Samaria Gorge Tour from Chania - The Longest Gorge in Europe

Unser Führer war unglaublich und hat wirklich dazu beigetragen, die Reise so angenehm und interessant wie möglich zu gestalten. Sie war so ermutigend, dass wir es als eine sehr schwierige Wanderung empfanden (und wir sind erfahrene und sehr starke Wanderer), mit der Höhe und den glatten, rutschigen Felsen auf dem Weg, die einen langsamen und sehr vorsichtigen Stand erforderten.

Ich habe diese Wanderung gerade bei meinem zweiten Versuch abgeschlossen, da sie bei meinem letzten Versuch im Mai 2017 geschlossen wurde. Ich bin ziemlich fit und habe ähnliche Touren gemacht, aber der steile Abstieg und das felsige unebene Gelände machen es schwierig. Ich war besorgt zu sehen, dass Menschen, die offensichtlich nicht fit genug waren und von Mule rausgenommen werden mussten, das mit ungeeigneten Schuhen tun durften!

The Gorge per se was pretty great to look at, whatever little we could see of it that is. Almost all of the time we were looking down at our toes making sure we watched our steps. There were not enough stops to take a break, and take in the view leave alone enough of wash rooms along the way. There were absolutely no places where we could buy any refreshments or light snacks - None at all! One member of our group suddenly had an issue with his knee and there was no option other than to go ahead and complete the 3hrs that lay ahead of him. When we asked the tour guide (who was trailing behind the group lest there be any accident) if there was another route to complete this more quickly, all she said was "No more breaks!" and so he had to continue in bad form till the end. No first aid stations anywhere! Through the entire 16Km hike, I saw just one forest ranger (if I can call him that). He couldn't speak English at all and that left us using sign language to enquire about how long more we had to go. There were not enough signs along the way indicating how many Kilometres were left. Anyway, finally after 5.5hrs of struggle, we then had to walk to a bus which we were told was only few metres away! It was not! Needless to say there was only 1 bus coming collecting a group of pax and then we had to wait till that same bus came back to pick us up and so on and so forth! Seriously after such a long hike one would think, there would be more organization at the finish line at least! I would never recommend this trek for the faint hearted and not even for the experienced trekker as this was just so unpleasant! Worst I've ever been to!

The gorge is amazing! Hike through several different terrains and scenic views. Allow a full day from departure to return. Transportation to and from was comfortable. If I had to change anything, it would be nice if the guide affixed a flag to the end of her walking stick to use as a visual to gather group at key points like at the ferry departure and coach bus.

We did not realize that we would be doing the hike entirely on our own (i.e. the guide was only there to buy our tickets and check in prior to boarding the boat and bus. The hike was gorgeous but entry to the park and the boat (only way to get back to bus) was not included in the price. There are bathrooms along the way but are really just holes in the ground. There are plenty of fountains for water but no where to buy food until the end of the trek. Once the park ended, it was another 2km to the town to board the boat. There are some shops and restaurants there but not much and not all places take credit card. Young/fit individuals may want to consider a different tour (if offered) because this hike can be done in 4 hours and the tour allots ~8 hours before meeting to get on the boat. If there is one that starts later or if there are boats that leave earlier it would have suited better. The boat ride is long and the bus ride back is longer - it is nice since the switchbacks provide a good view of the coastline

<p>Understand that this tour is a hiking tour. Now, I'm a fit person, I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, and I'm in relatively good shape. However, I'm not an experienced hiker, and on previous treks I've been given the nickname of twinkletoes due to the amount of times I have fallen over.</p> <p>The terrain on this hike is rocky and slippery, I wish I had worn better shoes walking boots even. I was not too proud to hire a walking pole from the guide for 2.50 which I felt really helped in some of the areas. Honestly, after looking at your feet for so long it felt like playing an ankle destroying game of Tetris. I did roll my ankles a couple of times, and I saw others do this also. Ouch.</p> <p>The guide was quite repetitive stating to always be looking at your feet and that this is a long and challenging walk - but in fairness, I think this advice was spot on. Although it was a walk in the park, figuratively it was not in my opinion!. The weather on the day we went was hot, so dress appropriately and sunscreen/hat etc.</p> <p>The entrance to the park and the boat ticket cost 15 euros which was taken from each passenger in the morning on the coach trip to the park.</p> <p>For those who prefer premium toilet roll I would recommend trying to backup - your nice toilet stops will be in the cafe/shop stop before you get to the park, and then toilets at the village/town where you take the ferry at the end of the 5 hour walk. Otherwise you'll be stuck with the toilets on the walk, which are squat style, and you'll have to put up with whatever mess the lines of tourists have left for you.</p> <p>At the bottom of the park you will be advertised/offered a 2 euro bus to the village/town of Agia Roumeli. At this point the walking is easy, downhill, less rocky, and really only another 15-20 mins to the town. So you can save yourself 2 euros but after a long hike I can understand why people take it.</p> <p>One thing to be aware of. The guide gives times of being at / leaving checkpoints. These are:<br/> 1st checkpoint : Aga Nikalous : 9:30<br/> Samaria 2nd checkpoint: 11:00<br/> 3rd checkpoint: 13:15 which is the bottom of the national park<br/> 20 mins walk to town...<br/> 16:45 be at the restaurant to take the boat tickets<br/> 17:30 the ferry leaves Agia Roumeli</p> <p>As you can see with those timings, you can actually take more time in the park. The guide setting those timings made it somewhat rushed. But on a hot day I can understand why you'd want to be out of the park when the sun is at its hottest.</p> <p>Overall, really good - just wish I took better shoes.</p>

<p>Amazing experience. Although it meant getting up early in the morning you can sleep on the bus ride there. Just made sure you are prepared with food,snacks and water through the gorge.</p>

<p>Excellent tour, highly organized and a great guide! The only thing I would change is adding an uphill option for a more challenging hike.</p>

<p>This was an amazing day. I would highly recommend this trip if you are good shape and prepared for a very long day. I was picked up at 6:15 AM, the hike began at 8:00 AM and lasted approximately 4.5 hours, I then walked to the village of Samaria and spent the afternoon in tavernas and on a beautiful beach. The only ferries out of the village come at 5:30 PM and take you one village over. The ferry is approximately 45 minutes long. Upon exiting the ferry you get back onto the bus for a hour and a half bus ride. Returning to Chania around 8:30 PM. The day was a lot longer than I anticipated. If you are considering this hike, know there is no where to purchase food along the hike. In order to be prepared I would suggest packing snacks, bring a water bottle there is fountains to fill up, packing a bathing suit for the beach, and bringing along a camera to take pictures of the scenery.</p>

<p>You can find the exact same trip locally at less than half of the Viator price. Same bus, same guides, ... However, the Gorge is absolutely worth the visit. The walk is tough, but feasible, even for the not very well trained. Put on good shoes, however. There is a small local bus that runs from the exit of the park to the seaside, which is a good option if you feel you have walked enough as you probably will.</p>