Samaria Hike, Pro Guide

Samaria Hike, Pro Guide, 14 hours, rated 4.5 across 407 traveller reviews.

Overview

This is a full-day guided excursion from Chania into Samaria Gorge National Park, run by Fantasy Travel and lasting around 14 hours. A hotel-area pickup leads to an air-conditioned bus ride up to Omalos, where the gorge walk begins and where the tour stops for 30 minutes. From there the day is mostly on foot: a long descent through the gorge inside the national park, ending at Agia Roumeli on the coast, where there is time to swim, eat, and relax before the boat and bus journey back.

The guide and bus take care of logistics, but hikers walk at their own pace rather than in a single led line. Reviews repeatedly describe the walk as long and demanding, with sore legs for days afterwards, and the listing asks for a strong fitness level. It suits people in decent shape who want the gorge, the village of Samaria partway down, and a swim in the sea as a reward, without organising transport themselves.

It does not suit travellers with knee, heart, blood pressure, or vertigo problems, nor pregnant women, and the tour is not wheelchair accessible. The gorge entrance fee and the boat fare from Agia Roumeli are paid in cash on the spot and are not part of the tour price.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel-area pickupPickup and drop-off are offered only at selected spots in Chania; the exact time and place are confirmed after booking, and the hotel name should be given at reservation.
2. Bus to OmalosTravel by air-conditioned bus to the start of the gorge, with a stop of 30 minutes at Omalos (admission free).
3. Samaria Gorge hikeSix hours inside Samaria Gorge National Park, hiking at your own pace with a hiking escort. The park entrance fee is not included and is paid in cash on the spot.
4. Agia RoumeliFour hours at the coastal village at the end of the gorge, with the option to swim and eat. The boat fare back is an extra cash payment, 15 euros, or 7.50 euros for children up to 12.99 years.
5. Ferry and bus returnReturn by boat and bus to the drop-off points in Chania.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again from people who have done this exact tour.

• Footwear. The listing and many reviewers agree: good hiking shoes or boots are essential for the trek.
• Fitness and pace. Reviews often call the hike challenging but doable for people in decent shape, with one describing a walk of roughly 10 miles that is largely downhill at first and then more undulating. The listing asks for a strong physical fitness level and warns against the trip for anyone with knee, heart, or blood pressure problems or a fear of heights. Hikers set their own pace rather than staying with the guide throughout.
• Food and water. Reviewers who did the walk advise carrying food and drink for the day. Natural springs along the gorge let you refill a water bottle, and the listing suggests fruit or a light snack. Meals are not included, so plan accordingly.
• Swim and sun. The listing recommends a swimsuit and towel for Agia Roumeli beach, plus sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Reviewers who swam in the sea after the hike described it as the best part of the day.
• Cash on the spot. Both the gorge entrance fee and the boat fare are paid in cash. Entrance is free for young children and for EU citizens aged 65 and over or under 18; other adults pay 10 euros. Bring euros for the ferry and any food.
• A very long day. The tour runs about 14 hours, and one reviewer noted the day can stretch even longer once all the drop-offs are done. Many suggested planning a relaxed day afterwards, since sore legs are a common after-effect.

Common issues. The gorge entrance fee and boat fare are extra and cash only, and the group can be large, with up to 50 travellers on the trip. Some reviewers felt the guide's role was mostly organisational, handing out the itinerary in the morning and gathering everyone at the end, and one reported a long wait during pickups and a dry bus on the return. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, is not recommended for pregnant travellers or anyone with knee, heart, or blood pressure conditions or vertigo, and requires good weather and a minimum number of participants to run; if it is cancelled for either reason, a different date or a full refund is offered.

Common Questions