village and to stop at a local cafeteria for optional coffee.
30 min
Krasi
Lunch is served in Krasi at a traditional restaurant where dishes are cooked in a wood oven and served with local wine.
90 min
Krasi
Following lunch, the tour stops at Krasi village square to observe the 18th-century aqueduct and the large, centuries-old plane trees, including the oldest plane tree in Crete, which is over 2000 years old.
15 min
Malia
The day ends with a visit to an olive oil mill in Malia to learn about olive oil production, followed by a tasting session.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Heraklion Full-Day Jeep Safari Tour with Cooking and Pottery Lessons
by Safari Experts Crete
Choose from 1 available option
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€184Overview
This full-day jeep safari tour in Heraklion lasts about eight to nine hours and includes off-road driving, cooking, and pottery lessons. The tour begins with hotel pickup and travels to Potamies, a traditional village where visitors spend about 30 minutes at a local shepherd’s home. There, they observe goat milking and cheese making, followed by tasting of local products such as cheese, raki, and olive oil. The route continues through gardens with seasonal fruits and vegetables to Aposelemis Dam, the largest water supply project in Crete, where the submerged village of Sfendili can be seen. Next, the tour visits Avdou, a village known for its well-preserved buildings and informative signs about its history. The jeep then climbs dirt roads through the Ebassas gorge, with views of the mountains. During a short stop, the guide collects local herbs including oregano, thyme, and sage. A brief visit to the windmills of Lasithi Plateau follows, where the stone windmills once used for irrigation are explained. The tour proceeds to Pinakiano for a cooking lesson lasting about 45 minutes, led by local professionals. Participants prepare traditional dishes using local ingredients and herbs. After cooking, the group visits a pottery workshop in Psychro for a 30-minute lesson on ceramic art, including the opportunity to create a personal piece. The next stop is Plati, where visitors have 30 minutes to walk through village alleys and may choose to have coffee at a local cafeteria. Lunch takes place in Krasi at a traditional restaurant for about an hour and a half, featuring food cooked in a wood oven and paired with local wine. After lunch, there is a 15-minute visit to the village square to see the 18th-century aqueduct and the monumental plane trees, including Crete’s oldest tree, over 2,000 years old. The day ends in Malia with a 30-minute visit to an olive oil mill to learn about olive oil production, followed by a tasting session. The tour uses 4WD Land Rover Defender or Mercedes Vito vehicles and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, cooking and pottery classes, experienced drivers, and fuel. Private expenses are not included. Walking shoes, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, jacket, and water are recommended.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Potamies
Starting at the hotel, the tour reaches Potamies village where guests visit a traditional mitato to meet a local shepherd family. The process of milking goats and cheese making is shown, along with flour production in a herromily. Guests can taste cheese, raki, and olive oil from the shepherd.
30 min
Aposelemis Dam
The tour continues through village gardens with fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables to Aposelemis Dam, the largest water supply project on Crete. The submerged village of Sfendili, with old houses visible under the water surface, is a notable sight.
10 min
Avdou
Next is Avdou, a representative Cretan village where all buildings are preserved. Informational signs explain the village’s historical formation.
Ano Kera
The jeep ascends dirt roads through the Ebassas gorge, offering views of mountains and natural surroundings. At a short stop, the guide collects local herbs such as oregano, thyme, and sage.
30 min
Windmills Of Lasithi Plateau
A brief stop at the windmills of Lasithi Plateau showcases stone windmills with white sails once used to pump water for irrigation. At its peak, the plateau had over 10,000 windmills.
5 min
Pinakiano
Guests participate in a cooking class led by local professionals, preparing dishes with fresh local ingredients and herbs.
45 min
Psychro
The tour visits a pottery workshop in Psychro where guests learn ceramic art techniques and create their own pottery pieces. Psychro is part of Lasithi Plateau, known for its hospitality.
30 min
Plati
Time is given to walk through the alleys of Plati village and to stop at a local cafeteria for optional coffee.
30 min
Krasi
Lunch is served in Krasi at a traditional restaurant where dishes are cooked in a wood oven and served with local wine.
90 min
Krasi
Following lunch, the tour stops at Krasi village square to observe the 18th-century aqueduct and the large, centuries-old plane trees, including the oldest plane tree in Crete, which is over 2000 years old.
15 min
Malia
The day ends with a visit to an olive oil mill in Malia to learn about olive oil production, followed by a tasting session.
30 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.