Top 15 Hiking Trips in Crete

1.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

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

Review of the Samaria Gorge trek from Chania, including the rocky 17 km hike, ferry ride, costs, guides, food, and practical tips.

“So five minutes before we were supposed to start the gorge they decided to close it. This was very disappointing. However, our guide offered us an alternative option of walking Imbros Gorge instead. This was much easier but still a nice day out. It was particularly interesting to learn that Imbros was used by the allied troops to evacuate during WWII. Afterwards we were taken to Hora Sphakia which was a beautiful little town. I appreciated the organisation of the tour and the ability to pivot and offer us an alternative day trip so the day wasn't wasted.”

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

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

Review of the Samaria Gorge trek from Rethymno, with transport, guide, costs, difficulty, route details, ferry ride, and practical tips.

“Very well organised. A great day out. Enough time to enjoy the walk and the beach and town at the end. The trip ended with a beautiful sunset from the ferry.”

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3.From Chania/Rethymno: Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup

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

Hike Samaria Gorge from Chania or Rethymno with pickup, guide, ferry, mountain views, springs, Iron Gates, and a swim at Agia Roumeli.

“A fabulous experience ! The whole day was great and very well organised. The Hike down the gorge was very tough but rewarding”

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4.Samaria Gorge with Professional Hiking Guide

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

Review of the Samaria Gorge hike from Chania, covering the rocky trail, Kri-Kri goats, beach swim, transport, costs, and practical tips.

“This hike was fantastic – amazing views all the way and we had great weather. The route is well-equipped with WC facilities and water fill stations throughout, which makes it more comfortable. As mentioned before, it is a challenging hike, so I’d definitely recommend wearing proper hiking boots with good ankle support. Overall, a rewarding experience. There is also a small his do €2 to the beach/town, after you finish the gorge it might be worth the trip to save your legs :)”

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5.Samaria Gorge Hiking from Chania with Professional Hiking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 372 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $52

Review of Samaria Gorge hiking from Chania: a demanding 16 km descent, mountain scenery, beach time, guides, costs, and practical tips.

“The bus ride home was terrible! We both got car sick, the driver was taking turn uncomfortably fast. The hike was EPIC!! Glad we did it”

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6.From Rethymno/Chania: Imbros Gorge Hike

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

Hike Crete’s Imbros Gorge on an easy downhill trail, then swim, eat, and relax by the Libyan Sea in Sfakia.

“lovely picturesque hike. was able to walk alone but safely under the knowledge the guide was not far behind in case of any issues.”

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7.Samaria Gorge Hike

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

Review of Crete’s Samaria Gorge hike, with practical advice on fitness, costs, transport, swimming, ferry views, and what to pack.

“Beautiful area, amazing views the whole way. Quite long and rocky hike but not too challenging if you're relatively fit, you might ache for a few days after though so maybe plan towards the end of your trip.”

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8.From Chania/Kalyves: Full-Day Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 162 reviews · from $33

Review the Samaria Gorge hike from Chania, with route details, costs, fitness advice, guide support, Agia Roumeli, and practical tips.

“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

Hike Crete’s Imbros Gorge from Chania, then swim and eat by the Libyan Sea in Sfakia on this practical family-friendly day tour.

“Ingrid was very knowledgeable and kept us informed each step of the way. Nikos was a safe and efficient driver. Pick up and drop off were very smooth and on time.”

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10.Samariá Gorge Full-Day Hike

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

Hike Crete’s Samaria Gorge from Rethymno, pass the Iron Gates, swim in Agia Roumeli, and ferry along the Libyan coast.

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11.Samaria Gorge Hiking with transfer and expert Escort

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

Hike Crete’s Samaria Gorge, swim in Agia Roumeli, and ride the south coast boat for a well-organized full-day adventure.

“The travel arrangements were excellent and the guide really knew his stuff It is a tough walk which took around 5 hours with a lot of uneven surface, but very enjoyable”

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12.Kourtaliotiko Gorge: Guided River Adventure Trek with Lunch

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

Trek Crete’s Kourtaliotiko Gorge with swims, waterfall jumps, river pools, a local lunch, and a certified guide in a small group.

“The tour was very fun! The wetsuits were very helpful at the beginning when we went to check out the waterfall as the water was quite cold. Afterwards you get used to walking in the cold-ish water and it also gets warmer. Our guide was very professional and made the tour fun.”

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

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

Trek Crete’s Kourtaliotiko Gorge through waterfalls, pools, and river channels, with gear, transport, and a farm lunch included.

“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 Chania with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 51 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $41

Review of the Samaria Gorge trek from Chania, including route, guide support, costs, ferry, fitness needs, pickup, and practical tips.

“This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. First: my husband and I are not hikers. We’re moderately fit, but we’ve never done a hike of more than two hours. We finished in just under six, and it felt like a huge accomplishment—and what a BEAUTIFUL location. This is doable, but a long day—come with water, snacks, and good shoes, and rent the hiking poles when offered. Be prepared for the long day, and recognize that it is well worth it.”

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15.Samariá Gorge Hike: Day Excursion from Chania

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 49 reviews · 11 hours · from $47

Review of the Samariá Gorge hike from Chania, with route details, costs, fitness advice, guide praise, transport tips, and honest drawbacks.

“Pick-up, transport, and return transport all went very smoothly. The tour guide, Pari, was knowledgeable and very friendly. We arrived at the sea after about four hours, at around 12:15 p.m. The meeting point for the whole group was at 4:00 p.m. at Rousios to get the ferry tickets. So we had something to eat and then went swimming in the sea. After this meeting at 4:00 p.m., everyone was informed that they had the next 1.5 hours free until the ferry departed. So we had to wait again. Then there was the return trip to the starting point by bus. We just want to say that if you are…”

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