Full Day Tour Samaria Gorge From Rethymno
Description
Enjoy one of two journeys to the Samaria gorge with a professional guide. Choose the long option, where you will trek for approximately 6-7 hours or the easy option, where you will hike for around 4.5-5 hours. Both choices will give you time to enjoy lunch in a typical tavern and swimming in the Lybian Sea. Early in the morning we start our excursion from North parts of Rethymno areas and from different pick up points that provide easy access from all hotels. We inform you by email by sending you the voucher with the pick up point and the time in order to there and meet your bus. You have a telephone number in case of emergency. You will have the opportunity to visit one of the most beautify natural park in the world and spend a day that you remember for ever. The Samaria gorge is the longest one in Europe.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Samaria Long Way Option We start our adventurous hike in the heart of the White Mountains, at an altitude of 1230 m and walk down the gorge through a mountain area, one of the nicest, the most impressive mountain areas in our country. At the beginning we walk through a beautiful forest with thousands of years old trees, over rocks and stones, following a little river and its fresh-water springs. With the length of 16 km the gorge of Samaria is officially one of the longest gorges in Europe. There live in the wild the last Cretan mountain goats, called “Kri-Kri”. The walk is partially very difficult and requires approximately 5-6 hours. You need absolutely good shoes, mountain-boots or, at least, strong trainers.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
You will receive the voucher with all details (pick up point, pick up time) one day before the tour takes place.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- The duration of transfers are approximate, the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions
Reviews(10)
A long downhill walk with fantastic views. We didn’t see any of the krikri goats. A fantastic swim at the end. Bring good shoes.
I wasn't picked up and didn't get any info, only by phone inquiries. Road would be closed, although according to Maps it would be possible to drive this way. I'm disappointed with this process. Nobody contacted me via WhatsApp.
Really well organised, superb scenery, pleasant swim and ferry ride at the end. A great day out. Would definitely recommend.
Such gorgeous views !!!! Beautiful experience. I knew this was a pretty intense hick but not everyone did, also bring a bathing suit for after. I think some direction was missed but in my case didn't take away from the experience. I'm also going to say that some information provided by our guide wasn't accurate, for example it gets "better" after 7km!? Or that the end (11km) is the end... no, the beach and restaurants and meeting point is at 16km. Again, this didn't take away from my having an amazing experience and day but felt a little misguided. Thankfully it was downhill and my husband and I are fit.
Was sent a link via Google maps detailing the pick up location Arrived at 5,39 am for a 5,45 pick up by six we were still waiting and I could get no response via message or phone Viatours helpline could not get a response either I am now trying to get a refund but the tour company claimed to have waited at a different location and therefore my fault Poor communication service and after service Avoid this company
But you had receive the Correct information with many ways and it seems that you decide to ignore. The Bus Comes on specific pick up opoints. Private tours Come from the Pick up you Choose
Beautiful walk in the Samaria gorge and very nice busdriver and a guide Maria. Everything went smoothly. Love it!
We had a great time this was a challenging walk but worth it. Our guide Kostos set us up really well so we knew what to expect. I thought that the information after booking was helpful regarding preparing for the trip. It is a really long day we were picked up at 5.20am and got back at 9.15pm! I think what would be better is if the information on viator was more detailed as it stated pick ups from 7am, but it depends on where you are staying. In general if you are staying in Panormos or near here you are likely to be one of the first pick ups and also last drop offs if travelling in the direction towards Chania, there are a number of pick ups/ drop offs in Rethymno so this does take a LOT of time. We were only in Crete for 5 days so I think if we had this information up front or it was clearer what the journey time is and how many pick ups then we may have chosen a private tour or opted not to go as we were not here for very long. I also have to give praise to the bus drivers who do a great job :)
We were never picked up at the pickup point. After 40 minuten we had contact with someone from the company, but not helpful. We joined an other bus tour to the Samarian Gorge and their guide told us, after a round a table question among the other guides, that our tour was cancelled because there tour was the only one for that day from Rethymno. So maybe it is a good tour company with a great guide but sadly we could not experience that.
Natural beauty is amazing! Highly recommend. Hiking boots would have been a huge help be we did it with tennis shoes and we’re fine. Even my 9 and 12 year olds would do it again. Just need to be self sufficient on the transfers from the city to the ferry, from the ferry to the bus, and from the bus to your hotel. The tour company was not very helpful in that regard so there could be an improvement in service. The tour guide actually got off the bus before most of us tourists without saying a word.
I have walked thru Samaria Gorge way back in 1998 and this time, I decided to relive this experience with my son, so I booked this tour thru Viator. A little screwup on the day of our departure, where the tour agency van went to the wrong address and we were waiting and waiting and then call the agency, only to be told that the van had passed by and we were asked to go to another place to be picked up. Fortunately, a Greek Security Forces soldier, who was waiting the bus stop (where we were waiting), stepped and kindly helped us (a big thanks to him) by talking to the company and explaining where we were and asked them to pick us up, which they did. We were then taken to another place to board the bus and from there bussed to the top of the mountain to the entrance of the Samaria Gorge National Park, from where we made our way into the Gorge and thru it for 16kms till we reached the port for our return trip by boat back home. The hike was tough and it was a hot, hot day, so it slowed us down a bit but we were ably looked after by our guide Nikos who was there with us from the time we boarded the bus and did all the explanations, and from there into the gorge till we reached the exit and then back to bus. Nikos shepherded us all along, making sure that his group was all present and was helpful with tips and tricks to walk thru the canyon till we reached the exit. His presence was reassuring and we felt a sense of security. All in all, a great hike and highly recommend the agency.
