Sailing vacation in Greece, Mykonos to Santorini
Highlights
Mykonos | sailing the Greek Islands | Naxos | Small Cyclades | Amorgos | Ios | Santorini
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.com
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Small group adventure
What is a small group adventure?It's a great way to travel! Whether you are traveling on your own, with a partner or with friends, a small group trip is a fantastic way to see the world. You'll travel on a fixed itinerary that has been designed to help you discover the best of region. From the known highlights, the hidden gems that you won't find in the guidebooks.
Itineraries run on set departure dates, accompanied every step of the way by an English speaking local group leader. You chose the itinerary and the date that suits you best and you book on.
Why travel on a small group adventure?
Small groups allow us to explore where larger tour groups can't. Our maximum group size of 16 travelers allows us to use local transport to get from A to B, to visit rural villages, spend time with the locals and even stay at a local home overnight, and it allows us to give our travelers genuine, real life experiences of the countries we are visiting; what you'll be doing and how you'll travel depends entirely on your chosen itinerary.
Is an adventure right for me?
The word adventure means something different to everyone, and our range of trips reflects that. Whether you want to explore local markets, visit out of the way temples and meet local people or go on an early morning safari drive searching for the 'big five', we'll have a trip for you. If you are looking for a physical challenge such trekking the Kokoda Track or summiting Kilimanjaro, we can help with that too.
So what can I expect on this trip?
This is one of our Basix trips, designed specifically for budget travelers who still want the security of group travel without lots of added inclusions. These trips don't have many included activities and meals are rarely included in the price, giving you the opportunity to search out local restaurants and sample regional specialities to your heart's content. The amount of free time in these itineraries means that the Basix trips often appeal to younger travelers looking to explore independently and tailor the trip to your own interests. You often won't spend too many days in any one place and you'll pack lots of different locations into your vacation.
As you might expect, accommodation on a Basix trip will be fairly basic! We'll stay in 1-2 star accommodation, often including homestays and there may be nights where the group stays somewhere multi-share / in a dormitory-style. Most accommodation however will be twin share; with solo travelers automatically roomed with a fellow group member of the same sex, this means that there are no single supplements on Basix trips.
On camping trips you will be expected to help out around the camp; putting up and taking down your own tent, helping with meals and other camp duties. We often find the nights where we are without a few creature comforts are those that are most amazing; wild bush camping in Serengeti anyone?! We'll use local transport where ever possible which is a great way of seeing the country and meeting locals as we travel.
Can I book my flights with you?
Yes! We are a fully ATOL bonded tour operator meaning that we can book flights from the UK as part of your vacation package. Just ask us for a quote including flights when you make your inquiry.
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your vacation will help support conservation and local people.
As a global tour operator, we are committed to operating every one of our trips in a way that respects and benefits local people, their culture and economy, while minimising our impact on the natural environment. On this small group sailing adventure, we travel with a maximum of eight passengers on board a 50ft yacht, but if there are fewer passengers then we will use a smaller yacht. Bathrooms are shared and although there is hot water, we encourage passengers to use it carefully. Toilets are usually operated by hand-pumps and we have recycling arrangements on-board.
You will travel with a skipper, who also takes on the role of tour leader. We choose skippers on the basis of their sailing experience, but we also provide local employment where we can. Georgios is one such example, a local sailor who has been making a living as a skipper since he was just eighteen years-old.
Weather permitting, your skipper will use the power of the wind to sail the boat as much as possible which means that we have less impact on the environment than if traveling by other modes of transport. When on land, you will mostly hike or walk although you may choose to take an excursion by car when we are on the island of Naxos.
As a tour company, our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. In 2002, we established a charitable foundation so that our passengers and staff could support grassroots community projects around the world. To date, it has raised over £2million for over 75 projects involved with health care, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development, and environmental and wildlife protection. We match every donation made by passengers and pay the administration costs, so every penny that is donated goes to a good cause.
The Impacts of this Trip
We travel in small groups and wherever possible we use local transport, stay in locally-owned accommodation or homestays, eat at authentic local restaurants, support traditional artisans and small-scale businesses, and provide opportunities for travelers to interact with local people.
You will travel with a skipper, who also takes on the role of tour leader. We choose skippers on the basis of their sailing experience, but we also provide local employment where we can. Georgios is one such example, a local sailor who has been making a living as a skipper since he was just eighteen years-old.
