Jeep safari to Acamas with Adonis baths

THIS JEEP SAFARI EXPEDITION IS DESIGNED FOR LOVERS OF ADVENTURE AND WILD NATURE AS THAT ROUTE RUNS ACROSS THE NATIONAL PARK OF ACAMAS

Route: Coral Bay (Plantations of Bananas) - Agios Giorgos (Ship wreck) - Sea caves (short break to photograph) - Gorge Avacas (40min of walking) - Lara bay (place where sea turtles lay their eggs) - Old mountain village - Latchi (fishing village, port) - The Baths of Aphrodite (free time, optional lunch for extra fee) - Adonis Baths (free admission as part of this trip)

What to bring: comfortable shoes, optional bathing suits and drinking water

BANANA PLANTATIONS

In convenient day of your choice a Jeep will take you directly from your hotel in the morning hours somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45am. Then passing through the Coral Bay to reach a farm where are located banana plantations. You will stop there for a short break. The driver who will be also your tourist guide will tell you everything about the cultivation of bananas in Cyprus - among many information, why bananas are placed in blue plastic bags and then he will help you find mature Cypriot bananas, which although small in size are very sweet in their taste. Then we get to the village of Agios Giorgos for a short stop to see and photograph the wreck of a ship that got stuck on the coastal shallows.

SEA CAVES

Travelling further along the coastline our Jeep arrives at one of the most unusual places - The Sea Caves. For thousands of years sea water carved amazing shapes here in the soft chalk scales - creating a truly lunar landscape.

GORGE AVACAS

Travelling further to the west along the sea wilderness peninsula of Acamas we finally reach the Gorge of Avacas - where a river flowed through the mountains for thousands of years and carved into the soft chalk scales creating a beautiful gorge - into which you will go with your driver-guide for a scenic 40min walk. Along the way you will have the opportunity to admire and photograph the amazing rock formations. The tour runs at the bottom of the gorge - with the accompaniment of songs of the rare Cypriot mountain birds. During the walk you will be to read some information written on the boards to learn about the existing variations of plants and rock formations.

Interesting fact: Incredible scenery and amazing "play of light" piercing through the gaps of the Gorge became an inspiration of many artists.

LARA BAY

After we will drive to the beautiful wild beaches of Lara Bay - the place where the sea turtles lay their eggs - this area is protected by law as a nature reserve. On the beach - in special shelters - there are many photographs of turtles and the driver will tell you about their lives, habits and long routes that female turtles must overcome to reproduce on these wild and beautiful beaches. Turtles lay in the sand up to 200 eggs and then bury them at suitable depths where eggs maintain hidden at the desired temperature. These sites are then enclosed with special metal cages to protect eggs. Turtles hatch at night and quickly run towards the sea - to protect themselves from potential predators such as birds and snakes… For those interested, you can agree with the driver additional free time for swimming.

OLD GREEK AND TURKISH VILLAGES

We moved away from the shoreline into the depths of the Acamas peninsula. Driving through the mountains by the off-road we can be admiring the spectacular views as on both sides we can see the sea. Along the way we go across the old Greek and Turkish villages where we can feast our eyes with the remains of some old stone houses which use to be populated by many villagers.

Part of those abandoned villages use to be occupied by Turkish-speaking population, who had to leave their homes after the division of Cyprus in 1974. Within these abandoned or inhabited villages we can encounter half-wild animals such as: donkeys or goats with their characteristic long ears .

LATCHI - FISHING VILLAGE - PORT

From the ridge of the hill we ride down towards the sea to the fishing village of Latchi - that delights tourists who come here with its picturesque harbor.

BATHS OF APHRODITE

From the port we travel to the next attraction - a place called the Baths of Aphrodite. It is in here where according to the local legend, Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty use to enjoy a bath in this natural cave surrounded by fig trees.

Interesting fact: Legend proclaims the one who will wash their face in this small pool will be forever young and beautiful... and so it does not hurt to try it...

Here you will have some free time to stroll through the beautiful gardens and enjoy beautiful views which spreads across the Acamas Peninsula.

Optional we can have here lunch (extra paid 10-13 euro)

ADONIS BATHS

Adonis Baths – Free admission as part of this trip (normally the admission ticket costs 9 euros per person).

It is a great place to cool off on a hot summer days as the water in this small lake is really cold due to the icy waters coming from the mountain streams.

It’s not only a great place to refresh yourself, during your walk around the area, you can relax yourself and enjoy views as you will be accompanied by marble antique statues. You will see, among other things, the statues of: Athena - Goddess of War, Adonis – God of Beauty and Desire and Aphrodite, A 10 meter statue of Aphrodite - Goddess of Love and Beauty, Zeus - God of Sky and Thunder and some charming fountains. Around 16.30 – 17 the jeep will deliver you back to Your hotels.