Hiking the Grand Canyon of the Mediterranean

While primarily known for its rich ancient history and idyllic beaches, Crete is also home to one of the Mediterranean’s most rugged and beautiful mountain ranges. Towering above the Aegean Sea, the White Mountains (“Lefka Ori” in the local tongue) consist of over 30 summits above 2,000 m (6,562 ft) and are interspersed with fertile plateaus, characterful villages, and deep, inaccessible gorges. The largest and most famous of these gorges is known as Samaria.

Measuring 16 km (9.9 mi) from top to bottom and with walls that soar up to almost 300 m (984 ft) high, the Samaria Gorge is one of Crete’s premier natural attractions. Its dramatic landscape, combined with its role as a sanctuary during times of foreign oppression, has meant that Samaria has long held a special place in the heart of Cretans as a symbol of resistance and freedom. In the hiking world, the Samaria Gorge is home to one of Greece’s best day hikes – an ecosystem-spanning journey from pine-clad mountains to sun-drenched beaches via Europe’s second-longest gorge (after Verdon in France).

Yours truly descending the Samaria Gorge (Photo by Kate Pickett).

At a Glance

Distance:  14.5 km (8.9 mi)

Average Duration:  5-6 hrs

Difficulty Level:  Easy

Total Elevation Gain: 1,099 m (4,285 ft)

Total Elevation Loss: 2,327 m (7,635 ft)

Start/Finish:

• Xyloskalo – Agia Roumeli
• Note: We hiked out and back from the Xyloskalo Trailhead for a total distance of around 29 km/18 mi.

Samaria Gorge Trail Overview Map (GaiaGPS)

Planning Information:

• Getting There & Away: For those doing the trail independently in a southbound direction, there are regular early-morning buses from the town of Chania to Omalos (near Xyloskalo). Departing the finishing point of Agia Roumeli, take the afternoon ferry to either Sougia or Hora Sfakion, from where onward bus transport is available back to Chania. Alternatively, organized tours are available from Chania (and other towns on Crete), which take care of all bus and boat transport details.

• Season: May 1 to October 31

• Permits & Fees: No permits are required, though all visitors must pay a five euro (€5) entrance fee (price as of 2024) at the northern or southern trailheads.

• GPS: GaiaGPS (includes side trip up to the summit of Gingilos Peak)

• Water: Regular springs and spigots are located along the trail, meaning you should never have to carry more than a liter at a time.

Potable water is not an issue on the Samaria Gorge Trail.

• Food: Bring all food with you from the start, as there is nowhere to purchase items along the way. Upon reaching the southern exit, you can enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice, beer, or soft-serve ice cream. Looking for something more substantial? There are a handful of seaside tavernas in Agia Roumeli, a couple of kilometers further south.

• Out-and-Back Information: The opening hours for the gorge are 7 am to 6 pm. If you’re interested in hiking out and back, you need to start the return journey no later than 1 pm, after which no hikers are permitted to leave from either trailhead (Note: From what we could tell, this rule is enforced. See “You’re Never Going to Make it“ below). If you’re fit and motivated, an out-and-back hike isn’t too difficult, as the trail is easy to follow and well-maintained for almost all of its course. Nonetheless, it involves quite a bit of elevation gain and loss (over 6,000 m/19,685 ft total), so you’ll want to be at least in pretty good shape if you decide to give it a go.

Looking out from the Xyloskalo trailhead at day’s end.

Accommodation:

• Camping is not permitted in Samaria Gorge.

• Located a few minutes drive from the northern terminus, the village of Omalos offers multiple accommodation options. Most notable is the excellent Hotel Neos Omalos, a base for outdoor-loving visitors since 1954.

• For folks coming from the other direction, there are a handful of places to stay in Agia Roumeli, Sougia, and Hora Sfakion. The latter two villages are accessed via a daily ferry.

• Many hikers that tackle the Samaria Gorge do so as part of a day trip from the town of Chania. From there, you can either take a bus or sign up for one of the organized tours, which run daily during the May to October season.

Hotel Neos Omalos – This wonderful (and affordable) little mountain hotel has been welcoming visitors for over 70 years. We stayed here both before and after our Samaria Gorge hike.

