WALKING IN THE GREEK ISLANDS Friday 26 April - Sunday 19 May nights

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1 WALKING WALKING IN THE GREEK ISLANDS Friday 26 April - Sunday 19 May nights TOUR OVERVIEW Discover the Greek mainland and islands at walking pace, mixing spectacular countryside, ruins of civilisations long gone, beautiful beaches and rustic villages where life goes on much as it has for centuries. This tour combines energetic walking with more gentle strolls, and allows plenty of time to relax or explore at your own pace. First explore the capital, visiting the towering Acropolis with its famous Parthenon before diving into contemporary Athens on a food tour of markets, delicatessens and bakeries. Visit Parnassus, a mountain sacred to Apollo and site of the ruins of Delphi, before crossing the sea to Crete. Discover the unspoiled areas of this island as you follow walking paths through wild flowers, lush valleys, stunning coastline and magnificent mountain-rimmed gorges. Get to know the locals, drink wine with them and relish the divine Cretan food in tavernas that catch their own seafood and produce their own meat, cheese and olive oil. Explore the south coast and walk through two impressive gorges, and stop for a refreshing dip in the crystalline waters at any number of small, deserted beaches. On the island you can also remember the battles of WW2 and visit Souda Bay cemetery where many New Zealanders were buried. Leave Crete to cruise to two of the most beautiful islands of the Cyclades. Santorini feels like no other place on earth an ancient island where everything is brighter, from the whitewashed cubist houses to the sea and the sunsets that light up the caldera. The steep cliffs of Santorini are layered in colours as a result of a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago, and in the flooded caldera there is still volcanic activity. Naxos is an island of contrasts, with a lively town and beaches while life in the countryside is still very traditional. This tour is for active walkers who want to explore very scenic places and experience fascinating culture, ancient history, and of course beautiful food and wine. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Hiking across striking landscapes and through dramatic narrow gorges. Spectacular views of mountains, plateaus and the sea. The impressive coastal path and secluded beaches of the southern coast of Crete. Exploring the cities and temples of long-lost civilisations. Stunning white-washed villages of Santorini. A food tour in Athens and memorable food that reflects different local cuisines and local wines. Chilling out with locals in rustic villages or seaside tavernas.

2 TOUR MANAGER John Matheson will be your tour manager on this tour. John is as an active traveller who enjoys walking as a rewarding way to discover places in depth. Every year since 2005 John, accompanied by his wife, Rosanne, has taken groups of people on walking tours through the picturesque countryside in Europe, staying in small villages and sampling local food and wine. The benefit of his experience and history in these regions is that he knows where to go, what hidden gems to point out along the way, and how to tailor elements of the tour to the particular interests of the participants whenever possible. Calder & Lawson Tours have taken tours to Crete to commemorate the Crete campaign in World War II on the 50th and 60th anniversaries. John has taken a walking there and some of his favourite walks are the Samaria and Imbros Gorges because of their historical significance to New Zealanders. IS THIS TOUR FOR ME? This is an energetic walking tour that involves walks or treks in sometimes mountainous areas, and mostly on unsurfaced tracks. A day's walk can be up to 6 hours (excluding breaks), with climbs of up to 500 m and descents of as much as 1,200 m. Some days have shorter walks of only about 3 hours, with smaller elevation gains and losses. You will need to have had recent experience of walking under these conditions. There is plenty of time to relax and explore locally, and in most cases you can opt out of a day's walk if desired. TOUR INCLUSIONS The services of an experienced, New Zealand-based Calder & Lawson tour manager Economy class airfares 19 nights accommodation in Greece and the islands in 3-4 star hotels 2 nights accommodation in Dubai Breakfast daily, other meals as specified in the itinerary TOUR EXCLUSIONS Airline taxes Travel insurance Personal expenses Meals not specified in the itinerary Beverages during included meals, unless specified Hotel or airport porterage All group transfers as specified in the itinerary Admissions as detailed in the itinerary Walking and sightseeing with local guides as detailed in the itinerary All tips for local guides and other service providers Pre-tour material Luggage transfers between accommodation on the walks TOUR PRICE Ex Auckland Share twin per person NZD$12,759 Single supplement (limited availability) NZD$ 2,200 Please contact Calder & Lawson Tours if you are interested in a single occupancy place. GROUP SIZE Minimum 10, maximum 18 VARIATIONS IN TRAVEL We can make arrangements for any travel you would like to do before or after this tour, or book business class seats for the flights. Please contact us.

