★★★★★Tripadvisor review
Extraordinary! A must-do!
Vac40950, October 2026
Extraordinary experience!
More than gloomy weather, a flooded Lassithi Plateau (never seen before by the locals) and yet our group of 21 people had an excellent day!
From the pickup at our hotel, rhythm, visits, experiences, landscapes and above all guides - Nicolas / Meddi / Aaron - who helped us discover their culture, traditions, and ways of life with joy and good humor!
A must-do!!
★★★★★Tripadvisor review
The only review you'll need for this tour!!!
davidpA7796GY, September 2026
Kevin was amazing! My partner and I had an absolutely brilliant day and this was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Crete.
The day starts with pickup at around 8am, followed by a quick stop to make sure everyone is in the right vehicle based on the language of their tour. From there, you head into the mountains via some proper off-road tracks to a farm, where you get to milk a goat, feed the other goats and try some fantastic local cheeses, olive oil and raki.
We then visited an olive oil factory, where we had a tour and got to taste different olive oils and other olive products. After that, we stopped at several beautiful scenic spots for photos before heading further up the mountain. We also stopped at a pottery workshop where we got to make our own pots from clay with help from the professionals. Some people on a different version of the tour went to Zeus' Cave at this point, but we stayed for the pottery, so it seems the exact itinerary can vary depending on the tour you book but regardless of what activity you pick when booking, they give you the option to do either.
After the mountain activities, we stopped at a bar for a drink and around 45 minutes to relax before heading back down through the mountains and local farms. Along the way, we even got to try some locally grown apples.
Around 2pm, we arrived at a gorgeous restaurant/taverna for lunch. The food was incredible and the prices were extremely fair, especially compared with Elounda. The food is cooked for around four hours in a traditional stone oven, and the meat was incredibly juicy. The potatoes are cooked in the meat juices and were honestly some of the best I've had. There are vegetarian options too. They also offer a cooking demonstration where the chef teaches you how to make several local dishes.
After lunch, we took a short walk nearby to see some old wash houses and an incredible 2,000+ year-old tree with a really interesting history. We then headed back along the scenic route, with plenty more opportunities to stop for photos.
Kevin really made the day. He was incredibly funny, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and spent the whole day chatting with us and teaching us about Crete, the places we visited and the local culture. He made the whole experience feel much more personal and memorable.
We arrived back at around 4:45pm, so it's a proper full-day excursion and, in my opinion, absolutely worth the money. In fact, the tour cost less than what a return taxi from Heraklion to Elounda would have cost us, while obviously including far more than just transport.
There are a couple of things worth knowing beforehand. The back of the vehicle is quite cramped, and the off-road sections can be pretty bumpy, so you may come away with a couple of bruises! But honestly, that's part of the experience and I'd expect that when booking an off-road mountain tour.
I've also seen some reviews complaining that the cooking class is only around 15 minutes rather than a full hour class.
Personally, I think those expectations are a little unrealistic given how much is packed into the day. It's more of a short cooking demonstration than a full cooking course, but you do get to see the chef making the dishes and have a go yourself. Plus after the class we got to eat the tatziki they made and it was 10/10!
The same applies to the pottery workshop. There are lots of people to take through the experience, so it's not a long pottery course where you sit and make something completely independently. You are assisted by the professionals, but you do actually make your own pot, so I wouldn't say the experience is misleading at all.
One final tip: bring your own water! You only get one bottle included, although there are plenty of opportunities to buy more during the stops.
Overall, it was an incredible day and one I'll remember for a long time. If you're looking for a way to see a very different side of Crete, away from the usual tourist spots, I'd definitely recommend this tour. Kevin was fantastic and made the whole experience what it was. 5* would recommend
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