Crete White Mountains: Off-Road Safari & Shepherd’s Hut Lunch

Summary

White Mountains valleys villages shepherd hut lunch Chania

You’ll ride through Crete’s White Mountains by off-road vehicle with a local guide, stopping for coffee in mountain villages and sharing graviera cheese with real shepherds at their Mitato hut. Enjoy a traditional Cretan lunch in Therisso village before heading back to Chania — expect honest food, mountain air, and moments that stick with you long after.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell — oranges, somewhere behind the dust, right as we bumped along the road out of Chania. Our driver, Manolis, pointed at the rows of avocado trees and told us about his uncle who still picks them by hand. The air felt cooler than I expected for Crete in late spring. We stopped for coffee in Deres, and I tried to order in Greek (badly). The old man behind the counter smiled anyway and handed me a tiny glass of juice with my espresso. I liked that.

I lost track of all the villages after Alikianos — they blur together: stone houses, bright laundry flapping, someone waving from a doorway. Meskla had this view where you could see the mountains folding into each other, just layers of green and gray. Our guide pulled over so we could take photos but honestly I just stood there for a minute, listening to goat bells somewhere up the slope. There was a kind of hush that made me feel like an intruder — not in a bad way, just… aware.

The off-road part got real after Zourva. It’s bumpy — if you get carsick easily maybe skip this one — but it’s worth it for what comes next. At 1350 meters, we reached the shepherd’s hut (they call it “Mitato”). It looks simple from outside but inside you can smell woodsmoke and old cheese rinds. A shepherd named Giorgos offered us graviera he’d made that morning; salty and crumbly, nothing like supermarket cheese back home. He laughed when one of us tried to say “thank you” in Cretan dialect — none of us got close.

Lunch was in Therisso village at a family-run taverna where they brought out plate after plate: lamb slow-cooked with wild herbs, fried potatoes with lemon squeezed over top, bread that tasted smoky from their oven. We talked about the history here (there’s a story about rebels hiding out in these mountains) but mostly we just ate until we couldn’t move much. On the drive back toward Chania I watched sunlight flicker through olive trees and thought about how different this day felt from anything else I’ve done on Crete — quieter somehow.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — White Mountains and Chania exploration

• Drive to Deres village
• Coffee break at Deres
• Drive to Meskla village
• Photo stop at Meskla
• Drive off-road to mountain viewpoint
• Photo stop at mountain viewpoint
• Drive off-road to Shepherd’s Hut
• Visit Shepherd’s Hut “Mitato”
• Drive to Therisso village
• Lunch at Therisso tavern
• Drive back to pick-up points

Top questions

How long is the White Mountains safari tour from Chania?

The tour lasts most of the day with multiple stops including villages and lunch before returning to Chania.

Is lunch included on this day trip to the White Mountains?

Yes, lunch at a traditional family tavern in Therisso village is included.

What is a Mitato on this Crete safari tour?

A Mitato is an original shepherd’s hut at 1350m elevation where local cheese is made.

Are pickups provided for this White Mountains tour?

Yes, pickup from your accommodation or nearby points is included.

Is this tour suitable for children or people with mobility issues?

No, it’s not recommended for children under 7 or anyone with car sickness or mobility problems.

How many people are there per vehicle on this safari?

The tour uses semi-private vehicles carrying up to 6 or 8 people each.

Do we meet local people during this day trip from Chania?

Yes, you’ll meet villagers and shepherds along the route including at the Mitato hut.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your hotel or meeting point around Chania, all transportation by off-road vehicle with a multilingual escort-driver, coffee or tea during your first village stop, an exclusive visit to an original shepherd’s hut (“Mitato”) high in the mountains with tasting of local graviera cheese, plus a full Cretan lunch at a family tavern before heading back down to town—all taxes and insurance are covered too.