During the trip, we shop for local produce for our breakfasts and lunches, which the whole group will prepare and eat together on board the boat. In the evenings, we go onshore to dine at small, often family-run restaurants and bars. For example, when we are on Naxos we have an optional excursion into the countryside where we will eat at a family-run restaurant in the hills and sample the local liquor, which is known as Kitron.
As well as a Responsible Travel Code of Conduct which we adhere to as a company, we expect our staff and travelers to demonstrate the principles of responsible travel and provide a number of responsible travel tips to facilitate this, for example advice on what clothing is appropriate and respectful. If you choose to visit any religious buildings on this trip, such as the Church of Panagia Paraportiani on Mykonos, then we will request that you cover your shoulders.
As a global tour operator, we are committed to operating every one of our trips in a way that respects and benefits local people, their culture and economy, while minimising our impact on the natural environment. On this small group sailing adventure, we travel with a maximum of eight passengers on board a 50ft yacht, but if there are fewer passengers then we will use a smaller yacht. Bathrooms are shared and although there is hot water, we encourage passengers to use it carefully. Toilets are usually operated by hand-pumps and we have recycling arrangements on-board.
You will travel with a skipper, who also takes on the role of tour leader. We choose skippers on the basis of their sailing experience, but we also provide local employment where we can. Georgios is one such example, a local sailor who has been making a living as a skipper since he was just eighteen years-old.
Weather permitting, your skipper will use the power of the wind to sail the boat as much as possible which means that we have less impact on the environment than if traveling by other modes of transport. When on land, you will mostly hike or walk although you may choose to take an excursion by car when we are on the island of Naxos.
As a tour company, our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. In 2002, we established a charitable foundation so that our passengers and staff could support grassroots community projects around the world. To date, it has raised over £2million for over 75 projects involved with health care, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development, and environmental and wildlife protection. We match every donation made by passengers and pay the administration costs, so every penny that is donated goes to a good cause.
The Impacts of this Trip
We travel in small groups and wherever possible we use local transport, stay in locally-owned accommodation or homestays, eat at authentic local restaurants, support traditional artisans and small-scale businesses, and provide opportunities for travelers to interact with local people.
You will travel with a skipper, who also takes on the role of tour leader. We choose skippers on the basis of their sailing experience, but we also provide local employment where we can. Georgios is one such example, a local sailor who has been making a living as a skipper since he was just eighteen years-old.
During the trip, we shop for local produce for our breakfasts and lunches, which the whole group will prepare and eat together on board the boat. In the evenings, we go onshore to dine at small, often family-run restaurants and bars. For example, when we are on Naxos we have an optional excursion into the countryside where we will eat at a family-run restaurant in the hills and sample the local liquor, which is known as Kitron.
As well as a Responsible Travel Code of Conduct which we adhere to as a company, we expect our staff and travelers to demonstrate the principles of responsible travel and provide a number of responsible travel tips to facilitate this, for example advice on what clothing is appropriate and respectful. If you choose to visit any religious buildings on this trip, such as the Church of Panagia Paraportiani on Mykonos, then we will request that you cover your shoulders.
3 Reviews of Sailing vacation in Greece, Mykonos to Santorini
Reviewed on 20 Sep 2019 by Robert Carr
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Staying in a different island each night and our tour guide and skipper Rita with her expert knowledge of every location
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
For sailing definitely do some research into average conditions first as some are tougher than others. We loved ours but for someone not used to a bit of wind and waves that might catch them out.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The tour definitely focused on local people and small businesses.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A brilliant experience and we would sure do one like this again.
Reviewed on 10 Oct 2018 by Owen Monie
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Greek weather, good food in resturants.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Realise that it is not really a sailing trip, but that you will just be motored from island to island and then left to explore the island from the harbour. Provider seemed disinterested in passengers and their experience.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
There was no evidence of local engagement. Recycling of waste was not undertaking with the skipper disposing of all waste together.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very disappointing - I wouldn't book this again, there are far better providers of sailing trips who can create a magical experience with actual sailing, and taking the boat to quite coves and location. This trip is not one of them. Responsible travel also failed to respond to my emails to raise issues post trip.
Reviewed on 17 Jul 2017 by Debra Klein
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Being with family, making new friends and seeing the beautiful islands.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It's a very slow relaxing trip.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Helped local people
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
The vacation was amazing, trust your skipper was great at sailing the boat but not very good with information about the islands. We would ask him a question
and 90% of the time it was i hate that island, just sit and have a coffee. We had a lot of wasted time waiting.
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