Join an escorted tour, enjoying a morning bus trip towards the west Crete, followed by a stop to Omalos plateau. Begin your walk with the group into Samaria gorge and enjoy its unique morphology on your way to the longest gorge hike in Europe. Reach Agia Roumeli south coast, where your sailing trip will bring you to Sfakia.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 12.
The plateau of Omalos is an area of 15km, found 38 Km on the south of Chania, in the center of the Cretan mountains named Lefka Ori (White Mountains). The highest mountain of this mountain range, is Pachnes at an altitude of 2452m.
Samaria gorge at an altitude of 1230m is 16 Km long but an extra 2 Km walk is needed until we reach Agia Roumeli. The width of the gorge is 150m at its widest point and 3m at its narrowest and up to 700 meters deep. The first 4 kilometers of the walk, are the most difficult ones due to the steep descend. Halfway through our walk, is the actual village of Samaria, an old village whose inhabitants were relocated in 1962, when the gorge was declared a national park. A little further down is the church of Osia Maria, from which the name Samaria comes from. At the rest point of Christos, a shaded clearing, you will find the last spring in the gorge. A few minutes later we will reach the “Gates”, the narrowest and highest part of the gorge. After 2 km further, we will reach the guard post, marking our initials out of the National Park by entering the old village of Agia Roumeli. Soon will see the sea ahead, minutes later will enter the new village of Agia Roumeli and the cooling sea.
The tour is completed by our return sailing trip from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, followed by the bus tour heading to our way back.
Pickup and Drop off provided from the areas of Sissi, Malia, Stalida Hersonissos, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Heraklion, Amoudara.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Walk through Samaria Gorge lasts about 15 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
Prices start at $55 per person for this Heraklion experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 4 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, starting at 4:00 AM, 5:00 AM, 5:45 AM, and 6:00 AM.
Children aged 5–12 pay from $27, adults from $55.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Pickup and Drop off provided from the areas of Sissi, Malia, Stalida Hersonissos, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Heraklion, Amoudara. Pickup points include Pela, Anastasia Star Beach Hotel & Spa.
The experience is available in DE, EN, IT, FR.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 50 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.4 out of 5 across 15 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Altino Travel Services.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Very disapointed. We wanted to visit the Samaria gorges but Altino travel canceled twice less than 24 hours before the service. the first time the gorges were closed (Ok we understand), the second time no explanation. As this excursion is only offered on Mondays, we were unable to rebook...
I totally agree with Elizabethg189 The descent into the forest, nothing exceptional, we have the same in Switzerland. To be done from below. You lose less time and you can do something else the rest of the day. That said, the cliffs are beautiful.
Hiking 19km in the beautiful gorges! Be careful to be well put on , sunscreen and sunglasses mandatory as well as a cap! There are fountains all the way, don't charge yourself with water! Beautiful place, very clean.. it's to do! You must have the habit of walking .. and swimming appreciated when you arrive! Too good
Unfortunately, Samaria was closed the day of our trip due to a recent landslide. The company quickly pivoted and took us to a smaller, but very close nearby, gorge and we got to have our hiking experience just the same. What I would add for anyone booking this trip (and I recommend you do) is to know that this trip is very comparable to many of the other Samaria excursions on TripAdvisor, despite there not being very many details in the listing. There are two stops for coffee/food, one on the way out to the gorge and one on the way in, so you don't have to be worry about opportunities to eat. We also visited a beach after our hike. Also, it is a very long day. We were picked up at our resort in Hersonissos at 5:25 am, so be mentally prepared for that.
Helen was an excellent knowledgeable and friendly guide who made us feel welcomed on our trip to Samaria Gorge. The experience itself was breathtaking with beautiful views all around the gorge. We would highly recommend it for anyone visiting Crete but be warned the walk is not easy and a good pair of walking shoes are essential. We were very happy with the price compared to other providers and would not hesitate to book with Altino Travel again.
Accessing the Samaria Gorge from Xyloskalo is not a walk, it is a hike for experienced walkers. The landscape is beautiful but for those who know a little about the southern Mediterranean, it is nothing exceptional outside the last 5 kilometers, that is to say the gorges themselves. There, the parade between the rock faces is spectacular. However, the length of the trip (16 to 18 km of descent according to estimates), the exclusively stony ground, and the need to stick to a schedule on arrival or risk missing the boat back, all make the day extremely tiring and even stressful. Warnings are issued on the bus, when the day is already underway. No one points out the difficulty of the route, nor the absolute need to have suitable hiking shoes (ideally with an extra size and two pairs of socks). To say that the €45 hike includes a guide is a lie: an escort takes the bus with you and collects the money, he meets you in the evening. But during the descent, it is each for himself. In short, it is long and exhausting, very risky, for limited tourist interest. If you are over 60 years old or not well equipped, don’t go! It is better to go see the iron gates in 1 hour ascent, from the sea.
Michael the tour guide was awesome. It wasn’t an ordinary trail hike it had many different aspects. Brutal but worth it!
It was mind-blowing and unbelievable. The views in the Gorge were breathtaking, the cliffs on a boat trip from Agia Roumeli were gorgeous. The whole trip was unforgettable. Don't forget to prepare accordingly! Wear comfortable sports shoes, grab a hat and a sunscreen, take an empty bottle to fill it along the way, bring some snacks (protein bars or trailmix) and favourite music. And even if you are a physically conditioned person, your legs are gonna give you hell next two or three days.
Very nice place where we are totally exotic. You really have to be sporty because the course is not easy. The km are long and few water points. If you have a discomfort or fall you are alone.
Was a truly unforgettable day! It's heavy, but it's very beautiful. The guidance was superb. After the time we could cool off I the sea. During the bus trip, nice people were told about the area. Top organized.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk through Samaria Gorge | 15 hours | 4.4 (15) | $55 | |
 SAMARIA Gorge Walk: full day from area Heraklion CRETE | 16–17 hours | 4.2 (13) | $72 | View |
 Samaria Gorge Hiking from Chania with Professional Hiking Guide | 14 hours | 4.5 (407) | $46 | View |
 Samaria Gorge Trek: Full-Day Excursion from Chania with Guide | 12 hours | 4.6 (60) | $33 | View |
 Full day Samaria Gorge Tour from Chania Through Easy Way | 14 hours | — | $32 | View |
 Samaria Gorge Hike | 12–15 hours | 4.9 (34) | $43 | View |
 Full Day Samaria Gorge 10-Mile Walking Tour | 14 hours | 4.4 (54) | $46 | View |