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Velas Tours
an incoming tour operator based in Greece with 34 years experience in both, tours and holidays
velastours.com
an incoming tour operator based in Greece with 34 years experience in both, tours and holidays
velastours.com
THE SPECTACULAR GORGES OF CRETETHE SPECTACULAR GORGES OF CRETE BY AURELIA Word count: 100l There are many ways to enjoy “The Great Island” known as Crete, but if you are a relatively healthy and active person, the most enjoyable and memorable experiences will be find in hiking the spectacular gorges or exploring the island during long walks. On an island where there are six mountain ranges, five “walking centres,” and an excellent network of busses, your choices of wonderful adventures on foot are vast and varied. Those who come to Crete to “do the gorges” are fond of asking those who are less adventuresome, “Well, if you dont plan to walk the Samaria gorge, then why are you here?” There are many gorges on the mountainous island of Crete, but the Samaria in Western Crete is the iconic gorge of Crete and, indeed, the most spectacular. It is in a protected, National Park and is open only between May and October. Its altitude is over 4,00 feet and a river, replenished by spring water and melted snow, runs through it. The gorge is wild, rugged, and breathtakingly beautiful. Those who have walked this gorge have earned their bragging rights. The walk through Samaria Gorge begins at Omalos and ends at the beach in Agia Roumeli, a length of approximately eighteen kilometers. Most visitors travel in groups and leave by bus from Chania to Omalos and, when the hike ends in Agia Roumeli, they take a ferry to Chora Sfakion where the bus is ready for the trip back to Chania. Tour operators recommend a leisurely pace with pauses for picture-taking and admiring the spectacular scenery, including lakes, waterfalls, and many flora, flowers and herbs. Hikers may even see the Cretan wild goat known as a “kri kri.” If this advice is followed, the journey from beginning to end will be approximately six to seven hours. Some dare-devils try to set records by literally running through the gorge and one must be on the look-out and avoid being in the way of these dangerous folk. Most visitors come on organized tours, but some will come to Omolas the day before, stay overnight, and begin the adventure when it opens at 7 am. The Omalos plateau is beautiful and serene and staying there overnight and watching the sun set can be a very special, almost transcendental experience. There are a number of small hotels in Omolas and some owners will drive hikers to the ticket kiosk in the morning. Many people find this to be the best way to experience the Samaria Gorge. Another way to enjoy the gorge, if a long hike downward is not to your liking, or if your knees will not permit it, is to start at the village of Agia Roumeli and pace yourself by walking up as far as you would like and then returning to the village. Some people choose not to go down the Samaria Gorge, but to go up to the summit of Gingilos, a height of 1980 metres. It is a popular mountain walk that starts from the entrance to the Samaria gorge and the views are superb. The Libyan sea is on the south and the peaks of the White Mountains are readily visible. IMBROS GORGE This is a very pleasant walk and, after Samaria, attracts the largest number of tourists. It begins at an altitude of approximately 2,600 feet in the village of Imbros and ends in Komitades, another village. It is about three miles and is said to be a “smooth and easy” walk, although it is steep. A man on a donkey will be visible at some point and he is there to help anyone in trouble. The ravine is rocky, but there are cypress, fig, and almond trees and many lovely flowers. Visually, it is a most enjoyable walk. OTHER GORGES. If you are determined that your experience in Crete must include descending a gorge, you have numerous choices, from Agia Eirini in the White Mountains, where a river runs through the top of the gorge to Kato Zakros, on the eastern end of the island, known as “the gorge of the dead,” and near a famous Minoan archeological site. You can walk Agia Eirini in less than four hours, going up and down hills on paths that become narrower and wider as you pass between the huge boulders that define the gorge. A very nice picnic area is half-way down the rocky path and a taverna is at the end before you continue your trek on the main road that leads to Sougia. An alternative to descending to gorges is to hike the plateaus, and one of the most beautiful is the Askyfou Plateau above Chora Sfakian. Four mountain villages are spread across this serene land and you will find many shepherds and cheese makers there. Crete is one vast mountain range and for experienced and highly skilled hikers and climbers, there is the choice of hiking on Mt. Dikti to the east, Lefka Ori or “the White Mountains to the west, and Mt. Psiloritis (also known as Mt. Ida) in the islands center. One of the best books on mountain walks in Crete is Crete, The White Mountains, by Loraine Wilson. She provides detailed guides and ranks the walks according to their degrees of difficulty. Information on the more strenuous climbs on the Mt. Dikti, Lefka Ori, and Mt. Psiloritis, can be found on various web sites devoted to Crete, such as Explore Crete, http://www.explorecrete.com/ and West Crete, http://www.west-crete.com/ If you want the experience of hiking with one of the best guides on the island, contact a Frenchman named Jean at skakiawalks@west-crete.com He is a personable man who has been leading groups on hikes for many years, Finally, for people who desire a more genteel experience, you cant beat the excursions run by Flowers of Crete. A lovely British woman named Julia will take you by car on excursions to various parts of the island, or you can join a group for a gentle walk through fields covered with the rainbow-hued, wild flowers of Crete. http://www.flowersofcrete.info O Telos
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