Enjoy a challenging trek through one of the longest and most famous gorges in Europe. On this excursion from Chania you’ll marvel at natural wonders throughout the day, from the White Mountains to thousand-year-old forests and more. Samaria Gorge, the longest and likely the best-known gorge in Europe, lies 4,000 feet above sea level. Your full-day (12-hour) excursion to Samaria Gorge begins with a pick-up 6.00 a.m. from Chania and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains, where you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike. The trek will take you over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees and along a river and by fresh-water springs. Along the way, you’ll have spectacular views of Crete’s most beautiful mountain range and you are likely to see mountain goats roaming in the wild. You will be accompanied by a professional mountain escort who speaks English.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $475.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Hotel pick-up and drop off (Perivolia, Halepa, Akrotiri, Halidon Street Alpha Bank, Chania center, Kladissos, Nea Chora, Agioi Apostoloi, Xrysi Akti, Daratso, Galatas, Kalamaki, Stalos, Agia Marina, Platanias, Gerani, Kontomari, Pyrgos, Psyionfrou, Maleme, Tavronitis, Kolymvari, Minothiana, Paraniana and Kamisiana).
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Samaria Gorge Trek: Full-Day Excursion from Chania with Guide lasts about 12 hours.
Prices start at $33 per person for this Chania experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $475. There are 7 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 10 departures a day between 5:15 AM and 9:00 AM.
Children aged 5–11 pay from $19, adults from $33.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Hotel pick-up and drop off (Perivolia, Halepa, Akrotiri, Halidon Street Alpha Bank, Chania center, Kladissos, Nea Chora, Agioi Apostoloi, Xrysi Akti, Daratso, Galatas, Kalamaki, Stalos, Agia Marina, Platanias, Gerani, Kontomari, Pyrgos, Psyionfrou, Maleme, Tavronitis, Kolymvari, Minothiana, Paraniana and Kamisiana). Pickup points include Hotel Aegli, Lagon Life Spirit Boutique Hotel - Adults Only.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 50 participants.
This trek is not recommended for children under the age of 6, pregnant women or anyone with health problems
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 60 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by PLATANOS TOURS.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Great hike with many beautiful views, but be prepared for a long day! I would rate this as a moderate-to-difficult hike due to its length and rough terrain. We had no problem completing it, but we do hike quite a bit. It can be very challenging for those who aren’t accustomed to this type of hike. Overall, a beautiful and rewarding experience!
Magnificent, grandiose :) sublime landscape ... and quite physical for the legs :) expect some soreness for the rest of the trip... ( and coming with good shoes that do not slip on very smooth rocks is a plus ).
This is a challenging hike due to the rockiness of the terrain but it is well worth it. Luca was a great guide and the trip is well organized. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and rent the hiking poles.
What a great day! Well organized. Great hike - worth the effort. Completely hassle free. My husband and I both wore hikers and we are active and in good health and we said we were grateful to have them! We brought our bathing suits and fully appreciated a beautiful swim and the cooling waters after a long, hot day and challenging hike. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
Luka our guide and Kostas our driver were both amazing. Every part of this adventure was well organized and timely. We felt safe and supported throughout the excursion. There were places to stop to buy food before and after the hike, hiking poles to rent, a place to swim at the end and time to wander around the town. The ferry tickets were managed by Luka, making that process very easy. After taking the bus back to Chania, we were even put in our own car to get to our drop off spot. Would highly recommend this tour for a self-paced excursion.
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The home was amazing and the tour guide was wonderful:) Friendly and helpful :) Only complaint is how ill I felt on the bus ride up!!
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The trek was much more difficult than expected but much worth the scenery. Our guide, Luka, was always around to help and the day was very well organized. My friend fell on rocks and required stitches. A doctor was available at the village mid-way and stitched her up. The doctor available at the end also cleaned up the wound to make sure she left in good shape. A great (but exhausting and physically painful) experience!
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Definitely wear good shoes, a hat, lots of sunscreen, and a water bottle and snacks. Plenty of places to refill your water bottle along the way, but no food available. It’s a long but wonderful day hiking the gorge and the. 2-3 hours in Agia Romeli to eat and recharge your body before the ferry ride to head back.
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The hike is around 10 miles mostly downhill so it’s not too strenuous, but it’s still a long way and you should be in reasonably good physical condition to make this hike. It does get kind of crowded, and I kept getting passed by people who seemed to be in a hurry. I recommend you slow down and take the sites along the way because it is a very beautiful hike. The trail is rough enough that you have to watch where you’re going while you hike so it’s difficult to sightsee and walk at the same time. If you hurry through the gorge, you’ll get to the end and then wonder why you came all that way, but if you take your time and stop on the ground and take some pictures, you will have a wonderful time. They start you early in the morning and you need to finish by 4:30 or five in order to catch the 530 ferry back to the road system. That is not difficult to do. I finished at three because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t cutting it close and I wish I would have slowed down even a little bit more and tried to finish about four. That would still give plenty of time to take a nice dip at the beach before getting on the boat.
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Comfortable hiker footwear is a must. Once in a lifetime experience. Beautiful 😍 . A long day. Well spent.
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samaria Gorge Trek: Full-Day Excursion from Chania with Guide | 12 hours | 4.6 (60) | $33 | |
 Samaria Gorge Hiking from Chania with Professional Hiking Guide | 14 hours | 4.5 (407) | $46 | View |
 Private: Jeep Safari in 2 Wineries and Samaria Gorge with Lunch | 7–8 hours | 5.0 (11) | $263 | View |
 Chania Private Tour: Monastery, Scenic Gorge & Mountain Views | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (13) | $252 | View |
 Stand -Up Paddleboard and Multi-Surprise Elements Tour in Crete | 2 hours | 4.9 (567) | $85 | View |
 Half-Day Rethymno Quad Safari | 4 hours | 4.9 (524) | $69 | View |
 Elafonissi Beach Trip from Chania | 12 hours | 4.4 (455) | $31 | View |