Adventure

From Rethymno: Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek with Pickup

Activity provider: PLATANOS TOURS
Adventure

From Rethymno: Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek with Pickup

Activity provider: PLATANOS TOURS

From US$ 39.01 per person

Certified

Enjoy a challenging trek through one of the longest and most famous gorges in Europe. Marvel at natural wonders throughout the day, from the White Mountains to thousand-year-old forests and more.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 12 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide
English, French, German
Pickup included
You will be picked up from your hotel or the closest point accessible by vehicle between 6:20 AM-6:45 AM.

Experience

Highlights
  • Enjoy a challenging trek in Samaria Gorge
  • Marvel at the stunning natural beauty on the drive to the White Mountains
  • Visit the village of Agia Roumeli
  • Witness extraordinary rock formations
  • Learn all about indigenous rare plants, flowers, and bird species
Full description

Take a day trip from Rethymno to set out on an outdoor adventure into Samaria Gorge National Park. Hike at your own pace with a guide over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees, along a river, and by fresh-water springs. Keep an eye out for mountain goats roaming in the wild.

Begin your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge with pickup and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains, where you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike. Challenge yourself with 17 kilometers of walking over rocky terrain.

Be accompanied by a mountain escort who speaks English, German and French. Get briefed about your hike and get your tickets for the entrance and ferry boat from your escort. These fees have to be paid to the guide upon arrival.

After breakfast, enter the Samaria Gorge. Walk at your own pace as your guide will be at the end of the group to help out if you need them. At the end of the trek, visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find a number of taverns, bars, and shops.

Enjoy some free time to take a swim or have some lunch. A meeting point will be arranged so you can collect your ferry tickets from your guide. Late in the afternoon, board a boat to go from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the pickup point.

Includes
  • Pickup and drop-off from Panormo, Scaleta, Adele, Platanias, Missiria, Rethymno town, Atsipopoulo, Kavros and Georgioupoli
  • Transfers with air-conditioned luxurious buses and bus tickets
  • Hiking excursion
  • English, German and French-speaking guide
  • Entrance ticket to Samaria (€5 can be paid onsite)
  • Boat ticket (€13 can be paid onsite)
  • Food and drink
  • Pickup from remote hotels (e.g. Grand Rimondi)
Not suitable for
  • Children under 6 years
  • Pregnant women
  • People with back problems
  • People with mobility impairments
  • People with heart problems

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

What to bring

  • Hat
  • Hiking shoes
  • Sunscreen
  • Water
  • Trekking gear

Know before you go

  • At the time of booking please mention your hotel name and location. You will be notified by email about the pickup point and time
  • The 5 to 6-hour trek is challenging. You must have good trekking shoes or at least a sturdy pair of trainers
  • This trek is not recommended for children under the age of 6, pregnant women, or anyone with health problems
  • This tour is very challenging with 17 kilometers of walking with some rocky terrain
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 829 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Service
    4.6/5
  • Organization
    4.6/5

Sort by:

Traveler type:

Star rating:

The arrangements worked very well. My original booking was cancelled due to bad weather, but rebooking for the next available date was simple. Pick up by a very comfortable coach was exactly on time, just outside my hotel. Our guide (Ingrid) explained everything in detail (in English, German and French) and the whole day went exactly according to plan. It was a long day, as explained in the booking details, so there were no surprises.

Read more

March 24, 2023

Well organised, tough but worth it. Our guide, Ingrid, was excellent; pleasant, helpful, and informative. The gorge is stunning, and there were so many amazing spots for photos. Ending at the beach and then the ferry ride added an extra dimension to a great experience.

March 24, 2023

Although the walk through the gorge itself is not guided, the excursion is a decent priced way to package your transport to and from the gorge with a multilingual guide to help you with organisation. There are extra charges for gorge entry and the ferry (€17 cash pp) but these are clearly listed before you book. The gorge itself is striking and worth seeing although you really need watch where you are stepping a lot of the time as it is rocky. Wear good shoes or hiking boots as you do not want to have to be rescued by donkey if you turn your ankle. If you are relatively fit then you should have no problem, although you may experience muscle soreness the next day. It is a long day (roughly 6:30AM to 8.30PM) so make sure you take some lunch! There are springs all along the way to top up your water bottle, and also toilets but these could be described as ‘rustic’! At the end there is approx a 2 hour wait for the ferry but there are plenty of places to eat and drink to pass the time.

Read more

March 24, 2023

Product ID: 106003