Samaria Gorge Full-Day Hike & Agia Roumeli Beach de Heraklion

Amazing nature and beautiful village by the south side

I had an amazing day and the hike even though it was challenging it was totally worth it. So peaceful and the nature is impressive. Everyone is so friendly and the company is very organized. Specially thanks to Zac for picking me up early and taking me safely back to my hotel in the evening. I can highly recommend Cretan Odyssey!

I wanted to go to Samaria gorge for several years now, and I am glad I finally did it and chose the best excursion operator to do it. The excursion was organized perfectly from the pick-ups in the morning to the last minute of going back. The bus driver, Nektarios was absolutely professional and careful during the whole trip. Thank you for the great experience!!!

This tour operator is excellent and provides professional services. I chose the Samaria Gorge excursion. The tour was very well organized. The tour guide was amazing and provided all the necessary details about the excursion, which is one of the most challenging routes I have encountered at 16 kilometers. The bus pickups and drop-offs were on time. I highly recommend this tour operator for other excursions as well.

I booked through GetYourGuide and read all the information and advice given, including the "not suitable for" section. I have frequently walked 10+ miles in 3-4 hours (indeed three times within a week earlier in August) - I understood that this was rougher terrain but was heartened that it was mostly downhill and had a much longer timeslot (5-8 hours described online as typical.) The guide described at speed, the terrain of the hike, where the stops were etc, a particular point you'd have to be at by a particular time to complete the course - and made lots of sarcastic comments about a night in the gorge for arriving late or getting on the wrong boat and advising us to take extra doses of bp medicine (totally NOT advised by doctors!) Why couldn't this information have been provided in a hand-out rather than expecting us to memorise it? Needs to be accurate if serious. When we were most of the way there and our boat fare had just been taken by the guide, she came to me and asked my age and medical history. There were no contra-indications but it was strongly suggested I should switch to a day at the beach instead!!! I was horrified as this was to have been the highlight of my stay in Crete. At this point I was very distressed that I couldn't remember all the map instructions off by heart and that I might be thrown off the trip. I went into panic mode as we arrived at the last toilet stop, my stomach churning and my head spinning. I pulled myself together determined to prove myself, but was then devastated when I was told that I had to wait to start the walk (when everyone else went ahead.) I was told the guide wanted to go through everything with just me again! Despite the great psychological disadvantage of setting off separately from my group, and last, I headed off confidently but carefully as everyone had warned that the first 4km was hard and I was getting used to the stick; at the beginning lots of other people from other younger groups were racing past and I didn't want to be tripped over. We were told to wear sunhats and helmets, advised to buy/use walking sticks and wear hiking boots. I did exactly as I was told. Most people were doing NONE of these things, so were not weighed down by heavy boots, learning a new way (although ultimately helpful) of walking with a stick or overheated by the double headgear (nor humiliated by everyone staring as the helmet on wide-brimmed sunhat looked ridiculous!) Even so, I had descended the first mile (I had a stepcounter in my pocket) by the time I was told to turn around AND by the time I had gone back up to the top (uphill walking is far and away the hardest for me) a total of 2 miles within the first hour. The guide caught up with me, watched me from behind for a few steps then told me I had to go back as I wasn't walking fast enough. Who performs at their best when being bullied and watched? Although she had already decided to turn me round she didn't have the right change to refund my boatfare and I was advised to kill time then meet the bus at the end of their day for the last part of the journey back to my hotel. All transport costs at my own expense. After chatting to the other (very kind) guide who I passed on the way back, she told me she could get my bag which I'd left on the bus back to me, so I decided instead to go straight back to my hotel. [I was contacted by someone who tried to make out it was my fault and claimed that they advertised all the details about the difficulties of the walk and that I was the one cancelling - absolutely NOT TRUE - I had not been allowed to continue. He agreed to refund the trip, and explained how to get home. He sent a car to transport me straight to the hotel where the bus would pick me up at the end of the day!!! Fortunately this was sorted out and I was taken to the local cafe to wait for a bus to the nearest town. Having been told a bus would arrive in 30 minutes - I had to wait 90. I had to wait an hour at Chania and a further hour at Herakleion on top of the journey times. No point in visiting these places as I had tours booked later in the week - so I arrived home probably only an hour earlier than the coach and €7,50 +€16,00 +€4,20 out of pocket. Plus the remaining €2 boat fare which was not refunded. The STUPID comment made by the guide and the rangers and other people trying to be sympathetic was "Don't worry; it often happens." (.or "…it happens all the time!) Worried? No! ANGRY and extremely DISAPPOINTED, yes! If it's truly a regular occurrence then surely it should occur to the businesses organising and promoting these trips that they need to be advertised differently. Mention that there'll be <6 hours to complete the walk or you won't get home - before you sell the ticket. While the guide might know the Gorge well, her people skills were not acceptable; they were bullying and indeed very discomforting to the "neurodiverse" amongst us. ΓΝΟΘΙ ΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ but do not presume to know other people!!!

