Private tour
A private day in Kourtaliotiko and at Preveli.
Photo: Niall Dennehy / Pexels
Quick facts
- Region
- Rethymno
- Start town
- Rethymno
- Planning time
- Depends on the selected itinerary
- Type
- Private tour
Kourtaliotiko is the gorge with the waterfall, and Preveli is the palm beach below it. A private day is a driver and the time you agreed at each, not the jeep safari and not the trek that walks the whole gorge. The Venetian lighthouse in the photograph is Rethymno, the town you leave. Neither the gorge nor the palms are in that frame.
Agree the Rethymno pickup, the order, and how long the car waits. The gorge car park, the monastery and the palm river are three gates. Confirm which ones you enter.
Is it worth it
It suits a small group that wants both places without a shared coach timetable. Skip it if the gorge steps are the problem, or if the beach alone would have filled the afternoon.
What to bring
- The agreed itinerary, return time and any requests for stops or accessibility.
Tips
- Check the selected listing for transport, admission, equipment and cancellation terms.
Related tours
Gorge and beachPhoto: dronepicr / “Aerial view of the river Kissano Faraggi flowing to Preveli beach on Crete, Greece” / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons · Resized or cropped for display
Kourtaliotiko and Preveli: river and coast
RethymnoCompare the gorge route, beach approach and road transfers
Compare the permitted gorge route with the separate beach approach and the transport between them.
View detailsFind options on GetYourGuide
Day tripPreveli palm beach
PlakiasDepends on the selected itinerary
Preveli beach is the palm-backed shore where the Kourtaliotiko river meets the south coast. From Plakias it is a shorter approach than from Rethymno town. You still walk down to the sand and back up, unless you arrive by boat. The palms are real. The shade under them is limited once the beach fills. Fire has scarred the grove in living memory, so the photograph in your head may be fuller than the trees. It suits swimmers who can handle the path or the boat. It is a poor midday choice for anyone who cannot climb out. Go earlier than the August coaches. From Plakias, drive toward Preveli or take a small boat along the coast. From Rethymno, the gorge road is the usual approach. Confirm the path is open.
View detailsFind options on GetYourGuide- Jeep safari
A jeep day toward Preveli from Rethymno
RethymnoDepends on the selected itinerary
Preveli is the palm beach where a river meets the south coast. A jeep day from Rethymno toward it is a high vehicle on inland roads, not the coach that also stops at Damnoni and not a self-drive hire car. The photograph is the beach. It does not show the track, the gorge, or how long you are allowed out of the jeep. It suits people who want the south coast without driving themselves. Skip it if the group came to walk Kourtaliotiko for the whole day. Ask how much of the time is sitting. Confirm the pickup in Rethymno, whether the palm beach and the gorge are both stops, and the latest return. The beach car park and the monastery are different places. Wear shoes you can walk in.
View detailsFind options on GetYourGuide
Options checked on GetYourGuide
Each link opens one product page. The operator named there is not a Discover Crete partner. Availability, the pickup and the inclusions are confirmed on that page for the date you choose.
Private Kourtaliotiko and Preveli day
A private vehicle day with a driver-host, hotel pickup, the gorge cliffs and Preveli’s palm river. Lunch is optional. This is the drive with stops, not the river trek on foot. Check the pickup and the date on the product page.
Check this private Preveli dayPrivate Kourtaliotiko and Preveli day
FAQ
Questions.
- Planning time: Depends on the selected itinerary. Confirm the exact duration and whether travel from your accommodation is included in the selected option.
- Suggested season: Check current access and the selected date. Confirm the date, access conditions and operating schedule before making a booking.
- Agree the Rethymno pickup, the order, and how long the car waits. The gorge car park, the monastery and the palm river are three gates. Confirm which ones you enter.
- It suits a small group that wants both places without a shared coach timetable. Skip it if the gorge steps are the problem, or if the beach alone would have filled the afternoon.