Crete: Jeep Safari Day Tour with Cooking & Pottery Class

Summary

Cheese making goat milking wild herbs and wood oven lunch in Crete’s mountain villages

You’ll milk goats with local shepherds near Potamies, taste homemade cheese and raki, wander ancient villages like Avdou and Lasithi Plateau, cook Cretan dishes side by side with locals, try your hand at pottery, then relax over lunch under centuries-old trees. It’s not just sightseeing—it’s being folded right into village life for a day.

What’s the experience like?

We rattled out of Heraklion just after breakfast, the jeep windows cracked open to let in that dry Cretan air. Our driver, Nikos, grinned and said something about “mitato” — I had no clue what that was but he promised we’d find out soon. The road twisted through olive groves until we stopped in Potamies, where a shepherd waved us over. His hands were rough as old rope. We tried milking the goats (I was pretty hopeless), then watched his wife stir milk over a wood fire. The smell — sweet and grassy — stuck to my fingers even after we tasted their cheese with a shot of raki. I’m not really a morning drinker but… when in Crete, you know?

We wandered through gardens heavy with tomatoes and basil before heading to the Aposelemis dam. The sun hit the water so it looked almost silver, and you could see the half-sunken houses of Sfendili poking out like ghosts. Nikos pointed out thyme growing wild along the path; he crushed some between his fingers for us to smell — sharp and earthy. In Avdou village, every house had a story written on little signs (I tried reading one aloud; Maria from our group corrected my Greek, laughing). Then came the bumpy climb up dirt roads into Ebassas gorge — dust everywhere, goats clattering across rocks above us.

The Lasithi Plateau was bigger than I expected, dotted with old windmills spinning lazily in the breeze. We stopped for cooking class at a family-run place: kneading dough while someone’s grandma showed us how to fold greens into pies. My hands got sticky with flour and oregano. Afterward we tried pottery — my bowl turned out lopsided but nobody minded. Lunch was all wood-oven bread, roasted lamb, wine poured from jugs without labels. The old men at the next table toasted us; I still think about that view from their terrace.

Before heading back, we visited an olive oil mill (the press made this low humming sound) and tasted oil straight from the tap — peppery and green on my tongue. There was time for coffee under a plane tree older than anyone could remember; its bark felt cool even in the heat. If you want a day trip from Heraklion that feels like falling into someone else’s family album for a few hours… well, this is it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Cretan village and local traditions

• Depart from hotel to Potamies village
• Visit traditional mitato and meet shepherd
• Milk goats and see cheese making
• Taste cheese, raki, and oil
• Walk through village gardens
• Visit Aposelemis dam and submerged village
• Pass through Avdou village
• Drive up dirt roads through Ebassas gorge
• Collect local herbs with guide
• See traditional windmills at Lasithi Plateau
• Participate in local cooking class
• Visit pottery workshop and create ceramics
• Tour Lasithi Plateau and visit local cafeteria
• Enjoy wood oven lunch with local wine
• See monumental plane tree and aqueduct
• Tour olive oil mill and taste olive oil

Top questions

How long is the jeep safari day trip from Heraklion?

The tour lasts a full day with pickup in the morning and return by evening.

Is hotel pickup included on this Crete jeep safari tour?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in your booking.

Do I need experience for the cooking or pottery classes?

No experience is needed—locals guide you step by step during both activities.

What kind of food is served for lunch?

You’ll enjoy traditional Cretan dishes baked in a wood oven along with local wine.

Are there vegetarian options available during lunch?

The tour features seasonal produce; vegetarian options can be accommodated if requested.

Is this jeep safari suitable for kids or people with limited mobility?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels and offers wheelchair accessibility as well as child seats on request.

Will we see real villages or just tourist spots?

You’ll visit authentic Cretan villages like Potamies, Avdou, and Lasithi Plateau where locals live year-round.

Can I buy local products during the tour?

You may have chances to purchase local products such as cheese or olive oil directly from producers during stops.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off by 4WD vehicle with an experienced driver-guide leading you through mountain villages. You’ll get hands-on goat milking and cheese tasting in Potamies, wander gardens and historic sites like Sfendili village at Aposelemis dam, join cooking classes using fresh local ingredients followed by a traditional lunch with wine at Lasithi Plateau, try pottery making yourself, stop for coffee under ancient plane trees, visit an olive oil mill for tastings—and return to Heraklion in the evening feeling part of Crete’s countryside life.