Trail Notes:

Setting off early from the Xyloskalo ticket office, the initial section of the Samaria Gorge Trail switchbacks steeply down to the gorge’s floor. As you descend, gaze eastwards to soak in the sunrise over the White Mountains. The range is so named because of the year-round color of its bald limestone summits. In the warmer months, the sun’s reflection makes the mountain tops appear off-white, and from late fall to late spring, they are perpetually snow-capped).

After just under 4 km (2.5 mi) of descent, you’ll arrive at the picturesque rest area of Ayios Nikolaos (St.Nicolas), where you will find potable water, a charming centuries-old chapel, and a stand of the tallest cypress trees in Crete. It was also once the site of a temple dedicated to the Greek God Apollo, which dates back to the 1st Century B.C.

Descending the cobbled steps of Samaria soon after sunrise.

Ayios Nikolaos (St.Nicholas) Chapel (Photo by Kate Pickett).

Leaving Ayios Nikolaos, the trail oscillates between green forest corridors and openings dotted with sunlit rocks. Crisscrossing the gorge bottom, watch for Samaria’s most famous quadruped residents, the Kri-kri (see The Sure-Footed Goats of Samaria), which can often be seen scrambling up and down the gorge’s precipitous walls and side canyons. Around 7 km (4.3 mi) (or 2 hours hiking) from the northern entrance, you’ll reach the Gorge’s namesake village of Samaria. This marks the hike’s halfway point and is the perfect spot for a snack or early lunch break.

Photo by Kate Pickett.

From the Byzantine Period until the gorge was designated a National Park in 1962, the settlement of Samaria was the area’s central hub. Nestled below high rock walls and with a picturesque riverside setting, Samaria’s collection of time-worn stone buildings housed numerous local families and acted as a hideout for freedom fighters during times of conflict. After it became a National Park, the village’s residents were resettled, and the structures were repurposed for use as a medical center, a base for forest staff, and lodgings for environmental researchers.

Nearing the canyon’s namesake settlement.

Wooden bridge to the storied village of Samaria.

After taking a break at Samaria, recross the bridge and continue heading south. In less than half an hour, the streamside trail veers into the riverbed, and the most dramatic section of the adventure begins. As you go back and forth across the watercourse on stepping stones or makeshift bridges, the gorge narrows, and the walls simultaneously feel much higher. Your gaze alternates between the sky above and the terrain immediately ahead. Just over 4 km (2.5 mi) after leaving Samaria, you’ll reach the shaded rest area of Christos, and just a few hundred meters later, you’ll arrive at the legendary “Iron Gates.”

The gorge’s narrowest and most striking point, the Gates, is less than three meters wide and 300 meters (984 ft) high. The towering rock walls tell a geological story dating back thousands of years. In more recent times, their cramped and sheer character was utilized by local freedom fighters to help repel advancing Turkish forces during the Ottoman occupation (see A Sanctuary in Troubled Times).

Spanning the Iron Gates of Samaria (with a trekking pole assist).

Once through the Gates, the gorge widens, and in 1.5 km (0.9 mi), you’ll reach the ticket office for the southern entrance to the trail. From here, it’s a further two kilometers (1.2 mi) of primarily shadeless walking to the village of Agia Roumeli, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and a seaside meal before departing on the afternoon ferry.

Notes & Musings

The Surefooted Goats of Samaria:

Among the wildlife living in Samaria Gorge, the most famous species is the Kri-kri (Cretan Goat). Found in Crete’s White Mountains and some small islands to the immediate south, they are shy animals with brownish coats, backward curving horns, and a distinguishing dark stripe down their backs. Famed for their agility, the Kri-kri can negotiate sheer cliffs with relative ease and can leap over six meters (20 ft) in length. By the early 1960s, these surefooted ruminants were in danger of extinction, with their number being estimated at around 200. However, the establishment of Samaria Gorge National Park (Crete’s only such protected area) has played a part in their population increasing considerably, and it is now estimated that there are over 2,500 in total. Although long synonymous with the island of Crete, Kri-kri is not considered indigenous to the island. It is believed they were introduced to Crete during the Minoan Civilization (3100 B.C.-1,100 B.C.), and their likeness can be found on vases, coins, and sealstones dating from the period.

A light-footed Kri-kri on a hillside above the trail (Photo by Kate Pickett).

