Jeep Safari

A full day out with Jeep Safari Rhodes means, start to finish, off-road mountain driving. Shown below is a rough sketch of the route we drive.

Note that most of the trails are not traditional roads and definitely not something to duplicate on your own. We have carefully chosen the route to provide you with a great 4WD adventure, but also to ensure your safety along the way. Occasionally the rough driving can mean a change of direction so keep in mind that only we truly know where to go.

Seven Springs
The Seven Springs – or “Epta Piges” in Greek – is a beautiful valley located between the villages of Kolymbia and Archipolis. The area received its name because spring water flows from seven points in the valley. With crystal-clear waters, various natural inhabitants and a peaceful atmosphere, the Seven Springs area is definitely a worthwhile – and enjoyable – pit-stop for Jeep Safari guests. During the 1920’s the Italians began building a tunnel at Seven Springs to direct the water to a nearby village. Completed in 1931, the tunnel is 180 meters long and 13 meters deep. It leads water from the Springs and Loutanis River towards a dam (also built by the Italians) at the end of the tunnel. The dam flows into a man-made lake which is used as a depository for irrigation to Kolymbia. Today the tunnel is used as a walking path to provide visitors with a rather unique experience.

Foundoukli
The second official stop for Jeep Safari is at Agios Nikolaos in Foundoukli located west of the village Eleoussa. Here we take a small break to refill our bottles with natural spring water and to visit an old chapel dating from the 15th century. A quick tour inside St. Nikolaos Foundoukli, you will see original murals from the 15th century illustrating saints, religious relics and the parents who built the chapel. Believed to be a prominent family during that time, the parents were devoted to the church in San Nicolas and built the chapel in memory of their three children who died from a plague. Due to the destruction of many churches during the Turkish occupation of Rhodes, Foundoukli is one of a few old chapels that still remain on the island. Just outside is a square for us to gather and enjoy the surroundings. A fountain sits in the square where we cool off with water and nearby a local merchant sells home-made goods. After a little sample of souma and red wine – except drivers! –we head off for a drive in the mountains.

Lunch BBQ

Our final stop of the safari is a lunch barbecue on the beach, which is optional and not included in the original price. Located on the west-coast in the village of Fanes, we enjoy lunch at a secluded beach with a table full of delicious Greek specialties:

Souvlaki
Tzatziki
Feta Cheese
Greek Salad
Potato Salad
Fresh Bread
Soft Drinks & Water

This stop is roughly an hour so you’ll also have time for a swim in the Aegean, sunbathe, or simply relax in the shade admiring the view with us. Here we will make photo CD’s of that day’s safari for you to purchase as a memorable souvenir.

Drivers
After lunch we head out for the final route of the day. It’s a fun-filled hour of more dusty mountain driving in an exciting part of the route where almost anything goes. All drivers must be at least 23 years of age with a minimum of two years driving experience. Have your license with you. There will be a lot of off-road driving and typically there are more than one driver per jeep. Every time we stop you can change drivers so everyone has a chance to drive off-road. Please drive careful and safe. Follow the safety rules at all times. As a self-driving safari this means you take full responsibility for your driving behavior. For those who insist on careless driving you will be asked to leave the driver’s seat. And for the rare occurrence that you damage the car, you just may have to walk.

Passengers
It will be a bit bumpy because that’s what safaris do! Therefore, we assume you don’t have any health issues that might be a problem. While driving off-road please do not put your arms or any other body parts out of the window. There are many trees and branches along the way and catching onto one may not feel too great. Also, we ask that there be no smoking in the vehicle during the ride. The mountains get very dry because there is no rain in the summer. Any ash or cigarette thrown out of the window will cause a large fire.

What To Bring
Going on safari is a full day of fun in the mountains. While there are many things a person may need on such a day, here are a few suggestions of what we feel should not be left back in your hotel room.

Put on Suntan Lotion
Rhodes can see roughly 320 days of sunshine each year. We recommend wearing suntan lotion because our entire day is spent in the sun with open jeeps, and we’d hate to see you turn into bright red tomatoes.

Drink Plenty of Water
Dehydration and fainting are two side effects of hot summer days spent in the sun. There are many stops along the way to buy something to drink or refill an empty bottle. So drink up!

Bring A Camera
Being in the mountains all day means beautiful aerial views of the island. Bring a camera to capture some amazing pictures and to take home memories, or purchase our home-made photo CD from that day!

Wear A Cap
From morning until late afternoon we drive through the mountains in open jeeps. The sun is shining very bright. It can also get very windy. We suggest wearing a cap to shield your eyes from the rays and to keep your hair from blowing away.

Have A Towel
It gets very warm in the mountains during the summer so we have a tendency to stop for water. You may get wet. There may even be a water fight or two and of course there’s the opportunity for you to swim at the beach during the lunch stop.