Greece · Hiking

Samaria the Lazy Way, from Chania

15 Hours Round trip from Pickup service provided in Chania. Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Full-day Samaria Gorge experience from Chania
02 Scenic drive to the seaside village of Sougia
03 Boat trip along Crete’s south coast to Agia Roumeli
04 Explore Samaria Gorge from the exit side at your own pace
05 Walk toward the famous Iron Gates
06 Enjoy views of the White Mountains and the Libyan Sea

Discover Samaria Gorge from a gentler perspective on this full-day trip from Chania. Travel through Crete’s beautiful southern landscapes to Sougia, cruise along the coast to Agia Roumeli, and enjoy free time to explore one of the island’s most famous natural settings at your own pace.

From Agia Roumeli, you can walk into the gorge from the exit side toward the Iron Gates, taking in dramatic mountain scenery, the Libyan Sea, and the unique atmosphere of Samaria National Park. Later, return by boat to Chora Sfakion, where your coach awaits for the journey back to Chania.

From Agia Roumeli, you can walk into the gorge from the exit side toward the Iron Gates, taking in dramatic mountain scenery, the Libyan Sea, and the unique atmosphere of Samaria National Park.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 15 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Not included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Chania, Samariá Gorge

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Sougia Village

Sougia is a small seaside village in south Crete, 70 kilometres south of Chania.

Agia Roumeli Village

Surrounded by the The White Mountains, the village sits at the seaside entrance to the Gorge of Samaria. There are many walking paths on this remote south coast of Crete, with experienced walkers enjoy the small foot paths next to the sea, with breath-taking views of the steep mountains plunging into the crystal blue waters of the Libyan Sea.

Samaria Gorge

he Gorge of Samaria lies on the southern side of Chania prefecture and is a wonderful place for hikers. Visitors from all over the world attempt trekking at this gorge. In 1962, Samaria Gorge had been declared a National Park for the survival of the endangered species kri-kri, the rare Cretan wild goat that lives only in Samaria. Apart from the kri-kri, many other endemic and rare species of flora and fauna live in this gorge.

Sfakia

The unspoilt and historical village of Sfakia is built on the hill slopes, overlooking the natural bay. It is situated around the White Mountains range and the famous Samaria Gorge. Sfakia lies 72 km south east of Chania town.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Pickup service provided in Chania. 2 cities · 15 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Local Guide
Air-conditioned vehicle

What's Not Included

Boat: 20€ / children under 12 year old is 9€
Entrance: 10€ children under 15 year old is free

Know before you go

Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
Not wheelchair accessible.
Most travellers can participate.
The duration of the hike is at least 5 hours and that’s why you must wear proper footwear with socks, a hat, light-coloured clothing and sunscreen. You must have a bottle of water with you (there is drinking spring water along the trail), a light snack, if you wish, and of course a walking mood.
Camping is not allowed in the gorge, you can’t spend the night there, light a fire, smoke (you can only do so at the special milestones on the trail), you can’t hunt, set traps, bring guns or animals along, you can’t uproot plants and you are of course not allowed to bathe in the river.
We must keep the lavatories clean for the sake of our own health and we mustn’t throw paper inside the toilets.
You must hold on to the ticket issued at the entrance of the gorge until the end of the hike, in order to go through control at the exit gate.
WE KINDLY ASK ALL VISITORS TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES OF THE STATE PARK IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SAFER HIKE, AS WELL AS TO HELP PRESERVE THE UNIQUELY RICH FLAURA AND FAUNA OF OUR COUNTRY.
Please notice that extra charges may apply per person or in total of the group for pick-ups from hotels- villas- airbnb outside the proximity of our tour selected pick route. In that case we can provide round trip transfer for customer(s) convenience ad-hoc quoted as per location of customer(s)' property.

Logistics