SANTORINI AND NAXOS - WALKING AND ISLAND HOPPING A week of guided walking on the Greek Islands of Santorini and Naxos Walk to the summit of Mt Zeus (1003m), the highest peak in the Cyclades Enjoy a variety of walking landscapes on the Greek islands of Naxos and Santorini Walk the caldera-edge trail, from Fira to Oia on Santorini Time for swimming, sightseeing and exploring after the walks HOLIDAY CODE SNH Greece, Trek & Walk, 8 Days 4 nights hotel, 3 nights hotel with swimming pool, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinners, max group size: 16, 6 days walking, max. altitude - 1003 metres
PAGE 2 VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE Introduction This excellent walking holiday will find you exploring the Greek Island's of Santorini and Naxos, which are part of the Cyclades, a Greek Island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of mainland Greece. Flying to Santorini takes us directly to the heart of this Greek island idyll and lets us make the most of our week in the Cyclades. Walking via the archaeological site of Ancient Thira, above the black volcanic sand of Perissa Beach, we also follow the impressive trail from Fira to Oia, with spectacular views of Santorini's coastline. We then take the ferry to Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades group, where whitewashed houses, narrow paved streets, windmills, sea-front cafes and taverns with octopuses drying in the sun, are set amongst a landscape of rocky cliffs interspersed with fertile valleys. Here, we explore some of the islands many cultural sites and traditional villages and hike to the top of Mount Zeus (1003m), the highest point in the Cyclades. This holiday offers the perfect combination of sunshine, easy-paced hiking, fantastic beaches and Greek hospitality! Is this holiday for you? This is a real Mediterranean walking holiday, with easy-paced walks of around 3-4 hours on most days. Most of the time, the underfoot conditions are good, following tracks and trails and some sections of maintained pathway. The ascent of Mount Zeus will be more challenging with some steeper ground which will include loose scree and rock. Participants will carry just a small day-sack during the walking. All the walks during this walking holiday are suitable for regular walkers. Additionally since any of the day's walks can easily be missed out, with the alternative of relaxing on a beach or independent sightseeing, the holiday is open to anyone with an average level of fitness who wishes to engage in some of the walks during their holiday in the sun. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Karterados. A single transfer from Santorini Airport is provided. We rendezvous at the group hotel in Karterados, which is on the outskirts of the island s main town of Fira. KE Land Only package services begin with dinner and overnight at the group hotel. A group transfer from the nearby Santorini Airport is provided. Depending on your arrival time, the afternoon is free to relax at the hotel pool, visit a local winery or to take a stroll into nearby Fira, which has a particularly spectacular setting. Santorini is the remains of an exploded volcano and the island has at its centre a submerged crater. The town of Fira is built along the edge of the crater and its white-painted streets, with their colourful shops and bars, overlook the crater. Facing west, there is usually a dramatic sunset over the outlying island of Therasia. In the evening, we meet our guide and enjoy a delicious welcome dinner at the hotel. HOTEL WITH SWIMMING POOL MEALS D Day 2: Visit Pyrgos village, explore Ancient Thira, swim at Kamari Beach and return to Karterados. Today, we will explore some of the highlights of Santorini, starting out with a short transfer by public bus to the village of Pyrgos which was, until around 1800, the capital of the island. Today, it is a beautiful settlement with
PAGE 3 traditional houses, built on top of a hill, around the Venetian Castle. We have time to wander the village streets, before starting our hike to the top of Profitis Ilias (567m), the highest peak on the island. There has been an important monastery on the peak since 1712 and this became an important centre of learning during the first half of the 19th century. Some of the monastery buildings were damaged during the 1956 earthquakes, but this is a pleasant setting, with walled gardens and olive trees. There are great views from Profitis Ilias across the whole of the island. We can look across to our next objective, the rocky promontory between the low-key resorts at Perissa and Kamari. Continuing our walk, we reach the site of Ancient Thira, with its well-preserved archaeological remains, dating from the period between the 9th century BC and the 8th century AD, when this city was occupied. There are great views along the coast and down to the beaches. After looking around this fascinating site, we descend to the beach at Kamari, where we can swim and relax before