The Samaria Gorge tour was wonderful! Everything was very well organized, with perfect timing and no delays. Our guide was excellent—always by our side, helpful, and eager to share knowledge about the area. Truly an experience worth having!

Ok, before I start the review proper, I need to tell you a bit about me and my experience - it's entirely relevant when working out whether or not my opinion and advice is worth listening to, and whether the Samaria Gorge trek is for you. I'm a 47 year old male, a keen hiker, and a qualified UK Mountain Leader which enables me to lead groups on hikes in the UK mountains. I'm also a climber and mountaineer but - and this bit is important - that has no relevance here. The Samaria Gorge traverse is a walk - a challenging one, yes - but just a walk. So, let's get on with the important stuff. I booked this through VIP Excursions in Kokkini Hani - who are excellent - and the trip was fulfilled by Cretan Odyssey. The logistics of the trip from start to finish were superb. Everything happened as and when we were told it would, and we were given useful updates and information on the journey there and back by our guide Maritza (I may have spelled that wrong) - in English, French, German, and I think Dutch. Obviously Samaria Gorge is in the far west of Crete, which means if you're staying in the east it's a long trip there and back. I was picked up and dropped off from nearby my hotel at 6am and 10pm respectively, with the bus ride taking approximately 3.5 - 4 hours in each direction (with comfort and food stops along the way). But the bus was cool and very comfortable, and the scenery up in the White Mountains is glorious. In addition to the trip cost you need to pay to enter the Samaria National Park (10€ on the gate) and for the ferry at the end of the hike (14€ paid to the guide on the bus out with the ticket collected from her in the taverna by the harbour at the end). All very straightforward. Onto the hike itself... Once off the bus and into the park you're on your own. To be clear, this is not a guided walk. The guide will walk the gorge too, staying at the rear to deal with any problems and keep stragglers moving - there is a deadline. But this means you're free to complete the walk at your own pace, stopping at the various rest stops to take a breather or top up your water, or to explore historic areas like the old Samaria village. About that time constraint: the last ferry leaves Agia Roumeli at 17:30 - and it does not wait. We started the hike at 10:15 and were told to meet our guide at 17:15, giving a more than adequate 7 hours to cover the 16km hike. Our guide also told us times we needed to pass certain 'checkpoints' along the way to make sure we were on track. I did the hike in 4.5hours with a brief exploration of Samaria village along the way, giving me plenty of time to go for a swim and get something to eat and drink at the end. Typically, 4-6 hours is the usual timescale. So, how tough is it? The advantage of walking north to south is that it's nearly all downhill. There's around 90m of ascent across the whole 16km, but it's nearly all descent. The start is the steepest as it drops you into the gorge, but after the first few km it even out The path is a mixture of constructed steps, loose sand and shingle, slightly awkward rocks, and a couple of spots of boulder hopping. If you've done any hillwalking in the UK, this is all very typical terrain, with the advantage of being nearly all down. Do be aware that it can be quite warm in the gorge - around 2-3 degrees higher than the surrounding area. Don't be fooled by the initial coolness - it'll be early in the day and you're still quite high in the mountains when you start. As the day goes on and you get closer to sea level it warms up considerably, so keep your water bottles topped up at the rest stations. The hike is challenging, but not overly so. The descent can feel hard on your legs, and 16km in the heat of Crete is not to be sniffed at, but any fit walker should be fine. There is no climbing or scrambling or mountaineering. It's just a long, hot walk. Is it worth it? 100% yes. I can't really do the scenery justice. The first half of the walk through the forest, noisy with the sound of cicadas, is pretty, but the second half where the walls of the gorge grow tall and close in is spectacular. If you're a confident, fit walker, go ahead and book it. You won't be disappointed. My tips: 1. Carry a 1 litre water bottle - you don't need to carry any more as you can top up every couple of km. 2. Take snacks with you to stay fuelled - something salty and something sweet. There's nowhere to get food inside the gorge until kilometer 13 where you leave the national park (the fresh orange juice here is amazing). 3. Wear shoes (or lightweight boots if you prefer) with closed toes and good grip. The loose stones will constantly be getting into sandals, and the dust covered rocks can be very slippery. 4. Don't assume the gorge will protect you from the sun - when it's directly overhead you're fully exposed and it's hot. Take the usual sun precautions. 5. A trekking pole or two wouldn't be overkill. I didn't use them, but many people did. You can buy them at a shop on the way to the gorge. 6. Don't rush. If you keep a steady pace and only stop briefly at rest stops you should have no issue with timing. An average speed of around 2.5kmph or 1.5mph is all you need. Take time to enjoy it. 7. Take a towel and swimming costume. Or, if you don't want to carry them , you can buy both in one of the tourist shops in Agia Roumeli. If you have time, a dip in the sea at the end is exquisite. Just be aware that the dark rocks and shingle on the beach get hot enough to burn bare feet! 8. A change of clothes for the bus ride back is not the worst idea in the world.

