Heraklion

Heraklion trip ideas

Zeus Cave-Traditional-Villages-Old Wind Mills-Olive Oil Factory-Small Group.

Name: Zeus Cave-Traditional-Villages-Old Wind Mills-Olive Oil Factory-Small Group.
Brand: Explore Real Crete
SKU: 102515P1
Price: 105.53 USD
Rating: 5.0 (516 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceHeraklion, Greece

Zeus Cave Lasithi Plateau Private Tour up to eight people

From $105.53

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Spend the day exploring Crete with a local driver/guide. See the windmills of Lasithi Plateau, the Cave of Diktaion Andron, the birthplace of Zeus, and a platanus tree that is, according to locals, the oldest tree on the island. You’ll also explore Mochos and Krasi villages. Tour with a group no larger than 15, or upgrade for a private adventure: Lunch and entry fees are at your own expense.

See the Lasithi Plateau windmills, the cave where Zeus was born, and more
Join a small-group tour or upgrade for a private adventure
Local driver/guide clues you in on history, myth, and culture
Hassle-free 2-way hotel transfers from Heraklion, Malia, and more

What's Included

Small-group tour.
Liability Insurance
Water , coffees
Olive oil and honey tasting
Informative English speaking driver guide

Zeus Cave , Diktion Antron ,entrance fee 6 Euro per person
Lunch

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

Type to search

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

We can pick you up from your hotel or another location that is in and around Heraklion City , Gouves , Anisara Analipsi , Chersonisos , Stalida , Malia , For other areas ( Ligaria , Agia Pelagia , Fodele , Sisi ) there is an extra charge of 15 euros per person for transfer, ( return) Unfortunately we can’t pick you up from Rethimno, Elounda , Agios Nikolaous Chania, We can meet up at a meeting point in Heraklion area or Malia area . We can pick you up from Elounda or Rethimno if it’s minimum 6 people or if you book the Private tour option instead of the shared one . Thank you for. your understanding.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infant seats available

Most travelers can participate
Infant seats are available on request if advised at time of booking.
There is a 20 minutes walking up hill to get to the cave and then around 100 steps to get inside the cave .
Walking up to the Cave is optional. At the bottom of the Cave is a cafeteria where you can enjoy some fresh fruit juice ,
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Phillip_N

Eddie was such a great guide and storyteller. The entire trip was so full of information about not only Crete, but the rest of the world. It was so interesting to hear comparisons between Crete and the world. The trip gave us a look into what modern Crete looks like but what it also used to look like. The trip to Zeus Cave, the villages we passed thru, the views we had, were all great. The information that tied the views with local history gave us a great appreciation of the history and culture of Crete. Our highlight was lunch at Lithos Restaurant in Mochos. Such hospitality. I would highly recommend Lithos for anyone. Our tour at Omalia Olive Oil Company was also great. Lasithiou Plateau was phenomenal. All in all this was the best tour we have ever been on. Thank you Eddie for such a wonderful day!!!!

Reviews

5.0

516 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 516 reviews

Fabulous day in Crete!

Jin_P, May 2024

Our knowledgeable and gregarious tour guide, Ed, kept us entertained with stories during the entire tour. Our lunch stop was great. This is truly a small group tour with only 4 guests, maybe 6 at most. So the service is great, and the experience much more personal. Well worth the cost. Do not hesitate to book this tour. We have no regrets.

Zues Cave Private Tour

Leigh_G, May 2024

We had an incredible day with Spiros. What an authentic Cretan tour, from the beginning to the end of the day. Wouldn’t change a thing!

Response from Host, May 2024

Thank you so much Leigh for taking the time to write a great review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the day with Spyros and hope to meet again in the future so we can create new memories and explore another part of Crete .

A wonderful experience!

James_P, May 2024

What a great day! Mike was our guide and he was very informative and knew many facts about the plants and food as well as the culture. He told us all the stories of the towns we visited as well as Greek myths! Great guy and wonderful experience.

Highly recommend!

