Dikti covers the east of Crete, across the regional units of Lasithi and Heraklion. The highest peak is Spathi, at 2,148 metres. Afentis Christos, at 2,141 metres, and Lazaros, at 2,085 metres, stand close to it. The range is rocky on top, with pine woods lower down on its southern side.

Between the peaks lie four high plateaus: Lasithi, Katharo, Limnakaro and Omalos Viannou. Lasithi, at about 840 metres, is about 11 km long and 6 km wide. No river flows out of it. Rain and snowmelt run to a sinkhole on its western edge, and from there to the Aposelemis river. A tunnel 3.5 km long also carries flood water from the plateau to the Aposelemis reservoir. Katharo, higher up at about 1,150 metres, lies above the village of Kritsa.

The Dikteon Cave lies at about 1,000 metres, above the village of Psychro on the edge of the Lasithi Plateau. Two stone paths climb to it from the car park, and donkeys are offered for the ride up. Inside, a lit path of about 250 metres goes down past large stalagmites and stalactites.

In Greek myth, Zeus was born or raised here, protected by nymphs and fed by the goat Amalthea. Excavations show that people worshipped in the cave from about 2000 BC. They left offerings of weapons, tools and small figures. Many of these finds are in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

The Lasithi Plateau is a flat plain of farmland, surrounded by mountains. More than a dozen villages stand around its edge, and Tzermiado is the main village. From the 1920s, thousands of white-sailed windmills pumped water for the fields. Several still stand across the plain, and some have been restored.

Katharo, a higher plateau about 16 km by road above the village of Kritsa, is lived in only in summer. Shepherds and farmers come up to grow potatoes, vegetables and fruit, and tavernas open for visitors.

The ascent of Spathi is the main hike. It starts at the village of Agios Georgios, on the Lasithi Plateau, and climbs for about two hours to the small plateau of Limnakaro. A mountain refuge stands about half an hour further on. From there, the path climbs for about two more hours to the summit.

Much of this route follows the E4 European long-distance path, which is waymarked across the range. The E4 also crosses the pine forest of Selakano on the southern slopes. The ground is loose in places, so follow the marks with care.

On the southern slopes, the Selakano forest covers the valleys below Afentis Christos. It is mostly Calabrian pine, with oaks, cypresses and maples. Forest roads from the villages of Selakanos and Kalamafka lead into it. The forest is part of a Natura 2000 area, the European network of protected nature areas.

Birds of prey, such as griffon vultures, bearded vultures and golden eagles, fly over the high ground. In spring, beekeepers bring their hives into the forest, and wildflowers cover the plateaus.