Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

COUNTRY:
Greece
LOCATION:
Cyclades
DEPARTURES:
2013: 25 May, 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 6 Jul, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, 31 Aug, 7 Sep, 14 Sep, 21 Sep, 28 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 2 Nov
PRICE:
From 670 - €720 (7 days) excluding flights
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MORE INFO:
Price includes skipper, guided walks, breakfast (self-service), water supplies, port fees, snorkelling equipment, outboard, tender and end cleaning.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

How Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece makes a difference

Environment

The sailing & walking week has an eco focus. It informs our guests about the endemic species that they will encounter while sailing & walking around Greece. We'll show our guests a couple of presentations on the local widlife that will help them appreciate what the see. It’s essential that you appreciate and understand the beings that you come face to face with. If you understand them, you know where to find them, how to approach them in order not to scare them and disrupt their life and how to observe their behaviours.

In general with all our trips, we’re trying through our activities to encourage travellers to approach places they visits with greater understanding and respect. A few of our activities and actions related to wildlife:

- We organise wildlife tours which combine sailing and discovering endemic species. Under the guidance of our experienced biologist, people are introduced to tens of endemic species, both from the animal and plant kingdoms which exist only in this small corner of the globe. Guests leave with a different approach towards wildlife and aware of the dangers they face and how to minimise them.
- We organise visits at the two national marine parks in Greece, in Zakynthos and Alonisos, where the two most important NGOs for the protection of the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus are based. Our guests are briefed on their work and how they can get involved and support them.
- We watch and monitor dolphins & other cetaceans by far away without disturbing them, adhering to the ACCOBAMS guidelines for commercial cetacean-watching activities in the Mediterranean Sea.

When our sailing boat, is not chartered, we sail around cleaning beaches, recycling or giving a helping hand to researchers and organisations in their efforts to collect data in order to study and protect the environment and wildlife.

By including in our itineraries and taking our guests to remote or underdeveloped islands [such as Kinaros (population: 2 people), Levitha, Iraklia and Anafi (population: under 100 people)] we aim to distribute economic benefits to those places that are hard to get to due to lack of frequent ferries or that are unreachable without a sailing boat or similar means.

- By recommending the purchase of products from the local agricultural co-operatives which function in many islands
- By advising our guests to taste the local cuisine in local taverns and get a taste of the local culture and avoid global restaurant chains
- By recommending rooms & apartments that we have carefully selected that are run by local people, not generic hotel chains.

Community

We include in all our itineraries and take our guests to remote or underdeveloped islands [such as Kinaros (population: 2 people), Levitha, Iraklia and Anafi (population: under 100 people)] as we aim to distribute economic benefits to those places that are harder to get to due to the lack of frequent ferries or because they are unreachable without a sailing boat or similar means.

We encourage our guests to visit and try the local cuisine and purchase local goods wherever we go in order to get a taste of the local culture and also support the local community. More specifically:

- We recommend our guests the purchase of products from the local agricultural co-operatives which operate in many islands,
- We advise our guests to taste the local cuisine in local taverns and get a taste of the local culture and avoid global restaurant chains,
- We recommend our guests to stay in rooms & apartments that we have carefully selected that are run by local people, not generic hotel chains.

Our base has become the island of Syros where most of the maintenance work is carried out. We employ locals for all the jobs concerning the boat. We buy materials for the maintenance of the boat from local shops.

Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

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How we choose the provider of Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

How we choose providers

Cyclades sailing & walking holiday in Greece

Reviewed 28 Apr 2013 by Rebecca Coker4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


This is difficult to pin down. Was it seeing the dolphins (twice) or the spontaneous Greek dancing in a cafe on Amorgos?
Or perhaps the weather or the company of our hosts and the other guests.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Go with the flow - Soiris and Annie know ALL the best places!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Definitely, all the places we ate in and bought food, water or gifts from were owned by the people who lived on each island and whilst on the boat we participated (minimally I admit) in gathering information on the pods of dolphins we saw.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


10 out of 10 based on the companionship, weather, knowledge and sheer good fun that was had by both of us during this holiday.

