Visiting Samaria Gorge
Every year, this remarkable natural site within the Samaria National Park draws thousands of visitors. Whether you love wide open spaces, enjoy physical hikes, or simply want to take in the scenery, Samaria Gorge cuts deep into the rock and leaves a lasting impression on everyone who walks it. Steep and dramatic, the location packs a real emotional punch. Set in the western part of Crete and reaching an elevation of 1,250m, it ranks among the island's absolute essentials.
A journey through the rock
Stretching 16 km, Samaria Gorge is among the longest in Europe. For centuries, erosion carved and shaped this now-iconic passage. Bordered by sheer rock walls that reach 600m in places, the hike is nothing short of spectacular. It splits into several sections, typically starting near the Xyloskalo area on the plateau above the village of Omalos. The first three kilometers demand careful footing, though frequent rest stops line the trail. Walking between the White Mountains massif and the Volakias range feels grand, set inside a protected ecosystem offering striking views. Within this preserved habitat, you are treading across the natural stronghold of the endemic Cretan wild goat. The male, known as the Kri-Kri, serves as a symbol of the island. Umbrella pines, cypresses, waterfalls, and streams dot the route, creating a true reserve that even passes through an abandoned village, Samaria. The trail finishes at its narrowest point, the famous Sideroportes, Iron Gates, measuring just 3m wide beneath towering 500m walls. Agia Roumeli port waits at the end. Aside from arriving by boat, walking through Samaria Gorge is the only way to reach this coastal hamlet. Some hikers choose to start from the bottom, as the trail can be hiked in either direction.
Opening hours
*Information subject to change
Regardless of whether it is true or not, the park is worth the trip for its natural heritage as a whole. Rugged terrain, adorable little streams, magnificent nature, especially in the spring. And then, the icing on the cake, the end of the trail leads you to Agia Roumeli, where you can go for a swim at the beach.
A few tips:
- Avoid the middle of summer and prefer the month of May: the weather is already beautiful without being a heatwave, and there are fewer crowds.
- Hiking boots are not necessary, but take at least some good sneakers and avoid flip-flops.
- There is quite a bit of walking, with some climbs and descents. It is very doable for an adult who is used to walking. Much less so for young children. So I do not recommend this visit with young children: they will end up asking you to carry them and that will ruin the walk for you a little bit.