Xyloscala to Ay. Nikolaos chapel 1hr 30mins; to Samaria old village 1hr 10mins; to Iron Gates 1hr 10mins; to park boundary 40mins; to Ay. Roumeli waterfront 30mins; total 5hrs
This hugely popular walk down the Samaria Gorge has brought much prosperity to western Crete. Perhaps as a result several smaller gorges in Crete have been developed as attractive walking routes. Although the National Park of the Gorge of Samaria has evolved in this way, part of it was designated a nature reserve as long ago as 1929, when biologists determined that the Cretan wild goat, or agrimi – (the ‘kri-kri’) – would become extinct if they did not take steps to save it. This ongoing project has its ups and downs but it is a fundamental reason why the gorge today is a well-organised national park run according to World Conservation Union standards.
A river fed by mountain springs and snowmelt runs down the gorge, disappearing and reappearing at intervals, typical of limestone terrain. Ay. Roumeli depends on this water supply. A big black pipe, starting in the riverbed at the source of the largest spring, Kefalovrisi (just north of the Iron Gates) conveys this water down to the village storage tank. Temporary timber walkways are positioned at the many river crossings on the walk. For those who prefer to wade (bring sandals) the river is not fast-flowing by the time the gorge opens to the public.
Principal man-made features are the old village of Samaria halfway down – from which the population was resettled in the 1960s – and the old village of Ay. Roumeli, just outside the park boundary at the bottom. New Ay. Roumeli is 1km further on, right on the seashore. Other constructions in or near the gorge, apart from mule tracks, are chapels, ruined Turkish forts and water conduits to ruined sawmills or used for irrigation.
As this part of the south coast is free of roads, tour groups finish by being transferred from Ay. Roumeli to Hora Sfakion, or Souyia, by boat, where they are met by the same coaches that took them up to Xyloscala. It is a long round for the bus drivers and an even longer day for the tourists. This standard tour method of hurrying down the gorge, and then leaving it almost immediately, detracts from the experience and does not fully reward the effort involved. Walk outside the ‘rush hours’ and make a point of staying overnight in Ay. Roumeli if you can.
Xyloscala: entrance to the Samaria Gorge
The main trail is so well-tramped that it is easy to follow and needs no signposting. Instead, signboards indicate points of interest. Drinking water, WCs and smokers’ stopping places are provided at intervals. Do not add to the huge number of stone cairns made by thoughtless trippers within recent years. They are not a natural feature of the valley floor and, worse, they have been seen to injure the kri-kri when they run away as, naturally, they are skittish. Wardens patrol the route and a mule-borne rubbish-collection patrol operates in the late afternoon, after most walkers have gone. Keep your ticket; it is collected at the other end.
KRI-KRI
The agrimi (‘the wild one’), also known as the ‘kri-kri’, is a type of goat about the size of a sheep, with a black stripe down its back. Both sexes and even the newborn have horns, but an old male sporting the huge horns once so prized by hunters may not exist in the wild at present. Some tavernas still feature kri-kri horns as wall decorations, but these date from the time before this delightful animal was protected from hunting. Only the sight of the massive cliffs and steep mountainsides of the upper gorge can explain how the kri-kri has managed to survive into modern times. The agrimi features in Bronze Age illustrations, but since it can be tamed and milked (or eaten), archaeologists rate it as an even older native of Crete – perhaps a Neolithic domestic goat. In the spring, when there is plentiful food on the high crags, you may not see a kri-kri. But in the autumn, when food is scarce, it should be easier, as some of them – protected by the wardens – frequent the Ay. Nikolaos chapel area and Samaria old village. In spite of conservation efforts there is inter-breeding with domestic goats. Among domestic goats nearby and in the lower part of the gorge you may see half-breeds with the characteristic black stripe down their backs (see also ‘Wildlife and hunting’, above).
Walkers pause to be sure, after hearing the sound of falling rocks
The national park is officially open 1 May–31 October, with an entrance fee (€7 in 2014). These dates can vary depending on springtime trail preparation work, the level of the water in the river, and autumn weather conditions. The ‘Gorge Lazy Way’ tour, for those who cannot manage the whole walk, starts earlier in the year. Excursionists arrive by boat at Ay. Roumeli for the 2hr 30min round walk to see Portes, the very narrow and impressive so-called ‘Iron Gates’ part of the gorge.
When the gorge is open the last boat from Ay. Roumeli to Hora Sfakion departs at 1700 although this can change to 1730 or even 1830 in high season. Certain runs call in at Loutro, and another departure serves Souyia. Visit the Sfakia ferries website – details in Appendix D – for all current timetables. Journey time in either direction is about 45mins, depending on the weather. A call at Loutro adds 30mins. The last KTEL evening bus to Chania (usually packed) waits for the boat. The ticket kiosk with the daily timetable is at the bottom of Ay. Roumeli main street, on the right. You can always enquire at the Tara or Calypso tavernas on the waterfront (landlords speak English) if anything unusual seems to be happening about the schedule.
There are no commercial outlets inside the park. There is no camping. Various guidebooks are on sale at Xyloscala, Omalos and Ay. Roumeli. The park closes at the top at 1500 to through-walkers but remains open to those (usually with a hired car) who wish to walk a short way down to see the view, before returning to the top again. Organised day-tours have left Xyloscala by midday, so an early afternoon start allows you to walk down relatively undisturbed. Otherwise, since the ‘rush hour(s)’ are early morning up to about 1100, try to be first at the entrance at 0600 when the ticket kiosk opens. This early start is well worth it, as this marvellous walk is downgraded if too many people are doing it at the same time. A daily average of up to 2000 trippers is quite normal. Fortunately the gorge is so huge, and so rugged, that this foot traffic makes no serious impact. Walkers seem as nothing compared to the ravages of the thaw from the surrounding mountains as the winter ends.
The park makes a significant cultural contribution by inducing town-dwelling Cretans to rediscover the beauty and worth of their own countryside and the pleasures of walking. Locals can choose their day: overcast, cool Sundays are preferred, when whole families can be seen trooping down alongside the tourists. Local schoolteachers may also take their pupils on the walk.
At any time of year, and in spite of all the tourist activity, the gorge remains a wild, rugged and potentially hazardous place. Always be on the alert for falling rocks. Rain followed by wind dislodges them most readily. The park will be closed if such conditions are expected. Tired or injured people, who finish the trip riding one of the few ‘rescue’ mules from Samaria village (which is expensive) sometimes hurt themselves further by falling, as the pack saddles are extremely uncomfortable. On rare occasions desert-like flash floods occur in Crete, when the parched land cannot absorb the first storms of winter. It is sensible to be aware of this if a storm develops (at any time of year). Unmaintained paths off the main trail are closed to the public (due to accidents in the past) and special permission from the Forestry Directorate of Chania is needed for access to them.
Towards the end of the walk, note the Turkish fort on the western skyline above the valley. The climb to it is not as far as it looks, and for unhurried