Ups and Downs and in the Air

We started 7:30 in the morning from Hania's main bus station. Tickets we sold at the station in the morning and the journey to Omalos took about an hour. The air was crisp and fresh on the top. There was a small store where the bus left us and had we forgotten to take water, sun screen or breakfast with us, that store would have supplied us all this. Samaria gorge is 16km long and the first 7km is very steep down hill. Stairs make the way down a little easier but it is a rough dirt road with a lot of loose stones, so you need to watch were you step all the time. This is why I'd rate Samaria the hardest and most difficult gorge in Crete. Still, it gets very crowded during the summer months and the earlier you start the better. Once you get down to the gorge, the hike gets easy. Depending on the year, there could be more or less big stones that you need to go around. Samaria, or any of the gorges for that matter is not a straight path. During the winter the flowing water t...

The island of Crete is a great place for many outdoor activities - on and off the beach. My experience from Crete is based on 4 holidays and 6 weeks spent on the island. Last time was on May 2015 when we spent two weeks driving, hiking and cycling around the island. There are many things I love about Crete but the most important are food, people, nature, beaches and hiking. Crete's mountains offer several options for hiking, especially the gorges of which you'll find a list below. I've visited three gorges in Crete and all three are very different from another. Hiking in the gorges is a great exercise and option to spend a day. I would exchange a day lying on the beach to one climbing a gorge anytime. The scenery is magnificent and the aroma from the flowers and herbs intoxicating. Although most gorges are suitable for almost anybody, the gorges offer challenges also for experienced hikers. The gorges I've been to have been well- guided in both ends and on-route. ...