Johanna_H, Apr 2024

Simply amazing trip, highly recommend! We were planning this trip rather spontaneous, nevertheless pe-communication with (meeting) instructions went very smooth. Overall, the trip was amazing. The guide is a true local and made it into a very special and personal experience for every group member. The guide was very punctual at the pick up point and we enjoyed a very friendly welcome that made us feel comfortable from the start. After picking up the rest of the group we headed to the olive oil factory were we could enjoy detailed explanations and also jokes hehe :) We continued to the windmills and could not only enjoy the wonderful view but also learn about the local plants and herbs. During the tour the guide answered all our questions and could give us a great insight into the greek and especially Crete culture. I am very amazed by the welcoming mentallity of the cretan people and especially of our guide, who really turn this trip into the best experience. The cave was also interesting to see (and refreshingly cool also). We could take our time to explore and got picked up again afterwards to head to local locations for coffee and sweets and to explore local craftsmenship (pottery). By all means, we absolutly recommend this trip and the guide to anyone travelling to Crete! We will never forget this amazing day :) Johanna (GER) & Charles (FRA)

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much Johanna and Charles for taking the time to write this amazing review. We are happy to hear that you had a great time with us and hope to meet again in the future so we can create new memories and explore Crete together until then though stay healthy and enjoy life .

A friend and tour guide for the day - Ed

Ella_S, Apr 2024

My boyfriend and I took the trip with Ed who was so warm, friendly, and amusing. He made the day very enjoyable and we laughed and learned along the way! There's nothing that beats meeting a real local and someone who felt like a friend who happened to be a tour guide. Ed gave genuine recommendations, was helpful, and gave us one of our best days ever on our Crete trip!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much Ella for taking the time to write a great review. We are happy to read that you really enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet again in the future here in Crete for more adventures and fun times.

Relax on the ride, prepare for the hike

Marci_H, Apr 2024

This was a nice change of pace on our trip. A lot of riding in the van and looking at the landscape. We did enjoy the strenuous hike to the cave. (Not for the faint of heart) The Olive oil factory was very interesting.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you very much Marci taking the time to write a review and giving us 5 stars .

Engaging guide, beautiful Crete!

Melanie_F, Apr 2024

Wonderful tour! Great conversation and information from our generous guide who gladly shifted things around to fit our needs and desires.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you very much Melanie for taking the time to write a lovely review about the tour we had together. Happy to hear that you enjoyed and hope to meet again so we can explore another part of Crete…..

Great tour! Nice stops...

Rajveer_S, Apr 2024

Great tour! Nice stops and afcourse a great tour guide! We got all info we needed and asked for. We also ate delicious food on the way. Its handy that the tour guide knew the good places.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you very much Rajveer for taking the time to write a really nice review . We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us . Stay healthy and enjoy life .

We have been on a lot of...

Cheryl_S, Apr 2024

We have been on a lot of tours and this one was our favorite . Ed our guide made the trip a wonderful experience ! Every stop was magical. Ed is very knowledgeable about his hometown of Heraklion and the whole island of Crete. He kept us amused and educated about Crete. Thank you Ed for making our day with you the highlight of our trip!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much Cheryl for taking the time to write this great review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet again in the future for more exploring.

Excellent!

Kareny1107, Apr 2024

Stavros was very friendly, knowledgeable and funny. He made the day most enjoyable! We particularly liked lunch at the farm to table restaurant! We would highly recommend this tour. Thank you Stavros! It was so nice to meet and spend the day with you!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you very much Karen for taking the time to write a lovely review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet you again for more exploring and fun times.

Great tour for Island Highlights!

Emily_J, Mar 2024

Stavros has an amazing tour, that I highly recommend if traveling with your family. We wanted to see some of the island’s highlights with our limited time on Crete. Stavros’ energy, humor, and knowledge was much appreciated. His stops are perfectly described in his booking, and he adds a personal touch with multiple local stops and drinks/snacks.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you so much Emily for taking the time to write a great review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and hope to see you and Kevin again here for more exploring and fun times until then though stay healthy and enjoy life .

Great day on Crete!

Jay_R, Mar 2024

We had a great time on this tour. We wanted to get out of the city to see more of Crete and this tour was perfect for that. Ed is a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable & entertaining. We enjoyed each of the stops and appreciated Ed’s commentary. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you so much Jay for your great review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet again to create new memories and more exploring.

Lovely Experience Given by a True Local

Alhassain_A, Jan 2024

Really comprehensive tour that covers everything it says on the itinerary & more. Ed, the tour guide/driver was the cherry on top. Opt with this tour with your eyes closed.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you very much for taking the time to write a lovely review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the day with us and hope to meet again for more adventures and exploring.

