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Greek Cyclades Overview
| Duration: |
7 Days |
| Package Type: |
One Week Tours |
| Avg Daily Swim: |
5km |
| Accommodation: |
Hotel |
As the original SwimTrek, the Greek Cyclades tour offers the archetypal swimming holiday experience. Based in the waters around Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, the area is ideal for Island Hopping in an area synonymous with some of the most beautiful beaches and water in the Mediterranean.
Many of the islands that we swim to are far off the beaten track so you will be able to experience authentic Greek life. But it's not only crossings; you'll also get to experience some fabulous coastal swims in areas only accessible to swimmers. We have been successfully running this tour for 9 years and it remains one of our most popular.
Unique to the Greek Cyclades tour, our main boat is a 40ft sailing yacht and with just 11 swimmers on board these tours offer that special smaller group feeling – perfect for the Greek islands! It promises to be both challenging and rewarding. The picturesque and varied swims combined with traditional island life make this a must do trip.
What's included?
Fully guided tour with full safety escort for the number of days specified in the tour summary, swim guiding, technique analysis, accommodation; breakfast and lunch.
What's not included?
The prices do not include:
- Travel to and from the start of the tour
- Wednesday lunch
- Ferry ticket from Koufonissi to Naxos
- Evening meals
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Day
1
You arrive into Schinoússa on the once a day ferry with time to check into your room and freshen up before we meet at 6pm on the terrace of the Hotel Iliovasilema. In the light of an incomparable Aegean sunset, you can enjoy welcome drinks, introductions and discuss the daily schedule in the pre-trip briefing. Then it’s off for dinner at one of the island’s beautiful boutique tavernas.
Day
2
A relaxing start this morning with an acclimatisation swim held in the fabulous Tsigouri Bay. Following this, we hold a coaching session with a focus on open-water technique. After lunch at the beach side café, we swim to the uninhabited island of Fidousa, with its steep, rocky shore and curious mountain goats. The early evening is given over to a session on video analysis where we play back your stroke from the earlier morning session.
Day
3
Our first significant crossing as you head out to the island of Iraklia, finishing in the beautiful Tsigouri bay. Following an onboard lunch and some rest in the bay, we continue our swimming to navigate the spectacular underwater cliffs, stone beaches and hidden treasures of Iraklia’s southern coastline.
Day
4
Today we depart Schinoússa for our new accommodation on the island of Ano Koufoníssi. In true SwimTrek style however, we will be swimming most of the journey! Heading out from Schinoússa’s isolated eastern shoreline, we make our way to the tall and foreboding cliffs of Kato Koufonissi (“Lower Cave”) Island. After some well earned sustenance, you can spend time bathing in the island’s remote caves and perhaps enjoy the company of monk seals. In the afternoon we’ll resume our journey to the upper island of Ano Koufonissi, tracking along the sandy bays and cliffs of Kato Koufonissi’s southern shoreline.
Day
5
After a hearty breakfast, we set out to make the exciting crossing to the uninhabited island of Keros. This island was once the centre of an ancient Cycladic community and its demise is shrouded in mystery. The island is also known as a site of important archaeological significance with excavations both above and below the water. This day has proven to be a real highlight of the week, as we “open up the sails” on our journey home. In the afternoon you have time for a rest or a spectacular walk to the northern beach of Pori Bay where hidden caves and a secluded lagoon awaits. For those who wish, there is another opportunity to have an optional stroke analysis and technique session with your guides.
Day
6
Another day of great swims; coastal or crossings, bays or reefs, it’s a great way to finish your swimming odyssey with the fascinating underwater outcrops of Ano Koufonissi’s northern shore, or the small huddle of islands south of Keros, this is the essence of remote location swimming at its finest.
Day
7
The Greek ferry schedule has been known to change at short notice. Based upon ferry availability there are three options for the day’s itinerary in order of preference detailed below. Once the schedules have been issued by the ferry operators, we in turn will confirm the itinerary planned for the completion of your tour.
Option 1: Morning Swim in Koufoníssi (if ferry departs after 10am)
We hold an early morning swim before breakfast. It’s a last chance to check with your guides on any swim technique issues before the tour ends at Koufonissi harbor prior to catching a mid morning ferry arriving at Naxos between 11.30am-1.00pm.