3 DAILY ITINERARY Friday 26 April 2019 Auckland Dubai Meals in flight Saturday 27 April Dubai Overnight: Dubai Sunday 28 April Dubai Athens Meals: in flight Monday 29 April Athens /D Tuesday 30 April Athens Wednesday 1 May Athens Delphi /D Overnight: Delphi Thursday 2 May Delphi Chania (Crete) /D Walking: 3km, ascent/descent 150m Friday 3 May Chania, Galatas and Souda Bay Saturday 4 May Vamos Georgioupolis Coach: 45 minutes Walking: 11 km (4 hours) +250m/- 415m Depart Auckland in the late evening for your overnight flight to Dubai. After an early arrival in Dubai, transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a free day to relax. In the morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Athens, arriving midafternoon. Transfer to your hotel near the ancient Acropolis and settle in for three nights. In the early morning visit the famed Acropolis to discover the origins of ancient Athens and the meticulous restoration of this archaeological jewel. The rest of the day is at leisure, before a welcome dinner. Discover what's great about Greek cuisine on a half-day food tour in Athens. Seize the opportunity to taste a wide variety of Greek delicacies ranging from feta cheese and famous Greek olives to mouth-watering sweet creations. Your expert food guide will lead you past produce stalls bursting with colour, intoxicating spice shops and enticing sweet shops. You will visit specialty food shops, alluring delicatessens and aromatic bakeries. A genuine Athenian food tour would not be complete without a visit to the vibrant central Varvakeios food market, with its bustling energy and loud bargaining. Afternoon at leisure. Transfer to Delphi, an impressive area on the slopes of Mount Parnassus that is the site of the 4th century BC Temple of Apollo, once home to the legendary oracle. This extensive mountainside archaeological complex also contains the remains of the Treasury of the Athenians and an ancient stadium and theatre. The archaeological museum tells the story of Delphi through displays of artefacts found among the ruins. In the morning walk along the ancient, zig-zag cobbled trail of Kaki Skala that climbs above Delphi. It has been used for over a thousand years and goes all the way to Corycian Cave, but you will climb only as far as the view point overlooking the stadium at Delphi. Later return to Athens for a late afternoon flight to Chania in Crete. Today remember the pivotal role played by New Zealand soldiers in a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful defence of Crete in A short drive takes you to the village of Galatas, where New Zealanders repulsed the German invasion for long enough to allow the evacuation of many soldiers from the south coast. As well as seeing two monuments and a small museum you might spot a street sign for Neozilandon Polemiston, which means Road of the New Zealand Warriors. Then a short drive takes you to the Souda Bay cemetery where many of the 671 New Zealanders who died on Crete were buried. After a short drive back to Chania, explore the old town on foot with a local guide. Transfer to Vamos in the Apokoronas region, where you can buy food for a picnic lunch before walking to Georgioupolis. On arrival there will be free time to explore Georgioupolis, relax in a café or take a swim before transferring back to Chania.

