Crete Off-Road Safari: Wine, Olive Oil & Villages

Shepherd huts and mountain passes are where the wine and cheese tastings happen, not in a tasting room.

A semi-private 4×4 safari from Rethymno through Crete's rugged mountains, combining off-road driving with visits to hidden villages, historic monasteries, and working shepherd huts. You taste hand-picked local wines, fresh extra-virgin olive oil, and traditional shepherd-made cheese, then eat a hearty Cretan lunch in a family-run tavern. The route takes seven to eight hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

Step-by-step itinerary

4x4 Safari with Tastings and Lunch

• Depart from Rethymno
• Drive through rugged mountains
• Visit hidden villages
• Explore historic monasteries
• Taste local wines
• Taste fresh extra-virgin olive oil
• Taste traditional shepherd-made cheese
• Enjoy hearty Cretan lunch at family tavern
• Return to Rethymno

The experience

Seven to eight hours in a specially equipped Land Rover Defender means you reach places a regular car cannot. The route climbs into Crete's interior, passing through hidden villages and stopping at historic monasteries that sit above the coastal towns most visitors see. You get out at a working shepherd's hut, a mitato, where the shepherd shows you how cheese is made and you taste it fresh, alongside hand-picked local wines and extra-virgin olive oil pressed from trees on the surrounding slopes.

Lunch is in a family-run tavern serving traditional Cretan food, not a tourist restaurant. The off-road sections are the point: the terrain is what keeps these villages and monasteries from being crowded. A guide drives and speaks English or German, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you do not arrange transport to the meeting point.

What’s included

• Special equipped Land Rover Defenders with liability insurance and local taxes covered.
• a visit to a working shepherd's hut with cheese, wine and olive oil tastings.
• a hearty Cretan lunch at a family-run tavern.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.

Before you book

Lasts 7h–8h, from € 115 per person, with a live guide in English and German and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Apr 2027

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Cretan Holidays

Is this one for you?Semi-private groups keep the van small and the stops intimate, so you are not part of a coach tour. The off-road vehicle and mountain route are what make the hidden villages and shepherd huts reachable in a single day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is a mitato and why do we stop there?

A mitato is a traditional shepherd's hut in the mountains where cheese is made by hand. You visit a working one to see the process and taste the cheese and local wines the shepherd produces.

How rough is the off-road driving, and will I be uncomfortable in the Land Rover?

The Land Rover Defenders are specially equipped for mountain terrain, and the route is designed for semi-private groups. Travelers taller than 195 cm or heavier than 130 kg may find the vehicle space challenging. The operator recommends checking before booking if you are near those limits.

Does the tour include lunch, or do I need to bring food?

Lunch with traditional Cretan food is included and served at a family-run tavern in the mountains. Drinks are not included, so bring money or ask the guide where to buy them.

What happens if I have mobility concerns or a back injury?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries because of the off-road terrain and vehicle movement. If you have concerns about your ability to sit for seven to eight hours or handle rough roads, contact the operator before booking.