Elafonisi Beach: Luxury Chauffeured Escape

Escape to the Cretan beach paradise of Elafonisi on a private day tour from Heraklion. Immerse yourself in luxury and relaxation as you bask in crystal blue waters and sink your toes into the fine white sand.

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Heraklion Prefecture - Embark on a private journey to Elafonisi Beach from Heraklion and Hersonissos regions, with the flexibility to set your own pace (approximately 3 hours drive from these areas).
  • Chania Prefecture - Dive into the West Crete tour and experience the boundless beauty of this region.
  • Topolia - Explore the rugged charm…
What's Included
  • VIP skip-the-line access & assistance with purchasing admission tickets
  • Assistance with restaurant recommendations & reservations
  • Exclusive insider-access opportunities & tailor-made experiences
  • Private local guide, selected for excellence
  • Flexible personal pick-up & drop-off
  • Dedicated concierge support before and during your trip
  • Travel in…
What's Not Included
  • Drinks and meals
Additional Information

Nestled between the heavens and the earth is a heavenly beach in Crete, artistically crafted by nature herself over the eons. There are days when this ecological wonder connects to the South-West Crete coast, while on different days, it metamorphoses into an island - easily accessible through a shallow marine trail.
Picture this: you are luxuriating in…

Location
Hersonissos
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(37 Ratings)
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Lori
Jun 27, 2025
If you are thinking about it, book it. - We were staying in Heraklion but wanted to see Elafonisi Beach. Yes- it’s a little over 3 hour drive to visit but it was well worth it in my book. It is a long day but you know that going in, there’s no surprises. This private ride versus a bus tour allowed for more time and a tailored experience. My time on Crete was limited and visiting Elafonisi was at the top of my list. Dimitri and Nicholas were an excellent, friendly & professional team. We were picked up directly from our hotel. On the drive to Elafonisi, Nicholas gave us background and history of Crete. He was very informative and you can sense his pride in the island. He was also conscious of not bombarding us with history lessons, but I encouraged him to continue sharing. So, if you prefer a quiet ride, they would respect that as well. Nicholas did the driving on the return trip. It does have some winding, single lane roads, but at no point did I feel unsafe. They were both very careful drivers and the vehicle we rode was comfortable and air conditioned. My two teen and young adult sons- enjoyed the private and special service. Once we arrived at the beach we set up a time table to meet back at the vehicle and Nicholas kindly bought us some fresh fruit from the local small market near the beach. We had enough time to swim, take pictures, sit on the beach. We did arrive by 10:40 am and were able to find ample sand space to set up. We were able to stay at the beach almost an hour before meeting back up. On the ride back to Heraklion we were able to request a lunch pit stop at Chania. The car ride after lunch was quiet as my family fell asleep (we had just landed in Crete the day prior- so we were still jet lagged). Elafonissi is gorgeous and if you are questioning spending the time or the money on this excursion, I say go for it. My sons say this part of our Greece vacation was a highlight. Money well spent- memories forever. Thank you to Dimitri and Nicholas for being so kind and sharing Crete with us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hafdisjona
Jun 10, 2025
Great trip! - We had such a lovely time on our day-trip to Elafonissi with our lovely guide Nicholas, and the great driver Dimitris. They took great care of us the entire trip. Nicholas was incredibly knowledgeable, and shared with us his knowledge about Crete and Greece. Throughout the entire day, both Nicholas and Dimitris made sure we were comfortable and enjoying every moment. One of the highlights was stopping for lunch at a charming little village, where we dined at a cozy local restaurant with delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere. It felt like a hidden gem! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone visiting the area. Their professionalism, hospitality, and genuine care made this trip unforgettable. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elenalf6618yq
May 4, 2025
ELAFONISI BEACH & The art of KEFI in Crete - We were taken by Alexander for an amazing adventure ! He picked us up at our hotel and drove us to one of the greatest beaches in Greece, Elafonnisi ! A piece of advise: go there in May as we did, to avoid too many tourists! We could truly enjoy the beach with few people around! Colour is truly turquoise (NO PHOTO SHOP) and pink- here and there to make it so picturesque! And do not be scared about the time by car as Alexander not only is a great driver but he is also very knowledgable and explained us a lot of important information about the Cretan history, mentality and amazing sense of humor! We discovered lovely areas for unforgettable pictures and not to forget, ate amazing food in one of Alexander’s favourite tavernas and discovery of a vinary where we bought some limited edition red and white wine. It was an amazing day for me and my partner that learned (especially me) the art of KEFI! Grazie mille Alexander you made our day 💓🇬🇷 WE DEFINETELY RECOMMEND THIS TOUR !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pierrebrouard06
