(open May-October)
The most famous gorge in Crete, Greece and probably Europe. Visiting it involves a 16 km walk, from an altitude of 1250m. at the White Mountains of West Crete leading down to Agia Roumeli and the Libyan Sea. Its natural and cultural value led to the creation of the Natural Park of Samaria.
Five to six hours is a good walking time for this gorge. But this is not a hiking contest! We are here to enjoy and feel this beautiful place, observe its impressive rock formations and their inhabitants: birds such as the Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) and the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) looking for their prey and the Cretan wild goat (Capra aegagrus creticus) which according to studies shows a preference in areas with slopes greater than 30%., and enjoy the smell of phrygana and aromatic herbs used by Cretans for their taste but also their therapeutic properties. A couple of extra hours in the gorge are necessary to get the best out of our visit to Samaria Gorge.
Once we get to Agia Roumeli and the Libyan Sea it’s time to rest. A boat will transfer us to the port Sfakia , from where we can return to Chania or continue our journey.