Hiking at Samaria Gorge from Rethymno!

Hike through one of the worlds greatest natural wonders. From Omalos at a hight of 1235 m the gorge of Samaria cuts 16 km through the landscape.

The gorge is situated in the Samaria National park, within the White Mountains in West Crete. It is 150 m at its widest point and 3 m at its narrowest. It is home to over 450 species of plants and animals, that can only be seen in Crete. The gorge starts from Xyloskalo and continues down to the sea level in the village of Agia Roumeli at the Libyan sea. The village of Samariá lies inside the gorge and it was finally abandoned by the last remaining inhabitants in 1962 to make way for the park and particularly as a refuge for the rare Cretan goat, Kri-Kri or Agrimi, which is largely restricted to the park.

Crossing the gorge is a demanding physical activity and it requires a robust health. If you feel fit for the challenge, wear hiking shoes, bring a light snack and prepare yourself for a beautiful nature experience. It is possible to fill up your water supply during the walk.

After a strenuous but spectacular walk, we travel by boat – an equally beautiful trip – from Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakia where our bus will be waiting.

Important Information

• Drink plenty of water (you can refill your bottle from springs inside the gorge)
• Go slow in the first 2km of the walk & avoid stopping for a rest just below high cliffs
• Avoid resting for more than 15 minutes (especially if you are not used to this sort of walk) because your muscles will start to stiffen up and you will find it pretty hard to get going again
• Whilst in the village of Samaria take a quiet walk around it, you will probably catch a glimpse of the kri‐kri’s. The young ones get used to seeing people every day and are not that shy
• Always look where you are heading. When you want to look around, make sure you don’t block the path and then look
• Half way down the gorge lies the old village of Samaria. The village of Samaria has a telephone for communication with the police, a pharmacy, and two mules to transport injured persons
• 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.

Remember to bring‼️ Sun Cream (a lot!), Sunglasses and Hat, Long-Sleeved Shirt for Sensitive skin, A light jumper for the morning, Good hiking shoes, Bottle of water and Light Snacks (fruits etc.), Swim Suit and a Beach Towel.

Important Notes

Important Notes

1. Mandatory use of face covering and pre-boarding health declaration questionnaire is required, filled by all adults. Please download it here (English) or here (Greek) and have it filled before boarding on bus
   
2. The travel agency reserves the right to alter or cancel any tour due to adverse weather conditions or insufficient passengers number or force majeure 12 hours prior to departure time with a notification to the traveler
3. 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
4. Please arrive on time to the given pick-up point. Unfortunately, there is no option to wait for latecomers. In case of delay, missed pick-up, missed departure time, no refunds.