Option 2: Climbing Mount Zeus (If ferry departs before 7.30am)
We depart Koufoníssi on an early ferry arriving into Naxos by 9am. All main bags are deposited at a storage depot. We catch a 9.30am bus which takes us up a good amount of the way up Mt Zeus. We walk the last 300 vertical meters to the summit before returning back to Naxos harbour arriving at approximately 3pm when the tour finishes.
Option 3: Swim in Naxos (If ferry departs between 8-10am)
After breakfast you’ll depart on a ferry arriving at Naxos around 11.00am. All main bags are deposited at a storage depot and we walk to a local beach for a group swim prior to the tour finishing at around 1.00pm.
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Swimming in the sea is a fantastic experience, but you need to be aware of certain marine life such as jellyfish, sea urchins and coral. These could be present during a swim, so in all cases we will work on minimising their occurrence. In the event you are stung by jellyfish, in most cases you can normally carry on swimming. However, if you do have a problem, we can assess/treat the affected area immediately on the escort boat. If this area continues to cause discomfort and/or becomes infected during or after the tour, you should seek medical attention immediately explaining the nature of the cause. Please ensure you contact us prior to booking if you suffer from Anaphylaxis.
For obvious safety reasons we rely on decent weather conditions when carrying out any swims. As a consequence, open water swimming does require an inherent degree of on-trip flexibility, so required changes in the planned itinerary will not be uncommon and will undoubtedly add to the uniqueness of each tour.
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Trip Schedule
| Start Point: |
Hotel Iliovasilema, Schinoússa (www.iliovasilemahotel.gr) |
| Start Time: |
6pm on Saturday |
| Finish Point: |
Naxos harbour * |
| Finish Time: |
1pm on Friday * |
* This could change according to the selected itinerary based upon the ferry schedule for 2013. See Friday schedule under 'Itinerary & Map' for full details.
Trip Information
Swimming Distances
| Swim |
Distances |
| Schinoússa - Fidousa |
2km |
| Schinoússa - Iraklia |
3km |
| Schinoússa - Ano Koufoníssi |
3km |
| Keros Coastal |
2½km |
| Kato Koufoníssi - Ano Koufoníssi |
1km |
| Ano Koufoníssi - Keros |
4km |
| Náxos - Ano Koufoníssi |
4km |
You can always jump onto the escort boat at any stage
N.B. The itinerary may vary depending on weather
Temperatures
| Month |
Water Temp (˚C) |
Air Temp (˚C) |
| May |
21 |
23 |
| June |
23 |
24 |
| July |
25 |
30 |
| September |
25 |
27 |
| October |
23 |
22 |
These temperatures are indicative only and can change on a daily/weekly basis
Walking Distances
| Walk |
Distance |
| Schinoússa (Main village to Psili Amos) |
2km |
| Schinoússa (Hotel to Liou Liou Beach) |
2½km |
| Koufoníssi (Main village to Pori Bay) |
3km |
| Naxos Island (Mt Zeus) |
4½km (uphill) |
Equipment to bring along with you
In addition to “normal” daily clothes, you will need to bring the following:
- Swimming costume (2 of)
- Swimming goggles (2 of)*
- Towel
- Small daypack
- Rash vest (optional)
- Flip flops
- Sweater/Fleece
- Walking sandals/trainers
- Sun hat
- Waterproof sun cream
- Windproof jacket
*It is advisable to have a pair of tinted goggles to cater for the sun’s glare off the sea during swims.
Guests have found it is easier to travel with a soft main bag/suitcase due to getting on and off ferries, and our main boat being a sailing boat.
Swim Hats, Flippers, Rashvests and Wetsuits
Please note that SwimTrek will supply swim hats. We will have a limited supply/range of flippers, rashvests and wetsuits available on the trip, but we cannot guarantee sizes for all. If you have your own flippers, rashvest and wetsuit we would recommend you bring these with you in order to maximise your enjoyment of the trip.
Group Size
Up to a maximum of 11 guests with 2 SwimTrek guides, a local boat pilot and 3 motorised safety escort boats.
Practical Information
Getting There
There are various ways of getting to the islands and we have highlighted a couple of routes
Option 1: Travelling via Athens
Olympic Airways flies from Athens to Náxos so if their schedule permits, this is a good option (www.olympicair.com). See information below on getting from Naxos to Schinoússa.
