- Departure from your place
- Arrival in the entrance of the gorge / Trip duration
- Return to your place
Have you ever visit even once in your life the second longest gorge in Europe and the biggest in Greece? If not, now it’s the time to live this extraordinary experience. The Gorge of Samaria is about 17 km long and took its name from the small Byzantine church, built-in 1379 and named Osia Maria which is located in the middle of the gorge. The gorge of Samaria belongs to the south side of the prefecture of Chania and is an all-day excursion for lovers of hiking and nature. It is a place with narrow passages, streams and a long route that ends at a magnificent beach in Agia Roumeli. Hiking in the gorge can last from 4-7 hours depending on the pace and endurance of the hikers.
The Samaria Gorge and a large area around it of about 48,500 acres have been designated a National Park, which in 2010 was included in the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve Network. There you will meet the so-called “lazy” which are Cretan wild goats (kri-kri) and many other species of animals that are not found anywhere else such as the Cretan badger (arkalos), the Cretan ferret (zourida), the Cretan thorn, the Cretan bride (Kalogiannou), vultures, golden eagles and vultures make up the avifauna of the forest, along with hundreds of other smaller bird species. Also, you will notice more than 450 species of plants unique in the world, such as the scent of the dragon, anemones, marjoram, irises, pines, cypresses and many other rare plants so it is not allowed to cut any of them during the hike. You will cross many narrow passages with the most famous being the doors or IRON GATES. This point is dangerous mainly in the morning and evening hours of summer due to landslides due to sudden changes in temperature and the passage of kri-kri on the rocks to explore food. Along the gorge you will find 22 springs with drinking water that you can possibly drink and fill your bottles.
Usually most visitors choose to start the descent of the gorge around 08:00 in the morning, so to reach Agia Roumeli at noon, to dive in the deep blue sea on the beach and to take the ferry to leave for Sfakia or Paleochora .
It is necessary to get sports or hiking shoes to avoid any injuries, open shoes are prohibited.
Notes:
The default stops may change according to your wishes, you can consult your guide.
Prices do not include entrance fees for archeological sites / museums, escorts / meals and ferry tickets.