Reviewed 31 Oct 2012 by Lawrence Holden5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


The special quality of the experience made this a memorable holiday. Although the Cyclades are popular islands for holiday makers we felt that we were privileged to have a really personal experience on some of the smaller islands. The random nature of the voyage and experiences of small harbours and off the beaten track hill villages took us back to an earlier age- before mass tourism.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Pack light! We overpacked with warm weather clothes!
Learn about the long history of the entire Mediterranean Sea.
Buy local and enjoy the delicious local foods.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


The operator were careful to spread our custom around especially to the lesser known and more remote places in need of the extra income. This added to the quality and variety of what we ate!
The journey itself was of very low environmental impact and the team clearly had done a wide range of environmentally sound and sustaining work especially in relation to under-water issues.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


First-rate. A great and memorable experience. It also introduced us well to the people of these smaller islands and their way of life. Happy to recommend strongly.

Reviewed 21 Aug 2012 by Janet Grimwade4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


It is hard to pick one thing... I have a long list... so here are the Top 2! One night we went swimming off the boat and saw stars in the water. It wasn't a reflection of the sky but light that tiny sea creatures gave out when we touched them. When we came out of the water it seemed that we were sparkling too! Another day we stopped for a drink at a taverna in the hills of Amorgos. We sat outside in the narrow street. At first there were just a few of us, then some musicians came along and started to play. More chairs were brought out, more and more people came. Soon the line of chairs was all along the street. It was such a lovely gathering, like being with friends who suddenly decided to have a party.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


To travel very light as there is limited storage space and to take covered walking shoes with good soles as some of the paths are rugged.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Yes, the operator is helping to support communities as they took us to some remote places – one island had only about 100 inhabitants and some were only accessible by boat or by infrequent ferries. They took us to local tavernas and cafés and suggested somewhere to stay for our second week, so we were felt that we were supporting small businesses. I think the environmental impact was limited as we were sailing most of the time and were careful about recycling and using water economically. The operator was also monitoring wildlife and looking for any changes in the marine environment.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


It is like being on holiday with friends who share their favourite places with you and introduce you to their friends. It was lovely not to feel like a tourist and see places as they really are. A rare and very special holiday!

Reviewed 26 Oct 2012 by Sarah Phillips3 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Memorable moments for me included swimming in the sea, eating the delicious home- cooked food on Amorgos, and the beautiful beaches on Koufonissi.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Pack light!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


We went at low season, as the tavernas were starting to close and people on the
islands were returning to Athens. Because our skipper and walking guide had
friends on every island people were really happy to open up especially for us.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


I had a great holiday, I'd rate it very highly. I met some interesting people,
saw some beautiful sights and had a great time learning to sail, walking up
mountains and relaxing on deck.

Reviewed 15 Oct 2012 by diane barrett3 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


The day we spent walking on Amorgos to the Monastery was fantastic. The scenery throughout the walk was superb.
Each evening we ate at a local taverna which was recommended by Annie and Sortiras, which meant at each island there was a
change in the food,

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


The walks are moderate and I would advise closed shoes as the paths can be rough with thorny plants. They advise to pack light and you do need to. Space on the boat is limited and other than walking clothes and a change for the evening you don,t need much more. There is a " bare foot" policy on the boat so a pair of flip flops is useful for slipping on when getting off the boat. You do need to be reasonably fit, as I would describe the walks as moderate and you have to get on and off the boat up gangplanks and over the side.
Remember that it is a yacht so if there is no wind you cannot sail so need to be flexible, we walked a full day and sailed a full day
rather than half and half.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?


Yes, we ate at local restaurants/ tavernas which served locally sourced food and were encouraged to buy goods as required in each place.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Great fun, we had a good group and Annie makes the whole thing work. We met really nice local people who opened up simply to serve us food even though the season was over.
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