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Highlights
Spend 8-Days exploring the coastal paths and gorges of Crete
Walk Europe’s most impressive coastal paths accompanied by the warm breeze and endless views of he Libyan Sea.
Explore numerous scenic gorges such as Irini, Anidri, Figou, and Europe’s longest and most famous—Samaria Gorge.
Stay and play in the most romantic village on Crete—the idyllic car-free village of Loutro.
Sink your toes in the warm sand of numerous unspoiled beaches and swim in the warm restorative sea.
The 8-Day Self-Guided Southwest Crete Trekking Tour welcomes you to experience endless views over the deep blue Libyan Sea whilst walking along Europe’s most impressive coast! This area remains a wild place, with 2000m high mountains falling steeply into the Libyan Sea. Deep blue water and clear blue skies make for a picture-perfect setting for this walking holiday with lots of opportunities to swim on idyllic beaches.
Via the imposing Irini Gorge, full of flowering oleander bushes, you’ll make your way up to the scenic plateau of Omalos where you’ll spend the night. Then it’s time to discover the world-famous Samaria Gorge before heading further east along the coast to the most romantic village on Crete: idyllic Loutro, which is accessible only by boat. Greek ‘mezes’ await you on one of the seaside terraces here with ample time to explore this car-free village. During the last walk of the trip, you’ll explore the impressive Aradhena Gorge with a challenging walk full of reward.
Strike the perfect balance of activity and leisure on this unique walking holiday on Southwest Crete and discover the wonders of Greek’s largest island for yourself!
The 8-Day Self-Guided Southwest Crete Trekking Tour welcomes you to experience endless views over the deep blue Libyan Sea whilst walking along Europe’s most impressive coast! This area remains a wild place, with 2000m high mountains falling steeply into the Libyan Sea. Deep blue water and clear blue skies make for a picture-perfect setting for this walking holiday with lots of opportunities to swim on idyllic beaches.
Via the imposing Irini Gorge, full of flowering oleander bushes, you’ll make your way up to the scenic plateau of Omalos where you’ll spend the night. Then it’s time to discover the world-famous Samaria Gorge before heading further east along the coast to the most romantic village on Crete: idyllic Loutro, which is accessible only by boat. Greek ‘mezes’ await you on one of the seaside terraces here with ample time to explore this car-free village. During the last walk of the trip, you’ll explore the impressive Aradhena Gorge with a challenging walk full of reward.
Strike the perfect balance of activity and leisure on this unique walking holiday on Southwest Crete and discover the wonders of Greek’s largest island for yourself!
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Southwest Crete Trekking Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Paleochora, Crete
Your trekking adventure of Southwest Crete begins today with your arrival in Paleochora. You can book a transfer during the booking process for your travels to Paleochora from the airport or you can opt to book this independently.
Depending on your flight schedule, you’ll have time for a first stroll through the pleasant seaside town of Paleochora, whose population of 1800 makes it one of the largest villages on the south-west coast. There is a Venetian fortress and several sandy and rocky beaches to explore at your leisure.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Paleochora
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 Explore Anidri Gorge
Following a good night’s rest, you’ll be transferred by taxi this morning following breakfast to the village Azogires where your walk starts along the ‘Monastery of the 99 Monks’-trail. You will encounter a variety of scenery today including olive groves, the quiet hilltop village of Anidri with its Byzantine church, the small gorge of Anidri, the tranquil beach of Gialiskari and a coastal stretch back into Paleochora! Opt to take a refreshing dip in the inviting blue water following your walk on the coast.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Paleochora
Distance: 10.5km, 75m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Coastal Walk from Paleochora to Sougia
Todays walk starts right from Paleochora as you set out on a dirt track into an undisturbed natural wilderness before ontinuing along a stunning coastal path (E4) overlooking the sea. You will pass ancient Lissos, an important harbour for the Dorian city of Elyros, which once boasted a population of 30,000 at its peak. In ancient times, people came to Lissos to be cured by the local waters. You can enjoy a picnic lunch at this historic spot and swim in the curative waters before heading further east to Sougia, by way of a beautiful narrow gorge.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Sougia
Distance: 15km, 375m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Mountain Walk from Sougia to the Omalos Plateau
Today you’ll traverse two impressive gorges, from sea level up to 1000m! You’ll first walk through the impressive Irini Gorge along a well-made path. The ascent is demanding but not too steep! Leaving the Irini Gorge behind, you’ll walk into the steeper Figou Gorge. From a certain height onwards, you will enjoy stunning views. The walk ends at a chapel known as ‘Agios Theodoros’, where the hotel’s minibus will pick you up. Your hotel is on the Omalos plain surrounded by the spectacular summits of the White Mountains—a picture-perfect setting for the evening!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Omalos plateau
Distance: 12, 16 or 21km, up to 1200m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Walking the Samaria Gorge
The Samaria gorge is open from the 1st May onwards until the autumn rains start, usually at end of October. Today you will walk through Europe’s longest and most famous gorge: the Samaria Gorge. You can either start very early or rather late, avoiding the crowds of people who walk the gorge as a day trip.
