Velani Kreta – Beautiful trail rides through the mountains from Country Resort
| Country | Greece, Crete | Fly to | Heraklion |
| Holiday | Centre based trail riding | Transfers | Yes, exclusive |
| Duration | 7 nights/8 days or bespoke | Riding | 3 to 6 hrs per day |
| Period | Open all year round | Level | Begin/Half/Excperience |
| Horses | Arab, mix, thoroughbred | Accommodation | Spaciouas bungalows |
| Riding style | English & Trail | Max. weight | 95 kg |
| Prices | € 735 - € 1.245 | Group size | Starting 1 rider |
From a delightful country resort with an infinity pool, enjoy beautiful trekking routes in the mountains.
Special features: Dutch owner/Greek proprietor
Crete, with its rugged mountains, offers stunning views of the crystal-clear blue sea. Even though Crete is quite touristy in other parts, here you can still enjoy unlimited horse riding in peaceful nature. Olive groves, ancient fortresses steeped in myths, old trails, and even deserted beaches await exploration.
From your accommodation, you overlook the Langada valley, through which the Aposelemis River flows, and behind it rise the Dikti Mountains. Griffon vultures soar gracefully through the sky here. The location is surrounded by oak forests and abundant flowers, including orchids. The building is constructed with natural stones from the land itself, giving it a robust and authentic appearance.
Accommodation
The main building features a reception, a café, and a large terrace where you can enjoy Greek coffee or raki. There is also a restaurant offering fresh, organic local dishes. The olive oil used extensively here is produced on-site. Two bungalows, each with six rooms, offer a total of 12 spacious and comfortable rooms, all with stunning valley views. Each room has a large bathroom with a bathtub, heating, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a flat-screen TV with international channels, a hairdryer, and a private balcony or terrace. Some rooms even have a fireplace.
In 2020, the rooms will be updated with rain showers, new furniture, luxury mattress toppers, satin sheets, and coffee/tea-making facilities. The resort features a beautiful infinity pool, and a lounge area with a jacuzzi will be added in 2020. Additionally, there is a spa offering massage and wellness treatments.
Grand Comfort Room: Double room with terrace and private garden, bathroom with bathtub and toilet.
Panorama VIP Room: Triple room with balcony, bathroom with bathtub and separate shower. The toilet is located in a separate room.
Family Luxury Room: Four-person room consisting of two Grand Comfort Rooms connected by a door. This room features a double jacuzzi indoors and a massage shower outdoors.
Next to the main building, there is a naturally shaped large swimming pool (100m²) with a lower-level children's pool (11m²).
Accommodation
The hotel has 12 rooms, grouped into 2 bungalows.
The bungalows lay quietly separate from the main activities and are surrounded by nature.
The rooms are large and comfortable, and all have a tremendous view over the Langada Valley with lake Aposelemis.
The accommodation included in the horse-riding holiday is:
for 2 guests sharing a Classic Double/Twin Room,
for 3 guests sharing a Family one-bedroom Suite,
for 4 guests sharing a Superior Family two-bedroom Suite.
Classic double room
1 – 2 pers
Ground floor room
Two twin size beds or a king size double bed
Spacious bathroom with bathtub
Private furnished verandas with garden.
Deluxe double suite
1 – 2 pers
Ground floor corner room
Two twin size beds or a king size double bed
open plan sitting corner with fireplace
Spacious bathroom with 2 pers. Jacuzzi bathtub.
Furnished verandas with garden
Private sun patio with sun beds
Outdoor massage shower
One-bedroom family suite
1 – 4 pers
First floor room with balcony
A large double bed and one single bed
Split level bedroom with one single bed
Open plan sitting corner with fireplace
Coffee corner
Walk-in closet
Spacious bathroom with bathtub
Superior family suite
2 – 4 pers
Ground floor room with garden
2 connecting bedrooms
A large double bed and two twin size beds
Master bedroom with an open plan sitting corner with fireplace
Twin bedroom with open plan sitting area and extra TV
Two spacious bathrooms with bathtub
Furnished patio.
Panorama wellness suite
1 – 3 pers
Personalized Wellness experience in the intimacy of your own room
First floor room with balcony
A king size double bed or two twin size beds
Split level bedroom with one single bed
Infrared sauna cabin for 2 pers
Color therapy.
Open plan sitting corner with fireplace
Coffee corner
Spacious bathroom with 2-person Jacuzzi bathtub.
Furnished balcony with lounge seats
Private sun patio with sun beds
Outdoor massage shower
Superior wellness suite
1 – 3 pers and a child
Personalized Wellness experience in the intimacy of your own room and relaxing in your private garden.
First floor top room with large private garden.
A king size double bed and a
Split level bedroom with one single bed and a children bed.
Infrared sauna cabin for 2 pers
Color therapy
Open plan sitting corner with fireplace
Coffee corner
Spacious bathroom with 2-person Jacuzzi bathtub.
