Canyons in Crete

THE 10 BEST Crete Canyons

Canyons in Crete

Types of Attractions
Nature & Parks
Nature & Parks
Traveller rating
Good for
18 places sorted by traveller favourites
  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
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What travellers are saying

  • JJJourneys
    Singapore, Singapore2,312 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I joined a guided tour to Europeā€™s second longest gorge hike, but I will mostly be talking about the gorge itself here. Do note that the hike is not for the faint-hearted; if you have existing health conditions, it is best not to risk attempting this hike. I am of average fitness, and managed to complete this hike in 6 hours, which is about the average time if you are a novice hiker like me. Having a hiking stick on hand could be quite helpful, especially since the terrain is very rocky, and in some cases, slippery too, and a wrong step can quickly put you in a bad ankle situation. The earlier part of the hike has a lot of steps going down as well, which can be steep, so be careful. There will also be certain points in the hike (middle and towards the end) where you have to do mini river crossings. Wear good walking/hiking shoes for this trail, and ensure that you have enough food too. There were a few rest stops along the way; there will be toilets there and spring water (safe to drink) to refill your bottles. Be sure to keep yourself hydrated and energised along the hike and you will be fine! Do not forget to enjoy the view along the way as well, everywhere you look is a postcard worthy scenery in itself! Definitely worth the tough terrain. Entry to the park was 5 euros; keep the ticket stub to show the staff at the end.

    If you are here on guided tour, note that it will be a very early start. I started the journey from Heraklion, so I had to get up at 5 am to make the meeting time at 6 am. The journey to Samaria takes about 4 hours (literally the other side of the island), and we only started the hike around 10 am or so, and ended at 4 pm. The guide will provide you a general time to meet for different rest stops, so if you stick to the times given, you should be fine. This is necessary because you have to make it to a town by the coast called Agia Roumeli (a 2km walk in itself) in order to catch a ferry ride to Hora Sfakion, where the buses will take you back to your accommodation. The ferry is typically the last ferry for the day, so you have to make it regardless in order to avoid additional costs of finding accommodations. All the best, and most importantly, enjoy this hike of a lifetime!
    Written 30 October 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mark I
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Went in right at Kato Zakros near the archaeological side and walked all the way up and then down again in one go.
    Took me about 3,5h. Wear good food gear and take hat and plenty of water with you if you do the hole thing like I did between 10:30-14:00 or even later. It's getting quite hot in there. Really a nice and diverse gorge.
    Written 22 June 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Salwa M
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice place for a village day trip. Youā€™ll see olives, orange, avocado farms. Lots of friendly sheep are here šŸ¤šŸ–¤šŸ¤šŸ–¤ you may need sunscreen, sunglasses and a light jacket.
    Written 11 November 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Pepino B
    Czech Republic7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    we went uphill through the gorge and back through the trails above the gorge. It took us about 80 minutes the whole trip. It's very easy trip. There are few narrow places with rope or cramps/handles. The way back is through olive grow and pastures, so don't forget to close the small gates
    Written 27 October 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Shalini M
    Hong Kong, China8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning landscape to drive through- picturesque and majestic. Good to do if in the area. We did not see anywhere to swim.
    Written 8 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Enel T
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The view was wonderful, but would be nice if there was also some kind of small hiking road, but maybe we didn't find it.
    Written 25 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Linde
    Rotterdam, The Netherlands6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful hike that did not take too long, quite doable for most people but good shoes are reccommended. Not very clear indication of the path, this caused some confusion. Start the trail across the bridge from the Xero Kamares Taverna and take your time to have a meal there, the food is great!
    Written 9 August 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ernst Burgermeister
    16 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This place is not easy to reach.. We was climbing to the entrance but inside was too much water and its dangerous to go in. But the view is fantastic and worth the climb
    Written 27 April 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • PĆ”lfi Bence
    42 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It's s beautiful place, the nearest gorge to Chania where you can hike. It was an easy tour (I took the shorter round). I can suggest it!
    Written 18 October 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • billsview2016
    Liverpool, UK14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a relatively easy gorge walk with a well identified path mostly over rocks. At the end is a fabulous beach (Karoumes) , mostly pebbles ,
    The water is crystal clear and very inviting after the walk. When facing the sea and looking left there are a number of acacia trees under which are chairs and tables. Ideal for shade and a picnic
    Written 8 September 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mark
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A good hike but not as easy as we first thought. Not suitable for younger children. Stunning scenery and a fantastic rustic cafe at the top in the village with wonderful owners who served us amazing home cooked food that sorted us wonderfully after the three hour yomp.
    Written 16 August 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • John.m.craig
    Shepperton, UK124 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is not a gentle walk. Take plenty of water, take a buddy, and don't go in high summer. This is rough terrain, with lots of loose rocks and steep slopes.

    Great walk, but quite demanding. The route is also not always clearly marked, and it's easy to take a sideways turn and find yourself off the track and having to negotiate some very difficult and downright dangerous terrain to get back to the top of the gorge.

    The walk down took about an hour, but there are many paths back out and it took nearly four hours to find a route out.

    The walk in is steep and challenging, and the walk out is very hard work, with 20-30 degree rocky slopes all the way.

    There is zero mobile signal.
    Written 8 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Sarah C
    27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very pretty and quiet hike. We decended from Rokka (steep decent to get into the gorge which you also have to climb up again at the end of the hike so take that into account ;)). The gorge itself was very pretty, challenging enough to make it fun for us and the kids (9 and 10) without being too hard or dangerous. The gorge itself had a lot of shade and we saw a lot of animals. Did not see any other people in the 5 hrs we spent there. Wear good shoes ;).
    Written 7 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • kathy b
    Ashby de la Zouch, UK4,082 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Easy to miss the sign but we thought it was worth a visit. The narrow road twists and turns up and down with hairpin corners and eventually leads to the sea and the gorge. Nothing to see except picturesque views of the sea and a quiet cove. We enjoyed this small diversion to our journey.
    Written 1 November 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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