During quieter hours, you’ll enjoy the true beauty of this spectacular gorge. You’ll then spend the night in the seaside village of Agia Roumeli, at the end of the gorge. There will still be plenty of time for a relaxing swim in the crystal clear Lybian sea before you set off for dinner at one of the local taverns in Agia Roumeli.
Please note that the gorge can be closed by authorities in case of extreme weather conditions.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Agia Roumeli
Distance: 16.3km, 50m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Coastal Walk from Agia Roumeli to Loutro
A splendid coastal walk with lots of variety is on the agenda today! First, you’ll walk along the beach to the Byzantine church of Agios Pavlos, then it’s on to a higher elevation through enchanted fir forest. From the forest, you’ll continue on to the beach at “Marmara”. Superb views over the mountains appear on your left with the sparkling blue sea dazzling on your right. There’s a tavern on the small beach at Marmara, and you may want to enjoy a swim here as well! From Marmara, you’ll venture another hour along the stunning coast to reach the car-free village of Loutro.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Loutro
Distance: 14.7km, 275m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Circular Walk from Loutro
This morning following a hearty breakfast you’ll take a steep zig-zag path up to the charming village of Anopolis. From here you’ll walk further on to ancient Aradhena, situated at the edge of the impressive Aradhena Gorge! A spectacular path takes you down into the Aradhena Gorge all the way to the coast. The last part of today’s walk follows a path along the coast back to Loutro. It is possible to do a shorter route of 4 hrs today, via the tiny village of Livaniana, then descend via the Aradhena Gorge to the sea.
Depending on your flight departure tomorrow, you may need to travel back to Chora Sfakion by ferry today, and on to Chania or Heraklion.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Loutro
Distance: 8.7 to 15.7km, 460 to 840m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Departure
Today you travel back to Chora Sfakion by ferry in the morning and, from there, by public transport or pre-booked transfer to Chania or Heraklion Airport. Then, it’s time to depart from one of the most beautiful areas of Crete with a week’s worth of incredible memories in tow.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Southwest Crete Trekking Tour Price and Dates
This self-guided walking tour in Crete is always run as a self-guided tour for your group only and the price depends on your travelling dates and the type of room you choose. The prices below are per person.Departures from April 1st to 28th:
- Price per solo traveller: EUR850
- Price per person staying in a single room (2+ travellers): EUR700
- Price per person sharing a double room: EUR505
- Price per person sharing a triple room: EUR430
Departures from April 29th to June 28th:
- Price per solo traveller: EUR880
- Price per person staying in a single room (2+ travellers): EUR725
- Price per person sharing a double room: EUR525
- Price per person sharing a triple room: EUR450
Departures from July 29th to September 30th:
- Price per solo traveller: EUR920
- Price per person staying in a single room (2+ travellers): EUR770
- Price per person sharing a double room: EUR545
- Price per person sharing a triple room: EUR465
Departures from October 1st to 25th:
- Price per solo traveller: EUR880
- Price per person staying in a single room (2+ travellers): EUR725
- Price per person sharing a double room: EUR525
- Price per person sharing a triple room: EUR450
Accommodation on Southwest Crete Trekking Tour
This tour is based in hotels. Hotels on this trip are 2 and 3-star and offer modern conveniences that can make this trip more pleasant.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
Standard rooms are of double occupancy. Solo travellers might be required to pay an additional supplement.
