One of the most famous sights in Greece is the Samaria Gorge in the Samaria National Park. Approximately 800 people pass through the gorge every day, which is more than 200,000 people a year.
Geographical features of Samarya Park
Samaria National Park is located on the south-western side of the island of Crete. The name of this area – Samarya-comes from the name of the Byzantine church of St. Mary of the XVI century.
The Samaria Gorge is a narrow picturesque passage between rocks in the Lefka Ori Mountains, located in the Samaria Park on the island of Crete. It is recognized as the longest canyon in Europe – its length is about 15 km, and it stretches from the settlement of Omalos to Dervni Agia Roumeli.
The width of the gorge varies in different sections from 3.5 m to 300 m. The narrowest section, where steep cliffs rising to a height of 350 m are only 3.5 m apart, is called the Iron Gate (or Portes Gorge).
The Samaria Gorge appeared when Crete acquired its shape under the influence of tectonic processes. This happened more than 2 million years ago.
The flora and fauna of the Samaria National Reserve is very diverse and interesting. It is home to the endemic Cree-Cree mountain goat, badger and marten, and a small population of wildcats. Among the most common plants of the Samaria Park are pine, sycamore, ebony, Cretan maple, stone oak, as well as endemics such as dictamos and Cretan cypress.
In winter and spring, heavy rains fall in this part of Crete, and because of this, rapid water flows rush along the bottom of the canyon, and rocks and boulders fall from the mountains. In spring and autumn, the air warms up to + 15 °C on average, and there is often fog on the plateau.
Samaria Gorge tourist routes
For tourists who come to the island of Crete and want to walk through the Samaria Gorge, there is only one path available for passing. Along it there is a marking with kilometer-long signs, places for halts are equipped, fire-fighting equipment is installed, patrols by forest rangers are organized.
But still, for those who want to visit the Samaria Canyon, there are several options to choose from: you can go there from the north or south side, or you can go only part of the main route. Further in the article you will find information that will help you plan your trip in a convenient way.
Complete route
- The entrance to Samaria Canyon is located 5 km from the village of Omalos, at an altitude of 1,230 meters.
- The main trail that tourists follow through the Samaria Gorge is 15 km long. As practice shows, you can go this way in 4-7 hours. The first 1.7 km to Neroutsiko parking lot is a hike along a steep, rocky path that runs along a mountain slope and is protected by a wooden railing.
- The Agios Nikolaos parking lot is 3.5 km away, where you can not only relax, but also see the old Church of St. Nicholas. Nicholas. If you don’t have the energy to go further, it is convenient to return to the starting point from there – on foot or on a mule.
- The next place to stop is 3.7 km away, in the abandoned village of Samarya. The inhabitants of this village were resettled in 1962, and until now there are practically no buildings left-only stone foundations and a few lonely barns. Nevertheless, there is a forest guard post and a helipad, a pharmacy, and a telephone. On the southern edge of the village there is an ancient church of St. Mary of Egypt.
- After the village of Samarya, the gorge gradually narrows, and the path follows an almost dried-up stony riverbed. The last parking lot set up among the trees is Christos, which is about 4 km away from the abandoned settlement. After it, in a couple of minutes of the way there will be the most impressive section of the gorge: the Iron Gate. There, tourists will have to walk along a 20-meter fragile wooden bridge.
- The exit from the Samaria canyon is located at a distance of 3 km from the sea, near the village of Agia Rumeli. When leaving the gorge, there are minibuses that can take you to Agia Roumeli and the beach for 2€. But this rest of the way is on a flat straight road, and it is quite possible to walk.
Although the size of Agia Rumeli is quite small, there are several historical shrines on its territory. Amazing rock church of St. John the Baptist. Antonia is located in the upper part of the settlement, near the sea stands the Church of St. Paul – an unusual structure of rough masonry. In the new part of the village, against the background of airy resort buildings, you can see the temple of Panagia Kera preserved from Byzantine times.
At the very end of the Samaria gorge, where Crete is washed by the Libyan Sea, tourists will find a wonderful pebble beach. On the beach there are changing rooms, and when buying drinks, you can use sun beds and umbrellas for free.
If you do not want to go such a long distance, you can choose one of the alternative options for passing the Samaria Canyon.
