Hiking Samaria Gorge, Crete: As a Solo Hiker
Crete is no exception to the magic of island escapes, where landscapes like the Samaria Gorge feel like a world within its own world. A unique and thriving ecosystem to be walked and discovered, you’ll likely bump into some wild and curious goats along the way.
As the longest gorge in Europe, Samaria Gorge is approximately 16km long and not one to be done in flip-flops or flimsy shoes. It’s a challenging route with a rocky terrain, and your feet may not be so forgiving by the end of it. As a one-way hike (although this is debatable), the only way is down and out.
I think these guys are either lost or have escaped to freedom :)
Before I get started on my personal experience hiking Samaria Gorge, here are some answers to questions I had before I started the hike.
Can I walk the Samaria Gorge in trainers?
I spent a decent couple of hours researching online, wondering if I should bring my hiking boots or trainers, and honestly, I’m sooo glad I went for sturdy hiking boots! While you’ll read about people boasting that they did it in trainers, I wouldn’t recommend it for your knees or your feet! The terrain is rugged and uneven, and good soles will protect your feet from slipping!
Can you do Samaria Gorge without a tour?
Yes, absolutely! It’s a very well-marked trail that’s easy to follow. Plus, you’ll meet loads of friendly hikers along the way 🙃
Are there toilets in Samaria Gorge?
Yep! There are plenty of toilets along the route. You can also go behind the rocks, just make sure to go far away from the river. We were also lucky on our hike because a lovely person had filled up all the toilets with toilet paper. Whoever does that maintenance, thank you!
But, it’s still a good idea to bring your own, just in case!
Samaria Gorge opening times
You can hike Samaria Gorge from 1st May - 31st October. The Gorge opens around 7:00 am - 7:30 am, and they stop letting tourists in between 1 pm - 3 pm. If you come late, they’ll only let you hike 2 km down and then come up again. You can find the latest info about Samaria Gorge here.
How long does it take to hike Samaria Gorge?
Roughly 6 hours at a decent pace.
I started the hike at 7:45 am and finished the Gorge at 1 pm and the full hike to the beach at 2 pm. I’m also one to take plenty of photos along the way. 😉 The hike is 16km, with the last 3km being the walk to the beach. It can feel longer, as you spend most of the time descending elevation.
Is Samaria Gorge too hot in July?
I hiked at the beginning of July, and the 7 am start isn’t a mere suggestion. It gets really hot around two-thirds of the way through, around 11:30 am. Be wise and start early.
The nice thing about hiking through the Gorge is that it feels like a wind tunnel. If you take London Underground, you’ll know what I mean. 🙃
The opening to Samaria Gorge… exciting!
Beautiful rivers as you leave Samaria Gorge. These can dry up during the summer.
How to hike Samaria Gorge from Chania
If you’re leaving from a different city, you may want to consider taking a tour.
From Chania, take the bus to Xyloskalo, where the entrance of Samaria Gorge is located. The KTEL bus timetables update every month, with more options available during peak season.
I took the 6:15 bus from the KTEL bus station in Chania, which arrived at 7:15 am. I don’t think there’s much point in taking the earlier bus at 5:30 am, as the Gorge doesn’t open until 7 am (at the earliest).
You can buy your tickets on the morning of the hike. Be sure to buy your return bus ticket to Chania from Hora Sfakion and your ferry ticket from Agia Roumeli at the same time if you plan on coming back to Chania. There are limited tickets, and this ensures you have a spot reserved.
Essentially, your route is:
Chania -> Xyloskalo (Gorge entrance) -> Hike Samaria Gorge to Agia Roumeli (beach) -> ferry at 5:30 pm to Hora Sfakion (1 hour) -> Bus back to the main KTEL bus station in Chania 6:30 pm (approx 1 hour 15 mins).
The final bus won’t leave until the ferry arrives, so don’t worry if the ferry leaves late. They won’t leave you stranded!
I paid the following prices in July 2025:
Gorge Entrance: €10
Bus return: €16
Boat: €15.80
At the beginning of the hike
Top tips for being prepared for hiking Samaria Gorge
Bring some cash: To use the toilet in the cafe at the Gorge Entrance, you’ll need a bit of cash. You won’t need to pay for any toilets along the hike.
Start early: Give yourself as much time as possible to finish the hike. If you go in the shoulder months like May or September, it probably won’t be as hot, but still worth going early.
Fill up your water bottle along the way: I took a 1 litre bottle and filled up several times along the route. However, it’s best to check if this is possible beforehand as the Gorge can dry up in the month of July.
Bloating: Maybe it’s just me, but I can get bloated while hiking. I find these Wild Dose bloat tablets helpful.
