Samaria Gorge Closed for Winter 2026: What to Book Now

Booking choice: The Samaria trek from Chania, from $45 per person. Check dates Tour details

There is no walking through the Samaria Gorge in winter. NECCA, the national agency that runs the park, says it plainly on its ticket site: the park "will remain closed between 01/11/2026 and 09/04/2027 due to off season".

This year the season was short at both ends. The gorge opened late, on 19 May, after the last winter tore up the path, and storms closed it again from 19 October. None of that is a reason to give up on it. It is a reason to plan with some slack, and this post shows how.

The quick answer

The Samaria Gorge is closed for winter from 1 November 2026 until at least 9 April 2027, according to NECCA's ticket site. No 2027 opening date has been announced: the park can open from 10 April only if the path survived the winter, and 1 May is the traditional day. Plan a crossing from late May onward with a spare day, and keep Imbros Gorge as the fallback.

Is the Samaria Gorge open now?

No. The Samaria Gorge is closed from 1 November 2026 until at least 9 April 2027, from both the Xyloskalo and the Agia Roumeli entrance.

The closure covers everything, including the short walk up from Agia Roumeli to the Iron Gates. The ticket site will not sell a date inside the closed period.

The "9 April" in NECCA's notice is the end of the closed period, not a promise to open on 10 April. Read it as "not before".

When	Status	Source
Now until 9 April 2027	Closed for the off season	NECCA's ticket site
From 10 April 2027 at the earliest	The rules allow an early opening, but only if the path came through the winter undamaged	Park rules
Traditional opening day	1 May, kept only when the path, the river and the weather allow it	Park rules
The 2027 opening date	Not announced yet; set by a resolution of the Decentralized Administration of Crete	Park rules

Why does the Samaria Gorge close in winter?

Rain, snow and rockfall. Winter storms swell the river, wash away sections of path and loosen the cliffs, and the gorge needs repairs and inspections before anyone can walk it again.

The gorge drains a large part of the White Mountains. When it rains hard, the stream that you hop across on stepping stones in summer becomes a river. Last winter it reached about 2 m deep in places near the Portes, the narrow section by the Iron Gates, and landslides buried parts of the trail.

Rockfall is the other worry. The park now takes safety seriously after rockfall accidents in 2023 and 2024, so the slopes are checked before every season. In autumn the boats from Agia Roumeli can also be cancelled in strong wind, which leaves walkers stuck for the night at the bottom. A winter crossing would stack every one of those risks.

Stepping stones across a clear stream between boulders — In summer the river is a line of stepping stones; after winter rain it can run 2 m deep.

When will the Samaria Gorge open in 2027?

Nobody knows yet. The park rules allow an opening no earlier than 10 April if the path is undamaged, 1 May is the traditional opening day, and the official date is set each year by resolution.

The decision follows a sequence, and each step depends on the winter. A mild one could mean a late April opening. A hard one, like the last, pushes it into late May. In 2026 the gorge missed 1 May and opened on Tuesday 19 May, after debris clearing and two expert inspections.

Watch NECCA's ticket site from March: the closed-period notice changes when a date is fixed. Our season and opening times guide keeps the current status and the daily hours.

Step	What happens
1. Winter damage	NECCA assesses rockfall, the path and the river; in 2026 it warned local authorities about the river in early April.
2. Repairs	Contractors clear debris and rebuild the damaged sections of path; in 2026 the work started in mid-April.
3. Expert inspection	In 2026 geologists from Prof. Efthymios Lekkas's team and IGME, the Greek geological survey, inspected the slopes before the go-ahead.
4. Official decision	The opening is fixed by resolution and announced by NECCA.

What can you book now for next season?

Flights and a base in Chania or Rethymno first, then the tour once your dates show. All the Samaria tours we list have free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so a booking made early can still move.

Pick the tour by what is in the price. Most sell the coach and the guide, and you pay the €10 entry ticket and the boat from Agia Roumeli on the day. The all-inclusive tour from Chania is the exception: both are in its $84 from-price.

Not sure you can manage 16 km downhill? The easy way comes in from the sea and walks up to the Iron Gates and back, about 2 km each way. It is the same gorge, just not the full crossing. Our difficulty guide helps you choose.

Tour	From	Entry and boat	Best for
Full-Day Trek from Chania	$45	Paid on the day (€10 + €15)	The classic full crossing with hotel pickup
With a Professional Hiking Guide	$35	Paid on the day (€10 + €15)	A hiking guide, safety briefing and radio support
All-Inclusive from Chania	$84	Both included	No cash to sort out on the day
Trek from Rethymno	$45	Paid on the day	Hotels along the Rethymno coast
Samaria the Easy Way	$31	Paid on the day	A short walk to the Iron Gates from the sea

The most booked Samaria day: hotel pickup in the Chania area, a live guide and the coach home after the boat.

★ 4.6 · Full day · from $45

Explore the Samaria trek from Chania Tour details

What can you do in Crete while the Samaria Gorge is closed?

Walk a smaller gorge or a stretch of the south coast, or see the White Mountains from a 4x4. Imbros Gorge, near Hora Sfakion, stays walkable in winter on dry days.

Imbros is the one most tours switch to when Samaria is shut. It is about 8 km, mostly downhill, with a narrow section where the walls nearly touch. The Imbros Gorge hike from Chania adds a swim stop on the Sfakia coast, from $31.

The coastal path from Hora Sfakion to Loutro, the Diktamos Gorge near Chania and the mountain villages on the White Mountains 4x4 tour all work in the cooler months too. Each one, with lengths and winter cautions, is in our winter hikes post.

A natural rock arch over a stony gorge path — Imbros Gorge, the usual stand-in when Samaria is closed.

Imbros Gorge with a guide and a swim on the Sfakia coast, pickup in the Chania area.

Check dates for the Imbros Gorge hike

How do you plan a spring trip around an uncertain opening?

Aim for late May or later if Samaria is the reason for the trip, keep two possible days for the crossing, and book a tour with free cancellation.

Leave a spare day. Weather closures are decided the day before. If your first day is lost, you still have a second.
Know the daily window. The full crossing must start between 7:00 and 13:00, and everyone must be out by 18:00. The last boats leave Agia Roumeli at 17:30.
Have a plan B. On closure days many tours offer Imbros instead. Georgia, in a 5-star review from Oct 2026, wrote: "Samaria was closed due to the recent storms, I was offered Imbros Gorge instead. It was a lovely day trip."
Bring cash. Unless you take the all-inclusive tour, the entry ticket and the boat are paid on the day.

The full side-by-side of the two gorges is in Samaria vs Imbros.

Two sheer rock walls a few metres apart — The Iron Gates, about 3 to 4 m wide, are the goal of both the full crossing and the easy way.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Samaria Gorge open in winter?

No. It is closed from 1 November 2026 until at least 9 April 2027, according to NECCA's ticket site, from both entrances.

When does the Samaria Gorge open in 2027?

No date has been announced. The rules allow an opening from 10 April if the path is undamaged, 1 May is the traditional date, and in 2026 it opened on 19 May.

Can I walk to the Iron Gates from Agia Roumeli in winter?

No. The winter closure covers the whole park, including the short walk up from Agia Roumeli.

What is a good winter alternative to the Samaria Gorge?

Imbros Gorge near Hora Sfakion: about 8 km, mostly downhill, walkable in winter on dry days. Avoid it after heavy rain.

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