Exploring another – more secret – side to Crete

We meet more friendly locals during the tour at Dourakis Winery, where owner and winemaker Adonis tell us his business, which was founded by his father in 1988, produces 250,000 bottles of organic wine every year, with only 10% of these exported. Using 60% solar energy to do so, his goal is to make it to 100% in the coming years and eventually pass the business on to his children. We savour a crisp white, floral rosé and fruity red wine alongside a homemade lunch of Greek salad, fava bean dip and stuffed peppers. It’s a feast for the senses and a trip highlight for many of the Ambassadors, who are astounded by how rewarding engaging with locals is, for both themselves as well as the business owners.

“This trip has drummed in that sustainable travel isn’t just about being as eco-friendly as possible,” says Annika Nickson of Not Just Travel. “It’s about connecting with the communities around us when we travel and putting money into local businesses such as shops and restaurants; and making a conscious choice to do so.”

BACK TO NATURE

Of course, environmentally-conscious experiences are just as important as the socially-conscious, and so our trip features plenty of outdoor adventures led both by knowledgeable local guides and, for our road trip portion of the tour, ourselves.

We pile into three hybrid Avis vehicles to make the 90-minute journey from Chania to Elafonisi Beach, which we soon discover is a little slice of heaven. Tucked into the far south-west corner of Crete, it’s miles from the hustle and bustle of the cities and the perfect place to lounge on pale-pink and sugar-white sand, swim in the turquoise shallows or try windsurfing, stand-up paddle-boarding or kayaking.

If clients are keen for active experiences, flag that Intrepid’s Highlights of Crete tour features a hike of Samaria Gorge. Our local walking guide, Anna, who also runs a nearby boutique shop, meets us in Agia Roumeli, a small town at the foot of the canyon only accessible by boat or on foot. We follow her – and the river – past 500-year-old farm buildings and grazing livestock to “The Gates”, which at only four metres wide is the narrowest part of the gorge. We only see a handful of other hikers en route and are fascinated by the 174 endemic plants that thrive here, while the morning air is fragrant with thyme.

This hike would be my favourite outdoor adventure of the trip if it weren’t for a short swimming stop we make at Marmara, or in English, Marble Beach, at the foot of Aradena Gorge. Our wonderful Intrepid guide from Athens, Aris, who has been at our side for the duration, gives strong swimmers a tip: “If you swim along the coast here and turn left into the first cave you see, there’s a surprise waiting,” he says pointing east. Three of us navigate our way there and are met with the most striking scene. Sea-weathered marble cliffs give way to a cave in which light bounces from sky, to marble, to ocean, making the water an almost fluorescent aquamarine. At the rear is a rift just wide enough to float through into the next cave and as we do we realise it’s one of those “pinch me” moments.

This is the experience I share as my trip highlight during our farewell meal at Chania’s seafront tavern Thalassino Ageri, while others talk of the lasting memories they’ve made and their new connections to the people and landscapes of Crete. The TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors are in fact so moved by their experiences that we see a few tears of happiness. TTG’s mission to educate them on why travelling Smarter, Better and Fairer is superior is, dare I say, accomplished.

Watch the fam trip highlights and hear the Ambassadors' selling tips in this round-up video:

Find more advice and tips for selling sustainable travel at ttgmedia.com/sustainabletravelheroes.