4 Sunday 5 May Chania Omalos and via Samaria Gorge to Agia Roumeli Coach: 1 hour Walking: 15 km (5-6 hours), +50m/ -1,200m with steep descents Overnight Agia Roumeli Monday 6 May Agia Roumeli Loutro Chora Sfakion /D Walking: 15 km (5 6 hours), +275 m/-275 m Overnight: Chora Sfakion Tuesday 7 May Imbros Gorge Walking 12.5 km (4 hours), +350 m/-1,100 m; shorter walk to Komitades 7.5 km (2.5 hours, +40 m/-670 m Overnight: Chora Sfakion Wednesday 8 May Chora Sfakion Heraklion /D Overnight: Heraklion Thursday 9 May Knossos Overnight: Heraklion Friday 10 May Heraklion Santorini /D Ferry: 1.75 hours Walking: 10 km (3 hours), +300 m/ -380 m Overnight: Fira Saturday11 May Perissa Akrotiri Walking: Perissa Pyrgos 5 km (3 hours), +500 m/- 280 m, with detour to Ancient Thira an extra 100 m elevation difference Walking: Pyrgos Akrotiri 8 km (2.5 hours), +315 m/-320 m First travel by coach to Omalos, and then walk down one of Europe's longest and most spectacular gorges. Enjoy the beautiful landscape, flora and fauna, but do also stop to look at the little churches and remnants of villages on the way. Descend to the seaside village of Agia Roumeli, at the end of the gorge, with plenty of time for a relaxing swim in the crystal clear Libyan Sea. Walk from Agia Roumeli to Loutro, from where you catch a ferry to Chora Sfakion (or Hóra Sfakíon), a small village with a harbour front lined with tavernas and a few shops. There is a quiet local beach immediately west of the village, and several pebbly beaches nearby. A shorter walking option is available, or you could even take the ferry from Agia Roumeli all the way to Chora Sfakion. Take a short drive to Imbros Village, located on a picturesque plateau nearly 800 m above sea level. Here you will begin your walk down through the spectacular Imbros Gorge, along a path but in places following a sometimes rocky riverbed. At its narrowest point you can reach the cliffs on both sides at the same time. You leave the gorge at the rural village of Komitades, where you can relax in a tavern or café while enjoying the views across olive trees to the Libyan Sea and the island of Gavdos on the horizon. From here you can either take a taxi back to Chora Sfakion or continue the walk through the Sfakiano Gorge, where again you will be rewarded with attractive scenery and glimpses of old churches and villages. Finally you take some dirt roads and paths back to Chora Sfakion. Transfer to Heraklion, Crete's capital and largest city. En route stop at Moni Arkadi Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox monastery that dates back to 16th century. The church here is famous for its Venetian architecture, and also for a siege in 1866 that was a key event in Greece's struggle against Ottoman rule. The afternoon is free for you to explore the many places of interest in Heraklion. In the morning explore nearby Knossos, first settled in Neolithic times but most famous as the seat of the Minoan civilisation. Knossos was an important city state until the early Byzantine period. Afternoon at leisure. Take a morning ferry to the spectacular island of Santorini. Entering the submerged crater of this old volcano by boat is an unforgettable experience. You will be awed by the steep, coloured cliffs topped by white-washed villages. It is said that the eruption 3,600 years ago ended the Minoan civilization, or was it the source of the legend of Atlantis? In the afternoon follow the famous walk from Fira to Oia with its fabulous lagoon views and spectacular sheer cliffs. The walk is mostly via a scenic, wide mule path. You have free time to wander the beautiful pathways of Oia and admire the views, before you make your own way back to Fira (or Thira) by local bus. After a short transfer to Perissa, begin your walk via Ancient Thira to Pyrgos. There you can stop in a local café or try local food products. Those wanting a short walk can return to Fira by coach. Otherwise, continue down an old path to the quiet inner area of the island, and walk through some of Santorini's famous vineyards and past picturesque villages to Akrotiri village before making the short road journey back to your hotel

5 Sunday 12 May Fira Naxos Ferry: 2 hours Monday 13 May Chalki /D Coach: 1 hour return Walking: 10 km (3.5 hours), +150m/-150m Tuesday 14 May Paros Wednesday 15 May Kinidaros Eggares /L Walking: 7 km (2.5 hours), +100 m/-400 m Thursday 16 May Naxos /D Friday 17 May Naxos Athens - Dubai /in flight Overnight: Dubai airport hotel Saturday 18 May Dubai Auckland Meals: in flight Sunday 19 May Auckland A free morning on Santorini before taking an afternoon ferry to Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades group. Transfer to Chalki, located in the centre of the Tragea plain. Today you will explore the fertile centre of Naxos island with its rich vegetation and groves of olive trees, some of which are over thousand years old. Walk from Chalki on cobbled paths via the Venetian fortress of Ano Kastro to an ancient marble quarry that contains a 10-metre-high unfinished statue from the 6th century BC. Your walk ends in the village of Melanes, from where you will be transferred back to your hotel overlooking the sea in Naxos town. Transfer to the island of Paros for a day s walk. A relaxing walk that is mostly descending. After a short transfer you walk through Kinidaros village via steps and then 1.5km on a dirt road. Follow a beautiful paved path down into a lush river valley until you come to the Upper Mill Bridge, and then follow the shady riverbed past Agios Georgos church and via Mesa Ghitonia to Eggares. In this lively village you can visit an olive press museum and enjoy lunch in local tavern. After a short transfer back to Naxos the remainder of the afternoon and the evening are free. Enjoy a free day on Naxos, to relax or explore further. You could take a boat cruise around the island, enjoying lunch, visiting seaside villages and swimming. Tonight share a farewell dinner. Leave Naxos late this morning for Athens, where you will transfer for an evening flight to Dubai. Depart this morning for an overnight flight to Auckland. Arrive mid-morning at Auckland Airport. HOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS TOUR A deposit of $1,000 is required to secure your place on the tour. When minimum numbers are reached, the tour will become a confirmed departure. At that point we will advise when the full tour payment will be due. Click here to complete the online registration form, pay the $1,000 deposit and your spot in this tour is secured. Or you can complete a paper registration form. You can down load one from the website or give us a call and we will or post one to you. TERMS & CONDITIONS Can be found on the website on the back of the paper registration form or on the summary page when you complete an online registration. VARIATIONS This itinerary is Version 2 dated 23/08/2018 and is subject to change. Exchange rate fluctuations may result in a change to the tour price.