Recently Viewed
Elafonisi Private Tour: Explore the unique Pink Sand Beaches of Deer Island
4.3
12 Ratings
Topolia
Embark on a private tour to Elafonisi, the Deer Island with its unique pink sand beaches. Explore the Cave of Agia Sofia and Hrisoskalitissa monastery, and enjoy the picturesque road with stops at traditional villages and olive oil tasting.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Agia Sofia Cave - We’re going to visit Cave of Agia Sofia with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.
Within 40 min of Chania we reach the tree-lined gorge of the Village of Topolia. There is a 300-meter-high wall and the little chapel of Agia Sofia built in a cave.
Here you will be able to explore the many stalactites and the unique view of the gorge. ‘The Romanza’ canteen is the place to refresh with an array of Cretan specialties and delights. You will spot the local men wearing traditional Cretan clothing from decades ago.
This stop lasts about 30 minutes and then we continue south.
What's Included
- Beach umbrellas (on request)
- Accompaniment
- Wi-fi on board
- Complimentary bottled water from the White Mountains “Samaria”
- Luxury vehicle with professional driver
- Included fees and taxes
- Entrance to Chrysoskalitissa Monastery
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
What's Not Included
- Personal expenses, drinks, lunch/dinner.
- Customary tips to your drivers, guides, and escorts.
Additional Information
Ever fancied yourself alone on a desolate island? Now’s your chance!
Elafonisi, a name derived from Greek that means ‘Deer Island’, ironically does not house any deer but boasts of pink sand! This exceptional place is noteworthy for its surreal colors and rich history. The beach facilities are top-notch and offer rentals for beach beds, umbrellas and food amenities.
Another site on our itinerary is the Agia Sofia Cave, known for its captivating stalactites and stalagmites, followed by the Hrisoskalitissa Monastery. Perched 285 m above sea level, this location is truly breathtaking, intertwined with natural grandeur, spiritual allure and historical significance. Please note that an attire covering your knees and shoulders is required for visiting this site.
Our journey to this place passes through a scenic route. It allows for the spectating of Crete’s splendid landscape, some indigenous villages showcasing distinctive Cretan way of life. An optional halt could be made for tasting olive oil and thyme honey. The trip concludes with a wholesome traditional meal at a local tavern.
- To visit the Monastery, you must wear modest clothes: for women – a skirt/dress under your knees and covered shoulders. For men – trousers, T-shirt with long sleeves.
- Important to have; Sun Cream (a lot!), Sunglasses and Hat, Long-Sleeved Shirt for Sensitive skin, Swim Suit, and a Beach Towel! Money for drinks, lunch/dinner.
- Elafonisi is a Natura 2000 protected area, it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals, shells, and sand from the area.
- If any participant suffers from any severe allergy (e.g. to bee stings, food allergies/intolerances) or has medical/health issues we need to be aware of, it is important to let us know in advance. This is clearly a safety measure, personal information is by no means violated and we exercise all discretion.
- Moysidis Travel is covered by Professional Liability Insurance. Each participant is advised to take out health/travel insurance before travelling to Crete.
Location
Agia Sofia Cave
Eparchiaki Odos Kaloudianon-Chrisoskalitissas,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(12 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Geoffrey_y
Jun 30, 2023
Perfect day in crete - Guide was fantastic. Transitions were seamless. She picked the perfect spot on the beach where you could really appreciate the pink sand. This is a fabulous beach and I highly recommend it when visiting western Crete. The Cave and gorge were also beautiful. My seven year old son had a fantastic time. Lunch was delicious. We can’t thank you enough for this wonderful day.
Review provided by Viator
Sharmeela_k
Jun 27, 2023
Amazing beach and historical tour! - The tour was amazing!! Yannis our tour guide was incredible! If you can request him- he will make it such a memorable experience. His historical knowledge and love of Crete really shows! Our driver also accommodated our request to be dropped off in Heraklion- nearly 3 hours away! This tour was the highlight of our trip to Greece!
