Beautiful place and definitely worth visiting but few things you should have in mind. 1. It’s around 15km. It’s mostly downhill and few uphills are so easy that you won’t even notice them but remember it’s 15km (10miles) walk on the rocky terrain. That’s a lot of you not regular hiker of fit person. 5-6 hours of nonstop walking. 2. It’s one way hike. You can of course walk back but that’s a same distance again but nonstop uphill with steep climb at the end. Once you get to the end you have to go on the ferry. Last ferry leaves at 17:30 and it will take you to the Sougia. That’s a 40-50 minutes cruise. From there you will have to get the bus that will take you back to the car park where you’ve left your car. This is another hour on the bus. So as much as the views are stunning it’s a long one way walk with long return to the car by ferry and bus. It’s an all day trip and if you are not regular hiker or runner you will feel your legs for few days after this hike.

A must do Scenic, challenging & adventurous hike, approximately 6 hours one way, followed by a 10 minute taxi drive to the beach. A great way to end the day via the sunset. Overnight accommodation is also available by the sea, at an affordable price, where visitors can enjoy a refreshing swim at the beach, a morning café, some traditional shopping, topped off by a picturesque ferry ride back to the scenic XYLOSKALO Café - restaurant, where you can cherish another scenic view via the table, topped off with some delicious treats.

Awesome day out. If hiking is your thing you won't regret it. Be prepared tho because it's a long hard walk in the Greek sun, the trail is listed as 15km you end up doing more like 20km because of the winding track. Well worth the experience tho.

We've hiked all over California & Colorado but this gorge was absolutely breathtaking in comparison. A wonderful downhill hike that shows off all the beauty Crete has to offer

Beautiful place! Takes about 5.30 hours. Be prepared with mountain shoes. It's too long for a walk, so consider well before you go. Well organized transportation after the park.

Very beautiful trail, it was very windy that day and the vibe was very mystic and charming. This trail is not for people with certain disabilities and people who might have issues with knees or ankles, as there is no steady path to walk on. People with small children should definitely prepare to carry them for some amount. Generally, I would definitely recommend visiting this place, when you are on Crete.

AWESOME! We got to the Samaria gorge with a private car so we were independent. We kind of did some trail running there which was very fun. Definitely good shoes are necessary! When you get there, there is a shop to buy bus and ferry tickets, coffees, sandwiches and also shirts. There is also a toilet. Be aware! If you do the whole gorge, you’ll get to the south of Crete where there is only a ferry going to a different spot and from there you go back to your arrival point by bus. There is only one ferry a day at 5.30pm. We actually had more plans for that day but kind of got stuck in the end to wait for the ferry. It then, was a full day trip. It took us only 3hours through the gorge, because of some trail running periods. If we knew better we would have started to turn around and go our way. Nonetheless, it was breathtaking and awesome! In the end they serve fresh beer and freshly squeezed orange juice from their orange trees. Definetly worth the trip! We just rolled with everything and didn’t regret anything.

Most beautiful hike I’ve ever been on, did it with a 18 kg backpack with no trouble, if you are physically fit I would recommend this hike to everyone! Completely mind blowing views and such a nice trail! 100/10

Beautiful Tour... if you want to collect some impressions, start early in the morning. With a few breaks and Photostops, it takes you 6hours very quick.

Amazing hike. Plenty of rest stops along the way to refill your water and sit for a bite to eat. Ends on a very rocky beach. We took the city bus at 6:15 from Chania. Started hiking at 7h30 and got to the end by 13h30. We went at a very average pace and took plenty of pictures. Waiting for the ferry was kind of boring after having swam in the sea. Might have taken the later bus to avoid waiting so long at the end. After the ferry, we took another city bus back to town. Smooth process! Enjoy!

We went during June but luckily it was cloudy so we did not suffer heavily from the heat. There are checkpoints with fresh water springs and seating spots almost every hour. The trail is pretty steep and rocky in some places but as long as you watch your step it is going to be fine. A lot of turists.

Interesting hike that gets better along the way. First 5k lots of downhill and after a lot of river crossings by hopping from stone to stone which was the most fun part. Did it on the first day of the season (6th of May) so water levels relatively high therefore later in the season the river hopping is not there anymore. Awesome halfway point at the old village of Samaria ruins, loads of water points to refill bottles along the way (every 2km or so) and a spectacular finish towards a gorge that gets more and more narrow. At the end there is a sweet terrace with cold beers and freshly squeezed orange juice that you will be craving. From there an easy 25 min stroll down to the Ferry point or a short bus ride.

Samaria gorge. Fantastic day out. Worth doing as an excursion. Took longer than expected. Seven hours and we are all fit and did not stop much. Swim in the sea at the end a wonderful way to end the day and so worth taking costumes and towels.

