# SamariaGorgeHike.com - Samaria Gorge hike tours, fees and the season in western Crete

> Guide to hiking the Samaria Gorge in Crete, Greece: the tours from Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion, what they include,
> the entry fee, the boat back from Agia Roumeli, the season and daily hours, difficulty, and the alternatives nearby.
> Not affiliated with NECCA, the Samaria National Park, any tour provider or GetYourGuide.

Site: https://samariagorgehike.com
Language: en. Currency: USD for tours (park and boat fees quoted in EUR). Country: Greece (Crete, Chania region).

## Verified facts

- Route: Xyloskalo (Omalos plateau, 1,227 m) to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, about 16 km (13 km inside the park plus 3 km to the village); 6 to 7 hours with stops.
- Run by NECCA (Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency); entry tickets on its ticket site and at the entrances. National park since 1962.
- Entry 2025-2026: EUR 10 per adult; family EUR 6 per person; groups over 10 EUR 8; annual pass EUR 25. EU citizens under 18 and over 65 free. The old EUR 5 fee is out of date.
- Hours: full crossing must start 07:00 to 13:00; after 13:00 only short walks of 2 km from each entrance; everyone out by 18:00.
- Season: spring to 31 October, dates set each year. 2026: opened 19 May after winter damage; closed by storms from 19 October; closed for winter from 1 November 2026 until at least 9 April 2027.
- No road at the end: ANENDYK boats leave Agia Roumeli at 17:30 for Hora Sfakion and Sougia; buses and tour coaches meet them.
- Most tours exclude the entry ticket and the boat (about EUR 15 on a tour); some all-inclusive tours include both.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a
commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://samariagorgehike.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD at the last build and move.

- Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek from Chania (Chania hotels and stops) - from $45 per person, Full day, entry and boat: No: entry €10 and boat €15 paid on the day; rated 4.6 from 3,552 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-hike-from-chania/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/from-chania-full-day-samaria-gorge-trek-excursion-guide-t115183/
- Samaria Gorge with a Professional Hiking Guide (Chania meeting points) - from $35 per person, Full day, entry and boat: No: entry €10 and boat €15 paid on the day; rated 4.7 from 1,237 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-hiking-guide-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/from-chania-samaria-gorge-with-professional-hiking-guide-t745218/
- Samaria Gorge All-Inclusive: Ferry & Entry Fee (Chania area, 55 pickup points) - from $84 per person, Full day, entry and boat: Yes: entry and boat both included; rated 4.6 from 289 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-all-inclusive/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/chania-area-with-pick-up-samaria-gorge-hike-and-boat-ride-t1171669/
- Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek from Rethymno (Rethymno coast hotels) - from $45 per person, Full day, entry and boat: No: entry and boat paid on the day; rated 4.6 from 1,768 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-from-rethymno/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/rethymno-l1808/from-rethymno-samaria-gorge-full-day-trek-pickup-guide-t106003/
- Samaria Gorge Day Trip from Heraklion & Malia (Heraklion, Agia Pelagia, Malia) - from $55 per person, 12 hours or more, entry and boat: No: entry and boat paid on the day; rated 4.4 from 387 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-from-heraklion/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/heraklion-l1806/from-heraklionagia-pelagiamalia-samaria-gorge-guided-trip-t294260/
- Samaria Gorge the Easy Way (Kolymvari and Stavromenos) - from $31 per person, Full day, entry and boat: No: boat and entry paid on the day; not the full crossing; rated 4.4 from 40 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-easy-way/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/crete-samaria-gorge-and-agia-roumeli-t66908/
- Imbros Gorge Hike & Sfakia Coast from Chania (Chania pickup) - from $34 per person, Full day, entry and boat: Imbros entry €5 paid in cash; rated 4.7 from 227 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/imbros-gorge-hike-from-chania/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/from-chania-imbros-gorge-and-sfakia-experience-hike-swim-t746299/
- Samaria Gorge Private Transfer from Chania (Your address, Chania area) - from $123 per person, Full day, entry and boat: No: entry, boat and food extra; rated 5.0 from 16 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/samaria-gorge-private-transfer/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/sfakia-l160310/chania-samaria-gorge-private-transfer-t604594/
- White Mountains 4x4 Day Tour with Lunch (Chania hotels) - from $106 per person, 6.5 hours, entry and boat: No gorge walk: a 4x4 day in the mountains; rated 4.7 from 135 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://samariagorgehike.com/tours/white-mountains-4x4-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/chania-l1807/crete-white-mountains-preserve-and-kallergi-refuge-day-tour-t438790/

## Guide pages

- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/how-hard-is-samaria-gorge/ - How hard the Samaria Gorge hike really is: 16 km downhill on rock, 6 to 7 hours, the steep first stretch, who should skip it and the easier ways in.
- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/samaria-gorge-cost-entrance-fee/ - The Samaria Gorge entrance fee is €10, the boat back €14 to €17. Who enters free, where to buy tickets and what each tour price includes.
- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/getting-to-samaria-gorge/ - How to get to the Samaria Gorge from Chania, Rethymno or Heraklion: day trips, the KTEL bus to Omalos, driving, and the 17:30 boat back from Agia Roumeli.
- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/samaria-vs-imbros-gorge/ - Samaria or Imbros: length, time, difficulty, entry fees, the boat, getting back and the season, compared side by side so you can pick the right gorge.
- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/samaria-gorge-opening-times-season/ - Is Samaria Gorge open today? The daily hours, the season, the 2026 dates, why it closes at a day's notice and what happens to your tour when it does.
- https://samariagorgehike.com/guides/best-gorges-in-crete/ - The best gorges in Crete compared: Samaria, Imbros, Aradena, Agia Irini, Kourtaliotiko and the east, with length, time, fees and easy alternatives.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-11-03: https://samariagorgehike.com/blog/samaria-gorge-closed-winter-2026/ - The Samaria Gorge is closed from 1 November 2026 until at least 9 April 2027: why it shuts, how the opening date is set and how to plan next season.
- 2026-11-03: https://samariagorgehike.com/blog/samaria-gorge-2026-season-review/ - The 2026 Samaria Gorge season: the late opening on 19 May, free helmets and medical staff, the weather alerts, the €10 ticket and the October storm closures.
- 2026-11-03: https://samariagorgehike.com/blog/crete-hikes-in-winter-2026/ - Winter hiking in Crete while Samaria is closed: Imbros and other gorges, coastal paths on the E4 and the White Mountains by 4x4, with the rain rules.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- The entry fee is EUR 10 (since 2025), not EUR 5; samaria.gr is an archived site that is no longer updated.
- The gorge is not open all year: it closes for the winter and on bad-weather days.
- You cannot drive to Agia Roumeli; the only ways out are the boat or walking back up.
- Most Samaria tours do not include the entry ticket or the boat; check each listing.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide or tour page. Fees, dates and timetables change; verify close to your travel date.