Oct 6, 2024
Beautiful beach that is worth a visit - Beautiful beach to reach after 20 minutes of walking. Very busy. Trip Tip: go to the island in front (1m of water) where, on the south side, there is a nice quieter beach...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tammy_m
Jun 19, 2024
Great day trip! - Beautiful clear water and nice sandy beaches with a great lunch afterwards! Thanks so much Alexander for a great experience!
Review provided by Viator
Y2643vrnicholasc
Apr 10, 2024
Excellent All Around - The entire experience was fantastic. Nikos was a top tier driver, extremely well spoken, and was able to share excellent facts and history about the region. We were treated to local cuisine and snacks. We were given plenty of time to enjoy Elafnosi. They were also the only tour we could find that would pick up in Heraklion. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Asonnier84
Nov 30, 2023
Amazing experience with an amazing guide! - We had a private tour scheduled and at the last minute our port changed. This company was so accommodating and adjusted to meet us at our port. Our guide Panos was entertaining, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable of the area. We wanted to see Elafonisi but due to wind/weather the conditions were not good for that but we were able to adjust and have a fantastic time. Panos brought us to an amazing Tavern for lunch and then serenaded us on the trip back to the port. We were highly impressed and enjoyed every second!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Onair50465252671
Oct 24, 2023
Perfect day - Loved this excursion ! The drive to elafonisi was beautiful and terrifying !! Thank you to nikos for maneuvering the windy cliff roads ! The scenery was breathtaking and company of our guide super! Very knowledgeable and kind , knew where to stop for the best shots …. On the way …. The beach itself was amazing .. yes pink sand ! I wish I could have spent more time there. However our tour started from Heraklion , which is a far drive ~3 hours +. Much closer to chania if you are staying there , you could have a full beach day ! Great company and great food and sights ! The day was perfect
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pioneer44449500616
Oct 23, 2023
Great tour with an excellent guide. - Nikolaos was an excellent guide and a great conversationalist. He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing the Cretian way of life with us. We started on the eastern side of the island so much of the trip was driving, however, Nikolaos kept us entertained with his knowledge of the island. The place we stopped for lunch was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone traveling to Crete. I will say, however, if you are booking this tour I recommend getting picked up on the western side of the island closer to Chania. You will have more time at the beach and visiting other stops. It was a shame we didn't have time to do more, but over all an amazing tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Merixg2019
Oct 25, 2023
Not What We Expected - The reviews of this were so good, and the photos so stunning, that we decided to splurge on this experience for one of our two full days in Crete. However, the beaches look nothing like the photos anymore - supposedly tourists have been collecting the pink sand (colored by local shells and coral) to take home with them, that it's barely colored at all now. Also, even in shoulder season, the beach was PACKED with people. There were no chairs available to rent, and we barely found a place to put out towels. Lots of other beach-goers were wading around in the water carrying all of their stuff with them. It ultimately didn't matter too much, because we only had about an hour to send at Elafonsi, which included the 15-minute trek from the parking lot down to the beack, and the 20-minute trek back up the hill. The rest of the day was spent in the car! We didn't realize it was at least 3.5 hrs each way, a lot of which was on mountain switch-backs. Our guide was very pleasant, the car was comfortable, and we learned a lot about Crete. But it was definitely not the luxurious and relaxing experience we thought we signed up for. The taverna we were taken to for lunch was in a beautiful mountain town, and we enjoyed our meal, though it felt relatively pricey, around 40 Euros per person. I share this info to make sure people considering it know the details. It might have been different for us if we had another day to spend in Crete. But this was our one "beach day" that we planned, and we did not get to relax in the sun and enjoy the aquamarine waters like we dreamed about, so for the incredibly hefty price tag that came with it, we were ultimately disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $835 (Per Vehicle)
up to 15 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).