returning to our hotel. HOTEL WITH SWIMMING POOL MEALS BL TIME 4-5 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 3: Walk from Fira to Oia along the caldera rim. Later, take the ferry to Naxos. Overnight in Naxos Town. Another of the great short walks on Santorini follows the crater edge from Fira to Oia, close to the island s northern tip. Setting out after breakfast, we hike through the pretty streets of the island s main town and continue, amongst white-painted houses, to the village of Imerovigli, where pastel-blue buildings blend with the traditional white architecture. We then take a cliff-top path between villas and chapels, such as the picturesque Antonius Chapel. There are great views down to the blue Mediterranean and across to the scattering of islands in the submerged crater. The walk will take approximately 4 hours with lots of stops for photographs. After lunch in scenic Oia and a chance to look around this stunning settlement, with its windmills and strikingly attractive churches, we will drive back to Fira. We then go directly to the harbour and take the afternoon ferry to Naxos island. Note: depending on the ferry timings, it may make sense for us to take our lunch on the boat. The ferry takes around 2 hours. Arriving in Naxos we check into our nearby hotel in Naxos Town. HOTEL MEALS BL TIME 3-4 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 4: Walk from the chapel of Agia Marina to the top of Mount Zeus (1003m). Descend via the Cave of Zeus. Today, we ascend Mount Zeus (1003m), the highest point of the Cyclades, starting out from the little chapel of Agia Marina on the mountain s northern slopes and making our way on a scenic path to the summit. The footpath is, at first, well-maintained and there are way-marks as we proceed through 3 gates and via a small house to a spring where we can see an inscription in an ancient form of Greek that translates as Mount Zeus, protector of the herds. Higher up, we gain the crest of the north ridge and from this point we are walking on rough limestone bedrock. After taking in the view (and making our mark in the summit register) we descend on a different path, steeper at first as it traverses a deep gulley watch out for lizards and many thistles. The angle eases as we reach the shaded spring at Aria and, a little lower, we stop off for a picnic lunch at the 'Cave of Zeus'. If you have a mind to do some exploring into this 100 metre deep cavern, once used as a site of rituals by the islanders, you will need to remember to take a torch on today s walk. We may continue our descent to Filoti village for a traditional Greek coffee in the pretty village square, before returning to spend a second night at our hotel in Naxos Town. HOTEL MEALS BL ASCENT 460M DESCENT 650M DISTANCE 9KM TIME 5 HRS WALKING HOURS GPS DATA VIEW NOW
PAGE 4 Day 5: Walk from the village of Kinidaros to Engares Village and the old church of Agios Artemios. Our walk today is in the northern part of the island and takes us through Naxos s most fertile valley. We have a short transfer to the start of the walk in the village of Kinidaros, which has a blue-domed church and an old marble quarry. From the village s central square, we ascend on a rough road to a high point, with the quarry on our right side. With views extending to the sea, we hike down into the valley of the Xerotakari River, the most reliable on the island, where we may be able to spot turtles and frogs in the pools, a real rarity on a dry island like Naxos. Walking on herb-scented tracks, we cross the stream on a couple of occasions and also pass an old bridge with 2 arches. Keep a look out also for 2 old water mills, a lime kiln and for the 18th century church of Agios Artemios. We will be happy to sit in the shade and take a drink at a taverna in Engares Village, before taking our transport back to the hotel. HOTEL MEALS BL ASCENT 210M DESCENT 550M DISTANCE 12KM TIME 4 HRS WALKING HOURS GPS DATA VIEW NOW Day 6: Seek out the Kouros statues above Melanes. Visit Apano Kastro and the distillery at Halki Village. At 448 square kilometres, Naxos is the largest and most varied of the Cyclades. The island has a pleasant variety of landscape, from rocky peaks to fertile valleys and extensive meadows, woodland and olive groves, as well as abundant springs and streams and impressive beaches. Today s hike will focus on the island s cultural richness and begins in the village of Melanes. Close by, there are 2 ancient Kouros statues which are each thought to represent young males. The first of these is located in a shaded spot behind one of the village houses, whilst the second is found after a steep hike towards Ano Potamia. These statues have been lying here for around 2500 years, having been abandoned when the sculptors discovered flaws in the stone. We continue or walk through a wooded valley to the picturesque village of Ano Potamia, where we can stop for a coffee or a coke at one of the taverns. There is also a spring here, to refill our