Holidays 2022

In hopes that we are back to normal in 2022, here are the new dates for holidays scheduled for next year. We look forward to welcoming back customers old and new for a very long awaited return to Crete and its flowers. As returning customers will know, my groups are very small and all appropriate precautions will be taken during trips.

FLOWER FINDING TRIP AROUND MEDLIDONI, RETHYMNON
15th - 22nd March, 2022
Full information about this trip here.

Two Week Flower Trip on Crete Spring 2022
12th - 26th April 2022
Full information about this trip here.

Flowers of Crete’ Botanic Art Workshop
3rd - 10th May 2022
Full information about this trip here.

The Contrasts of Crete
24th - 31st May, 2022
Full information about this trip here.

1 week Autumn Bulb Finding Trip
1st - 8th November
Full information about this trip here.

NEW FOR 2022!!!

Sunset and Flowers Trip from Elounda/Aghios Nikolaos
5th - 12nd May, 2020
Full information about this trip here.

Orchid Finding Trips

One week trips in the east of Crete
22nd - 29th March, 2022
Full information about this trip here.

Julia Jones is the Founder of Flowers of Crete. She is a botanical artist and writer and during the spring and winter months guides mountain tours in search of rare and endemic species.

Below here is information about trips with Flowers of Crete in previous years, as sample itineraries for trips that could be arranged. Prices are available on request from Julia.

Orchid Finding Trips One week trips in the east of Crete Dates: Sunday 8th – 15th March » Click here to download a PDF with and itinerary and more information.

Minoan Pack Route over Thripti Mountains This is a full day’s trip, starting from Aghios Nikolaos, and taking the coast road as far east as Sitea. We then turn off onto a narrow mountain road, which winds through some spectacular, unspoilt scenery with very little sign of man’s effect on the landscape. We will take several stops along this road for photography and plant identification. After a few kilometres, we will turn off onto a little used dirt track which will lead us high into the mountains, with stunning views on either side. Eventually we will reach the high mountain pasture, that forms the ridge between the peak. Here we will stop  for lunch, and a welcome drink. There will be plenty of time for exploration and walking amongst the flowers and herbs which flourish in the clean, cool air. The track we follow is that of an ancient Minoan trade route between Sitea and Ierapetra. Lunch over, we begin our descent, stopping briefly at an ancient, deserted mountain settlement and taking a short detour to visit the seldom visited ‘Shrine to the Goddess with the Upraised Hands’. Here we will stop for a while to take in the amazing views and for a short walk to explore the ruins and the surrounding mountain tracks. Once back to the coast, we have the option of driving to a secluded beachside taverna for dinner, or of heading back to Aghios Nikolaos.

Eastern Mountains and the High Pasture - forests & flowers: On this excursion we will show you unspoilt countryside, forests and wild flowers as we walk along an old Minoan trade route through some of the most beautiful landscape that Crete has to offer.

Around Psiloritis and the Orchid Meadows - orchids & tulips: A day's driving excursion where we go west along the north coast road and return through the agricultural region of the Mesara Plain - a wonderful round trip with many stops along the way.

Southern Slopes of Mount Dikti - forests, pastures & beaches: We approach Mount Dikti from the south, after a short detour to find dozens of different orchids. En-route we make a refreshment stop at Prina to visit the famous viewpoint where visitors can see both the Cretan and the Libyan seas. The day finishes with a meal at a quiet beach side taverna on the south coast.

Katharo Plateau - river beds, rocky slopes, flowers & much, much more: We head east from Aghios Nikolaos, then head into the mountains towards Katharo – 1,100 metres above sea level. Here we will see birds of prey, wild orchids and flowers that are endemic to the region.

Mohos to Krasi & Malia marshes - cyclamen, sternbergia & orchids: A day of contrasts. Hundreds of cyclamen, a myriad of orchids and countless other interesting and beautiful flowers await you in the mountains, while the marshes near Malia are home to an orchid found in only a few places on the island. Here this impressive orchid is endangered by development and may soon perish.

Akrotiri, Agios Ioannis Peninsula – meadows, gorges & pastures: We visit the windswept and remote north-eastern peninsula to find rare and beautiful flowers. Fantastic views over the bay and islands can be enjoyed during this outing, which involves some walking and easy climbing.

Contrasts in Crete This trip takes in the stunning remoteness of the Kallergi Refuge high above the Samaria Gorge and the wonderful traditional retreat of the eco-village of Milia.

Please note:
There are prices on some PDFs, which will give a rough guide for future prices. They are for a minimum of three participants (an additional charge may apply for fewer). Prices per person from rendezvous point in Aghios Nikolaos or Elounda. Meals and drinks are extra, except for trip 4, where an evening meal is included in the price.