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 maintained, mostly with stones and soil. It is not considered a very difficult hike, vivid proof of which is the fact that hundreds of people cross it daily from the
opening (in May) till the closing of its visiting
season (in October). It is a very pleasant hike, not a strenuous one, with many landscape alternations and a multifaceted environment. One should always keep in mind, however, that though the trail as a whole is not tricky, one should be more careful during some parts of the trek.
Trip Itinerary:
We
pick you up from your hotel or a near location early in the morning, and we drive to Omalos plateau. The
mountain guide who escorts the trip will collect the money for the entrance fee and the ferry fare on the bus, in order to give you your tickets later. After reaching Omalos, we have a
short stop for breakfast & coffee (optional) before you enter Samaria. Then we
start hiking. Inside the gorge, you can walk at your own pace. Our escort follows the group at the end, so if anyone needs any sort of help during the hike, he will be there. The gorge ends up at the village of Agia Roumeli. Our escort will have already stipulated a meeting point there to give you the ferry tickets. You have
free time to swim in Agia Roumeli or have lunch (optional). At 17:30, the group gets the
ferry to Sougia or Sfakia (usually Sougia). The bus will be waiting at the port to
drop you off at your hotel or the location you have been picked up from.
If you wish to explore more options return to the
Hiking, Cycling & Outdoor Adventures page.