Private garden with furnished veranda &
sun patio with sun beds
Outdoor massage shower
Furnished balcony with lounge seats.
Room features all room types
High thread counts, pure cotton satin sheets
Anti-allergic duvet and summer cotton sheet
Both a thick pillow and a soft pillow
Air conditioning, individually controlled
Central heating, individually controlled
Non-smoking rooms.
Free fast Wi-Fi
Flatscreen 32-inch TV
International tv channels
Refrigerator
Nespresso coffee maker
Water boiler
Coffee and tea amenities on arrival
Bottle of mineral water on arrival
Bathroom amenities on arrival
Rain shower in the bath
Hairdryer
Magnifying lighted make up mirror
Daily cleaning of room
Ecological and energy saving towel and linen cleaning program
On request towel change
And twice a week bedding change
Laundry service at extra charge
Ironing boards centrally available
The estate
The country hotel Velani is perched high on a hillside overlooking the Lake Aposelemis in the foothills of the Dikti Mountains. It is a secret haven hidden in a rocky wilderness of ancient stone and protected Kermes oak forest. It is these oak trees with their evergreen leaves and ‘Velani’ fruits that gave our hotel its name.
A charming hotel in a serene quietness, with spacious and comfortable rooms. All rooms have a breathtaking view and give you a feeling of relaxing with nature on your doorstep.
The owners of this family run hotel, Sabine and Manolis Fragkakis, welcome you with a personal warmth and Greek hospitality.
The Country Hotel, with its 4-hectare estate, has next to the field for the horses to roam, also various gardens for fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers as well as an olive grove for the production of our own olive oil.
The Velani restaurant uses its own fruit and vegetables to prepare the famous healthy Cretan diet; our kitchen utilizes our home-grown produce as well as that of the local farms and surrounding villages. Try typically Greek dishes with extra virgin olive oil, Cretan wine made from ancient grape species, meat and cheese from the free-ranging sheep and goats of our neighbors, honey from the local beekeeper and eggs from our own free ranging chickens.
Odysseia Stables
The Odysseia Stables is a professional equestrian centre located on site of the Country Hotel Velani in Crete. The Stable organizes different horse-riding treks for riders with different riding levels, horse riding lessons for all riding levels, and complete horse-riding holiday weeks.
The Odysseia Stables gives home to 25 beautiful horses. Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds and Arabic horses who are well trained through a logical system of classical dressage giving responsive and willing horses. The horses are kept in horse friendly stables with lots of space and open air, social contact with each other and plenty of raw food for fulfilling the grazing need. This makes our horses healthy and happy travel companions.
We understand that a happy horse makes a happy rider.
In the rural Cretan countryside is plenty of space for horse riding. The dirt roads used when harvesting the abundant olive trees are perfect riding paths and spreading out in all directions. We trot through fertile valleys, canter up the hills and ride through Greek villages. We meet the friendly locals, visit the ancient site of Lyttos or ride along the Aposelemis Lake.
Facilities
Restaurant Velani
Wood fired traditional oven and grill
Sunroom dining area
Panoramic terrace
Velani square for private events
Reception
Parking
Infinity pool 100m²
Large sundeck with stunning vista
Children’s pool at separate level
Jacuzzi 5 persons with private lounge, at extra charge of 50 euro per hour.
Massage by professional therapist at extra charge, starting from 60 euro per hour. To be paid in cash locally to masseur.
Swedish massage, Deep tissue, Tai massage, or Cretan massage are available.
Wellness treatments of body and face are bookable with the massage.
General
All located on 1 property, stables, accommodation, pool, and restaurant
Unique location with panoramic view and serene nature
Charming small hotel for a comfortable and relaxing stay
Mediterranean climate
Horse friendly stables with respect for our lovely horses
25 years’ experience in equestrian holidays
Family run with Greek warmth and hospitality
The Horses
There are 14 horses and 2 ponies: two Arabians, one Barb, two thoroughbreds, four KWPNs, four Greek thoroughbreds, and one Hanoverian. For children, there is a Welsh pony.
The stables are also built from natural stone and designed with horse-friendliness in mind. The horses can freely move from their semi-open stalls (usually two horses per stall) directly into the paddocks whenever they wish. This gives them space, fresh air, and social interaction with other horses, making them happy and content.
There is an outdoor riding arena measuring 42x20 meters and a lunging pen measuring 15x12 meters. Guests have access to a changing room and toilet, and there is also a shower for the horses. English saddles are used for riding. The horses are strong due to climbing in the mountains, reliable, well-trained, and calm in temperament.