Alternatively, flying into Athens requires a ferry journey to Naxos.
SwimTrek suggests reserving all ferries and flights TO and FROM the islands prior to travel at your earliest convenience
At Athens airport, leave the main entrance and turn right as approximately 200 metres further down is the bus stop for the X96 bus travelling direct to Piraeus harbour (1 hour). The ticket booth to purchase your fare is adjacent to the stop and the journey costs approximately €5. At Piraeus, get off the bus at the stop closest to Ferry Gate 7.
Ferries leave Piraeus Port daily for Naxos from 7-8am and 5-6pm. Depending on the type of ferry, travel time is roughly 5-6 hours. The price is €35-€45 one-way and tickets are available from outlets along the harbour front or online at Blue Star Ferries (www.bluestarferries.com) or Hellenic Seaways (www.hellenicseaways.gr).
Naxos to Schinoússa:
From Naxos the Express Skopelitis ferry (€13.00) leaves for Schinoússa at approx. 2pm each day (however this can change - Please check!). Tickets cannot be reserved in advance for this ferry service but you can purchase them from any of the travel agencies along the seafront such as Zas Travel.
Direct but infrequent ferries are available from Piraeus to Schinoússa with Blue Star Ferries, but these are not daily departures. Ferry schedules for all routes can be found at www.gtp.gr
It is possible to fly into Athens and reach the tour start point without staying an extra night in Naxos before the tour starts:
- Catch the 22.15 Olympic Airlines flight from London Heathrow to Athens. This arrives at 03.35. From here you can get a bus to Piraeus port.
- Board the 07.25 Blue Star ferry from Piraeus to Naxos
- Leave Naxos on the 14.00 Express Skopelitis ferry to Schinoússa where the Hotel Iliovasilema bus will meet you.
Option 2: Flying via Santorini
It is possible to fly into Santorini with Easyjet or various other charter airlines, and then catch a ferry from Santorini to Naxos. This is a faster option than flying into Athens but flights aren’t daily. Some guests who plan to stay a few extra nights in Greece have preferred this route. See information above on getting from Naxos to Schinoússa
Leaving Naxos:
You can fly back from Náxos to Athens with Olympic Airlines. Ferries leave Náxos for Piraeus between 9-10am and 6-6.30pm daily and travel time is between 5-6 hours. Always check the times!
Staying in Naxos:
Naxos is an ideal island to stay either prior to or after your tour. We recommend the Grotta Hotel ( www.hotelgrotta.gr) a superb family run hotel about 10 minutes walk from the ferry terminal and with lovely views over the islands of Mykonos and Paros.
Overnight in Piraeus:
The following hotel is recommended, if you need to overnight in Piraeus prior to or after your trip: Budget Phidias (www.hotelphidias.gr)
Accommodation
Our accommodation is of a good standard, based on twin-share and en-suite facilities. We use very good locally owned hotels.
First 3 nights Hotel Iliovasilema, Schinoússa, www.iliovasilemahotel.gr
Last 3 nights Hotel Paradise, Koufoníssi, www.paradisekoufonisi.gr
Single Supplements are limited
Meals
All breakfasts and lunches are included except for one lunch. This enables you to explore and sample the abundance of traditional family run tavernas. Dinners are not included, as this gives you the option to choose where, when and with whom you would like to dine.
Extra Expenses
You will need extra money to cover such items as dinner, entertainment, souvenirs and your return ferry fare to Naxos (€8-€12). A single ATM machine is available on each island but these can be unreliable so we suggest withdrawing money in Naxos anyway. The local currency is the EURO (€).
Passports and Visas
You require a full passport, that should be valid for 6 months beyond the expected length of stay. You should check if you require a visa. Most nationalities including EU, US, Canadian and Australian citizens do not require a visa to enter Greece. Visa regulations do change. Please check!!
Vaccinations
There are no essential vaccination requirements for Greece, but you should ensure that your tetanus is up to date.
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Customer Feedback
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Really well designed and planned trip
"Thanks to the whole team for a really well designed and planned trip in a fantastic location. It was my second SwimTrek and I'd be more than happy to do a third. Thanks also for the individual and personal way you run things, from the office to the trip. I feel like a member of a club more than a customer of a holiday company, and that means a lot."
Richard O, Sept 2011, UK
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Fantastic week
The week was fantastic. I loved every moment. Excellent guides. I look forward to booking another trip in the future.
