Samaria Gorge Hiking from Chania with Professional Hiking Guide
Description
Get ready for an unforgettable journey through one of Europe’s longest and most breathtaking gorges! This is a full-day hiking adventure, ideal for nature lovers and active explorers. You’ll hike approximately 16 kilometers through dramatic landscapes, towering cliffs, ancient forests, and the famous narrow passage known as the “Iron Gates.” Along the way, you might spot the rare Cretan wild goat (Kri-Kri) and enjoy the rich, wild beauty of Crete's national park. The hike typically takes between 5 to 7 hours, depending on your pace, and ends at the peaceful seaside village of Agia Roumeli. Here, you’ll have free time to relax, enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear Libyan Sea, and have lunch at one of the charming seaside tavernas. After recharging by the sea, we board the ferry-boat to Sougia, cruising along Crete’s rugged southern coastline. At Sougia, our bus will be waiting to comfortably drive you back to Chania after a day full of adventure and natural beauty.
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 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.
No holiday in Crete is complete without a trip through the 2nd longest gorge in Europe, the Gorge of Samaria. It is the longest and most imposing ravine in the Mediterranean. It is 16.5 kilometers in length from the position of Xyloskalo and terminates at Agia Roumeli in the Libyan Sea. We will arrive around 7 o’clock in the morning and after a short break you will start walking. Descending the 600 wooden steps you will be intrigued by the beauty and serenity of this massive gorge which is shadowed by the white Mountains. You will come across the church of St. Nicolas, built on the ruins of an ancient temple. Afterwards you will reach “Portes” or “Iron Gates”, the narrowest pass of the gorge. The hike ends at Agia Roumeli.
Agia Roumeli is the home of one Greece's most beautiful beaches. Nestled between mountains, this beach boasts some great scenery. A small village at the exit of the Samaria gorge on the south shores of Sfakia in Crete, with unique beauty and interesting historical background.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
A day before the tour operator will send you the exact pick up point and time with a map link. Pick up will be from your hotel or close by
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- Pick up/Drop off is conducted only is select spots in Chania. Depending on your location, you will be advised on the time and place after booking.
- 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.)
- Υou can swim at Agia Roumeli beach just after you exit the gorge so make you have a swimsuit and beach towel with you
- Τhe entrance fee to Samaria as well as the boat fee are paid with cash on the spot
- Half way down the gorge lies the old village of Samaria, which has a telephone for communication with the police, a pharmacy, and two mules to transport injured persons.
- In the village of Samaria, take a quiet walk around and you may catch a glimpse of the endangered kri‐kri. They are usually very friendly towards people!
- Upon reservation please advise the exact name of your hotel in order to send you the exact pick up time and place
- Τhe trip is not recommended for any person with a history of knee problems, high blood pressure, cardiac and pulmonary problems, pregnant women and for anybody who suffers from vertigo/fear of heights
Reviews(386)
Booked activity 10 Days plus before date selected and used online Tripadvisor booking process which allowed me to select my hotel by name in Stalida area. Received confirmation of pick up @ 0630 so all ok at time of booking. 12 hours before activity received email saying cancelled as I wasn’t staying in Chania area and transfer time didn’t suit operator. Missed call a few hours before activity received could have been tour operator but was busy enjoying another tour. Follow up emails I was told that they hadn’t cancelled the activity so I forwarded copy of their email. Disappointing completely on being told cancelled as I wasn’t close enough so the booking process is therefore flawed based on hotel selection and email confirmation of trip received with pick up time.
My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this hike! It is challenging, but by hiring hiking poles from our guide, taking it steady and drinking plenty of water, it all went well. The scenery is fantastic!
I cannot rate this trip as we got the pick up time wrong and the tour organiser tried calling my mobile but being from overseas I only had data access and no phone access. They didn’t think to use What’s App or Viber. We did ask the driver if we could catch up with the tour bus, but he said that they were driving back a different way so we’d have a problem trying to get back to our car. We ended up doing the trip on our own, as we had a car. Which actually worked out cheaper, if you didn’t count the cost of what we had already paid Viator. It’s a shame really. It would have been great if we were offered a credit or part refund by Viator or the trip organise, seeing we didn’t use their services.
Awesome experience, it was a long day and your legs will most likely be sore for days after. The Samaria Taverna at the end was fantastic, great food and great people.
Beautiful walk, but don't underestimate. The walk is roughly 10 miles long. Largely downhill for the first 1/3, then gradually becomes more undulating as you lose altitude. Top tips: 1. Footwear. Please wear good shoes or boots for hiking. 10 miles is a fair distance if you're not used to it, and you may end up with sore feet if ill prepared. 2. Food/Drink: Once you're on the trail, there's no food or drink to buy. Natural springs are dotted along the walk, but I'd recommend you take any food or drinks before. 3. Pace yourself and remember to look up. The gorge is beautiful. We completed the walk in plenty of time to have food and a few drinks down at the beach. Your feet will appreciate a dip in sea. Please remember this is a nature trial, not a tourist attraction per se, so don't expect this to be a walk in the park. Finally, you have a guide, but hopefully, you won't see him. The boat leaves at a predetermined time, so the guide leaves after everyone else. That way he can help anyone struggling. Downside is no info on route, but to be fair, we loved it and you don't want to be walking to someone else's pace. It'll either be too fast or slow for your liking.
The walk is long but beautiful. The town after is charming and we enjoyed relaxing by the beach. It’s a long day though.. 15 hours after all the drop offs.
The gorge is beautiful and the lovely beach is a fantastic reward at the end. The hike is challenging but very doable for people in decent shape. The first 2km are the steepest descent of the day and there are plenty of water springs to refill your water bottle. You will need to bring food as there is nothing on the journey. Luckily your descent begins at a shop with coffee, water, and some basic food items for purchase. Our guide was very energetic and knowledgeable.
Great day out hiking Samaria Gorge. Fantasy Travel provided all the details we needed to have a safe, enjoyable hike - what to wear, timings, what to take etc. Everything went like clockwork exactly as they had briefed and we had a really enjoyable day. Our guide, Nikos, was excellent. Really good value trip.
Definitely worth experiencing this hike just bare in mind the next day your leg muscles will be sore so have a chilled day planned ahead.
You can complete the Gorge if you are not fit. I did it. The difference is how much more you will enjoy it if you are fit. You can look up and enjoy the view, instead of watching and concentrating on ever footstep for fear of falling. Clambering over huge boulders, hobbling through uneven loose rocks and shiny sharp stone is no pleasure to an unfit person. The walk took me 5 and a half hours. I was utterly exhausted and in pain. I had no energy to leap into the sea at the end of the hike, and even if i did, there wasnt enough time before the boat left. This is not to mention the real pain in your thighs and calfs in the days after the trip. So, in brief, if you are fit you will have a wonderful thrilling adventure with spectacular views, ending in a refreshing swim. If you are unfit, you will hobble your way painfully watching every step, missing the views, just longing for it all to be over. Im thrilled I did it, but wish I had done it when I was fitter !!