water bottles. Higher still, we will reach Apano Kastro (the Upper Castle) which was built on this strategic position in the 13th century and intended to control access to the island s central agricultural lands. From this high point and from the peak above (optional hike) there are panoramic views of Naxos Town, the port and the surrounding villages. Heading eastwards, we pass the hamlet of Tsikalario, with its 6th century church of Agios Stefanos and reach our pick up point in Halki. Before, driving back to our hotel in Naxos Town, we take the opportunity to visit the Valindras Distillery, where they produces Kitron (the local alcoholic drink of Naxos, made from the aromatic leaves of the citron tree). We spend our fourth and final night at our hotel in Naxos Town. HOTEL MEALS BL ASCENT 290M DESCENT 225M DISTANCE 8KM TIME 4 HRS WALKING HOURS GPS DATA VIEW NOW Day 7: Free morning or Naxos Castle visit. Afternoon ferry back to Santorini and rest of the day at leisure. Our ferry back to Santorini is shortly after midday and there is the option this morning to take it easy, do some sightseeing or spend a little time on one of the nearby beaches. Alternatively, the guide will be happy to organise a short walking tour to the Hora Castle of Naxos, which was built by the Venetians on the remains of an ancient acropolis, using reclaimed material. The castle was both a residence and a religious and administrative base for the Venetian Duke of Naxos, Marco Sanudo, from the first years of the 13th century. This optional sightseeing walk will take no more than 2 hours. At lunch time we make our way to the port to catch the ferry back to Santorini. One option is for us to have lunch on board the ferry. Arriving in Santorini, we transfer to the hotel and the rest of the day is free to enjoy the pool or the beach or to shop for souvenirs, before meeting for the farewell dinner.
PAGE 5 HOTEL WITH SWIMMING POOL MEALS B Day 8: Depature day. A single transfer to Santorini Airport is provided. KE Land Only package services end with breakfast at the hotel. A group transfer to nearby Santorini Airport is provided. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included English-speaking local guide Single timed airport transfers All accommodation as described Meals as described in the Meal Plan All land transport required by the itinerary National park entrance fees All excursions mentioned in the itinerary. What's Not Included Travel insurance Visas Airport taxes Airport transfers other than group transfers Extra activities and excursions Tips for local staff Miscellaneous personal expenditure Meal Plan All breakfasts, 5 lunches and a welcome dinner are included in the holiday price. Not including evening meals enables the group and leader to choose together which one of the excellent local restaurants/greek tavernas in Karterados and Paxos Town to try. Greek food is world famous and both towns have a wide range of restaurants to suits all budgets and tastes. Only breakfast is included on Day 7, leaving your free to enjoy a long leisurely lunch at a place of your choosing in your free time, or you might want to take a late lunch on board the ferry back to Santorini. Food Breakfasts are taken at the overnight hotel and consist of tea and coffee, cereals, bread, jam and the Greek speciality of yoghurt and honey. For lunch, the group will usually carry a few items to make up a picnic. This will usually be bread, cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, ham or other dried meats, fruit and biscuits. Evening meals are not included, apart from the welcome dinner on Day 1. As there will be a wide range of restaurants and traditional Greek Tavernas to choose from each evening, serving an array of mouth-watering local delights, it
PAGE 6 makes sense to leave the choice of menu and budget to you. Your guide will of course be able to help suggest and book a range of restaurants including some hidden gems and local favourites! Joining Arrangements & Transfers Within the Land Only price of this holiday we have included a group airport transfer from Santorini Airport to the group hotel. This transfer will depart from Santorini Airport shortly after 2.00 pm. At the end of the holiday we include a transfer from the hotel to Santorini Airport. This transfer will arrive at the airport at approximately 10.00 am. If your flight schedule does not allow you to take advantage of these transfers, you should make your own arrangements to reach the group hotel. The hotel is approximately 15 minutes from the airport and can be reached by public bus (the fare is approximately 2 euros) or by taxi for approximately 20 euros. Taxis are available for all arrivals. Hotel contact details together with an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation. Accommodation During the holiday the group will have 3 nights at a comfortable tourist standard hotel with swimming pool at Karterados on the island of Santorini and 4 nights in a comfortable tourist standard hotel next to St George Beach on Naxos. All accommodation is in twin or double rooms with private bathroom. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired with another solo traveller of the same sex. Single rooms at additional charge may be available on request. Group Leader & Support Staff The group will be accompanied throughout by a professional English-speaking local tour leader. Spending Money Approximately 100 (or the equivalent in dollars or euros) should be allowed for miscellaneous expenses, drinks and souvenir purchases. We recommend that you carry your travel money in the form of euros currency. There are ATM's at Santorini Airport and in the towns of Fira and Naxos. If you are intending to buy expensive souvenirs, you should budget accordingly. Also, if you expect to buy considerable quantities of soft drinks, wine or beer, you should make an allowance for this. Credit cards can be used in some places on this trip. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for 24.95. Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Baggage Allowance For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline. Group Size & Holiday Status
PAGE 7 For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ Preparing For Your Holiday It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on a trekking or climbing trip getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. We would suggest that you adopt a weekly exercise regime leading up to your trip. Jogging and swimming are good for developing better stamina. Before departure, we suggest that you try to fit in a number of long walks in hilly country. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their
PAGE 8 chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate The best time of year for hiking on Santorini and Naxos is in May, early June, September and October - when we have planned our trips. We can expect daytime temperatures to range between 20 and 30 degrees centigrade, dropping at night to 15 degrees centigrade. We are unlikely to experience any rain, as the Cyclades enjoys one of the most favourable climates in the Mediterranean. It really is too hot to complete this itinerary comfortably during July and August. Books Greek Islands. Lonely Planet Greece. The Cyclades. Rough Guides Greek Islands. Insight Guides The Cyclades. John Freely Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Santorini Airport, which is most convenient for transfers to the group hotel. Please refer to the 'Joining Arrangements and Transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK, Thomas Cook have flights which fit well with the holiday schedule from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester Airports, and TUI Airways from Gatwick and Manchester. Easyjet have flights to Santorini from Gatwick. If you would prefer to book a 'Flight Inclusive' package using scheduled airlines from the UK, please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive, you will benefit from full financial protection. Flight Options From The US For help and advice with booking your flights, we recommend you consult our friends at Exito Travel, airfare specialists since 1994. The air team at Exito are familiar with our destinations and know the airports, best airlines
PAGE 9 and potential pitfalls. If there is ever a flight change, cancellation or air-related issue before or during your travels, it's nice to know you have someone on the Exito air team looking after you. Visit their website at: www.exitotravel.com or contact the team on: keadventure@exitotravel.com &/or via phone at: 800.655.4053 ext. 8507. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 31 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or e-mail, or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at www.keadventure.com, and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: www.junipertrust.co.uk. KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too!
PAGE 10 Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.
PAGE 11 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. You Must Bring The Following Items: Hiking boots Gaiters (may be required on pre-summer trips) Socks Trekking trousers Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Underwear Baselayer shirts T-shirts and/or casual shirts Midlayer fleece top Warm fleece jacket Waterproof jacket Lightweight thermal gloves Warm hat Sunhat Sunglasses Daypack 25 to 30 litres capacity Sun protection (including for lips) Water bottles 1 Litre (x2) Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Small padlock (to lock your KE trek bag) Headtorch (in case of power cuts) Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, insect repellent, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). The Following Items Are Optional: Trainers or sandals Shorts
PAGE 12 Towel (for swimming) Swimwear Trekking poles Camera Spare laces Please note: This document was downloaded on 30 Dec 2017, and the trip is subject to change.