Shane M, September 2010, Australia
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Guides were totally excellent
This was a trip of a life time. Was very apprehensive about many things - not least my ability to do it, my age, and my speed of swimming (slow) . Trip turned out to be exhilarating,a huge challenge,wonderful, exciting,fun, Extras that I hadn't thought of e.g. sailing, wonderful food. Guides were totally excellent, felt safe throughout , encouraged and supported. Met some lovely people amongst the group with whom I will keep in touch, and in some cases, visit.
Julie B, September 2012, UK
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I recommend this trip on all levels
" This trip is AMAZING...nothing like it in the States." "I recommend this trip on all levels...the water is magical, the guides are excellent and lots of fun, and the swim group of people from different countries make the trip that much more interesting."
Nancy C, September 2012, US
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Meet some great people and have fun
The best thing about SwimTrek is that it really is open to all types of swimmers from all walks of life. This is what sets SwimTrek apart from the rest. Not only can you learn everything you need to about open water swimming, you can also meet some great people and have fun along the way.
Susan G, September 2012, UK
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What a Holiday
Crystal clear blue waters, spectacular coastal swims, challenging sea crossings, dolphins, giant turtles, remote island life and a great bunch of people..... WHAT A HOLIDAY.
May 2009
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"Great experience. I never considered myself a swimmer, but I do now! What a great way to see and learn about a new part of the world you have never seen before. Guides did a great job of having plan B and C ready based on weather conditions, not an easy task but it was handled very professional."
Shellie P, Sept 2011, UK
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"This was the best trip I can remember taking. I felt like we were able to experience the Greek islands in a less-than-tourist-trap fashion, the water was amazing, the guides were great, and overall it was just very memorable and nice. Thank you!"
Jaimie H, Sept 2011
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"Perfect mix of swimming, great locations, friendly swimtrekkers, and great guides. I'll be back."
Martin P, July 2011, UK
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Life Changing
My adventure with SwimTrek was a life-changing experience. I fell in love with our guides and Greece and will look forward to my next adventure with these guys. I would strongly recommend anyone with an adventurous nature to try this out! Congratulations on another extrememly satisfied client! June 2009
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Great swims
Really enjoyed it. Was a little daunted before the trip as a breaststroker but given the conditions, the swims were really enjoyable.
September 2009
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Holiday For Everyone
Spontaneously decided to go on the trip with limited expectations; and had by far and away the best holiday I've had in years. Definitely would recommend - solo travellers, differing capabilities all really well catered for. Good job!
July 2009
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Best Holiday Ever!
Best holiday ever, looking forward to signing up to do another SwimTrek soon
Jane L, July 2010, UK
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Great Training
I wanted to gain open water experience to help my triathlon performance. Not only did the week achieve this but I also improved my technique a lot. It was also great fun
Norman W, August 2010, USA
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Thank You!
Was a great trip. Thank you. The holiday has got me enthusiastic about swimming once more
Mari W, August 2010, UK
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 Experience Island Hopping around some of the most scenic islands in the Mediterranean.
Sail to and from your swim locations aboard a beautiful locally owned yacht.
Experience a smaller group feeling while sailing and swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean.
Coastal swimming along the dramatic coast of Keros.
Discover the hidden wonders of the smaller Cyclades.
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6
Accommodation
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55
Paradise Hotel
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Set on Anu Koufoníssi, this traditional white washed hotel offers friendly service and fantastic views of the coastline.
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6
Accommodation
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54
Iliovasilema Hotel
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Set on the island of Schinousa, the Iliovasilema is the ideal place to relax and watch the sunset after a hard day swimming.
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1
Guides
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124
Patricia Brennan
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Trish joins us from Ireland where she is one of the country's top lifesavers. A keen swimmer, Trish now specialises in the sport of lifesaving. She has trained both in Ireland and Australia and competes internationally with the Irish team in pool and surf lifesaving competitions.
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Trish joins us from Ireland where she is one of the country's top lifesavers. A keen swimmer, Trish now specialises in the sport of lifesaving. She has trained both in Ireland and Australia and competes internationally with the Irish team in pool and surf lifesaving competitions.
Trish enjoys open water swimming and surfing along the beautiful west of Ireland coast where she has been working as a primary school teacher when not on tour with SwimTrek.
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