Consider bringing something to share: It can be daunting doing a long hike all on your own. A Canadian woman bought some sweets to share with all the hikers. It’s a great way to start a conversation and get to know people. I’ll be stealing that idea for future hikes.
Flip flops and a swimsuit: You end the hike at the beach, so it’s worth bringing a swimsuit if you don’t want to hike in one. I found it to be a relief to take off my hiking boots and put my flip-flops on at the end of the hike.
Bring snacks: You can get breakfast at the cafe at the Gorge entrance and lunch at the end of the hike. But, it’s a good idea to bring plenty of snacks such as protein bars and nuts. Or, whatever keeps you going.
Sunscreen: It can feel like it’s burning your skin in the heat of midday.
Keep your exit ticket safe!: Make sure you don’t lose your exit ticket. You’ll need to present this before you leave.
The pebbly beach at the end of hiking Samaria Gorge. The water is lovely and cooling!
Where to stay in Agia Roumeli (after your hike)
If you’d love to relax in Agia Roumeli for a night before your ferry journey home, here are some recommended places to stay.
Agia Roumeli Hotel: With really comfortable rooms and a great place to relax for the night after your hike.
Calypso: A beachfront location with really friendly staff and amazing meals. Some of the food is freshly grown from their garden.
Paralia guest house: Clean with beautiful views, this one is popular with solo travellers.
Where to stay in Chania
If you’re planning to stay in Chania, here are some great places worth checking out.
Spacious Luxury Apt, Old Town: We stayed in a beautiful apartment tastefully furnished by our wonderful host. Located in the heart of the old town, it offered a calming retreat just a five-minute walk from the harbour and restaurants, and only ten minutes from the bus station. The apartment was spacious and comfortable, with air conditioning, a balcony, and a terrace to relax on.
Rooftop House in the heart of Chania Old Town!: If you’d prefer a one-bedroom, the same wonderful hosts offer an apartment right above ours, complete with a large terrace. They were amazing and always quick to help. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Porto Vecchio: If you’d prefer to stay closer to the beach, Porto Vecchio is a comfortable and spotlessly clean option. Modern and stylish, it even offers a studio with a spa bath.
Hiking Samaria Gorge
The initial disappointment…
I landed in Crete on a Monday with a friend, and we’d planned to tackle the hike that Wednesday. Unfortunately, as we pulled up to the entrance, our bus driver broke the news: Samaria Gorge was closed for the day. 😔
It turned out it was too windy.
Apparently, according to our driver, this rarely happens. But there we were, having bought all our tickets, trying to figure out what to do next.
In the end, we decided it was best to ride back to Chania with the driver and try to get a refund.
Thankfully, the bus station refunded our unused bus and ferry tickets, and a Belgian couple we met even got their accommodation in Agia Roumeli refunded too.
It was a bit frustrating at the time, but now that I’ve done the hike, I completely understand why they’d close the gorge in high winds. Parts of it feel like a wind tunnel, and falling rocks are a real danger.
Back at the KTEL bus station in Chania
Second Attempt at Hiking Samaria Gorge
Although I’d originally planned to do the hike with my friend, she decided she wasn’t up for it, so I set out for round two on my own.
On the bus, I ran into the same lovely couple from Bruges, Belgium, who’d also been turned away on Wednesday. We started chatting, and the Belgian woman kindly gave me some travel sickness pills for the bus and boat ride back. I was so glad she did. They really helped!
Preparing to get started
When we arrived at the café near the gorge entrance, I overheard a couple planning to hike all the way down and back up again in the same day! The woman behind the counter nearly had a heart attack when she heard that.
I’m not sure if they made it … but good luck to anyone who tries! Hiking down is tough enough in the heat, but the return climb is a whole different challenge.
While I was getting my coffee and gearing up to tackle the hike solo, the same lovely Belgian couple asked if I’d like to join them. I ended up hiking most of the route with them … they were wonderful company, even if I probably slowed them down a bit with all my photo stops. 🙃
The hiking route
I used Maps.me to navigate, but I’ve heard AllTrails is great too.
The 16km hiking route for Samaria Gorge
Starting the hike
The rocky conditions at the start of the trail
The hike begins with a steep descent that lasts for what feels like a couple of hours. The trail is rocky as it zigzags down the winding path, so if you have sensitive knees, hiking poles can be a big help here.
Before long, you’ll reach your first viewpoint in Samaria National Park. The lush, green vistas overlooking the gorge make for a perfect spot to take a well-deserved break and soak it all in.
Views over the pine and cypress forests
For much of the first half of the hike, you’re sheltered by the shade of towering trees. Soon enough, you’ll come across your first cooling streams … it feels like stepping into a natural, air-conditioned oasis.
I especially loved spotting the bright pink oleander flowers dotting the streams and lining the trail.
