About this tour

In the area of ​​Drepano of Akrotiri in the prefecture of Chania and outside the gulf of Souda, is the underwater Cave of Elephants. The cave was only discovered in 1999 by angler ManolisEfthimakis. In addition to the amazing beauty of the cave, elephant bones were found in it.

We will start at 10:00 a.m. with destination The Elephant Cave in the Drepano area. Access to the Elephant Cave is only possible by boat and the entrance to its main hall takes place after swimming 40 meters in an underwater tunnel. we will be guided by a speleologist about the findings

The cave has been excavated in Mesozoic limestones. The entrance of the cave (9 m wide and 6.5 m high) is located at a depth of 10 m below sea level and continues in a tunnel about 40 m long. The remaining section, 125 m long and 25 m wide on average, which also constitutes the main hall of the cave, has, due to its morphology, been partially flooded by water. The depth of the bottom in this room varies from a few centimeters to 4 m, while the height of the ceiling above the surface of the water exceeds 10 m in some places.

The entire ceiling of the cave is full of reddish colored stalactites, which is due to the aluminum and iron content in the cave rocks. There are also many stalagmites in the water, which indicates that once the floor of the cave was not covered by water. Study of the sediments (biological, clastic and chemical) demonstrates with certainty that the cave in earlier times was dry. Also, the air inside the cave is breathable.

But the most important find was the identification of elephant bones and a very small percentage of deer (Cervidae). This position is new for Crete and, compared to the other positions, it is the only one under the sea. Its size was larger than today’s elephant and smaller than its ancestor, antiquus.

The elephant fossils belonged to at least three adults and one younger member and is apparently an endemic species. Elephas Chaniensis was three meters tall, and although it had no noticeable differences from the African and Indian Elephant, it had thicker bones and a more bushy body. Its age is so far determined to be 50,000-60,000 years. The bones of the deer found in the cave belong to normal-sized deer as well as dwarf deer, 30 centimeters tall. It is believed that the excessive increase in the population of deer (which were very similar to today’s goats), greatly reduced the food reserves, leading to the extinction of the elephants in the area. This is also confirmed by the fact that inside the cave,

The protected Mediterranean seals Monachusmonachus find shelter in the cave. This makes the Elephant Cave very important as the species is in danger of extinction.

For lovers of diving we have secured the appropriate equipment as well as an instructor