Begin your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge with pickup and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains, where you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike. Omalos Plateau is in the centre of the Cretan mountains named Lefka Ori, or The White Mountains, a large mountain range in the west of the island. The highest mountain in the range is Pachnes at an altitute of 2452m. The village of Ομαλός is 39 km from the town of Chania. It is a very small village but the hotel Νέος Ομαλός is open all year round. The mountains are wild and rocky, steep and difficult for hiking. Walking here is for experienced hikers only, tough Cretan shepherds and goats. In the highest parts of the White Mountains it is known as 'high desert' due to the lack of vegetation. This means there is no cover, no shade and no water. Hikers must be well prepared for long walks.

Enjoy a challenging trek through one of the longest and most famous gorges in Europe. On this excursion from Georgioupolis you’ll marvel at natural wonders throughout the day, from the White Mountains, to thousand-year-old forests, and much more. Your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge begins with pickup in Heraklion and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains. Enjoy breakfast before setting out on your challenging 10-mile (17 kilometer) hike. The trek will take you over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees and along a river by fresh-water springs. Along the way, you’ll have spectacular views of Crete’s most beautiful mountain range, and you are also likely to see mountain goats roaming in the wild. You will be accompanied by a professional mountain escort who speaks English, German and French. Your escort will be there to explain all the necessary information about your hike and provide you with the tickets for the entrance and ferry.

At the end of the trek, visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find a number of taverns, bars, and shops. Enjoy some free time to take a swim or have some lunch. A meeting point will be arranged so you can collect your ferry tickets from your guide. Late in the afternoon, board a boat to go from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the pickup point.