The Calabrian pine, which grows naturally in Samaria Gorge up to altitudes of 1,200 meters, is unique to Crete. Historically, these trees were valued for timber and firewood production.
Hiking along the rocky terrain
Walking through the forest
Cooling streams
Beautiful oleander flowers growing in dense bushes in full bloom. This is the area where the horses take shade.
Winding through the forests
As you make your way through the forest, you’ll come across a charming bridge and a perfect spot to take a well-deserved rest. The hike gradually gets warmer, with less and less shade as you go. Soon, you’ll see a sign pointing to the old village of Samaria, just 350 meters ahead, before reaching a much-needed pit stop right by the bridge.
What a view!
The walk to the 8km mark (halfway point)
We passed more stunning, sweeping views of the forest … the scenery keeps getting better as you approach the gorge’s opening. It was a good idea to bring a sun hat and reapply sunscreen at this point.
You’re drawing closer to the heart of the gorge, and with it comes a growing excitement… along with mildly achy feet.
There are some small uphill stretches as you walk, but they don’t last long.
This is the trail for a decent portion of the hike
Gorgeous trees
Arriving at Samaria Gorge… yay!
Here’s the opening of the Gorge. This is just the beginning; it gets better and better with the towering cliffs and wild goats hopping about.
The next part was full of some “wow” moments.
I don’t know about you, but if I spend 3 hours hiking to a gorge, I’m getting my achy feets’ worth of pics! There’s no way I’m going to stroll through it all in 10 minutes.
Here, I started to fall behind the Belgian couple. I ended up getting some wonderful pictures as I walked through. I’m also a sweaty mess at this point in the hike.
These pics aren’t necessarily in order, but here’s a little montage showcasing the soaring cliffs.
Rocky trails and soaring cliffs
So cool! The wind felt like bliss through here.
Flowing streams in Samaria Gorge
There’s something wild and fascinating when you’re inside the Gorge
As we kept walking, I passed the horse ambulance en route through the Gorge.
This dude is definitely the hero of the trail, rescuing tourists who need help along the way.
The final stretch hiking to the end of Samaria Gorge
Don’t forget to look back at the views as you’re walking through Samaria Gorge. Sometimes the best views are behind you. 🙃
Thankfully, I managed to keep up with the Belgian couple as they kept me on track to finish the Gorge with plenty of time to spend at the beach.
More beautiful streams as we walk over wooden bridges on rugged terrain
Catching up with the Belgian couple
What satisfaction feels like: a sweaty mess, achy feet and a big smile on your face.
Made it to the end of the hike!
This is where you hand over your exit ticket.
Then there’s a shaded area where you can buy some much-needed fresh orange juice. I don’t remember if they take card payments, so it’s worth having some cash for this.
Hiking to Agia Roumeli beach
The next 3km to the beach are in the sun. You have the option to take a €2 shuttle bus, but we opted to walk for an hour.
Upon arriving at Agia Roumeli, I took an hour to eat at the restaurant and cool down with a cold lemonade before heading to the beach. It was worth bringing the flip flops as I could wear them for the rest of the time and all the way home. My feet couldn’t wait to get out of the hiking boots!
Agia Roumeli has a lot of options for eating and drinking. There are also some umbrellas you can rent if you prefer a bit of shade.
Cooling off at the beach
Getting the ferry to Hora Sfakion at 5:30 pm
At this point, I was pretty exhausted, especially from being in the sun for a couple of hours. The ferry ride, looking back had beautiful views of the shoreline. The water was a gorgeous blue, and the views were just breathtaking. There were various hiking trails and caves scattered around the coast. There’s so much more to explore in Crete!
Looking back at Agia Roumeli
Stopping off at the secluded town of Loutro. The only way in and out is by boat.
The bus back to Chania
This was probably the toughest part of the day for me … the winding roads and the heat left me feeling incredibly carsick. Exhausted and queasy, all I could think about was getting back to the apartment and collapsing onto my bed.
When we finally pulled into Chania, I stepped off the bus and had to sit still for a few minutes to calm the dizziness. I said goodbye to the friendly Belgian couple I’d met on the hike, and in my dizzy haze started to walk back to the Old Town.
Was Samaria Gorge worth the hike?
Without a doubt, it was the highlight of my trip! It was a lot of fun hiking with the Belgian couple, and everyone along the hike was lovely. I didn’t find it massively touristy as people tend to trail off into different groups as you get going on the hike. Also, there are a limited number of bus and ferry tickets, so they can’t oversell.
I got home at 9 pm that day, and I slept like a log.
I wonder if that couple from the cafe ever made it down to the bottom to hike back up again that same day? 🤔
Ready to plan your trip? Here are some of my favourite travel suggestions.
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Wild Dose: A dose for when you have the worst bloating experiences on holiday ⭐️
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