From Chania: Imbros Gorge and Sfakia Experience Hike & Swim
Description
Join us for a beautiful day as we depart from Chania and head toward the scenic Imbros Gorge — a hidden gem perfect for nature lovers and hiking enthusiasts. Before we begin our adventure, we’ll treat you to a taste of tradition with a delicious Sfakiani pie. Around 10:00 AM, we’ll enter the gorge and start our hike.The walk through Imbros Gorge takes approximately 2.5 hours (depending on your pace) along a stunning, easy-to-moderate trail surrounded by breathtaking rock formations, wild nature, and serene landscapes. Our hike ends at the charming Komitades village, where time seems to slow down. After the hike, we continue to Sfakia village, where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear sea and enjoy a traditional Cretan lunch by the water !After a day full of discovery and experiences, relax and enjoy a peaceful ride back to Chania aboard our comfortable bus, taking with you memories of Crete’s incredible beauty.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The place has a great historical significance as the gorge witnessed an evacuation of several thousands of British soldiers during World War II before heading to Egypt. Back then, the Imbros Gorge mule trail was the only connection between Chania and Sfakia, before the road was built. Remains of this trail can be still seen today.
Chora Sfakion is the capital of the remote and mountainous region of Sfakia. The untamed landscape is combined with the quiet. Charming seaside settlement. The sandy beach with the crystal clear blue waters is suitable for relaxation after hiking. A few coffee shops and taverns are located within and around the villages. In its northern neighbourhood, you will find the ruins of the venetian "Fortress of Sfakia” or “Castel di Sfacia or Sfachia” where you can get a panoramic view of Sfakia and admire the wilderness of the nature.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Upon reservation please advise the exact name of your hotel in order to send you the exact pick up time and point!
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- 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.)
- Please note that the following are prohibited inside the gorge: radios, singing, excessive noise, disposal of rubbish in places other than those provided, smoking anywhere other than the rest points, consumption of alcohol.
- In Sfakia you have the option to take a swim so make you have a swimsuit and beach towel with you
Reviews(38)
Very well-organized tour and a beautiful gorge. The trail is not difficult, but you need to pay attention to where you step, as the rocks are uneven and can be slippery in some places. The swimming stop at Sfakia was great, with clear, refreshing water. The beach itself is quite narrow, so it can feel crowded, especially during busy times.
The booking experience was fraught as my hotel was not listed. Although I provided the details of my hotel and paid in full on booking my tickets stated I needed to confirm my booking before a pick up point was provided. This is a flaw in the system. After two calls and an email I was provided with a pickup location and a new time, an hour after the time stated on the ticket, this also needs attention. When the excursion started everything ran smoothly and as expected. Great host, full of ideas and info. Just sort out the booking software.
Excellent tour of Imbros Gorge. The tour guide was really knowledgeable and couldn't have been more helpful. Thanks so much. One tip: do hire the hiking pole if you need them. The path is a bit rough and uneven in places
The hike is not strenuous - a swim at the beach is lovely. It would be great to do one more activity on the day.
There is no time to do anything in the town. Myself and my group literally ran through the gorge without hardly stopping to enjoy it. We are all in pretty good shape. Then we went to the city and only had time to eat then board the bus and the whole tour was over. No time for swimming no time for walking around no time to do anything. Very unsatisfactory. The tour God didn’t speak about anything along the way, so it was boring. he could’ve pointed out different mountain ranges. He could’ve pointed out different facts. He could’ve said something about the history of Crete, but nothing was said. The bus was packed with people. No chairs were open and the air condition barely blew. Sweat was dripping on my face. Plus, I had to wake up an hour early to go to a pick up destination that did not even exist. We were at the wrong place driving around in circles. The time was also wrong. We could’ve been in our beds for our extra hour.
The guide was very nice and the bus driver navigated the mountain passes expertly.
Imbros Gorge is beautiful and a terrific alternative to Samaria. Our bus was an hour late in arriving and the tour operator did not respond to questions about its whereabouts. Fortunately there were others at the pickup who had been told a later time and so we waited and sure enough our name was on his list! Lunch in Sfakia was also lovely. The bus did break down in the way home but a replacement bus was quick to arrive.
Well-organized pickup and return transfer. Beautiful gorge hike. It is not as easy as one might think. Partially very rocky ground. Sturdy shoes are highly recommended. Hiking poles are also beneficial! Everyone could walk at their own pace; the guide walked at the end with a 10-minute gap and checked at the bus. However, in my opinion, one can skip the trip to Sfakia. Refreshing at the small beach (which one must first find) is quite nice, but otherwise, you just waste time in overpriced taverns here.
We loved this entire excursion from the easy pickup at a nearby hotel to the entertaining and informative tour guide Nikos to the beautiful views of the Imbros Gorge and the lovely Sfakia beach excursion. We had planned on doing the Samaria Gorge hike however it was closed when we went to Crete but we’re glad we did this tour instead since the hike itself was two hours rather than five. While we hiked, we were able to leave our beach items on the bus. The beach in Sfakia was a lovely beach that blocked the wind, was refreshing after the hike, and had some rocks to climb around on. The driver did an excellent job navigating some winding roads. Overall, this entire experience from start to finish was well worth it!
Imbros gorge was worth seeing and the views from the mountains were amazing. The bus driver and guide were both very kind and helpful. If you don't get off the bus first then you start the hike very late because there aren't enough washrooms at the entrance. The trail is also very crowded and you're often hiking behind a long line of people. No time to stop and enjoy the view and very little time for lunch. The whole tour felt quite rushed. Personally wouldn't recommend it to a friend but there were mixed feelings in our group.
