Overview
The island of Crete offers a rare mix of splendid beaches, amazing mountain landscapes, vibrant towns and cosy villages inhabited by warm-hearted locals, all this spiced with genuine local cuisine, excellent wine, and perhaps a shot of raki! The south-west part of the island is characterized by a unique landscape of scenic gorges and a coast full of secluded beaches and deep blue waters.
In the beginning, this walking holiday will take you through the imposing Anydri Gorge and then the Irini Gorge, full of flowering oleander bushes, up to the scenic plateau of Omalos. The next highlight is walking down the world-famous Samaria Gorge to the seashore after which you head further east along the coast to the most romantic village on Crete: the idyllic Loutro, accessible only by boat or on foot. During the last walk of the trip, you explore the impressive Aradhena Gorge, a challenging but rewarding walk you’ll never forget.
- Some of the most impressive coastal paths of Europe
- Omalos and the White Mountains
- Gorges of Samaria, Irini, Figou, Anydri and Aradhena
- Car-free village Loutro on the coast
- Idyllic beaches
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Paleochora
Arrival in Paleochora on your own (by taxi or by public transport from Chania or Heraklion Airport). Depending on your arrival time, you can go for a stroll to the cosy seaside town of Paleochora and explore the nearby Venetian fortress and several sandy and rocky beaches.
- Accommodation: Hotel Aris or similar
Day 2: Walk through the Anydri Gorge | 10.5km
In the morning, you will be transferred by taxi to the village Azogires where your walk starts along the ‘Monastery of the 99 Monks’-trail. You encounter a variety of scenery today, including olive groves, the quiet hilltop village of Anidri with a Byzantine church and the popular schoolhouse tavern, the small gorge of Anidri, the tranquil beach of Gialiskari and a coastal stretch back into Paleochora. You may swim before going back to your hotel.
- Walking for the day: 10.5km, approx. 3h, ↑75m ↓450m
- Accommodation: Hotel Aris or similar
Day 3: Paleochora to Sougia | 15km
Starting in Paleochora, you follow a dirt track into a quiet natural wilderness, continuing along a stunning coastal path overlooking the sea. Along the way, you will pass the ancient Lissos, an important harbour for the Dorian city of Elyros, which boasted a population of 30,000 at its peak. You can enjoy a picnic lunch on this historic spot and swim in the pristine waters before heading further east to Sougia through a beautiful narrow gorge.
- Walking for the day: 15km, approx. 5h, ↑375m ↓375m
- Accommodation: Hotel Syia or similar
Day 4: Sougia to Omalos Plateau | 17km
Today you will explore two impressive gorges, from sea level up to 1,000m. First, you walk through the impressive Irini Gorge on a well-made path. The ascent is long but not too steep. Leaving the Irini Gorge behind, you walk into the steeper Figou Gorge. You will enjoy stunning views on some points. The walk ends at a chapel, ‘Agios Theodoros’, where the hotel’s minibus will pick you up. Today’s day is located on the Omalos plain surrounded by the spectacular summits of the White Mountains.
- Walking for the day: approx. 17km, approx. 7h, max ↑1,200m ↓100m
- Accommodation: Hotel Neos Omalos or similar
Day 5: Samaria Gorge | 17km
Note that the Samaria gorge is open from 1st May until the autumn rains start (usually end of October). It is also possible for the gorge to be closed at any time by authorities in case of flash flood alerts or extreme weather conditions. In such case an alternative route will be provided. You can find some useful info here.
Today you walk through one of Europe’s longest and most spectacular canyons: the Samaria Gorge. We recommend you to start your walk either very early or rather late, to avoid the crowds of people walking through the gorge as a day trip. During the quieter hours, you’ll enjoy the true beauty of this spectacular gorge. You spend the night in the seaside village of Agia Roumeli at the end of the gorge, leaving you plenty of time for the walk. As you finish walking, you can go for a relaxing swim in the crystal clear Lybian sea before you set off for dinner at one of the local taverns in Agia Roumeli.
- Walking for the day: approx. 17km, approx. 6h, max ↑50m ↓1,200m
- Accommodation: Pachnes Pension or similar
Day 6: Agia Roumeli to Loutro | 15km
A splendid coastal walk with lots of variety. The walk today starts along the beach to the Byzantine church of Agios Pavlos, from where you start ascending through a fir forest reaching the beach at Marmara. On the way, you will enjoy great views of the massive mountains at your left and the sea to your right. As you reach the beach, you can enjoy the local tavern or go for a swim. From Marmara, you’ll need another hour along the coast to reach the car-free village of Loutro.
