Crete · GORGE HIKES
Samaria gets the attention and takes the whole day. Imbros is three hours, Kourtaliotiko ends at a waterfall you can swim under, and Agiofarago finishes at a beach. The 15 below are graded by length and difficulty, with prices, pickup points and how much of each is downhill.
From Rethymno, visit Damnoni, Preveli Palm Beach, and Plakias on a south-coast day trip with gorge waterfalls and swims for about $25.
“I really enjoyed the trip. It was well organised and you get to see a lot in one day. Bring good shoes for the gorge and flip flops for the boat.”
Guided Imbros Gorge hike from Rethymno or Chania, ending with free time in Chora Sfakion for swimming, lunch, and sea views.
“Didn’t get much from the guide- he dropped us at the top of the gorge and picked us up at the bottom. It would have been nice to know that it’s possible to buy breakfast and water at the start, and buy more water halfway down. I got some information from other reviews, but think the description could be better. That being said, the gorge is a very nice hike and we are glad we did it. Don’t expect any information about it from the guide. I personally did not get much from going to the beach, others may .”
Boat to Preveli Palm Beach and swim stops at Damnioni and Kourtaliotis Gorge Springs, with scenic south-Crete views from Heraklion.
“It was an amazing excursion and value for money. Our guide Elisabetta was awesome and explained everything in perfect English, German and French. The transfer was smooth and although of course it took a while to get to our destination, the views were breathtaking. I would fully recommend this excursion, especially in off-season (there were quite some people on the beach and in summer there will be much more, but that's the case everywhere).”
Rethymno day trip to Kourtaliotiko Gorge, Damnoni, Preveli Palm Beach, plus Plakias, with hotel pickup, guide, and swim time.
“Anastasia was a great guide, who took us to many places. Giannis drove our big bus well through so many narrow roads.”
Off-road Crete safari with a small group, Sarakina Gorge with ropes, Kroustas mountain forest, olive oil tasting, taverna lunch, and a south coast swim.
“I wanted to see more of Crete and this trip offered the perfect way to do so. From travelling through the mountains, stopping at the pretty village of Kritsa and having a delicious lunch at a Greek taverna to visiting the stunning Sarakina Gorge (be prepared for a lot of climbing!) where you can take a dip by the waterfall, it was a great day. Our guide Fabrice was very welcoming and friendly. All in all, it's definitely worth opting for this excursion.”
Hike the Imbros Gorge from Chania, spot famous rock features, then cool off in Chora Sfakion with a seaside meal and fortress views.
“Hiking through Imbros Gorge was lovely. As an avid trekker, I found this to be a very easy downhill trek, taking me less than two hours at a moderate pace. I highly recommend wearing closed shoes, whether trekking or running shoes as the path is filled with stones, making it easy to twist an ankle or stub a toe if you're not careful. The gorge itself is stunning, featuring some beautifully narrow passages that add to the charm of the hike. Although the tavern at the end was decent, I much preferred eating in Sfakia, the village we stopped at afterward. I then enjoyed a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear…”
4x4 hike to Richtis Waterfall for a swim, forest gorge walk, lunch with wine, and an olive tasting day in Crete.
“Our tour guide, Alba, was brilliant. Fun, knowledgeable, considerate and navigated the roads brilliantly. The waterfall itself is a beautiful spot, and the food from the taverna was incredible - and HUGE portions!”
Guided hike in Crete’s Imbros Gorge, then Libyan Sea swimming and a south-coast lunch from Rethymno. Great value day trip.
“Sehr gut organisiert, von der extrem pünktlichen Abholung bis zum perfekt erklärenden Guide alles passend. Keine Beanstandung, genau wie beschrieben. Sehr gelungener Ausflug mit nahezu perfekter Organisation.”
Half-day river trek in Crete through Kourtaliotiko Gorge, waterfall swim, natural pools, and farm lunch in a small group.
“We enjoyed the tour through the gorge very much! Panos explained a lot with great enthousiasme. You will see much more of the beautifull Gorge then only the waterfall. After you passed the waterfall, you are basically alone with the group.”
Full-day Land Rover safari in South Crete, Mount Juktas views, Tripiti rock church, and Tripitis Beach swim with lunch.
“Wonderful experience. We were brought to places we would have otherwise never explored. Our guide/driver Alex was awesome. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this experience!!!”
Off-road Land Rover adventure through Kritsa and Sarakina Gorge, with olive oil tasting, lunch, and a sea swim near Agios Nikolaos.
“The restaurant for lunch was amazing and the guide was incredible. He loved his job and we could tell. He made the tour.”
South Crete day trip from Heraklion to Preveli Beach, palm forests and gorges. Swim, photos, and guided walks with pickup.
River trek through Crete’s biggest canyon with neoprene gear, waterfall swims, natural pools, and a light lunch plus farm stop, around 5 hours.
“Spektakulär in eine hohe schmale Schlucht mit Wasserfällen hineinzuschwimmen zu können und durch das Flussbett in Richtung Tal zu warten-sehr gut organisiert und ein schöner Abschluss im Banana Garden. Sehr sympathischer Guide (Neoprenanzug, Helm und wasserdichtes Handycase wird gestellt, feste Schuhe z. B. nicht die neuesten Turnschuhe,die nass werden können, unbedingt mitnehmen) - unsere absolute Empfehlung, Sonja und Ole”
Guided 10-hour day trip from Rethymno to Preveli Palm Beach by boat, with Kourtaliotiko Gorge stops, swimming, and photo time.
“Excellent guides Spiritos & Johnny starting in the olive groves into a gorge to arrive at Plakias beach. Onwards to catch boat to Preveli beach. As this was first boat of season had to split party in half due to numbers. This resulted in revisit to Plakias as first group hadn't seen initially. A good trip out, but could imagine Preveli gets packed peak season.”
Richtis Waterfall and Azoria 4x4 day tour from Agios Nikolaos, swim in Richtis Gorge, 3,250-year olive tree, Minoan ruins, tastings.
“This was an incredible excursion - we enjoyed every minute. My 10 year old son , who can be difficult to please, described it as his favourite day of our 7 night stay in Crete. The tour guide, Michael, is extremely passionate and knowledgeable of the local area. We were picked up directly from our hotel and we felt well looked after from start to finish. The Richter Waterfall is a beautiful spot - we swam in the fresh water pool which was enjoyable and refreshing. We were driven around the mountains and shown incredible views over Crete, which we wont forget in a hurry. The local Cretan food was…”
Every kind of day out on the island, and the best of each.
