Samaria Gorge is a 16km-long canyon in Crete's White Mountains, known for its spectacular views and challenging hike.
I am an Aussie now living on the Greek island of Syros. For years I had heard stories about the extraordinary – and demanding – hike through Samaria Gorge.
Last August I finally made the six-hour journey to Crete on the Sea Jets fast ferry. Crete is Greece’s largest island and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. Its most spectacular landscape is the Samaria Gorge, Europe’s longest ravine, set within Samaria National Park in the White Mountains of the south-west. The area is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is home to rare flora and fauna.
I began at Xyloskalo (‘wooden stairs’) near the village of Omalos. From 1,250 metres the trail descends 13km through the White Mountains to the Libyan Sea. From the park exit it is a further 3km by road to the coastal village of Agia Roumeli. The hike is strenuous and best suited to those who are physically fit. Proper walking boots are essential; my new pair, bought the week before, proved invaluable.
Setting off at 9am after a hearty breakfast, I carried 1.5 litres of water, savoury biscuits and two pieces of fruit – in hindsight, not quite enough for such a demanding day. Entry costs five euros, though as a senior I was admitted free, an encouraging start.
The first few kilometres are the toughest. A rocky, uneven zigzag path drops nearly 1,000 metres in the opening stretch, putting immediate strain on knees and ankles. Yet the dramatic scenery and lush vegetation – pine trees, conifers and ferns – were a welcome distraction. The mountain air was fresh and the steady stream of hikers meant I was often stepping aside to let others pass.
Rangers in distinctive green shirts patrol the route, equipped with radios linked to base. Hiker safety is taken seriously, particularly after a fatal rockfall accident involving a German visitor the previous year. Warning signs now appear regularly along the track.
After about an hour I stopped to chat with one ranger about how Australian soldiers had helped defend Crete during the Battle of Crete in May 1941. Allied troops – Greeks, British, Australians and New Zealanders – were forced to retreat through these mountains to the south coast, where many were evacuated. The gorge offered a vital escape route. During the subsequent four-year German occupation, these rugged mountains sheltered resistance fighters. It is sobering to reflect on the thousands of lives lost in such a beautiful landscape.
Halfway down lies the abandoned village of Samaria, from which the gorge takes its name. It was vacated in 1962 when the area became a national park, protecting the wild goats known as kri-kri, now a safeguarded species largely confined to this region.
I reached the village at about 1pm, grateful for a half-hour’s rest. Many hikers were recovering in the shade on wooden benches. A few kri-kri scavenged for scraps, while a freshwater fountain offered welcome relief.
The trail generally follows a riverbed, mostly dry in summer, though occasional flowing sections provided cooling pauses and striking views. The most dramatic point is the ‘Iron Gates’, roughly 12km along, where sheer cliffs rise 80 metres and narrow to just three metres apart.
With the last ferry departing Agia Roumeli at 5.30pm, I needed to finish within eight hours or risk being stranded overnight. The final stretch was punishing as fatigue set in, but I passed through the exit gate at 5pm and caught the ferry west to Sougia. From there, a one-hour bus journey carried me back through the mountains to Omalos. Mission accomplished – a challenging and unforgettable adventure.
Words and photos_ Gavin Woodward