Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Omalos, Omalos, Chania Prefecture, Crete
Early in the morning, you will be picked up from designated spots around Chania via a luxurious bus and reach the starting point of your tour in Omalos Plateau around 7am. The panoramic view of the gorge from the plateau is a photophile's delight, so after short stop for pictures and/or breakfast, you will hop on the bus and depart for the traditional village of Sougia. It is there that you will hop on a boat and sail along the coast of Crete till you reach Agia Roumeli.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Samaria Gorge National Park, Old National Road Chanion-Kissamou Lefka Ori, Sfakia, Crete 730 05 Greece
No holiday in Crete is complete without a trip through the 2nd longest gorge in Europe, the Gorge of Samaria. It is the longest and most imposing ravine in the Mediterranean. It is 16.5 kilometers in length from the position of Xyloskalo and terminates at Agia Roumeli in the Libyan Sea.
We will arrive around 7 o’clock in the morning and after a short break you will start walking. Descending the 600 wooden steps you will be intrigued by the beauty and serenity of this massive gorge which is shadowed by the white Mountains.
You will come across the church of St. Nicolas, built on the ruins of an ancient temple. Afterwards you will reach “Portes” or “Iron Gates”, the narrowest pass of the gorge. The hike ends at Agia Roumeli.
Duration: 6 hours
See Availability.
Traveler pickup is offered
As soon as you proceed with reservation, tour operator will send you the exact pick up point and time with a map link. Pick up will be from your hotel or close by
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14 hours(approx.)
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Infant seats available
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Pick up/Drop off is conducted only is select spots in Chania. Depending on your location, you will be advised on the time and place after booking.
Be sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes for the trek through the gorge
It is advisable to bring the following items with you: sunscreen, sunglasses and hat
It is important to stay hydrated, so bring a bottle of water (you can refill it in the gorge's springs) and a light snack (fruits etc.)
Υou can swim at Agia Roumeli beach just after you exit the gorge so make you have a swimsuit and beach towel with you
Τhe entrance fee to Samaria as well as the boat fee are paid with cash on the spot
Half way down the gorge lies the old village of Samaria, which has a telephone for communication with the police, a pharmacy, and two mules to transport injured persons.
In the village of Samaria, take a quiet walk around and you may catch a glimpse of the endangered kri‐kri. They are usually very friendly towards people!
Upon reservation please advise the exact name of your hotel in order to send you the exact pick up time and place
Τhe trip is not recommended for any person with a history of knee problems, high blood pressure, cardiac and pulmonary problems, pregnant women and for anybody who suffers from vertigo/fear of heights
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Julia_L
Great tour, well organised, professional service by friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. Enjoyable.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-22
Posted By : Lorna_M
A fab day! Able to walk at your own pace and enjoy the town and beach at the end of the hike in your own time.
The company was very professional great and the day went smoothly
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Posted On : 2024-05-17
Posted By : David_T
Was a very well organized day with a great guide Ingrid who was extremely informative. The views within the gorge were breathtaking and unparalleled. The hike itself took us a bit less than six hours and was very intense. I’m in pretty good shape and found it quite difficult and gruelling. Must be ready for that but if you are…amazing, unique experience.
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Posted On : 2024-05-11
Posted By : tonishew
This is not a trip for the faint-hearted! The ground is very rough and uneven, and you need to be very careful where you are placing your feet. The constant downhill incline becomes very tiring on the thighs.
All that said, Fantasy Tours provided excellent service. Comfortable coach transport from and back to Chania, and a very friendly and efficient guide (Dimitrios). I would heartily recommend them.
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Posted On : 2024-05-04
Posted By : 106frederikm
Fantastisk nature, but missing informasjon in front of tour, and during the tour................................
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Posted On : 2024-05-03
Posted By : Neelam_R
On time. Great driver. Informative guide. And the hike - well what can you say? - spectacular!
It took me 4.5 hours at a leisurely pace.
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Posted On : 2023-11-01
Posted By : Raymond A
very well organised from pick up to drop off. Our guide Ingrid was excellent, very knowledgeable and amusing. Enjoyed the swim at the end
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Posted On : 2023-10-31
Posted By : ecivda
The Gorge is spectacular but the options to get here aren’t great. We are pretty fit in our late 50s. Both having had meniscus knee surgeries. A tough but doable steep descent into the gorge. I think you start somewhere around 4,000, descending to sea level really occurs within the first 2,000 ft so it’s pretty steep but the footing is generally good during the major descent. No flip flops or open toed sandals, bring a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots optimally. The views once your are in the gorge are very nice. We thoroughly enjoyed the hike and would recommend it. However be for-warned this is a looong day. There’s a ton of wasted time on the tour bus, in total about four hours if u count stopping at every hotel to pick up and drop of ppl. It would be more efficient if they had one centralized pick up and drop off point. The boat ride is nice but hanging around for everyone to finish (we waited about 90 minutes after lunch) is tedious. We started at by getting up at 5:30 am to catch what was suppose to be a GoTours pickup in downtown Chania at 6am but actually arrived at 6:25am. Then a bus ride to a breakfast spot which was mediocre at best. Then the hike time of 6 hrs then the hanging out for everyone to finish and the boat ride back from the little port of Samaria (nice) then the loooooong meandering ride back in the bus stopping at 15 hotels dropping this one and that. Finally reaching our drop point at around 9pm. No food or drink allowed whilst traveling on the bus. No history of the gorge or area provided by our GoTour guide. No bathrooms on board.
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Posted On : 2023-10-22
Posted By : 206mgwanderer
This was a challenging but not to be missed experience ! The road to Samaria Gorge is quite twisty. The hike down the Gorge is rocky and while my ASICS tennis shoes held their own a thicker sole would have been welcomed. The Gorge was amazingly breathtaking and totally worth the effort. But it is challenging, Rocky terrain that crosses the River several times. Recommend this tour!
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Posted On : 2023-10-21
Posted By : Daydream58992080141
Fantastic hike through a beautiful gorge. Well worth spending the day getting there and enjoying the hike. The hike was challenging but manageable. Hiking shoes are highly recommended as there are not many flat, stable areas on the hike. The tour that we booked was really a mode of transportation to and from the gorge, including the boat ride to a neighboring village at the end of the hike. The tour guide is not actually with you during the hike but there is an easy-to-follow hiking path pretty much all the way through the gorge. The tour folks picked us up on time and took care of all of the transportation details. The cost of the boat ride and entry into the Samaria Gorge are not included in the tour price.
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Posted On : 2023-10-19