DO NOT TAKE THIS TOUR — Irresponsible company only looking to take your money First of all, if you don’t have extraordinary physical condition, DO NOT TAKE THIS TOUR. Also, don’t even consider it if you’re not equipped with proper rock climbing gear. The company is extremely vague about what you actually need, which is dangerous. They also never mention that this is an ADVANCED-LEVEL hike/climb, not suitable for most people. I slightly twisted my ankle during the hike and was told I had to go back ALONE—almost three hours walking back while injured, in pain, dizzy, and completely on my own. To make it worse, because I couldn’t finish the tour, they left me with no transportation back to Heraklion. I was literally stranded at a café trying to figure out how to get to Chania just to catch a bus back. To top it all off, there’s no phone signal along the entire route. If something had happened to me, who was I supposed to call? How would I communicate? Who was going to help me if barely anyone passes by and there are hardly any forest rangers? This has been the worst travel experience of my life. The company is completely irresponsible and unprepared for any emergency. They don’t carry enough medical supplies, and unbelievably, if they use anything from their first aid kit on you, they charge you extra. I just asked for a painkiller and was told to ask the forest ranger. Imagine that! They clearly don’t care about your safety—they’re just looking for more ways to charge you money. This is not a guided tour. This is a drop-off and good luck situation. Only go if you’re an experienced climber and fully prepared to handle the risks on your own. Otherwise, stay away and choose a professional and caring company. Now I’m dealing with stomach pain from the stress and anxiety this experience caused. Thanks for ruining my trip simply because you weren’t clear enough. Had I been properly informed about the level of difficulty and how much we had to walk, I would’ve never joined. But of course, they explain everything at 6:00 a.m. when everyone’s half asleep and you can barely hear the bus speakers.

Nicely picked up and brought to the bus that takes you to the starting spot. Nice attendant. But the time you spend on the bus..... You're 5 hours out and 5 hours back on the bus... Drop everyone off by bus.. just arrange some more small vans at the end.

Views were amazing and the sea at the end was absolutely stunning, the walk was physically intense but not too much so. They gave us bits of info about the history of Crete and of the area we were hiking, and we were out from about 6 until 22:30. The bus ride there and back was comfortable and the pit stops were pretty good as well.