Walking and hiking on Crete

Gorge walks, Hikes and nature walks: Crete is a true paradise for the nature lover and active guest. You will be amazed by the ever changing landscapes during the walking and hiking on Crete. Below please find a list of the wide range of walking excursions we have to offer. By choosing several hikes and walks you can create your own hiking holiday on Crete, or you could choose one of our 2 to 8 day hiking holiday packages. Yo can combine all hiking excursions with the other activities we offer so you can have a tailor made vacation. Your holiday is not complete without walking on Crete.

Hiking through gorges on Crete

Tamariskos Gorge
A beautiful hike with as the highlight, a stunning waterfall. The nature in this area reminds us of a jungle. We will find ourselves in the true wild where we will often have to make our own way, cross small rivers and creeks to get back to our path and need to climb over big rocks and fallen tree trunks. Once you arrive at the gorgeous waterfall you will know it was well worth it. This walk ends at a deserted beach where we refresh ourselves with a swim in the clear waters of the Libyan Sea. This hike is 6 km and is suitable for all that enjoy a challenge.

Aposelemis Canyon
Shepherds made the Aposelemis Canyon many years ago so they could navigate their sheep and goats from the mountains back to the valley. The gorge has water running through it almost all year long. This ensures a wide range of native plants and flowers, all worth a picture. The gorge is also known as a breeding place for vultures: we have been lucky enough to encounter them on every walk so far. This is a beautiful area of nature where we will have to climb over loose rocks and cross water now and then. The walk is 8 to 10 km and is suitable for all in good health and reasonably fit.

Kalderimis on Crete

Milos Skalopatia
A beautiful walk along old donkey trails called “kalderimi” through impressive natural areas. Both in summer and winter there are small creeks with water, ensuring this area to be green all year through. The area is well known as the natural habitat of turtles. When the sun comes out, we can see these beautiful animals sunbathing on small rocks in the creeks. The hike is suitable for all ages and can be adjusted in length: easy (7km), normal (12km) and heavy (20km).

Gorges on Crete

Patsos Gorge
An adventurous hike through a spectacular gorge. Our trail leads us through high rock walls where, at some points, we will have to keep our balance by holding on to chains drilled into the rocks. In spring and in autumn there is quite a bit of water in the gorge.  Our feet definitely get wet and we move forward using ropes. At several points in the gorge there are wooden bridges which we will need to use to cross the water. A challenging and impressive hike of 7 km, suitable for every rambler that enjoys a challenge with quite a bit of climbing.

Aradena Gorge
Our hike starts in the village of Sfakia in the south of Crete. Here we will cross a very high bridge with a spectacular view over the gorge itself. We then will descend into the gorge where in spring we can see the wild orchids and irises bloom. After a walk of about 3 hours we will find ourselves on a beautiful secluded beach. Here we will follow a rocky trail to the village of Loutro where we will sit down for lunch. A boat will pick us up and brings us back to our starting point. A unique trail that runs parallel to the well known Samaria Gorge but has not been discovered by mass tourism. The hike is 10 km and is suitable for all guests in good health and reasonably fit.

Combination of walking and swimming

Agio Farango Gorge
A short gorge hike in the south of Crete Greece, between impressive high rock walls. As soon as we exit the gorge we have the most amazing view of the Libyan Sea where we will be able to snorkel and swim to our hearts delight. You could also choose to explore your surroundings with a short walk. This walk is about 6 km and is suitable for everybody, young and old.

Gorge hikes on Crete

Kritsas Gorge
The gorge of Kritsas is a hike that forms a circle and lasts 10 km where you need quite a bit of climbing. The gorge itself is an experience on its own with its rough nature, fierce rock formations and high smooth walls. The narrowest part of the gorge is only 90 cm: you can easily touch both walls here simultaneously. Both in spring and autumn we could encounter some water. We will have to follow our path by holding on to iron grips mounted in the rock walls. This hike is suitable for all our guests in good health and reasonably fit.

Sarakina Gorge
This gorge is near the village of Mirtos in the south of Crete and is well known for its beautiful nature. Both in spring and autumn there is quite a bit of water in the gorge and our trail becomes a collection of small creeks and streams. We will definitely get wet here; maybe we will even have to swim at some point. This hike is especially suitable in summer since we will be walking mostly in the shade and there is hardly any water to be found. The length of the walk is 8 km and can be extended to 10 km. Every guest can join in provided that you are not afraid of water.

The well known Samaria gorge

Samaria Gorge
The Samaria gorge is world famous as the most beautiful and longest gorge of Europe. It is a 17 km long and impressive hike between extremely high rock walls that ends in the village of Agia Roumeli with a breath taking view of the Libyan Sea. We happily organize this excursion for you, although we need to warn you that this gorge is visited by almost every tourist on the island from May till end September. For this hike you will need to be in good health and fit.

Multiple day hikes

Skotino Cave
A wonderful walk through nature with a visit to the caves of Skotino. While we descend into the first chamber we will tell you about the impressive history and the reigning myths and legends. With our guide you can even descend into the second chamber where you will be able to view the intricate web of corridors and view the amazing stalactites and stalagmites. We will continue our walk through the rural area around the village, straight through the olive fields. This hike is suitable for most guests, is 12 to 14 km long and can be adjusted to our guest’s wishes.

2-day hike in South Crete
A popular choice is our 2 day hike around the village of Mirtos. On our first day we will hike through the Sarakina gorge as described above. We will stay overnight in Mirtos. And we will make a short night walk to the observatory to see the beautiful night sky up close. On day 2 we will take you on a walk to the deserted village of Kalami. This village has been deserted at the end of the 50’s and provides us with a great impression of what life was like back then on Crete. In many of the houses we can still see personal belongings, the old school still has the black board up and even the abacus is still on the teacher’s desk. We will end our tour on one of the most beautiful beaches of Crete after which we will return home.

2-day hike in Central Crete

A very adventurous hike through an amazing natural area. During this trip we will explore the surroundings of Milos, as described above. We will walk for about 32 km in 2 days, enjoying the amazing flora and fauna, visit the turtle breeding places, get acquainted with the locals, enjoy different Cretan traditions, stay overnight out in the open, in short: a tour for the adventurous Crete lover.We offer possibilities for 3 to 5 day hiking tours from north to south, or even a hiking week where we will interchange heavy gorge hikes with easier nature walks. Please contact us by e-mail should you wish more information.

More information

Have a look at our walking and hiking photobook

If you would like more information about a holiday in Crete, we will be happy to assist you. Send an email to zorbasisland@gmail.com and we will answer you personally as soon as possible.