- Walking for the day: approx. 15km, approx. 6h, max ↑275m ↓275m
- Accommodation: Kyma Hotel or similar
Day 7: Loutro Circular Walk and Aradhena Gorge | 16km
You take a steep serpentine path up to the village of Anopolis, from where you walk to ancient Aradhena, situated at the edge of the impressive Aradhena Gorge. A scenic path takes you down into the Aradhena Gorge all the way to the coast. The last part of today’s walk takes you along the coast back to Loutro. A shorter route today is possible via the tiny village of Livaniana and then descending through the Aradhena Gorge to the sea. Depending on your flight time on the following day, you may need to travel back to Chora Sfakion by ferry today, and on to Chania or Heraklion.
- Walking for the day: approx. 16km, approx. 4h, max ↑840m ↓840m
- Accommodation: Kyma Hotel or similar
Day 8: Departure
Today you travel back to Chora Sfakion by ferry in the morning from where you catch public transport or pre-booked transfer to Chania or Heraklion Airport.
What to expect
Accommodation
The accommodations we have chosen are optimum choices having in mind the atmosphere, comfort and hospitality. All rooms have private facilities and almost always a balcony or terrace. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Aris offers clean rooms with balcony or terrace and is near the sea. The friendly owner Aris guarantees a pleasant stay.
- The small seaside resort Sougia is at the end of the Irini gorge. There is a huge beach and you will enjoy a laid-back atmosphere. The apartments & studios of Hotel Syia are located 200 m from the sea and offer a comfortable stay.
- On the Omalos plain, you spend the night in Hotel Neos Omalos at 1.100 m. Rooms are basic but comfortable.
- Agia Roumeli is the small village at the end of the famous Samaria gorge. No organized trips through the gorge include an overnight in Agia Roumeli, so it is nice and quiet at night. The Pachnes Pension is new and pleasantly furnished. It is 200 m from the beach and the port of Agia Roumeli.
- In Loutro you stay in the Kyma Hotel with well-maintained rooms with a balcony overlooking the deep blue sea, the white-washed houses or the mountains.
*Note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
The overnights are on bed & breakfast basis. Products for lunch are available in the local shops; at Omalos you may ask for a packed lunch at the accommodation. In the evening you have a wide choice of seaside taverns at all locations. In Omalos there is a limited choice, but the hotel’s restaurant offers good local dishes.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for experienced walkers and requires a very good level of fitness, sure-footedness and a head for heights. The trip includes strenuous day walks or trekking in mountainous areas: 5-7 hours walking per day; elevation gains between 500 and 1.000 m per day. Some coastal sections go along exposed cliffs and can be challenging for people afraid of heights (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available between April and October. The best period to visit is between June and the beginning of October. In April and end of October, the Samaria gorge is closed, and guests will travel with the luggage van to Sougia, take a ferry to Agia Roumeli and make a 10 km walk to the ‘Kastro’. The Anidri Gorge walk is not possible from June to September, when there is an alternative route from Elafonissos to Paleochora. Crete has a Mediterranean climate, with mild and rainy winters, and hot and sunny summers. In the fine season, from mid-May to mid-September, the Meltemi (or Etesian) blows from the northwest. The southern coasts are more sheltered from this wind, especially in the coastal stretches that are located south of the mountains. The Meltemi, together with the lighter breezes which in any case blow on summer afternoons, has the merit of making the heat more bearable. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this holiday is Chania (CHQ). An alternative airport is Heraklion (HER).
By train or bus
- You can take a public bus from Chania Airport to Paleochora. The last bus departs at 4 pm. Duration of the trip is 1.5 hours.
- In case you arrive at Heraklion airport you can catch a bus from the city bus station to Chania and then take another bus to Paleochora. The total duration of the trip is 4.5 hours. In case of arrival after 12 noon, an extra night in Heraklion or Chania might be necessary.
- You also may travel via Athens Airport and take the night ferry from Piraeus to Chania, leaving daily around 9 pm and arriving in Chania at 6 am the next morning.
- From Loutro you take a ferry to Chora Sfakion for 20 mins and continue by public bus to Chania or Heraklion. In case your flight departs in the morning you have to either book an extra night in Chania or Heraklion or book a private taxi transfer from Chora Sfakion to the airport as to be on time.
- For more detailed information, use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights en-suite accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers on walking days when changing hotels
- Ferry ticket Paleochora-Elafonissi
- Transfers on day 2, 4 and 5
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare, public transportation and other ferry tickets
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- Single room supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights at any of the accommodations along the way as well as in Chania and Heraklion
- Private transfers from/to the airport
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