Lefkada - Trip Introduction
Lefkada island is situated in the clear, warm and calm waters of the Ionian Sea to the West of mainland Greece and is positioned in a haven of numerous inhabited, deserted and unknown islands. The area which is also known as the ‘inland sea’ as it is protected from the wind, combines unique scenery such as untouched beaches, breathtaking coastlines, hidden caves, stunning clear turquoise waters and the Greek ‘Delphinus Delphis’ dolphin, making the island-to-island crossings and coastal routes an unforgettable experience. The Ionian 12-islands trip, will take you as far as the legendary islands of Ithaca and Kefallonia and allow you to experience real Greece, from the sea.
This 7-day, approximately 5K swim per day programme starts on Sunday and finishes the following Sunday morning. We will greet you on your arrival on Sunday evening with a welcome drink followed by an introduction to safety by our Lefkada based team. During the week there will be an optional opportunity for a filmed swimming analysis and open water swimming coaching from our qualified guides.
Each morning we will board our spacious, traditional 15m wooden sailing boat Mowgli and ‘cruise’ the Ionian and head for the start of the swim, either an island to island crossing or a coastal swim. We will visit places, coastlines, caves and locations inaccessible from the road that few people have seen or visited before. At lunchtime we visit a different harbour every day to sample the mouth watering Greek cuisine of the Ionian’s traditional tavernas.
We have extensive local knowledge of the area and this 7-day programme of varied swims ensures you experience a variety of stunning swimming locations in a safe and fully supported environment.
What is included in the holiday
The trip starts on your arrival at Ilios Club Hotel. On your arrival day you will be welcomed and in the evening have a chance to meet your fellow swimmers and be briefed on the week’s itinerary and safety issues over relaxing complimentary drinks.
On the first day of the trip our guides/coaches will video your swimming technique for an analysis session. We then view this with you and offer advice on achieving a more efficient, injury-free stroke. Individual advice can also be given during the swims.
Buffet style breakfast is offered every morning at the hotel and we will then travel in our traditional wooden boat Mowgli to the swimming location (which is different every day). We will escort the swimming groups with the support boats and drinks will be offered at regular intervals during the swim. The boats will be manned by fully qualified first aid experienced swimmers who will keep a watch over you.
You will be given a Lefkada-theme Big Blue T-shirt, a water bottle and a swimming hat to use and keep and we have a range of snorkeling gear and fins you can borrow for exploring in caves or along coastlines.
Summary
- On Arrival: Complimentary drink, T-shirt, Water bottle
- 1st Day: Individual underwater video, Individual stroke analysis, Swimming hat
- 7 nights’ Hotel accommodation
- Breakfast
- 3 motorised boats (One main and 2 auxiliary)
- 3 qualified swim guides
- Local Greek boat captain
- Cold drinks along the swims
- Variety of snacks at the end of each swim