Great tour - highly recommended

Justin_C, Jan 2024

Michaelis (Mike) was a great tour guide with perfect English that obviously enjoyed showing off Crete. He was very informative and was flexible so all guests could keep up. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you very much Justin for taking the time to write a review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet again for mew adventures and exploring.

Amazing tour!! A must do on the island!!

Desiree_H, Nov 2023

Our guide Stavros was incredible, fun, friendly and very knowledgeable about his home Crete! He made our experience truly amazing and one of a kind tht we will never forget. We will definitely be back to book more tours! Thank you so much for a special experience, we appreciate it.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you so much Desiree for taking the time to write a great super review. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the day with us and hope to meet again in the future for more exploring and fun times until then though stay healthy and make the most of life .

This is how to EXPLORE REAL CRETE

Lisa_Z, Nov 2023

A perfect way to explore REAL Crete! Our tour guide, Stavros was engaging, funny and a wealth of knowledge! He took us to an olive oil factory but gave us some of his OWN olive oil at the end of the tour as a parting gift. He brought us to the small villages high in the mountains, treated us to a coffee, brought us to his friends strawberry fields to pick the sweetest berries I’ve ever tasted. We went to a family run farm to table restaurant for an amazing Cretan lunch. The cave of Zeus was a long zigzag vertical walk up a mountain but worth the magnificent cave when inside. We toasted with wine at the end of the day at a beautiful vista with windmills! Cannot recommend highly enough!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you so much Lisa for your lovely review. We are glad to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and hope to meet again here in Crete for more exploring.

A great small tour of Crete

LeeDaniel_B, Oct 2023

Booked this small group tour, but as it turned out there was only two of us on the day due to others cancelling so ended up a private one. Stavros was our guide for the day and he was engaging, informative, good company and we enjoyed a lot of good banter throughout the day. All the advertised activities were interesting and with his knowledge, the running order of activities were flexible which allowed us to visit places such as Zeus Cave without the massive crowds that arrived just as we were departing. He also stopped frequently to show us aspects of Cretan life which are more representative of Crete than those suggested if you had just stayed in the holiday resorts or gone with larger tours. An example of this would be going around several villages on the Plateau which are slowly becoming part of Crete that in time will be lost as people migrate to the busier areas. We went on another (larger) tour in the week and there was no competition. If you can, book a small group tour (ideally with Explore Real Crete) and hopefully you too can enjoy a day out with Stavros! With the bonus of his angelic singing voice (not like a cat) on the journey back as well! Well worth the money, cannot recommend them enough.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much Lee for your great review, we appreciate your time and effort and we are happy to hear that you had a great day with us . Hope to meet again so we can explore another part of Crete next time until then though stay healthy and of course make the most of life .

An amazing experience

Shane_U, Oct 2023

Spyros was the perfect tour guide, he was very thorough in explaining where we were going and the things we were seeing along the way. He took his time in explaining anything we weren’t familiar with. We stopped and had Greek coffee and snacks and also enjoyed Greek yogurt with honey, with the explanations of how they are made and why the Greeks take pride in their foods. We loved everything about today and will definitely be back and recommend this to all visitors

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much Shane for your great review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and we hope to meet you again so we can explore another part of Crete next time.

Great tour and fantastic guide!

Michelle_M, Oct 2023

Excellent and extremely entertaining tour with Stavros. Booked last minute as did the couple that joined us so it was a great small group! Very prompt and organized response and pick up was right on time. Really enjoyed the various visits to the local countryside and felt it was a great tour to get away from the more touristy sights like the Palace of Knossos. The cave was the most touristy part of the tour and was still not too bad. A bit of a climb up to the cave entrance but was worth the effort. Stavros had great knowledge of the island and was very entertaining. The day seemed to fly by and there were plenty of stops.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much Michelle for your great review. We are happy to read that you had a great experience with us and we hope to meet you again in Crete for more adventures and fun times.

Traditional Heraklion

Elizabeth_P, Oct 2023

Ed was our guide. His enthusiasm and knowledge were beyond compare. He did everything possible to make our tour not only memorable but unforgetable. One of the highlights was the visit to a small town in the hills of Heraklion. Watching the residents coming from church and sitting in the square was like a look into traditional Greek life. Please ask for Ed you won't be disappointed. Elizabeth and Marilyn

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much Elisabeth and Marilyn for your lovely review. We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour with us and let’s hope we can meet again in the future for more exploring and new adventures.

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