The main points
- Milos: Private Half-Day Morning Kleftiko & Sykia Cave Cruise: 6.5 hours, a private group and a live guide in English and Greek.[1]
- The private morning cruise is listed from US$691, with reserve now and pay later available on the listing.[1]
- The route calls at Cape Vani, then the open topped Sykia Cave and the Kleftiko Caves, and ends at Klima.[1][2]
- Milos's sailing season runs May through October, and the sea sits at 23-26°C (73-79°F) in July to September.[3][4]
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance gives you a full refund if your plans change.[1]
| Half-day private | Full-day private yacht | Self-drive boat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$691[1] | from US$1784[5] | from US$260[6] |
| Duration | 6.5 hours[1] | 5 - 8 hours[5] | 4 - 8 hours[6] |
| Group | Private group[1] | Private group[5] | Private group[6] |
| Guide | Live guide: English, Greek[1] | Host or greeter: English, Greek, Spanish[5] | Instructor: English[6] |
| Rating | 5.00 from 9 reviews[1] | 5.00 from 13 reviews[5] | 4.87 from 69 reviews[6] |
The word Kleftiko actually means "stolen" in Greek, and the name is said to come from the pirates who were stealing supplies from passing ships and hiding them in the caves and coves of the area.
Is a private boat tour to Kleftiko worth it?
Check before booking
Why Kleftiko is worth a private boat
Kleftiko is a scatter of white rock stacks, arches and sea caves on Milos, and you can only reach it properly from the water. The name means stolen in Greek, and it comes from the pirates who stole supplies from passing ships and hid them in the caves and coves here.[7] Read the cliffs as you sail in and the story makes sense: the coves hide behind narrow entrances, with deep water right up to the rock. Come early and the water inside the caves glows turquoise; come late and the whole bay turns gold.
A private boat changes the shape of the day. You are not tied to a timetable shared with a crowd, so you can ask the skipper to hold station while the light drops behind the stacks, or swim one more time before heading back to port. The coves at Kleftiko reward a slow second pass, and that is what a private group buys you: time, quiet and the freedom to change your mind.
You do not have to take a boat to get there. While most visitors arrive by sea, it is also possible to hike to Kleftiko on your own.[8] The trail is a long, hot walk across exposed rock, and it leaves you on the clifftop above the water, so if you want the caves and the swimming rather than the view from above, a boat is the practical answer.
What the private morning cruise includes
If you want the boat to yourselves, Milos: Private Half-Day Morning Kleftiko & Sykia Cave Cruise is the one to look at first. It runs as a private group, so the boat and the crew are yours, and it lasts 6.5 hours with a live guide who speaks English and Greek.[1] For couples, families and small groups of friends, that mix of an unhurried morning on the water and a skipper who takes instructions is hard to beat.
The route starts at Cape Vani on the western tip of the island, then calls at Sykia Cave and the Kleftiko Caves before it ends at Klima.[1] That puts the sea caves and the famous rock arches into a single morning, and it finishes at the fishing village whose painted boathouses sit right at the waterline, a good place to step ashore for a coffee before heading back.
Two booking conditions soften the planning. Reserve now and pay later is available, and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance gives you a full refund if your plans move.[1] Check availability to see starting times, since departures are set by the operator and vary across the season.[1] The cruise is listed from US$691.[1]
White rock stacks and arches off Milos, seen from the water on a calm morning.
Sikia Cave, Gerontas and the volcanic coast
Sikia Cave was once completely covered, and at some point in the past its roof collapsed, leaving an open top that shows the blue Aegean sky.[2] Boats can nose inside when the sea is calm, and with the ceiling gone the light falls straight down into the water. It feels more like a bright stone room than a tunnel, and it is one of the easiest swims of the day.
The coast from Kleftiko round to Gerakas is the volcanic side of Milos: dark rock under pale cliffs, deep water close in, and very few places to land. Kayakers work the same stretch, with one operator starting from its kiosk at Fyriplaka beach and paddling east to Tsigrado and Gerakas beach along the volcanic coastline.[9] A boat covers the ground faster and puts the swim stops wherever you want them.
Gerontas and Gerakas are the gentle end of this coast, sandy and shallow after the drama of the caves, with room to float and look back at the cliffs you have just travelled along. Bring a mask and fins if you have them. The clear water over dark volcanic rock is the reason this corner of the island has such a reputation for snorkelling, and on a private boat nobody is counting how long you spend in it.
Private cruise or shared boat tour?
Shared cruises are the cheaper way to see the same water. A full day Milos and Poliegos boat tour with meals is listed from US$185,[10] a full day sailboat tour with lunch from US$144,[11] and a guided day cruise to Kleftiko with lunch from US$152, rated 4.96 from 781 reviews.[12] You trade privacy for company, and the larger boats keep to fixed timings through the day.
