Sfakia

Tours

Embark on a full-day guided trip to the Samaria Gorge from Chania. Arrive in Omalos in the heart of the White Mountains, and enjoy breakfast before trekking along the longest gorge in Europe — 4,000 feet above sea level.  After breakfast, enter the Samaria Gorge. Walk at your own pace with your English speaking guide at the end of the group to help out if you need them. Hike over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees and along a river, passing by fresh-water springs along the way. Enjoy views of Crete’s most beautiful mountain range and see mountain goats roaming in the wild. Feel the exhilaration of challenging yourself with a long hike. 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 you’ll board a boat that will take you from Agia Roumeli to Sougia, where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the starting point about 7.30 PM.

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 18 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.

Your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge begins with pickup in Heraklion and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains. Enjoy breakfast before setting out on your challenging 10-mile (17 kilometer) hike. The trek will take you over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees and along a river by fresh-water springs. Along the way, you’ll have spectacular views of Crete’s most beautiful mountain range, and you are also likely to see mountain goats roaming in the wild. You will be accompanied by a professional mountain escort who speaks English, German and Greek. Your escort will be there to explain all the necessary information about your hike and provide you with the tickets for the entrance and ferry. After your breakfast you will enter the Samaria Gorge, where you can walk at your own pace as your guide waits at the end of the group to help you out if you need them. At the end of the trek you’ll visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find a number of taverns, bars, and shops. You can enjoy some free time to take a swim or have some lunch. Late in the afternoon you’ll board a boat that will take you from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, where your bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the starting point.

Discover Imbros Gorge, which runs parallel to the more famous Samaria Gorge. Although the Imbros Gorge is smaller, many people prefer to cross here because it offers a very different hiking experience than the Samaria Gorge. After your tour, enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea and lunch at a village taverna. Enjoy hotel pickup and arrive at Imbros around 10 AM. Have breakfast and then hike about 2.5 hours to discover the beauty of this narrow natural passage. Learn about the rock formations and the legend of the 2 brothers that Imbros is named after. For many years, the Imbros Gorge served as part of the trail that connected Chania to Hora Sfakion. Stroll through a piece of World War II history, as you walk where thousands of British soldiers passed through after the Battle of Crete to get to Egypt.  End your hike in Komitades Village and then depart for Sfakia. Take a swim in the refreshing Libyan Sea and eat lunch with the locals in the taverns before returning to your hotel.

Start your hike from the quaint village of Imbros and traverse the serene Imbros Gorge, the second largest gorge in Crete, famed for its accessibility and breathtaking scenery. This 9 km trail, taking about 2.5 hours to complete, offers a gentle adventure suitable for families. As you descend, encounter iconic landmarks like the “Airplane,” “Stenada,” “Mesofarango,” and the striking “Xepitira Arch.” The gorge's historical significance as an escape route for Allied troops during the 1941 Battle of Crete adds a layer of historical intrigue to your journey. Following the old stone-paved paths once the primary route from Sfakia to Chania, you reach the gorge’s narrowest point, where the towering walls close to less than 2 meters apart. Your guide leads you to Komitades village, where a bus awaits to transport you to Chora Sfakion. Conclude your trek in Chora Sfakion, the capital of the rugged Sfakia region. This peaceful seaside village invites relaxation with its sandy beach and clear blue waters. Enjoy the local hospitality in the nearby coffee shops and taverns, and consider a visit to the ruins of the Venetian fortress for stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Stop to purchase a hearty breakfast in Rethymno on this full-day Samaria Gorge excursion. Begin your trek at Xiloskalo, where you'll enter the vast, 18-kilometer canyon. Hike along a path that follows the route of the ancient Taras River. Admire the caves that formed a natural shelter for the Cretans in war times and now are home to wild goats. See the abandoned village of Samaria before reaching the Iron Gates, 3 kilometers before the end of the gorge. Rest and enjoy lunch (at your own expense) at the small fishing village of Agia Roumeli. Cool off with a refreshing swim in the Libyan Sea before boarding the ship that takes you back to the village of Sfakia.

The bus will pick you up promptly from your assigned location and take you to Sfakia which is located in southern Chania. From there you will enter the boat that will take you to Glyka Nera in about 15 minutes. Glyka Nera is also known as "Sweet Water Beach" and it's one the most beautiful beaches in Crete. Its name stems from the fresh water spring that bubbles up amongst the pebbles. It is a spectacular beach with crystal clear turquoise water and rugger cliffs. Here you will have 2 hours free time to take a swim and a coffee break. You then board the boat which will take you to Loutro. Loutro is amphitheatrically built above the bay where you can soak up the beautiful surroundings. Here you will have 3 hours of free time to eat in one of the many exceptional restaurants or take a swim and relax along the beachside. The last stop is in Sfakia where you will have free time to explore the charming seaside village. Sfakia is surrounded by untamed landscapes which makes it the perfect end to this exciting excursion. Our bus and experienced personnel will be waiting to take you back to Rethymno. Important note : The bus will not wait for anyone that is late to any meeting point as the boats leave promptly on the assigned time schedule. Boat charges are not included in the price.

Discover the village of Loutro, named after the Greek word for "bath", due to the many ancient baths in the area. Eat seafood and drink wine by the sea. Go for a swim in the warm blue sea. Marvel at the many famous white houses, and enjoy a relaxing sailing trip on a boat. Begin the excursion and travel from Rethymno, known for its harbor with fishing boats, to Chora Sfakion. Then, sail for 20 minutes to the village of Loutro, on the south coast of Chania. After you arrive here, you can spend 5 hours exploring in your own free time to do whatever activities you want. Go swimming in the clear blue waters of the sea. Eat some delicious local food such as fresh fish if you are hungry. Sip on wine by the sea. Also, admire the many white houses that make this place famous. Finally, board the boat and sail to Sfakia then return to Rethymno to finish your tour.

You will be picked up at your hotel in the Chania area and then journey by bus to the Imbros Gorge in the eastern part of the White Mountains of Crete. Upon arrival you will enjoy an easy 3-hour hike through the narrow passages and marvel at the stunning rock formations, with an expert guide to teach you about the area. During your descent you will see famous locations such as the Stenada, Mesofarango, and Xepitira Arch. You exit the gorge at Komitades village, where a bus will be waiting to bring you to Chora Sfakion for some relaxing free time at one of the taverns or cafes overlooking the sea. Continue by bus to the south coast, and visit a beautiful beach for a refreshing swim in the Libyan Sea. You can relax and enjoy a traditional lunch before the bus trip back to the Chania area.

Spend a day in the stunning landscapes of the Samariá Gorge, starting with a bus transfer to Chora Sfakion. Upon arrival, board the ferry to Agia Roumeli, and reach the south end of Samariá Gorge, where you can take some spectacular hikes through the rocks. Benefit from the opportunity to walk up to the Iron Gate at the narrowest part of the gorge, and enjoy some free time for a refreshing swim and to enjoy lunch on arrival. You can walk as much, or as little as you want, making it suitable for families with children as well as adventurous travelers. Take the ferry in the afternoon back to the waiting bus for the return transfer to your hotel or other convenient nearby location.