Hiking one of the longest Gorges in Europe is a must do if you are visiting the greek island of Crete. The 16Km hike is situated in Crete’s only National Park and is very popular with tourists. Located in the South West region near the town Chania, there is an option to join a tour group or for those that like to be more independent, you can use a public bus to take you to where the hike begins in the town of Omalos. The hike through the national park is 16km in total- 13km is the walk through the Gorge and a further 3km is from the end of the gorge to the town of Agia Roumeli.
There is a 6am morning bus from the bus terminal in Chania that can transport you to the Samaria Gorge. After you have completed the hike, you can catch the ferry to take you back to Omalos to take a public bus back to Chania. It’s an easy uncomplicated way of avoiding a tour and will allow you a relaxed amount of time to complete the trek.
The Trek
The start of the hike is at an altitude of 1250m. The first 2Km is a steep descent of switchbacks in a forest with a loose ground and wooden handrails. The surface of the trek is mainly over loose rocks and stones therefore, proper hiking boots are highly recommended to prevent injuries.
The trek is initially a steep zip-zag descent for a while before reaching the bottom of the gorge. People begin to stop to rest and the mad dash to reach the finish line starts to dwindle as trekkers become sparse.
Many rocks in different shapes and sizes keep the view interesting. Rock Piles and fallen trees- revealing their roots, make an ideal photo opportunity.
As you reach nearer the base level of the Gorge there are pockets of water and many more white rocks that would have been covered in water when the levels were higher.
You cross over bridges to follow the route through the Gorge. There are many picnic tables and vendors sell snacks and water, public toilets are also readily available. There is also the opportunity to see some of the many beautiful churches scattered along the route. Wild Cretan goats (Capra aegagrus critic) roam freely around, especially near the picnic tables.
The Gorge eventually levels out to a wide spaced river bed surrounded by steep rocky walls. Good hiking boots with thick soles are highly recommended!
The beautiful clear water increases as the trek reaches its final stages and the cliff walls become increasingly dangerous.
The cliff walls have unique natural patterns formed over thousands of years.
There is a narrow gap through the end of the gorge before you walk through the remainder of the National Park to the coast.
There is a further 3km walk outside of the Gorge to the beach where you await the departure of the ferry back to the starting point. There are some churches, farmland and much more greenery than within the gorge.
When you finally reach the beach, many of the trekkers go for a much deserved swim….if not, there are plenty of shops and restaurants (with wi-fi) to keep you busy until the ferry departs. Tickets for the ferry are clearly displayed in the local shops. The ferry departs and you can catch your bus back to Chania before dinner.
After the trek, you feel very refreshed and accomplished, its definitely worth the handwork!