Private options sit at the other end of the scale. A private half day morning cruise to Kleftiko and Sykia Cave runs 6.5 hours from US$691,[1] a luxury private cruise to Kleftiko, Sarakiniko and Poliegos is listed from US$1327,[13] and a private yacht tour along the same stretch from US$1784.[5] If you would rather hold the wheel yourself, a self driving boat tour to Kleftiko is listed from US$260.[6]
For a private boat tour, Milos really offers two shapes of day: a morning close to Kleftiko and Sykia Cave, or a long full day that runs out to Polyaigos and the northern beaches. A private morning cruise of 6.5 hours suits a family with young swimmers or anyone who wants the evening back on land.[1] A full day shared cruise costs far less per person and reaches further along the coast. Both are good days, shaped differently.
from US$691
The private morning cruise to Kleftiko and Sykia Cave runs 6.5 hours for a private group with a live English and Greek guide.[1]
When to go: season, wind and water temperature
Milos's sailing season runs from late spring through early autumn, specifically May through October.[3] The Meltemi is a strong seasonal northerly wind that blows from late spring to early autumn, often reaching its peak in July and August, and in the right conditions it creates an ideal sailing breeze for experienced crews.[14] Wind direction is worth watching when you pick a day, and a flexible booking helps.
Sea temperatures around Milos in July to September are 23-26°C (73-79°F), described as ideal temperatures for long swims and snorkelling.[4] Outside those months the water is cooler, which is fine when there is a boat to climb back onto, a towel waiting on the deck and a hot drink in your hands. A wetsuit top helps in the shoulder season, and so does a shorter swim.
Full day boat trips on Milos range from 6-8 hours and can even go up to 12 depending on sea conditions.[15] A private morning cruise keeps you on the water for 6.5 hours[1] and still leaves the evening free for a long dinner, a swim from the shore, or the sunset in Plaka.
Getting to the boat and planning your day
Boat tours around Milos start from Adamantas, which is located in the center of the island, and you can walk along the port and see the available options.[16] Arrive with time to spare, find your boat, and keep a light layer handy for the ride out, when the breeze over the water feels cooler than the beach. Sun cream and a bottle of water are the two things people most often forget.
Two easy add-ons sit close to the port. Klima village is about 5 kilometres from the port of Adamas and is known for its multi coloured fishing houses.[17] Sarakiniko Beach, the most well known shore on Milos, is five kilometres from Plaka, and its pale rock is at its best in low light.[18]
If your private cruise heads north, look out for Polyaigos, the Aegean Sea's biggest uninhabited island,[19] and for Glaronisia, a group of three small uninhabited volcanic islets off the north coast of Milos whose name means Seagull Islands and which are famous for hexagonal basalt columns rising from the sea.[20] The island's mineral story is older still: mineral activity on Milos began around 8000 BC with the mining and trading of obsidian, a hard black volcanic stone used for tools and weapons.[21]
Costs, ratings and how to book
The private morning cruise to Kleftiko and Sykia Cave is listed from US$691 and rated 5.00 from 9 reviews.[1] Split between a group, the figure can look reasonable next to a shared cruise, especially when you add the cave stops, the guide to yourselves and the freedom to stay a little longer in the water.
Booking is straightforward. Reserve now and pay later is offered, free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance is covered with a full refund,[1] and you check availability to see starting times before you commit.[1] If you can, choose a date in the middle of your stay so a windy morning does not clash with your only chance to get out.
Take a dry bag for phones, plenty of sun cream, and a mask that fits. The crew handles the route, the safety brief and the timing, and you handle the swimming. That division of labour is the whole point of going private: no queue for the ladder, no waiting for the last passenger, and no reason to leave a bay before you are ready.
From-prices for private trips to Kleftiko
From-prices in US dollars from GetYourGuide listings[6],[1],[13] and[5].
Compare from-prices for private trips
From-prices in US dollars: amounts come from GetYourGuide listings[1],[13],[5] and[6].
When to sail around Milos
Plan your private trip
Pick your date
Check availability to see starting times, and aim for a day in the middle of your stay.[1]
Gather your group
The cruise runs as a private group, so fill the boat with family or friends.[1]
Meet in Adamantas
Boat tours around Milos start from Adamantas, in the center of the island.[16]
Pack for swimming
Towel, mask, dry bag and sun cream. The sea is 23-26°C (73-79°F) in July to September.[4]
Book before you fly
Reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1]
Make Kleftiko and Sikia Cave your own this season
from US$691
