Greece · SAMARIA GORGE & CRETE HIKES
35 tours
Samaria is sixteen kilometres downhill, on stones, in the heat, ending at a boat you cannot miss. Below are the best Samaria gorge treks and the shorter Crete hikes that suit less punishing days: which include the ferry and the coach back, what time the pickups run, how hard each route really is, and what each one costs.
Full-day Samaria Gorge trek from Chania with an English guide, Agia Roumeli swim time, and a ferry ride back to Sougia.
“The adventure through the gorge and our awesome guide”
Rethymno to Samaria Gorge: a challenging 18 km hike to Agia Roumeli, with breakfast, multilingual guide, and ferry back.
“Good. Pia was awesome, she kept a lookout for us. We were slow because I don’t like people following closely behind me so I kept letting them pass. We were stiff for days!”
Hike Europe’s longest gorge from Omalos to Agia Roumeli, pass the Iron Gates, then swim and ferry along Crete’s south coast.
“The Trip for good and even better with the help of our guide Nikos , who helped us every step of the way as it was our first trekking experience. Would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good adventure and experience to remember for life !!!!!”
South Crete day trip from Rethymno to Damnoni, Preveli and Plakias, plus gorges, waterfalls and a palm forest hike.
“It was very well paced. Enough time to relax, not too much travelling time in between sites. Tour guide explained everything well and everything was on time. Would recommend.”
Guided Samaria Gorge hike from Chania with Kri-Kri goats, spring water breaks, then swim at Agia Roumeli and a coastal boat ride.
“All was perfectly executed from start to finish, the explanations were clear with a touch of humour to keep you focused (Ingrid knows how to communicate very well, she should teach !) We started at 6am, had a 30 min break on the way for breakfast and started our descent at around 8.30 am. We had plenty of time to make it down and enjoy the beauty and nature of the gorge. At the end we could enjoy almost 4h at the beach, on the way back she gave us some context about Crete and the Samaria gorge and village. We were a little late but that was because of…”
Hike Crete’s Samaria Gorge from Heraklion to Agia Roumeli, then swim and sail back to Sfakia on a long, high-payoff day.
“We had a brilliant day hiking Samaria Gorge! The travel is long from Heraklion but it's worth it. The bus is comfortable and the guide was very knowledgeable. We made plenty of stops on the way there and back for snacks & toilet breaks. There are opportunities to buy lunch on the way. I would recommend wearing hiking boots or trail shoes for the hike as it is very tough on your feet and legs. You won't be allowed entry to the gorge with sandals. The scenery is spectacular in the gorge - I especially recommend enjoying the mountain views at the very beginning and towards the end. I would…”
Full-day hike of Samaria Gorge from Chania with hotel pickup, coastal boat ride to Agia Roumeli, and a hard, scenic descent.
“Great experience from start to finish! It was a unique opportunity to see another part of the island and combine hiking and the beach. Ingrid, the guide, is a wealth of information and delivers it with personability and humor.”
Guided Imbros Gorge hike from Rethymno/Chania to Chora Sfakion, with pickup, cliffs, and a Libyan Sea swim.
“Imbros is suitable for most people, the terrain is rocky but nothing too serious. It went downhill all the way but the descent was smooth, didn't affect the knees. There's one dry "squatting" toilet half way through+ a little place to buy some refreshments. There's no natural water places as in Samaria. The trip was very well organized, all the information was clear from the get-go and you'll learn some interesting facts about Greece along the way (on the bus ride, in the gorge you walk alone and the guide is the last one). We could leave bags on the bus, that was great as I didn't have to take…”
Tough Samaria Gorge trek from Heraklion with White Mountains drive, Agia Roumeli swim time, and a scenic ferry ride.
“That was an incredible day. Samaria Gorge is such a beautiful place. The guide was kind and helpful with me when I needed it. The hike was a very good experience with beautiful views across the nature. I spent a day I will remember for a very long time. Thank you so much :)”
Heraklion day trip by boat: Preveli palm forest, swims at Damnioni and Kourtaliotis Gorge, guided and well timed.
“Compared to some of the tours available, this one appeared to be good value for money. The guide was extremely knowledgeable, switching between three languages seamlessly. It is important to listen to her tips as she lets you know how to find the best spots. We packed a lunch and ate it in the gorge, which meant we had more time to swim and enjoy the water. The south is very different from the north side of the island and worth exploring.”
10-hour Rethymno day trip to Kourtaliótiko Gorge, Damnoni, and Preveli Palm Beach by boat, with Plakias and flexible downtime.
“We loved our tour to Matala and Preveli! A special thanks to Anastasia and Kostas for making both tours interesting and fun! Bodine and Annabel from the Netherlands :).”
Guided hike through Samaria Gorge, Crete, with stops in Samaria village and the Iron Gates, ending with a sea swim in Agia Roumeli.
“Beautiful area, amazing views the whole way. Quite long and rocky hike but not too challenging if you're relatively fit, you might ache for a few days after though so maybe plan towards the end of your trip.”
Hike Europe’s longest gorge from Omalos to Agia Roumeli with a guide, transfers, and time to cool off and swim.
“I really enjoyed this tour with the group. It was planned well from pick up to drop off. I would never being able to drive there and find my way back after the hike on my own. I definitely, recommend to use organized tour for this hike.”
Crete off-road safari to Sarakina Gorge with pine forests, olive oil tasting, rope-assisted hike, taverna lunch, and a Libyan Sea swim.
“This tour exceeded our expectations and we thoroughly enjoyed our guide Michael. It was a perfect wayro see the Island and experience the culture a bit and learn some of the history! Highly recommended!”
Hike Crete’s Imbros Gorge from Chania to Chora Sfakion, with history stops, a seaside swim, and Venetian views, plus round-trip pickup.
“we had a brilliant time on this tour. Irenie was an excellent guide and looked after us very well. The gorge was beautiful and so was the beach afterwards”
