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Samaria Gorge Trek: Marvel at Europe's Longest Gorge on a Full-Day Excursion from Chania
4.5
36 Ratings
Embark on a challenging trek through Europe's longest gorge, Samaria Gorge, on a full-day excursion from Chania. Marvel at natural wonders, from the White Mountains to ancient forests and more.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Samaria Gorge - Samaria Gorge, the longest Gorge in Europe,4,000 feet above sea level.Your full-day(12-hour) excursion to Samaria Gorge begins with a pick-up in Chania and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike.The trek will take you over rocks and stones, through a forest of 1000-year-old trees and along a river and by fresh-water springs.You will be accompanied by our professional mountain escort who speaks English , German and Greek.Our escort will explain all the necessary info and provide you the tickets for the entrance and boat.Entrance fee : 5€ , Ferry fee : 13€ ( boat) . Those have to be paid to the guide upon arrival.Each one of our clients walks on their own pace and our guide will be at the end of the group to help out if you need him.At the end of the trek you’ll visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find taverns, bars and shops.You have time for a swim and lunch.A meeting point is arranged to get your ferry tickets from our escort.Late in the afternoon about 17:30 you’ll board a boat that will take you from Agia Roumeli to Sougia , where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the starting point.
What's Included
- Hiking excursion
- Hotel pick-up and drop off services
- Air-conditioned transportation
- Professional English-speaking guide
What's Not Included
- Admission to Samaria (€5)
- Boat ticket (€13)
- Food and drinks
- Tips and personal expenses
Additional Information
Embark on an exhilarating hike through Europe’s longest and most renowned gorges on this trip from Chania. Throughout the day, you’ll be astounded by the scenic beauty around you, from the pristine White Mountains to the ancient forests and beyond.
Samaria Gorge, perhaps the most well-known and the lengthiest gorge in Europe, is located 4,000 feet above sea level. Your 12-hour journey to Samaria Gorge will begin with a 6.00 a.m. pick-up from Chania, followed by a drive to Omalos, located within the snow-covered White Mountains, where you’ll have an opportunity to eat breakfast before commencing the hike.
The hike will lead you across stones and rocks, through a woodland of thousand-year-old trees, along a river and past clear springs. As you traverse, you’ll see awe-inspiring views of Crete’s most picturesquely beautiful mountain range and may even encounter wild mountain goats. An English-speaking professional mountain guide will be accompanying you.
- Comfortable shoes
- At the time of booking please mention your hotel name and location. You will be notified by email about the pickup point and time
- Pickup begins up to 90 minutes before tour starts and is done from central meeting points near the hotels, only in the areas of Perivolia, Halepa, Akrotiri, Halidon Street Alpha Bank, Chania center, Kladissos, Nea Chora, Agioi Apostoloi, Xrysi Akti, Daratso, Galatas, Kalamaki, Stalos, Agia Marina, Platanias, Gerani, Kontomari, Pyrgos, Psyionfrou, Maleme, Tavronitis, Kolymvari, Minothiana, Paraniana and Kamisiana
- The 5 to 6-hour trek is challenging. You must have good trekking shoes or at least a sturdy pair of trainers
- This trek is not recommended for children under the age of 6, pregnant women or anyone with health problems
- Swimming suits
- You will be notified about your pickup details via email; make sure to check your spam email folder
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(36 Ratings)
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Culture31947283309
Oct 29, 2023
A long (and sometimes exhausting) day that was worth it - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anna201570
Sep 6, 2023
Excellent hike through the Samaria Gorge - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Palc2013
Sep 6, 2023
Perfectly organised Samaria gorge hiking tour - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aria_z
Jul 22, 2023
Good trip worth going - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Andreas_s
Jul 9, 2023
Punctual pickup, clear... - Punctual pickup, clear instructions, easy payment and a very nice, knowledgeable and caring tour guide (Nikos).
Review provided by Viator
13rebeka
Jun 26, 2023
Samaria Gorge trekking - 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
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Loraine1102
Jun 25, 2023
Amazing experience! - We got clear information via mail the day before leaving. We were picked up at 06.00 closeby. The bus came with a little airco and blinded windows which was very comfortable. Our tourguide was named Nikos and was very clear and very kind. During our ride he told multiple stories about the island and samaria. It was about 40 minutes from Chania to the first tavern where we stopped to get some breakfast and go to the toilet. After that we moved on to the gorge. From there you can just hike on your own. It is beautiful and we would definitely recommand! There are multiple stops with drinking water and toilets. At the end is the beach with multiple shops and restaurants. From there we needed to get our ferry tickets at Nikos at 1630, but the ferry left at 1730 so you can just go for another swim. The Ferry takes 40 min to Sougia and from there you get back in the bus for another 1.5 hours to Chania. The bus driver did a really good job!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_g
Jun 15, 2023
Very challenging hike but... - Very challenging hike but well worth the effort. The views are breathtaking! Make sure you bring hiking shoes/boots or a good pair of tennis shoes for the hike.
Review provided by Viator
Mirandajokirby
Oct 27, 2023
Worth the hike - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Ewan_h
Jul 6, 2023
Long Day trip but nice walk in National Park - 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!
Review provided by Viator
