The gorge of Samaria is the gem of the White Mountains! Hidden in the south part of the Chania district, it is the
biggest gorge in Europe, covering an area of
18 kilometres in length. The nature park of Samaria was added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO in 1981, with the aim to give prominence to and to protect valuable habitats for man and the rest of the biosphere.
The gorge of Samaria is counted among the
top destinations of the Chania district, and a journey to Chania can never be considered complete unless you visit the gorge. You should therefore
attempt a visit there, and its beauty will definitely not disappoint you.
The gorge’s path
starts at
Xyloskalo (Omalos plateau, 1.227 meters altitude), and after following the river bed, it
ends up at the littoral village of
Agia Roumeli. The trail of Samaria is the most visited trail in the country. It is
perfectly equipped with signals and signs which eliminate the danger of getting lost, it is comfortable and very well cared for, mostly with stones and soil. It is not considered a challenging hike, vivid proof that hundreds of people cross it daily from the
opening (in May) till the
closing of its visiting season (in
October). It is an enjoyable hike, a bit demanding as it is quite rocky, with many landscape alternations and a multifaceted environment. However, one should always keep in mind that though the trail as a whole is not tricky, one should be more careful during some parts of the trek.
Trip Itinerary:
Your
escort will
pick you up from your
hotel’s lobby with one of our comfortable & luxury vans we drive to Omalos plateau. We can have a
short stop for breakfast & coffee (optional) before you enter Samaria. Then we
start hiking. Inside the gorge, you can walk on your pace-however, your escort follows in a close distance for
safety reasons. The gorge ends up at the village of Agia Roumeli. There, you have
free time to
swim in Agia Roumeli or
lunch (optional). At 17:30, the
ferry will get you to Sougia or Sfakia (usually Sougia) & the driver will be waiting at the port to drop you off again at your hotel.
If you wish to explore more options return to the Hiking, Cycling & Outdoor Adventures page. 
