"SAMARIA GORGE" Samaria by Aneris

Samaria is the longest gorge in Europe and is said to be the most beautiful on the island of Crete, it is also a national park. It is 16 km long, starts on Omalos plateau in place called Xyloskalo ("wooden staircase"). From Xyloskalo you go down the gorge, first using the wooden staircase, then a zigzag path carved into rocks and most of the hike you walk along a river (also called Samaria) on the bottom of the gorge. The route declines about 800 m during the first 2 km. There are several resting places with spring water in the gorge - so it is not necessary to take along bottles of water. On the way through the gorge you can see a small chapel Agios Nikolaos, ruins of a church in a place called Ossia Maria and rests of a Samaria village (a national park guard resides here). The narrowest place is Sidheres Portes ("iron gate") - the gorge is only 2-3 m wide here, rocks above it tower as high as 350 m. Samaria is a national park thanks to its unique natural riches, both flora and fauna. You can find here several kinds of orchids, carnations, bluebells and other unique herbs which do not grow in any other place of the globe. As to fauna - almost 30 kinds of birds live here - eagles, hawks, vultures... The best known (but not so widespread) inhabitants of the gorge are kri-kri goats - cretan wild goats, there are about 300 of them in the gorge. But because more than 400.000 tourists hike through Samaria each year, you most likely will not see any of these animals there. After Sidheres Portes the gorge opens into a wide valley which will lead you to Agia Roumeli village on the shore of the Libyan Sea. There you can have a snack and something to drink and then you (tired but happy) embark a boat to Chora Sfakion or Paleochora (Agia Roumeli is NOT accessible via any road). We sailed to Chora Sfakion where we took a bus back to our place of accomodation Bali. The very passage through Samaria from Xyloskalo to Agia Roumeli lasted 6 hours.

Omalos plateau

When entering Samaria Gorge, you will pass through Omalos plateau...

Omalos plateau

Another view of Omalos...

• Pros:nature, mountains, flowers...
• Cons:really many many many people... ;-(
• In a nutshell:Great hike - you'd better set on this hike very soon in the morning.