Full-Day Beginner's Hiking Route Tour to Samaria Gorge
Description
If you are tired of walking but want photos for you Insta-followers, If you do not I feel like walking today but want to admire the terrific natural environment. If you want to live a superior experience without getting tired, then this excursion is made for you! We will arrive around 7 o’clock in the morning and after breakfast, you will have the chance to photo-shoot the entrance of the gorge and admire the creation of nature. The hiking guide will give you all the necessary instructions and then he will enter the gorge with the rest of the group (you will meet again at Agia Roumeli). The driver will take you to the small village of Sougia where you embark on the boat to reach the village of Agia Roumeli which is the exit of the gorge of Samaria. You can walk until the exit of the gorge, to the “Iron Gates” or swim and have a lunch there until you meet with the rest of the group.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Early in the morning, you will be picked up from designated spots around Chania via a luxurious bus and reach the starting point of your tour in Omalos Plateau around 7am. The panoramic view of the gorge from the plateau is a photophile's delight, so after a short stop for pictures and/or breakfast, you will hop on the bus and depart for the traditional village of Sougia. It is there that you will hop on a boat and sail along the coast of Crete till you reach Agia Roumeli.
With ample time on your hands, you can start a short hike inside the gorge up until the Iron Gates, the narrowest part of the canyon, at only 4 meters (13 feet) width. Alternatively, at the beach at the end of the gorge, you can take a swim in the warm Libyan Sea and even enjoy a traditional Cretan lunch! At around 16:30 you will meet again with the rest of your group as well as your hiking escort returning from the hike of the gorge and board the boat back to the village of Sougia, where you will start your trip back to the place where you were picked up from.
The gorge of Samaria is the biggest, most imposing and beautiful gorge in Greece and 2nd in Europe, and that is why it is internationally renown and mostly visited, since more than 300.000 people cross it each year. It has a wonderful landscape with rare geo-morphological formations. It is a unique biotope with particular richness in fauna and flora. It has a rich mythology as well, that goes back to prehistorical years and a tumultuous history during the difficult years of Crete. Samaria Gorge was proclaimed National Park of the White Mountains of Crete in 1962 when a couple of local families were still living in the village of Samaria, in the middle of the gorge and who were mainly busy with cattle-breeding and woodcutting. The surface covered at the time was 48.500 sqm., whereas the expansion of the Park today at 250.000 sqm. includes a remarkable part of the White Mountains.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Upon reservation kindly advise the name of your accommodation in order to send you exact pick up time and point!
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Be sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes for the trek through the gorge
- It is advisable to bring the following items with you: sunscreen, sunglasses and hat
- It is important to stay hydrated, so bring a bottle of water (you can refill it in the gorge's springs) and a light snack (fruits etc.)
- You can swim at Agia Roumeli beach just after you exit the gorge so make you have a swimsuit and beach towel with you
Reviews(7)
Very nice experience, if you have the opportunity, take the trip. A mini Grand Canyon, with red cliff sides, bright springs and magnificent views.
The tour company were unable to run the tour or offer a suitable one that fitted our schedule. The company say they contacted you and we look forward to receiving our refund.
Dear Jones I am sorry but we never say we will not procceed with refund.. we just explained you the followng message a day before As you are 24h before I will ask Viator to proceed with full refund and I will give the authority that means that we will give the refund So kindly before posting a bad review which is really important for us you can read the emails we send you and this was 18th of May I am really sorry to hear it! Please note that you have to proceed with full refund through Viator as the payment is in Viator we are the tour operator.. Kindly proceed 24h before! Thank you Ria
The "easy" walk in from the finish point of the gorge was good, mostly a stone path with many old ruins along the way. We never were able to find out what they were. The guide did not offer any information about the area on the way up or back, other than what to expect on the gorge walk. The description online said there was a photo opp at the trail head but there was not. Also, the beach area at the trail's end is a nice village with numerous restaurants and beach rentals. Be advised that this trip involves a 2 hour bus ride and a 1 hour boat EACH WAY, if you're doing the easy way.
There is no such thing as a beginners' hiking tour to samaria gorge. I was actually driven to sougia port to get the boat on my own to go to the entrance of the gorge. I had to walk about 3-4km through an abandoned village to find my way to the entrance of the gorge I was really scared that if something happened to me there were none around. And I was more scared when I entered the gorge so although I walked about 10km I saw very little of the gorge. Shame on viator that sells such misleading products. An advice use public transport they charge 14-15€ a return trip to sougia the boat costs 20€you pay it anyway.
I was initially scheduled to do the Imbros Gorge hike. I chose Imbros Gorge because I didn't think my knee would be able to cope with the 5/6 hour Samaria Gorge hike. However, due to bad weather my hike to Imbros was cancelled. I received a call from Ria at the tour company who offered me the alternative hike to Samaria but the easier route. I have to say I am truly grateful for the call from Ria as I booked the hike and had the most amazing day. So for the detail, I was picked up at 6am to join the main tour group. I separated from the group after the morning stop for breakfast. I was driven to Sougia where I took a ferry to Agia Roumelli (18 Euro return) where I walked to the entrance at the bottom of Samaria gorge. There is an entrance here for those that want to hike up the gorge rather than down. This worked out better for me as this was a more manageable route and I could walk as far into the gorge as I wished. It was so beautiful, the scenery was stunning. I hiked for 2 hours into the gorge over rivers through amazing walkways and then hiked 2 hours back. This was great as I got to see the gorge from both directions which you get to see things you didn't see on the way in. As majority of people start the gorge from the top I had the gorge all to myself for the first hour or so which was amazing. The entrance fee to the gorge is 5 Euros. After 4.5 hours walking I was very much looking forward to getting into the sea. I had enough time to spend an hour on the beach, then take a look around the village and have an hour for a meal one of the tavernas (there are a fair few to choose from). I returned back to Chania at 9pm. Overall this was a truly amazing day. I was so happy to have been able to take this option to see the gorge. I travelled on my own, I would recommend this to people of all ages. You still need to wear trainers or walking shoes as you need to keep an eye on where you are place your feet. In my opinion this tour is worth every penny for such a wonderful experience. Finally thank you to Ria who was extremely helpful to me.
Thank you for your feedback and your kind words! So glad to hear that you had a nice time and that you were satisfied with our services! Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your holidays!.
I am so glad that i visited this place! Amazing route and so glad to arrange the tours with Fantasy travel
