Uncharted Escapes · Chania coast hotels
A small-group 4x4 day from the Chania coast into the White Mountains, the range the Samaria Gorge cuts through, with a shepherd's hut, mountain villages and a long Cretan lunch. Pick it when you want the high country around the gorge without a 16 km walk.
Be clear on one point: this is not a gorge walk. It is a 6.5-hour drive in a 7 or 9-seat 4x4, with a multilingual escort-driver who doubles as your guide (English and German on the listing). The route runs through orange and avocado groves to a coffee stop in Deres, past the villages of Skonizo, Vatolakkos, Alikianos and Fournes, then off-road from Meskla up to a mitato, a stone shepherd's hut at about 1,350 m where graviera cheese was made, and a viewpoint over Chania. The way back goes through Therisso, with time to walk round the village and about 75 minutes of lunch at a family taverna. The listing adds an optional photo stop in the Therisos gorge, by car.
Coffee or tea in Deres and the lunch are in the price; drinks at the taverna and tips are not. Pickup is outside your hotel, from 12 areas along the coast between Kolymvari and Almyrida, Chania town included; remote areas cost extra. The tour needs at least 4 people to run, and the listing rules out children under 7, pregnant women, and anyone with back, heart or mobility problems, high blood pressure, motion sickness or a fear of heights, as well as passengers over 200 cm or 130 kg. Sandals and flip-flops are not allowed; bring a jacket.
Why it sits on a Samaria site: it shows you the mountains around the gorge on a day when you don't want, or can't do, the long walk, and it does not depend on the national park being open. The national park is closed for the winter now. NECCA sets next season's opening date each spring, and on bad-weather days the park can close at a day's notice. On a closure day this is one of the few ways to see the high country. The tour runs on the operator's own dates and needs mountain weather to cooperate, so check your date on the listing. For a walk instead, see the best gorges in Crete.
Collected outside your hotel in one of 12 pickup areas on the Chania coast, from Kolymvari to Almyrida.
About 30 minutes for coffee, tea or juice and the view, included.
Skonizo, Vatolakkos, Alikianos and Fournes from the road, then a stop in Meskla before the off-road climb.
Dirt tracks to a mitato at about 1,350 m and a viewpoint over Chania. The driver explains how shepherds made graviera cheese up here.
A stroll round the village, then about 75 minutes at a family taverna for Cretan platters.
An optional photo stop in the Therisos gorge, then about 45 minutes back to your hotel.
★★★★★Really different day spent climbing mountains off road in a Range Rover discovery! Aris our driver was excellent, really lovely guy who made conversation and was full of knowledge of the terrain, landscape and agriculture of the region. [...] lots of goats and sheep and a real working shepherd hut still making cheese.
★★★★★We had a really enjoyable day. Our driver was very knowledgeable, friendly and always smiling! The lunch stop was brilliant, far more food than we had expected and delicious. A great day out in the countryside!
★★★★★It was a really great day out in the mountains... Kristos made it even more special with his easy going manner and his excellent explanations that made it much more interesting... he was a very careful driver which was quite reassuring considering the off-road where quite steep...
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No. It is a 6.5-hour 4x4 day through mountain villages to a shepherd's hut, with short walks at the stops. For a gorge on foot, look at Imbros or Samaria.
Yes. Coffee or tea in Deres and a Cretan lunch at a family taverna in Therisso are included. Drinks at the taverna and tips are extra.
To a shepherd's hut, a mitato, at about 1,350 m per the listing, with a viewpoint over Chania on the way.
Yes, it does not use the national park. It needs at least 4 people and runs on the operator's own dates, so check your date on the listing.
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A 4x4 day in the White Mountains with a shepherd's hut and a Cretan lunch, no long walk.
Imbros Gorge Hike & Sfakia Coast from ChaniaA guided 9 km walk down the Imbros Gorge, then lunch and a swim in Chora Sfakion. A different, shorter gorge than Samaria.★ 4.7 · Full day · from $34
Samaria Gorge the Easy WayCoach and boat to Agia Roumeli, then about 2 km up to the Iron Gates and back. Not the full crossing; entry and boat extra.★ 4.4 · Full day · from $31
Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek from ChaniaThe classic full crossing with hotel pickup around Chania, a live guide at the back and the coach home after the boat.★ 4.6 · Full day · from $45