Programma's (klik op de links voor de programma's van dag tot dag)
Panorama Rides (elke dag een andere trail vanuit uw verblijf)
Crete
A Greek island in the sun surrounded by a clear blue sea and with mountains rising to 2, 5 km makes a rough and wild landscape. Here is still unlimited space to ride horse in the peace and quietness of nature. Ride among a land dotted with olive groves and ancient sites holding timeless myths, take amazing paths way up into the rough mountains enjoying breath-taking views, swim in the clear blue waters and dry at an abandoned beach.
Visitor be prepared for numerous nice surprises and for a strong sense of daily life, for honest and warm hospitality. These characteristics need to be discovered not in the urban centres, but mainly in the remote seaside and mountain villages.
Crete has many other things to visit e.g. the old palace of Knossos, the archeological museum in Heraklion with artifcats from this palace, the fishers village Aghios Nikolaos with its lepar island Spinalonga, Vai bounty beach and more.
Join in a modern Odyssey of experience and adventure and only then shall your heart beat in rhythms long forgotten!
Location
Fly to Heraklion
Pick-up & Transfers
You will be awaited at the Heraklion airport by staff of the resort itself, carrying a sign with your name on it. The minibus(es) take up to 6 persons including baggage.
I could also enquire if we can get you a larger bus but this depends on the last part of the roads leading to the resort.
Your hosts
The Dutch Sabine Ruijters and her Greek husband Manolis Fragkakis.
Culinary
They produce their own vegetables and herbs plus fruit, ripened under the Cretean sun, biological and tasty. Velani makes their own extra virgin olive oil from own yard with the highest quality. Sometimes goat meat is used from neighbouring farmers, goat were free to roam. Cheese comes from a local shepherd, raki is homemade and honey from a local bee keeper. Chef Manolis is a good cook. Every sunday afternoon he lights the outdoor oven with wood from the yard, slow cooking and served with lovely Cretean wines from different grapes.
Weather and climate
Greece has a mediterranean climate with temperatures of 25-35 degrees in summer yet with an island breeze.
Best time
May, June and September, avoiding rain yet nice temperatures.
Language
Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian, Romani and of course English.
Prices per person 2025 Larger room Panorama suite Superior suite
Panorama rides High season € 1.475 + € 245 + € 910 + € 1.050
Panarama rides Low season € 1.405 + € 245 + € 910 + € 1.050
High season is from mid March until beginning of November and mid December unitil beginning of January.
Panorama Rides not between 3 July and 28 August because of heat
Transfers costs as an indication is normally but of course for a group like yours I will ask especially
€ 55 per ride/car one way
€ 100 return per car from airport
€ 60/€ 110 from centre Heraklion
Driving at night a surplus of € 10
One way to/from Hersonissos € 30
Return transfers to beach Hersonissos € 50
Max 4 persons in car
Transfer one way Heraklion airport with minibus € 70
The transfer by Velani takes you all the way up to the resort, the last road is not tarred.
Arrangement 8 days/7 nights
full board (breakfast/lunch/dinner a la carte, from dinner day of arrival until breakfast day of departure). Trails sometimes with lunch in a restaurant in Kera or a saddlebaglunch. Excluding flights, transfers, travel-/cancellation insurance drinks and tips. Rooms cleaned every other day and towels changed. Sheets changed once a week. Free use of chairs at swimming pool.
Check in on arrival day 2pm and check out departure day 10:30 am.
Availability
I can request availability and ask for provisional bookings for dates you prefer.
Normally I/they can hold dates for five days.
Reservation
Upon booking a deposit of 20% is required. The remaining amount can be done two months before arrival.
Payment
By bank or creditcard or Ideal with help of Rabobank Smartpay link.
Price guaranty
No need to book direct, via Paardenpas you get the same price or for less. We do not charge you, I get my commission from the riding partners.
Best price guarantee, so should you find the same cheaper I will adjust.
As returning clients I will award you with a 2,5% discount.
Cancellation, postpone and insurance
Depending on the reason and on the horse holiday partner we will do our utmost to help should you need to cancel or postpone.
Often we can postpone, sometimes without costs, none other than different price due to different period.
It is obligatory to have a travel-and cancellation insurance should you need to cancel.
Health insurance is also obligatory for unforeseen ambulance/hospitalisation.
Confirmation and itineary
Tob ook we will need your details that are sent to Il Paretaio,.
We then confirm by email with extensive informationa nd after that i commence making your personal travel itienrary that will contain all information, e.g. flights, airports, arrival, pick-up & transfers, hosts, guides, instructors, horeses, accommodation, culinary, insurancesm, health, monetory, what to bring and more.
Use our online reservations form.
Tel: +31(0)6-47310175 | E-mail: patricia@paardenpas.nl | Offerte | Online reservation |
Kind regards,
Patricia Bakker
PAARDENPAS REIZEN
Amstelveenseweg 286-I, 1075 XX Amsterdam
mob. + 31 6 47310175, email patricia@paardenpas.nl web. www.paardenpas.nl