Samaria Gorge and Sfakion

Thursday 18 August

Samaria Gorge is rated as one of Crete’s top tourist experiences.

We can walk in from the top right through the 16 km gorge, or catch a ferry from the town of Sfakion to the bottom and walk approx 2.5 hours in then back out again to catch a later ferry back. This option is our preference.

We leave the boat early (for us) at 7.30 am after a good breakfast. The drive across the island to meet the ferry at Sfakion comprises a fast trip westwards along the National road until we turn off and take the winding road southwards across the mountains enjoying a passing panorama of fertile valleys and ruins of fortifications on hilltops until we find ourselves at the top of the range. We pause and look a long way down some very rugged and barren hillsides to the coastline below. The road, which zig-zags down the steep southern side is a very impressive engineering achievement and appears to be quite new. Richard is driving and his arms feel as though they want to continue turning corners long after we have ‘arrived’ at the port of Sfakion.

It is not until some days later that we discover this is the very port where the Allied Forces, including we understand, the 2nd New Zealand Division, were evacuated from Crete to Egypt after the German invasion in 1941. Pippy’s father may have been somewhere in amongst all this, having earlier been evacuated from mainland Greece. It is now easier to imagine the hardship faced by thousands of allied soldiers who passed through this tiny little port surrounded by this very rugged landscape.




There is plenty of time for coffee and something sweet before we board the fairly substantial ferry for Agia Roumelli where we will get off to walk the Samaria Canyon. This is a popular destination and the ferry is reasonably crowded.
The view of barren and very rugged terrain continues from the ferry....



...which stops at Loutro to let of a lot of day trippers.





We round the next headland and sight the small village of Agia Roumelli. From here we notice quite a bit more green vegetation but the rugged hillsides still tower over us from the unusually calm water below. We know we have to walk 2 km to the start of the gorge but all we see are sheer cliffs.



Once off the boat and past all the obligatory restaurants and tavernas, the pathway opens out in front of us. The walk takes us through the ruins of what would have been the ancient village here. Sad looking goats and sheep are penned up in small enclosures under the trees, but one thing they do have is plenty of water.



The gorge itself soon opens up in front of us. We make our way into the massive opening, walking over simple bridges made of half round small logs and cross rails and a stony, irregular river bed. The sides of the gorge made up of tortured twisted rock, soars higher and higher above us.



It takes around an hour criss-crossing the small stream in the boulder strewn river bed, to make it to the narrowest part known as the iron gates, 3 metres apart at the closest point and 300 m high. A cool breeze forces its way through the crack and the sun seeks the valley floor but only gets the slimmest of rays to the very bottom.




The walk is challenging for the uneven ankle breaking surfaces and the constant climbing. It is important to constantly check where the feet are going. The cliffs above appear to be leaning over further than vertical and the blue sky in places is just a crack above. At 1.00 pm we stop for lunch in a clearing and make up sandwiches from a loaf of fresh bread bought at Sfakion and cheese, tomato, cold chicken and boiled eggs, all brought from the boat.




The sounds of the wind through the trees and the cicadas – very loud in places – accompany us. The fresh clear, pale turquoise, sunlight enhanced water in the river is just a trickle compared to what it must be in the peak of its flow during the winter when the gorge is closed, but we come to a clearing where water is piped to taps where people can refill their water bottles. It is a popular rest spot under the trees.


Further up the gorge a guard stops walkers from swimming in the tempting cool stream. This water is for drinking only!

The natural beauty and grandeur of this gorge provides us with many photo opportunities.
Dried up waterfalls have left their mark from the last wet season.




In places one can only describe it as a canyon.


Pippy decides to walk slowly back down and leaves Brenda, Andy and Richard to walk on a bit further. Richard takes a tumble and grazes his leg soon after that, a salutary reminder that the uneven ground is tricky.

Once back at the beach close to where the return ferry will depart from, we plan to take a swim but oh dear, look at those boulders one has to scramble over to get to the water. Nothing deters us. We need to cool off and the crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea are a welcome refresher.