Upper route
The route from Omalos to the Agios Nikolaos parking lot and back is the shortest of all routes (its length is 4 km in one direction), but not the most interesting. The fact is that on the upper part of the gorge, surrounded by a pine forest, a 900-meter steep staircase is laid, and its passage is the main part of the route. But for those who arrived after 12:30, only this option is suitable.
Route “for the lazy”
The second alternative option is more popular. The passage starts from the village of Agia Rumeli, where you can take the ferry from Chora Sfakion. From Agia Rumeli, travelers move to the narrowest point of the canyon – the “Iron Gate”, and then go to the starting point. In total, you will have to cover a distance of about 6 km. If you want to go further, you can come to Agia Rumeli for the night and start walking in the morning. Then you can walk to the village of Omalos, and from there take the ferry to Chora Sfakion.
Lower route
This trip starts from the villages of Suyi or Paleochora. Ferries to Agia Rumeli from there go early in the morning, so in one day you can manage to pass the most beautiful part of the way and return back.
Practical information
The Samaria Gorge is located in Greece, on the island of Crete, in the south-west direction from Chania. It is convenient to go to it from such regions as Chania and picturesque old Rethymno.
Too long distances separate Samaria from Heraklion, Ayios, Eloundos, Ierapetra – as a result, it takes too long to drive from there and does not make much sense. After all, there are other interesting sights in that part of Crete.
How to get
The upper point of the gorge, the village of Omalos, can be reached by rented car. Free parking is available right at the entrance to Samaria Park, where you can park your car. At the end of the hike, you can take a ferry from Agia Roumeli to Suia, and the Suia –Chania bus stops at Omalos – where you can get off and pick up your car.
You can also take a regular bus from beautiful Chania. From the main bus station of Chania, there are daily “Chania-Omalos”buses. Travel time is 60 minutes, ticket price is 7.5 €.
From the sea pier in Agia Rumeli, where the exit from the gorge is located, a ferry departs, which allows tourists to reach Chora Sfakia, Paleochora or Suia. Tickets are sold on the spot, there is no pre-sale.
Brief information about ferries:
- the ferry to Chora Sfakia takes approximately 60 minutes, and a full ticket costs €12.5;
- the ferry to Suia takes 40 minutes, ticket costs 11 €;
- the ferry to Paleochora takes 1 hour and 30 minutes, the fare is 17.2 €.
From all these localities, a bus runs to Chania, which is specially waiting for the arrival of the ferry with tourists:
- from Chora Sfakia – € 8.3, travel time 1 hour 40 minutes;
- from Suyi – 8€, the trip lasts 1 hour and 50 minutes;
- from Paleochora – 3€, the trip duration is 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Cost of visiting and opening hours of Samarya Park
You can visit Samaria Park on the island of Crete from May 1 to October 31 on any day, starting from 7: 00 and until 16: 00. Due to adverse weather conditions that pose a danger to visitors, the park is sometimes closed even during this period. You can always find up-to-date information about the park’s operations on its official website: www.samaria.gr.
A ticket to the territory of Samarya costs 5 €, for children under 15 years of age admission is free. The entrance fee will be the same regardless of whether you want to walk the entire route or go only a few meters into the gorge.
Useful tips for tourists
To ensure that you can safely visit Samaria, take into account the advice of travelers who have visited there:
- Almost all the time you have to move along the gorge on a rocky path. Therefore, you do not need to go there in open shoes, you need to take comfortable mountain boots or sneakers. As for clothing, shorts and a T-shirt are ideal, and you will also need a headdress. In the morning, when it is still cold, it is advisable to come in a light jacket.
- Take sunscreen and a patch with you.
- There are no shops in Samaria Park, so take food and a small bottle of water with you. Along the trail there will be about 20 springs, from which you can draw drinking water.
- Save your ticket until the exit of the gorge – there it is checked by security guards. This is necessary for the safety of visitors, because this way the guards will know how many people have entered the gorge, and how many have left.
- On the territory of Samaria Park, you can only move along the main hiking trail! If you want to go beyond it, you will need to get a license.
- Pay attention to warning signs, especially those related to falling rocks.
- Camping and overnight stays are prohibited in the park. So keep track of the time to get out before 16:00.
- Keep in mind that you can only build bonfires and smoke in recreational areas, and only throw garbage in trash cans!
As Cretans like to say, ” Crossing the Samaria Gorge is like seeing the whole of Crete!”
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