A Sanctuary in Troubled Times:

Samaria Gorge has long served the residents of Crete as a haven during times of foreign invasion and oppression. Located in the center of the rugged White Mountains, its sheer topography and readily defendable character, along with plentiful water and wildlife, meant that it was a place where locals could hold out against larger forces for extended periods. This legacy of against-the-odds defiance was encapsulated during the Turkish occupation from the late 17th to late 19th centuries. The most celebrated of battles during this period occurred in 1770 when some 4000 Cretian women and children retreated into the Gorge’s narrow confines. There, they were saved by the legendary local hero Giannis Bonatos and his force of 200, who fought off the Turkish invaders at the Iron Gates, eventually forcing them to retreat.

Photo by Kate Pickett.

“You’re Never Going to Make It”:

Kate and I did an out-and-back hike of the Samaria Gorge in the fall of 2023. We decided on a return journey rather than the standard one-way trip for two reasons: 1. Our rental car was parked at the Hotel Omalos, just a few minutes from the northern trailhead, and 2. It was my birthday, and what can I tell you? I love to hike.

Our day began with a filling breakfast at the hotel, followed by a short shuttle ride to the Xyloskalo trailhead. After paying our entrance fee, we descended into the gorge as the sun rose over the distant peaks. Feeling the warming glow of those first rays of light on a chilly morning has always been one of my favorite things about hiking. And when it happens in a place as beautiful as Samaria Gorge, the feeling is amplified even more.

Sunrise over Samaria Gorge

Even though quite a few others started at the same time as us, the crowd soon thinned, and we had the trail to ourselves for much of the outbound journey. We explored the gorge’s historical sites, craned our necks (and stubbed our toes) gazing up in wonder at the towering walls, and were equally amazed when observing the surefooted Kri-kri effortlessly negotiating sheer cliff faces as if they were taking a casual stroll around a pancake flat city park. 

Once we reached the southern entrance, we enjoyed an ice cream at one of the nearby eateries before beginning the return journey to Xyloskalo (just before 1 pm). At the outset, we were reminded by the gentleman at the southern ticket booth that we had to be out of the Park at the latest by 6 pm. We assured him it wouldn’t be a problem, but he didn’t seem convinced. 

His skepticism was subsequently echoed (and then some) by a National Park official we encountered about 45 minutes later. This particular bloke was adamant that we wouldn’t have time to make it and insisted we turn around and take the afternoon ferry from Agia Roumeli. We showed him our stamped return tickets for the trail, and his deeply lined face broke into a disbelieving scowl. Nonetheless, he had no choice but to let us continue. As we began to walk away, his last words to us were a none-too-encouraging “quick, quick” as he pointed to an imaginary watch on his left wrist. 

Continuing along the gorge, we encountered another Park ranger a further hour up the trail. By this stage, we’d already made good time, and even though he quizzed us about what we were doing (out-and-back journeys of the Samaria Gorge aren’t common), he was a little less doubtful than his colleague about our ability to finish in time. Finally, another 50 minutes later,  just as we were about to ascend the final switchbacks to the northern entrance, we encountered one more park official. This one was a super friendly lady whose English was not only excellent but who seemed to speak it with more than a hint of an Australian accent. She could see that we had plenty of time up our sleeves, and we chatted for a few minutes before saying our goodbyes. Eventually, we reached the Northern Entrance gate at around 4.30 pm – an hour and a half before closing time. 

Making the final climb up to the northern trailhead of Xyloskalo.

At the finishing point of our Samaria Gorge hike, a venerable gentleman with a kind face and an impressive Santa Claus-like beard reviewed our return tickets (which had our starting time from the southern entrance printed on them). He then looked up and saw that we were both relaxed, happy, and barely out of breath. He gave Kate and me a “well done” nod and thumbs up, which made us both break out into a big grin. And with that final seal of approval, we got a ride back to our hotel, where a chilled bottle of Cretan white wine and a celebratory birthday meal awaited. 

Looking out from Xyloskalo at the finish of our hike.

(Note: The Samaria Gorge Trail is one of 25 featured hikes in my latest title with Gestalten Publications, “Wanderlust Mediterranean.” Much of the information above has been adapted from that book. For those interested, you can purchase a copy through Amazon, the Gestalten website, and various other online platforms. I’m a long way south of stellar when it comes to all things promotion, but if you do pick one up, it would be much appreciated if you could please leave a review).

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