Top 15 Hiking & Trekking Days in Crete

1.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,191 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $41Our pick

You’ll hike 17 rocky kilometers through Samaria Gorge with an English-speaking guide, then rest, swim, or eat in Agia Roumeli before a coastal ferry and bus return. Guides such as Sara and Christina help with pacing and safety, but you need strong shoes and good fitness.

“The tour guide and transportation were great! The gorge itself has too many people. Often, the foot path is only wide enough for one person. With so many people on the paths, some fast, some slow, it kind of sucks. Also, the bathrooms suck. For the amount of money the gorge park takes in, improve the lousy bathrooms.”

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2.Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,610 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $37

Travel from Rethymno to Omalos, then walk Samaria Gorge at your own pace with a multilingual mountain escort. Expect rocky downhill paths, ancient trees, springs, wild goats, and a ferry from Agia Roumeli. Guides such as Pia, George, and Alexandra have been praised for clear instructions and personal care.

“Long day, but great. Well managed and organised. Pia was a fantastic guide with incredible language skills. She managed the group really well.”

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3.Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,010 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Join an English-speaking guide such as Ingrid, Nikos, or George for Samaria Gorge’s rocky 16-kilometer descent. Pickup, bus transport, ferry tickets, and the €10 park entrance are separate. Walk at your own pace, then swim at Agia Roumeli before sailing to Sougia.

“This was an amazing hike, super easy with the hostel pick up/drop off. It was pretty busy at the start but not too bad if you get ahead of the crowds. We finished in about 3.5hrs and the ferry didn’t leave until 5pm, so we spent a while at the end - but there was a cute town and nice beach so no complaints! Would recommend.”

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4.Samaria Gorge with Professional Hiking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 720 reviews · 14 hours · from $37

Join an English-speaking guide and comfortable coach from Chania for the 16 km Samaria Gorge hike. Walk past the Iron Gates, refill water at springs, then swim and eat at Agia Roumeli before a scenic boat ride to Sougia. Guides such as Ingrid, Nikos, and Dimitris help keep the long day organized.

“I try think it would be better to write hidden costs of entry fee and ferry in description prior to paying. I would have still gone”

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5.Samaria Gorge Hiking from Chania with Professional Hiking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 372 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $51

Join a guided day trip from Chania to Samaria Gorge, descending rocky trails from Omalos to Agia Roumeli. Guides such as Ingrid, Nicos, and Sylvia help with timing and safety, while your bus, ferry, and beach stop turn this strenuous hike into a full Crete adventure.

“Amazing experience! Our tour guide Ingrid was very informative, friendly and safe conscious. Would highly recommend! Note: If you have any questions, CALL Viator or Tour directly.”

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6.Imbros Gorge Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 353 reviews · 8 hours · from $30Best value

Walk downhill through Imbros Gorge with an English-speaking guide, passing narrow rock walls and historic landmarks before reaching Komitades. Afterward, enjoy free time in Sfakia for a swim, seaside meal, or Venetian-fortress views. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“Very nice guide with a very relaxing voice :) Hike was lovely and it’s such a beautiful experience - to walk through the gorge from the mountains to the seaside.”

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7.Samaria Gorge Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 201 reviews · 17 hours · from $56

Join a multilingual guide, including experienced guide Athina, for a full-day hike through Samaria Gorge. Walk 15 km past the old village and Iron Gates, swim at Agia Roumeli, then ferry to Sfakia. Bring sturdy shoes, water, sun protection, and cash for the €10 park and €14 boat fees.

“Well organised trip and had a brilliant day. It was a long day being picked up at 6am and not getting back to hotel until 10pm but thoroughly enjoyed it. The Gorge is awesome and the walk was challenging in the heat but well worth the effort. The swim in the sea at the end was heavenly as was the cold beer after! Getting the boat back for part of the way was fab and also the stop for souvlaki being cooked outside for us.”

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8.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 162 reviews · from $32

Join Io Tours for a 14-hour Samaria Gorge day trip from Chania or Kalyves. Guides such as Pari and Dafne lead you through an 18-kilometre gorge at your own pace, then you get time for lunch and a swim in Agia Roumeli before the ferry and bus ride home.