Definitely make sure to go for 7am, gives you enough time before the ferry and more time in the shade/cool. Also book tickets for both busses and ferry at the same time. Walk is hard on your joints but definitely doable for any average person. Make sure to wear some decent shoes! Drinking water and rest spots all along the walk which is useful. Take some lunch/snacks as nowhere to get anything until the end of the walk.

It is a hard hike but is so beautiful and totally worth it. We finished in 7 hrs. Parked the car in Omalos and at the end took the farry to Sogea and from there the bus back to Omalos

I get why people like this. Very picturesque and interesting. So why the 3 stars? Lots of rocks to climb over. That might seem a strange comment when you're in a natural environment such as a gorge but all of it entailed climbing over rocks and managing your feet. You couldn't focus too much on your surroundings because you were looking down at all times. I don't mind the length of the walk but if you're a bit older or not so steady on your feet, you will struggle. Make sure you wear proper shoes such as trainers. And definitely take a hat.

Excellent hike down the Samaria Gorge to see the Iron Gates and the port. 8 mile intermediate hike had us all wiped out at the end. Fun!

Long and steep descent but an absolutely stunning walk. Take time to stop and enjoy the views as you may just be looking down to watch your footing. They tell you it’s 13km but actual walking is 18km. Great swim in the Libyan sea to end it all

Good views and a pleasant hike with mostly down and flat. Be prepared to wait for a 5pm ferry and an hour+ bus back to xyloskalo once you get to the black sand beach at the end. There are beach beds for cheap and the sea is beautifully blue!

Hard 6 hour walk goes from 4000ft above sea level down to coast, path very uneven and slow going but amazing scenery and feels like you've complete a challenge at the end. Need to get the ferry down the coast for the return trip.

Unique experience, amazing Cretan landscapes. Needs walking boots and lots of water to manage walking for 14km, so be prepared for a long day. Be careful, there are not real health and safety measures in the place. Highly recommended for nature lovers!

A fantastic, beautiful and memorable but also hard and demanding experience. Bring good hiking shoes or boots and bring enough snacks and food. You can refill drinking water along the trail. I used walking sticks and would recommend that if you have the possibility.

Incredible views, breathtaking natural reserve, and a long hike! You definitely need good shoes, as you descend on the rocky hillside on pretty rocky stairs, and once in the gorge itself, you walk through the riverbed on even more rocks. The views and the experience more than make up for it, though. Also, prepare food, because once in, there is nowhere to buy anything from. Water, you can refill on multiple spots.

Unique experience of 14.5 klm tough walking. One definitely needs preferably hiking shoes and buttons. We entered at 9 in the morning and took us 4 hours.. on average you need over 5 hours if you spend more time on the rest areas

Highlight of the Crete trip for me. Gorgeous views and nature and well maintained paths with water stops every other kilometer. Drove to the start at the top with the intention of going down and up again. Was way tougher than I thought but we managed in about 7h down and back up again (skipping the last two k because sunlight was running out). Hiking boots is recommended but net necessary, I managed in my jogging shoes but it was slippery at times.

If you are trained is better but even if I was not the pain on my legs the following days was worthy 16km of walk down the mountain on the rocks!! Me and my boyfriend had once in a lifetime experience. The landscape is just stunning with the river and the goats and horses etc

5h walking down, beautiful views, places for rest and take a brief, don't forget to take with you good shoes 😉

Excellent walk with bins and toilets regularly provided. Highly recommend and worth the small entry fee.

Please, do not try to walk it if you are not properly equipped, mainly hiking shoes at least! I suffered for all those ladies in flip-flops and beach dresses..Perhaps was that day only? Also, sorry to say, unfitted people...well, hope they get a lesson and learnt they have to cut in beers and cookies and bacon. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I did really enjoyed it less because could'nt stop worrying for so many people putting themselves in potential trouble. Muleteer Giorgos must know a lot about that... Apart from this, highly recommend the walk.

An amazing 5-6 hour walk through the Samaria Geroge. You have regular stops with water and benches and of course beautiful views. At the end, so at the beach, you will find many restaurants with international aswell as traditional cuisine. You will also find a beautiful beach with sadly barely any natural shade. Though you can get an umbrella and a deck chair for a small price.

Beautiful Gorge. Tough walk so make sure you wear appropriate clothing, especially walking shoes. Water is available throughout the walk so bring 1 1L bottle (per person) and you'll be fine.

The whole atmosphere of the park is amazing and the scenery is simply unique. That distance thought... I'm felt it the day after the hike.

Great place to visit, especially very early where there are still not many people. Stunning views both up where the starting point is and down at the end of the trail.

Absolutely worthwhile! If you are not good on foot, you can visit the gorge from the end point, which can be done even without a high fitness level. Price 5€ (August 2021) what is absolutely justified.