The Samaria Gorge is a 13-kilometre canyon through the White Mountains of western Crete, one of Europe’s great day hikes: you walk down from 1,227 metres at Xyloskalo, on the Omalos plateau, to the village of Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, about 15 km in all and 6–7 hours. A ticket costs €10 as of October 2026, and the season can run from 10 April to 31 October. As of 4 October 2026 the gorge is closed at both entrances after a red weather alert for Crete; NECCA, the park’s managing agency, will announce the reopening after inspecting and repairing the path. Check its official ticket site before you travel.
Right now in Samaria Gorge
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Tickets and tours for Samaria Gorge
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Why the Samaria Gorge matters
The gorge is the heart of the Samaria (Lefka Ori) National Park, protected since 1962 for its forests, its rare plants and the Cretan wild goat, the kri-kri. The path drops through pine and cypress woods, follows a mostly dry riverbed past the abandoned village of Samaria, whose people left when the park was created, and squeezes through the Iron Gates (Sideroportes), where the rock walls close to a few metres apart and rise hundreds of metres overhead. There are no roads in the gorge: only hikers and the park’s working mules use the path, and the only way out of Agia Roumeli is by boat.
The walk
- Xyloskalo to Samaria village (about 6–7 km): a steep descent on a wooden-railed stairway and zigzags, the hardest part on the knees, with views of Mount Gingilos.
- Samaria village: the halfway rest area, with shade, water, toilets and a small chapel. Wardens are based here.
- Samaria to the Iron Gates: the gorge narrows, and you cross the stream on stepping stones and small bridges.
- The Iron Gates to Agia Roumeli: after the narrowest point, the old village of Agia Roumeli and then about 2 km of flat, sun-baked track to the new village by the sea, where you can swim and eat before the boat.
Springs along the path let you refill your bottle, and there are toilets at the rest areas, but there are no shops. Stones can fall: don’t stop where signs warn of rockfall.
Tickets and season
Official information from NECCA, as of October 2026:
- Price: €10 per person; €6 per person for families (parents and their under-18 children); €8 each for organised club groups of more than 10; €25 for an annual pass. The price is the same for the full walk or a short one.
- Free entry: under-18s, over-65s, EU university students, people with disabilities and their companions, and a few other groups, all with ID or proof. Carry it: unjustified reduced tickets can be fined ten times the price.
- Free days: 21 March, 21 May and 5 June.
- Where to buy: online on NECCA’s official site, samaria-tickets.necca.gov.gr, or at either entrance. Keep the extra slip you are given at the entrance: it is checked at the exit, so wardens know everyone is out.
- Season: the main path may open from 10 April to 31 October. The exact opening date depends each year on the end of maintenance works.
- Closures: NECCA closes the gorge for rain, wind, rockfall or fire risk, usually deciding the afternoon before and sometimes on the day. In early October 2026 it closed both entrances during the storm that put Crete on red alert; with the season ending on 31 October, check whether it reopens before then.
Hours
You can start the full walk, or any part of it, between 7:00 and 13:00. After 13:00 you may only walk the first 2 km from either end, until 15:00 from Xyloskalo and 16:00 from Agia Roumeli. Everyone must be out of the park by 18:00. Start early: it is cooler, and the last boats from Agia Roumeli leave in the late afternoon.
What to bring and safety
- Broken-in hiking boots or trail shoes with good grip; the path is rocky and loose.
- A hat, sunscreen, snacks and at least one bottle to refill at the springs.
- ID, your ticket and any proof for a free ticket.
- Cash for lunch and the boat in Agia Roumeli.
There is no age limit, but plan for your fitness: the descent is long and tiring. Families with young children, or anyone with bad knees, may prefer the “lazy way” from Agia Roumeli to the Iron Gates and back. The park rules forbid fires, smoking outside signed spots, camping or overnight stays, alcohol, picking plants, bicycles and drones; dogs must be on a lead.
Accessibility
NECCA states that the park currently has no infrastructure for visitors with disabilities. The path is unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Getting there and back
KTEL buses leave Chania’s central bus station for Omalos in about an hour, timed for the morning start. From Agia Roumeli, ANENDYK ferries sail east to Chora Sfakion (with buses back to Chania) or west to Sougia and Paleochora. Strong winds sometimes stop the boats even when the gorge is open, so check the timetable. Many Chania agencies sell day tours including the bus, the ferry and the coach back, the simplest way to do it. Driving to Omalos means getting back to your car, which is complicated; most people leave the car at home.
Combine it with
Base yourself in Chania for the gorge, the lagoons of Balos and Elafonisi and the Venetian harbour, or spend a night in Agia Roumeli, Loutro or Sougia on the south coast. Read our Crete travel guide, our Greece travel guide and our hiking guide, and see Knossos in the centre of the island. Swim at the end of the walk: see our beaches guide.
Samaria Gorge FAQ
Is the Samaria Gorge open now?
As of 4 October 2026 it is closed at both entrances after a red weather alert for Crete. NECCA will announce the reopening on samaria-tickets.necca.gov.gr; the season ends on 31 October.
How much is the Samaria Gorge ticket?
€10 per person, €6 each for families, as of October 2026. Under-18s and over-65s enter free with ID.
How long does it take to walk the Samaria Gorge?
Most people take 6–7 hours for the 13 km inside the gorge plus about 2 km to Agia Roumeli, with stops.
Is the Samaria Gorge hard?
It is long rather than technical: a steady descent of over 1,200 metres on rocky paths, tough on the knees. Reasonably fit walkers with good shoes manage it.
How do you get back from the Samaria Gorge?
By boat from Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakion, Sougia or Paleochora, then by bus, car or tour coach. There is no road out of Agia Roumeli.
When is the best time to hike the Samaria Gorge?
May, June, September and early October: green and cooler in spring, warm and calmer in autumn. Midsummer is hot, so start at 7:00.