Chania Camp
Camping
Day 1
West Crete — 5 days (Chania, Samaria, Agia Roumeli, Loutro & Rethymno)
Eight days, two roadless villages, and one very long descent. Five days covering Samaria and the south coast only, without Knossos or the eastern half.
Old Mule Routes
Runs this trip
Trekking
Eight days, two roadless villages, and one very long descent
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Venetian harbourEight days across the west of the island: a gorge, a coast with no road, and the palace that gave us the word labyrinth. XyloskaloSixteen kilometres, all downhill, on loose rock. E4 pathLoutro has no road either.
Itinerary
Eight days across the west of the island: a gorge, a coast with no road, and the palace that gave us the word labyrinth.
ChaniaHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer into the old town
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationChania Camp
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Old-town guesthouse
LANDMARKS Venetian harbour Egyptian lighthouse Old town Start point Chania, Chania International Airport (CHQ), Akrotiri 00:00 - 23:59Sixteen kilometres, all downhill, on loose rock. The village at the bottom has no road to it — everyone leaves by ferry.
Chania, Samaria, Agia RoumeliHow the day runs
- 2 hrs5:30 AM — up to Xyloskalo at 1,250 m
- 7 hrs7:00 AM — the descent to the Libyan sea
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationAgia Roumeli Camp
Included Activities
- Park entry
- Guesthouse at Agia Roumeli
LANDMARKS Xyloskalo Iron Gates Agia Roumeli Kri-kri goats Loutro has no road either. The path along is exposed and hot by ten, and the ferry is a legitimate choice the day after Samaria.
Agia Roumeli, LoutroHow the day runs
- 5 hrs7:00 AM — the E4 along the cliffs
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationLoutro Camp
Included Activities
- Guesthouse at Loutro
Optional Activities
- The ferry, for anyone whose legs are finished
LANDMARKS E4 path Marmara beach Loutro No cars, no road, and about forty permanent residents. It is the point of coming this way rather than driving the north coast.
LoutroHow the day runs
- Swim, eat, take the boat to Marmara if you feel like it.
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationLoutro Camp
Included Activities
- Guesthouse night
LANDMARKS Loutro bay Phoenix Sweetwater beach Rethymno has the best-preserved Venetian old town on the island and a fortress you can walk the walls of.
Loutro, RethymnoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs9:30 AM — the ferry to Chora Sfakion
- 2 hrs11:30 AM — over the mountains to the north coast
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationRethymno Camp
Included Activities
- Ferry and transport
- Old-town guesthouse
LANDMARKS Fortezza Rethymno old town Venetian harbour Evans rebuilt large parts of Knossos in concrete in the 1900s, and archaeologists have argued about it ever since. The museum holds the actual finds and is the better half.
Rethymno, Knossos, HeraklionHow the day runs
- 2 hrs7:30 AM — east, at opening
- 0 hrs12:00 PM — the archaeological museum
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationHeraklion Camp
Included Activities
- Both entries and a guide
- Hotel in Heraklion
LANDMARKS Knossos Throne room Heraklion Archaeological Museum The plateau was irrigated by thousands of cloth-sailed windmills; a few hundred frames survive and almost none still turn.
HeraklionHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:30 AM — up to the plateau at 850 m
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationHeraklion Camp
Included Activities
- Cave entry
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Lasithi plateau Dikteon cave Stone windmills Heraklion flies across Europe directly through the summer.
HeraklionHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer to the airport
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Old-town guesthouse
- Day 2Park entry
- Day 2Guesthouse at Agia Roumeli
- Day 3Guesthouse at Loutro
- Day 3The ferry, for anyone whose legs are finishedCosts extra
- Day 4Guesthouse night
- Day 5Ferry and transport
- Day 6Both entries and a guide
- Day 6Hotel in Heraklion
- Day 7Cave entry
- Day 7Hotel night
- Day 1 · 1 nightChania Camp
- Day 2 · 1 nightAgia Roumeli Camp
- Day 3 · 2 nightsLoutro Camp
- Day 5 · 1 nightRethymno Camp
- Day 6 · 2 nightsHeraklion Camp
- Day 1Chania to ChaniaTransfer into the old town
- Day 2Chania to Samaria5:30 AM — up to Xyloskalo at 1,250 m
- Day 5Loutro to Rethymno9:30 AM — the ferry to Chora Sfakion
- Day 5Loutro to Rethymno11:30 AM — over the mountains to the north coast
- Day 6Rethymno to Knossos7:30 AM — east, at opening
- Day 6Knossos to Heraklion12:00 PM — the archaeological museum
- Day 7Heraklion to Heraklion8:30 AM — up to the plateau at 850 m
- Day 8Heraklion to HeraklionTransfer to the airport
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Agia Roumeli Camp
Camping
Day 2
Loutro Camp
Camping
Days 3, 4
Rethymno Camp
Camping
Day 5
Heraklion Camp
Camping
Days 6, 7
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts and 4 dinners across 8 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 8.
- DinnerServed on days 1–4
- BreakfastServed on days 2–8
11 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.8/5
Based on 17 reviews
Review summary
Food4.8/5
Guide4.5/5
Itinerary4.3/5
Transport4.5/5
Accommodation4.4/5
Tour operator4.6/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
D
Divya Reddy – Lucknow2026-08-01 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Never went hungry, and the tea appeared exactly when it was needed. Good value for what's included.
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5
A
Aditi Rao – Jaipur2026-08-01 · Verified booking
Crete in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Sleeping under canvas at that height is cold work and the kit was up to it. Simple food, well made, and enough of it. Worth every rupee.
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4
R
Rahul Menon – Lucknow2026-08-01 · Verified booking
Did this over 8 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. No hesitation recommending them.
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5
S
Sneha Kulkarni – Delhi2026-08-01 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Tents were warmer than expected and the camp was set up before we arrived. Worth every rupee.
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5
L
Laura Whitfield – Lisbon2026-07-03 · Verified booking
Crete in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Tents were warmer than expected and the camp was set up before we arrived. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Would send friends their way.
Reply from Old Mule Routes
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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5
N
Nikhil Joshi – Chennai2026-07-03 · Verified booking
Did this over 8 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. Sleeping under canvas at that height is cold work and the kit was up to it. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. No hesitation recommending them.
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5
T
Tara D'Souza – Mumbai2026-07-03 · Verified booking
Crete in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Camp was pitched and the kitchen going by the time we walked in each evening. Simple food, well made, and enough of it. Worth every rupee.
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5
N
Nikhil Joshi – Kolkata2026-07-03 · Verified booking
Crete in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Sleeping under canvas at that height is cold work and the kit was up to it. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Good value for what's included.
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Questions people ask
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