Travelling To Greece To Explore Samaria Gorge – The Longest in Europe

Referring to the country of Greece, you cannot ignore the fact that this beautiful country also owns more than 2,000 large and small islands with beautiful beaches topping some of the best in the world.

Greece has its own mark in such a splendid and magnificent ancient civilization, however, visitors not only remember the cultural and human beauty but are also impressed by the rich nature and the most beautiful and longest gorge in Europe, Samaria.

Samaria Gorge – an ideal destination for travellers who love an adventure

Nestled on the island of Crete, the Samaria Gorge has a length of more than 16km (11 miles). The gorge begins in the Omalos plateau deep in the mountains and ends in a small village south of the coast of Agia Roumeli (facing the coast of Africa). With unique terrain and rich vegetation, Samaria is known as the most beautiful and longest canyon in Europe.

In 1965, the people of Samaria village were located deep in the canyon and were evacuated for tourism. Samaria tours often take visitors to explore the pine forest and the ancient cypress forest and go rock climbing and trekking through the Samaria canyon. More and more tourists flock here each year and an estimated 250,000 tourists visit this canyon every month.

Tourists can visit during the summer and winter. The most ideal time to visit the Samaria Gorge is in May. Because peony, buckwheat and chrysanthemum are in full bloom at this time, the fragrant scent spreads across the air and sky creating a beautiful natural landscape. The gorge walk takes about 5-7 hours, so you should go in before 9am to make sure it is done before sunset.

Journey to discover the Greek Samaria gorge

Samaria Gorge is made up of cliffs with an altitude of more than 1000 meters. Two steep cliffs create a unique ravine with unique streams and animals and plants. Stepping into the canyon, you will feel overwhelmed by the rugged mountain terrain. Along with that is a pine forest and a vast cypress forest. As you go along the mountain road the ground is rock and gravel.

In autumn, the canyon also has small streams of water flowing and there are unique bridges spanning small rivers. In the canyon, there are lots of rocks and water. Thanks to the spring water flowing all year round, the trees here are always green and lush. During the walk, you go over mostly flat distances. However, it is still sometimes necessary to climb the slopes to conquer this canyon.

In the middle of the walkway, visitors can stop at the stations to get more energy. It could be the hydroelectric station, located just outside the village of Mithi. After going on, you will admire the most wonderful part of this canyon.

Here, there are pristine cypress forests, pine forests, and rich herbs. There are kri-kri goats and some rare plants, especially orchids.

Crossing the cool water, looking up from below, over the towering cliff is a deep blue sky, light sunshine and gentle clouds. You can take pictures to save these wonderful moments.

Halfway through the walk, you’ll pass an abandoned stone village dating back to 1962 (the village is currently run by National Park authorities). Here you can see birds of prey or wild cretan goats. This is a very interesting experience that visitors will never forget.

On the journey to discover the Samaria canyon, there are many stops for visitors to rest, eat and drink. For short trips, you just need to follow the canyon to go. However, for longer walks, you can use a map or GPS.

At the end of the canyon is Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea. From here, you can take a train to the village of Hora Sfakion island to learn about the lives of the people here. The walking journey in Samaria Gorge is both an interesting experience and an exciting challenge for those who love an adventure.

Some things to note for the hike through the Samaria Gorge

• The canyon has a lot of rocks and pebbles so you need to prepare with the appropriate hiking gear. It is best to choose walking shoes or boots with a good grip and comfortable clothes. Don’t forget to bring your food, map, or compass in your backpack.
• If you’re going during the winter, you will need to prepare more warm clothes, socks, and raincoats. On the way there is water, but you still need to bring water or a bottle.
• In the winter, when it just rains, you need to be careful because standing water and surfaces are quite slippery. This place also has quite a rush of water so you should be careful when it rains.
• During the summer, it can get very warm. Remember to take enough water and plenty of sun screen.

Samaria Gorge contains a lot of interesting and new things. If you plan to travel to Greece don’t forget to experience this trekking experience through Europe’s longest gorge!