A Stony Route to the Sea

The Greek island of Crete is riven with gorges, but the most thrilling is Samaria, one of Europe’s longest—a 16km (10-mile) gash in the Avlimanakou and Volakias mountains, descending from a height of 1,250m (4,100 ft.) down to the turquoise deeps of the Libyan Sea. Part fun house, with shapeshifting walls that rise as high as 500m (1,640 ft.) in places and narrow to 3.5m (11 ft.) in others, and part kaleidoscope, framing an ever-changing range of scenery, the gorge rarely ceases to surprise its visitors.

The path starts at Xyloskalo, which means “wooden staircase” or “ladder.” The gorge is fairly wide at this point, as it will be for the first couple of kilometers or so (1 mile) of your trip, but the incline is intensely steep. Hikers quickly learn to tread carefully over the worn-down stones and hold onto the wooden parapet erected to aid their balance. The pitch eventually lessens, and the walking becomes easier, but you will still be criss-crossing a dry river bed and leaping from rock to rock over a water-filled tributary (travelers with knee problems would do well to skip this adventure).

A popular midway stop is the ruined village of Samaria. Around the village edges, stay on the lookout for kris-kris, goats found only on the island of Kris Kris and here. Eventually, you reach a pebbly riverbed at the bottom of the gorge. As you walk across the stones, the cliffs on each side of you undulate in intriguing patterns, stretching upward to seemingly touch the sky at their highest reaches. The highlight of the last stretch is the photogenic “Gates,” where you’ll walk single file as the walls close in on you.

The tiny village of Agia Roumell is a welcoming depot at the end of your hike. As you enter the town, resting hikers seated on the porch of a local bar will cheer and congratulate you for finishing the trek and reaching town in time to catch the last afternoon ferry—the only way back to the parking lot to fetch your car or meet your tour bus. Don’t miss it!

Unfortunately, the gorge is mobbed by tourists and locals on day outings—as many as 3,000 people a day in summer. It’s stupendous enough to be sufficiently distracting, but go early or late in the season if you want to avoid the madding hordes. It’s open from early May to October, subject to closures due to torrential rains, when falling rocks and swift-flowing streams may be hazardous. May is particularly spectacular, when wildflowers abound.

I recommend booking your hike through a tour group, as getting to and from your accommodations to the gorge itself can be tricky, requiring transportation by bus and ferry. You’ll be independent while hiking—these tours are simply a way to get from your lodging to the gorge entrance, and a ride home after the ferry lands. Once on the path, people walk at their own pace, and groups don’t meet up again until the end of the hike, at a pre-arranged time in Agia Roumell. Most tour buses are air-conditioned and the guide gives you a sense of what to expect during the hike. Hikers leaving a car at Omalos near the park entrance must get a ride by bus or taxi after getting off the ferry.

Otherwise, be sure to wear sturdy walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen; drink plenty of water and make sure the batteries in your camera are fresh. —LF

www.west-crete.com; www.explorecrete.com.

Tour: Dikytnna Travel, 6 Archotaki St. ( 28210/43-930; www.diktynna-travel.gr).

When to Go: Spring.

Chania.

$$$ Creta Paradise Beach Resort Hotel, Gerani Beach, Chania ( 28210-61-315; www.cretaparadise.gr). $–$$ Hotel Porto Veneziano, Akti Enosseos, Chania ( 28210/27-100; www.portovenezian.gr).