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.
Posted By : Georsadd_G
You definitely need to warm up before you take this trip. My legs were sore for almost a week after this tour (and this was my first activity in Crete). If you really want to do this trek, I suggest it to be the last in your itinerary. I suggest to also get a trekking pole as the trek is downhill to ease the pressure from your legs. Go slower if possible, I'm sure you'll still be able to catch the ferry. The beach in my opinion, you can probably stay for 30 mins, there are more beautiful beaches in Crete to enjoy.
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Posted On : 2024-06-03 18:48:25 
Posted By : Jules_J
A stunning gorge walk, worth every ache and pain I am now feeling! A long day, take plenty to eat and drink and take frequent stops to admire the beautiful landscape.
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Posted On : 2024-05-16 02:48:16
Posted By : Culture31947283309
Many thanks to our guide Nikos for a great (but also very long) day.
We were picked up by a van near our hotel in Chania at 5:50 a.m. and taken to a large coach. There was a short breakfast stop in Omalos and then you could explore the gorge independently and at your own pace (Nikos was with us the whole time, but brought up the rear to make sure no one got lost). After the 13-kilometer hike through the gorge, you could refresh yourself in the sea and/or in a tavern in Agia Roumeli. A ferry then took us to Sougia, where the bus was waiting for us. At around 8:45 p.m. we were dropped off back at the starting point in Chania.
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Posted On : 2023-10-29 16:42:26 
Posted By : mirandajokirby
So glad we got to see this gorge! The travel time to and from is quite long and not great for folks who get motion sickness from right turns in a bus. Other than that, it was memorable and we are glad we did this. You’ll need a swim suit and cash for this adventure.
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Posted On : 2023-10-27 12:10:58
Posted By : anna201570
Having been to Crete several times, we decided that this was the year to hike through the Samaria Gorge. It was everything that we expected and more. Anyone doing this hike needs to take on board the warnings and advice given by the tour operators. This is not a walk in the park. It’s strenuous, exhausting but totally worth it. I strongly recommend proper hiking boots and before booking think carefully about your level of fitness! We took the tour offered by Platanos Tours. Nickos, our guide, was amazingly helpful and informative. Further explanations were given on the coach journey on the way to the start and he was the back marker for our group ensuring no one was left behind by mistake. He provided a great deal of insight and reminded the group that the hike was not suitable for people with certain medical conditions. He was an exceptional guide. A slight omission was that we weren’t told to look out for the yellow and black directional markers painted on some boulders along the way but this became quickly obvious. All the details regarding meeting points and arrangements for the return journey back to Chania were made very clear. Our coach driver, Manolis, was also excellent. The mountain roads can be very twisty and at all times Manolis’s driving was calm and safe. The arrangements provided by Platanos Tours were clear, booking was easy, and the pick up time was punctual. I certainly would recommend this operator and their price was excellent. Great value in all respects. Tip: if you intend to swim at the end of the hike, pack some sandals / flip flops! The beach is pebbled and very very hot so walking barefoot to get into the sea requires sandals but the cool clear water is great for tired legs!
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Posted On : 2023-09-06 10:27:27
Posted By : palc2013
A very well organised tour from pick up to drop off. The tour guide Thomas was a very experienced hiker, gave good advice and hiked the gorge with the group. Early start was excellent as we avoided the crowds and the midday sun. We walked the entire gorge in just under 5 hours including a couple of rest stops.
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Posted On : 2023-09-06 08:49:54
Posted By : Aria_Z
Pick up was well organized and we arrived fairly early. Renting the trekking poles (extra cost) helped a lot. The view was spectacular. The weather was quite hot and there was little shade in the last ~3 km. Definitely worth going and good value for money.
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Posted On : 2023-07-22 15:29:48
Posted By : Andreas_S
Punctual pickup, clear instructions, easy payment and a very nice, knowledgeable and caring tour guide (Nikos).
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Posted On : 2023-07-09 01:11:45
Posted By : Ewan_H
Organised trip to Samaria Gorge.
The gorge is a 16km downhill trek with some very steep sections and very unsteady underfoot rocks. This is not one for someone who's knees/joints are a little fragile. Walk is largely in shaded woods with some exposed sections. Multiple rest stops along the route. Easily managed in a pair of trainers that are grippy. Need to take food with you for snacking/sandwich but town at end of trail has some restaurants with standard Greek options. Our main feeling was you largely pay for the bus and the "insurance" of having the guide following at the back of everyone to make sure you're all ok. It's otherwise a largely self guided trek through a nice national park. Tickets to the park can be bought online €5 so get them before the bus as that's easier. The ferry back leaves at 530pm but we'd finished by 1pm so pack swim shorts for the beach (multiple lounger type bars at the end). Our biggest criticism has to be pick up and drop off. Although we appreciated the advantages of the early entrance to the park, our bus pick up time was 0530hrs. The bus back then went to Chania despite having picked up these tour participants well after us in the morning first to drop them off. This meant an extra 45-60mins on the bus at the end of a very long day and was not appreciated. Surely those picked up latest should be dropped off latest to be fair. Otherwise it was well organised and let but largely self guided when actually there. The gorge is pretty and if you like nature walks then it's definitely worth a day trip. But you will be out all day!
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Posted On : 2023-07-06 14:34:10
Posted By : 13rebeka
Wonderful tour and, in deed, it is not one of the easiest tours, but Elena, the tour leader, was very nice and helpful, she told us all the information and mentally prepared us for the tour. Everything happened as agreed, the bus arrived on time in the morning and Elena was waiting for us at the check point in time to go home. Thanks for the wonderful experience and the administration for transferring my reservation
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Posted On : 2023-06-26 02:50:10