Review provided by Viator
Mlaurelm
May 9, 2022
Wonderful guide, beautiful scenery - We ended up booking this private tour after a group tour operator cancelled on us - I'm glad it ended up this way! It was nice to have the flexibility and comfort of a private tour. Agnes was a great guide - lots of information about the region and wonderful stories. We did a few stops on the way to the beach - all lovely places. It was nice to see the countryside and learn some of the island's history. The beach itself? Beautiful. It was cold, so there wasn't much swimming but the time still flew by!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T_golovinaa
Jul 21, 2021
Wonderful tour - Everything was good, places, car, stories about Greece culture and traditions. Useful advices about souvenirs, wine, Greek national products, nice guide:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mashka_schmooze
Aug 14, 2020
Private tour - We got this tour as we like to travel on our own time schedule. To stop where we want and for how long as we want. Our tour guide Genadius was very thoughtful of bringing as beach mats and umbrellas. We never even though about them. He was very flexible, fun and reliable person. Always attending when you need him but giving you your personal space at the same time. He had great humour and told us many interesting facts about Greece. We spend whole day together and I didn't get tired of him even once.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alutkina
Aug 13, 2020
Great day at Elafonisi and Falasarna - We went on a private tour to Elafonisi and Falasarna. Everything was perfect from start to finish. The guide and driver was very professional, friendly and attentive. We felt really looked after. On this tour there is something for every taste: picturesque gorges and incredible views of the mountains, a church hidden in the cave, charismatic locals selling honey and olive oil, incredible beaches with azure waters and pink sand. It was great to travel at our own pace and all our wishes were taken into account. I highly recommend this travel agency. It was a day to remember and I'm looking forward to coming back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Finn
Sep 15, 2019
TOUR FROM PLATANIAS TO ELAFONISI BEACH - A tour to Elafonisi beach is a must. Driving from Platanias through the small villages, over the mountain through the canyon is such a special experience. Elafonisi beach is one of the most beautiful places we have visited. The water is as clear as bottled water you buy in the stores. A percious place.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
118robinr
Sep 9, 2019
Great Beach Day (and other sights) - We loved our tour with Gabi - what a wonderful tour guide! We learned about Crete - not just the history but the population, the culture, food - well just about everything! We stopped at the Agia Sofia Cave - long hike up but a nice place. We also stopped at the Chrisoskalitissa monastery which had beautiful reviews. The Elafonisi beach was beautiful - not ALL pink sand but there definitely is some. But the water is clear and beautiful, not deep and very relaxing. We stopped on the curvy mountainous road so that I could pet a Cri Cri - I loved it! We ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant in Elos - goat, lamb, cheese, and just everything - plus great wine. Ended the day with a lovely ride back and talking with Gabi. Thank you, Gabi and Moysidis Travel. PS - Gabi is a wonderful photographer!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee40299503234
Nov 21, 2023
Amazing pink sands and cave - i would have given a 5 star if not for the tour guide named Silvana. She is friendly and nice but doing her job as a tour guide she failed. She told more personal stories. She didn't explain the history or information about the places we went. She mostly told her petsonal story.As soon as we got to the shore, she took off and left our things unattended. She was also on a couple of calls. But the beach is so beautiful and so as the cave. It was an amazing to see the pink sands.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Naquana
Jul 6, 2019
Services not rendered - Me and my group of friends were so excited for this tour. Elafonisi is a beautiful beach amongst the top in the world so we were more than willing to travel for this experience and be able to see 3 other attractions along the way. I booked this excursion making sure to read all the fine print. The tour is to include 4 points of interest, Elafonisi beach, the Monastery, the Cave of Agia and Falasarna Big Beach. We arranged for transportation as is offered for this tour for an additional fee. The driver and his service was amazing but that's where it ends. We were picked up from our Heralikon hotel for an additional fee of $280 Euros which we agreed to, we were driven to Elafonisi beach and dropped there for 3 hours. We stayed at the beach the entire time as beautiful as it is that is not what we paid for. We expected to see 3 other points of interest as was guaranteed in the booking. We recieved none of the things that we were charged for. There was no tour guide, no cave, no Monastery NOTHING. We didn't mind paying for the transportation to Chnaia and paid the driver in cash as was requested of us but in no way is it okay to try and charge people $390 for services they never recieved. I have reached out to the company twice with no response. I am in the process of disputing the fradualent charge for services we never received. BUYER BEWARE.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator
