Samaria Gorge Small-Group Hiking Day Trip from Chania

The Samaria Gorge, a national park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southwest Crete, is one of the largest limestone gorges in Europe and one of the most eye-pleasing spots on the island. See the best of the gorge on this 6-hour guided hike through the ravine. A guide leads you through the mountainous rocky landscape, traversing 10 miles (16 kilometers).

Upon pickup at your Chania hotel in the morning, let the comfortable, deluxe van shuttle you to the gorge. Start hiking as the guide regales you with historical tales about the area, one of the oldest inhabited spots in Europe. Pass through tiny villages including the eponymous Samaria, which was abandoned in the 1960s to make way for the park.

One of the most spectacular sections of the somewhat strenuous hike is the passage through the Gates, where the ravine is only 13 feet (4 meters) across and the cliffs on either side climb to roughly 300 feet (90 meters) high.

At the base of the gorge, enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea or explore a village that is only accessible by boat or by hiking through the gorge. Sit down at a village tavern for a hearty seafood lunch (not included). Once your time in the village is done, enjoy an hour’s sail to a nearby port, and end the trip with hotel drop-off.