“Incredible hike, challenging and hot but very picturesque. Dafne the guide was great. Clear instructions, earned trust quickly. Wear very sturdy shoes, preferably hiking boots. Steep descent of 1,700m isn’t kind to the fittest of legs/ankles. Lots of scree, uneven ground, small river crossings and rock hopping. Plenty of clean spring water, rest areas and toilets on the way. Food at the end was incredible. Pack snacks, lunch as there is no food during the hike. Most of the hike is in shade and there was a coolish breeze comi n up the gorge which was refreshing. Agia Roumelli beach where you finish isn’t the nicest of Crete beaches but…”

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9.Imbros Gorge Guided Hike and Village Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 133 reviews · 8 hours · from $35

Join guides such as Carolina or Ingrid for a mostly downhill 9 km walk through Imbros Gorge, with narrow cliff passages, wartime history, and a swim stop in Chora Sfakion. Hotel pickup, an air-conditioned coach, and drop-off are included. Bring sturdy shoes, water, sunscreen, swimwear, and cash for the gorge entrance.

“Excellent trip and amazing trek in the Imbros Gorge ..”

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10.Samariá Gorge Full-Day Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 129 reviews · 12 hours · from $37

Join an English-speaking guide such as Maria or Leonidas for a demanding 16-kilometer walk through Samaria Gorge. You’ll see springs, cliffs, Kri-Kri goats, the Iron Gates, and finish with a swim at Agia Roumeli before the ferry to Sougia.

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11.Samaria Gorge Hiking with transfer and expert Escort

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 125 reviews · 12 - 16 hours · from $47

You’ll descend the Omalos Plateau through Samaria Gorge with an English or German-speaking guide such as Nikos, Claudia, Marcos, or Ingrid. After 4 to 6 hours on the rocky trail, you’ll eat, swim, and rest at Agia Roumeli before a one-hour boat ride to Hora Sfakion and a bus back.

“Claudia is the best guide I've ever saw. And the Samaria Gorge is just awesome!”

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12.Kourtaliotiko Gorge: Guided River Adventure Trek with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 106 reviews · 4.5 hours · from $112Top rated

Join Panos, Alkis, or another certified guide for a 4.5-hour river trek through Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Swim to a cold waterfall, walk through clear pools, spot frogs and dragonflies, and finish with Cretan tapas and a beer at The Banana Garden.

“Great tour, great guide, truly stunning and breathtaking nature. Perfect length for a hike and a lovely ending at the tavern”

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13.Kourtaliotiko Gorge River Trek with Lunch! Pick-up Avaliable

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 90 reviews · 5 hours · from $112

You’ll follow an English-speaking guide through Kourtaliotiko Gorge, swimming to its great waterfall and walking through river pools for about two hours. Gear, transfers, a waterproof phone case, and a light meal at Banana Garden are included. Hotel pickup around Rethymno is optional.

“It was truly an awesome experience from the very start to the end. The guide was well organised and helped walking through more challenging spots in the river. Also told a lot about Crete and the place where we were walking. The views were breathtaking. At the end we had lunch at banana garden where we also got a chance to walk around with the garden owner and see lots of plants/trees. Thanks very much for such a great experience. It was well worth it!”

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14.Samaria Gorge Trek: Full-Day Excursion from Rethymno with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $38

Leave Rethymno early for Omalos and walk 16 kilometers through Samaria Gorge, with a guide such as George, Pia, Jorgos, or Ingrid nearby. The descent takes about 5 to 7 hours, followed by lunch or a swim in Agia Roumeli and a ferry to Sfakia.

“Trekking in Samaria Gorge is tiring but definitely worth every minute. It took us around 7 hours to walk down the gorge but we stopped often to take photos because the view is really amazing. You should wear comforable shoes with non-slippery soles because the steps and stones can be very slippery. A water bottle is necessary and luckily you can refill it from the several springs during the hike. The bus arrived on time and managed to keep the schedule the whole day. Our guide (Jorgos) was very kind and helpful all day. He checked on the tourists from time to time and asked if we had any questions,…”

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15.Imbros Gorge and Sfakia Experience Hike & Swim

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $51

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Chania to Imbros Gorge, walk its rocky 7-kilometer trail with an English-speaking escort, then relax or swim in Chora Sfakion. Guides including Nikos, Ingrid, and Vasilis have led departures, with time for a meal or coffee by the sea.

“Great day out. Pick up (~50 people) was slow but normal for such a large tour. Very organised and everyone was respectful of time, which helps. Beautiful gorge and perfect stop at Sfakia to finish the day. Recommend as an active day out but don’t book via viator as trip ended up costing us 20% more than the people paying on the bus.”

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