Samaria opening times

Is Samaria Gorge open today?

Not until next season. It closed for the winter on 1 November 2026, and NECCA's ticket site lists it closed until at least 9 April 2027.

In season, the answer changes day to day. NECCA, the agency that runs the park, decides the day before from the weather forecast and posts the result on its site and through the Greek news. On a doubtful day it can hold back the decision: on 23 September 2026 it closed the gorge for the next day and promised a new announcement at 6:30 a.m. if the forecast improved.

Three ways to check on the day:

• NECCA's ticket site (samaria-tickets.necca.gov.gr) shows closures and blocks the dates.
• Your tour operator messages you if the gorge is shut; the big ones switch the day to Imbros.
• Greek and Cretan news carry each closure notice, usually by the evening before.

What time does the Samaria Gorge open for hiking?

Entry for the full crossing is from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at both ends. Everyone must be out of the park by 6 p.m.

The hours are the same whichever way you walk. After 1 p.m. the park only lets you walk a short way in and back, so the gate staff turn full-crossing walkers away. Going on your own? Aim to reach Xyloskalo early, by car or the first KTEL bus of the day, for the most daylight.

When is the Samaria Gorge season?

From spring to the end of October, with exact dates set each year by the authorities and the state of the path.

The park's rules allow an opening no earlier than 10 April, and only if winter has left the path in safe shape. In practice the gorge usually opens around the start of May. Before it can open, the wooden bridges taken down for winter go back in, rockfall is cleared and the stream crossings are checked.

2026 shows how far that can slip. Winter storms caused landslides and left the river 2 to 3 m high near the Iron Gates, and the gorge missed its usual 1 May start. Prof. Efthymios Lekkas and the Greek geological survey inspected it in May, and it opened from both entrances on 19 May.

Why is Samaria Gorge closed?

Winter, or the weather. Outside the season it is shut; in season NECCA closes it whenever forecast rain, storms, heat or fire risk pass set limits.

The gorge is a stream bed between walls hundreds of metres high. Rain brings rocks down and raises the water at the stepping-stone crossings within hours. The Regional Unit of Chania sets rain limits for opening, and NECCA works to them: on 18 August 2026 a forecast of up to 9 mm at Xyloskalo was enough to close both entrances.

The safety kit has grown with it. Since 2025 NECCA runs a nowcasting app that warns of severe weather up to two hours ahead at critical points, and from the 2026 season helmets are free at both entrances. Wear one. Strong wind is the other risk late in the year: the boats from Agia Roumeli can be cancelled, and walkers then stay the night in the village.

What happens to my tour if the gorge is closed?

The operator either moves you to another gorge, usually Imbros, or offers another date or a refund.

On the October 2026 storm days the big Chania tours ran Imbros instead of Samaria, with the same pickup and a swim in Hora Sfakion at the end. If you would rather wait for Samaria, ask for another date: all the tours we list have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Two habits help. Book early in your stay, not on your last day, so there is room to move it. And keep the evening before free to read your messages, because that is when closure notices go out.

The usual plan B, and a good day in its own right: Imbros with a guide, then the Sfakia coast.

★ 4.7 · Full day · from $34

Explore the Imbros Gorge hike → Tour details

When will Samaria Gorge open in 2027?

No date has been announced. NECCA lists the park closed until at least 9 April 2027, and the opening is set each spring.

Earliest is 10 April under the park rules, and only if the path came through winter undamaged. 2026 opened on 19 May; other recent years opened around the start of May. Plan on May as the realistic start and treat anything earlier as a bonus.

Tours open their calendars well ahead, and with free cancellation up to 24 hours before you lose nothing by booking a date before the official announcement. If the opening slips past your date, the operator will offer Imbros, another day or your money back. Our post on the winter closure has what is known so far.

What is the best month to hike the Samaria Gorge?

Late May, June and September are the sweet spot: open, long days, and neither the snowmelt nor the August heat.

Each part of the season has a trade-off:

• May and early June: fresh green, more water in the springs and stream, cooler on the plateau. Early May can still be delayed by winter damage.
• July and August: the most reliable weather and the busiest path, with heat at the bottom. Start at 7 a.m. if you can.
• September: warm sea at Agia Roumeli, fewer people, a few storm days.
• October: the coolest walking and golden plane trees, but in 2026 it lost much of the month to storms.

Whatever the month, plan a spare day in the week. More on fitness and the heat is in how hard the hike is.

Is there a website for Samaria Gorge?

Yes: NECCA's ticket site, samaria-tickets.necca.gov.gr, is the official one for tickets, dates and closures.

NECCA (the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, OFYPEKA in Greek) runs the park through its management unit for Samaria and the protected areas of western Crete. Its ticket site sells the €10 entry and shows which days are open.

Be careful with samaria.gr. It belonged to the former management body and now says itself that it is kept only as an archive. Its route descriptions are fine; its €5 ticket price and older hours are out of date. For the boat out, ANENDYK's own site has the fares and the Agia Roumeli timetable. All the costs are in our cost guide.

Frequently asked questions