What’s Included in the Southwest Crete Trekking Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts are included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included throughout the tour.
Transportation during the Tour
This tour includes luggage transfers as well as three personal transfers (to and from Irni Gorge trailhead, and between Omalos and Xyloskala) and you’ll be walking from one overnight location to another by yourself. Additional transfers, such as airport transfers can be booked as an optional extra.
Also Included
- 24-hour telephone assistance, just a phone call away
- Digital route notes and maps
- GPS App
Not included
- Any personal transfers not mentioned as ‘included’
- Lunches and dinners
- Entrance fees and visits to monasteries and monuments
- Travel insurance
- Guide services
- Tourist tax (paid locally, between 0.5 and 2 EUR per night)
Optional Extras
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Single occupancy upgrades
- Optional activities or excursions
- Bike rental
- Printed tour materials (in addition to digital)
- How hard is the Southwest Crete Trekking Tour?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Greece?
- I’ve never been on a self-guided trip! How does it work?
- Are meals included on the Southwest Crete Trekking Tour?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Paleochora to start this tour?
- Is the Southwest Crete Trekking Tour in English?
- Where does the Southwest Crete Trekking Tour end?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to North Macedonia or Greece?
- Are there any travel restrictions for North Macedonia or Greece?
We rate this tour as a 4 / 5. You’ll be walking up to 21k daily on a mountainous terrain, however, most of the longer trails have easier alternatives.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
Self-guided travelling is not difficult! For many, it is a preferred type of travel, since you are in charge of your own time and pace. You are provided with all the information you’ll need to follow the route each day and often have access to phone support or other kinds of assistance. However, self-guided travelling requires good navigation skills and those who don’t feel confident in unknown places should consider booking guided tours.
7 breakfasts are included.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover biking. Get your Travel Insurance.
The nearest airport is Chania. There are direct flights from many European countries to Chania, as well as domestic flights from Athens. From Chania Airport to Vamos Paleochora is possible by public bus with a stop over at Chania bus station. Latest bus at 4 pm. Duration of the trip 1.5 hours.
Heraklion airport has direct connections with many European airports. From the bus station in Heraklion city (6km from the airport, accessible by bus or taxi) there are direct buses to Chania (duration trip 2 hours). Here you have to change and take the bus to Paleochora. Total duration trip 4.5 hours. In case of arrival after 12 noon, an extra night in Heraklion or Chania is necessary.
You may travel via Athens Airport and take the night ferry from Piraeus to Chania, leaving daily around 9 pm and arriving in Chania at 6 am the next morning.
This tour is not guided; however, all the route information will be provided in English.
The tour ends in Loutro. From Loutro you travel per ferry to Chora Sfakion in 20 mins and continue by public bus to Chania or Heraklion. In case your flight departs in the morning you have to either book an extra night in Chania or Heraklion or book a private taxi transfer from Chora Sfakion to the airport as to be on time.
You can also take the overnight ferry from Chania back to Piraeus.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
Customer Ratings
S-Cape Travel Greece is a Greek outdoor company, established in 1994 and member of the S-Cape Group of companies since 2010.
At S-Cape Greece you find a varied portfolio of active and adventure trips that offer you a hands-on experience of Greece, having time to slowing down and appreciate the details: view the sites and landscapes, savor the specialties, meet and mingle with the locals and learn about the culture.
All our trips and itineraries are developed by our team of professional walkers and cyclists who have a keen eye for great trails, exciting itineraries, breath-taking scenery and good quality accommodation that share our vision on sustainable travel.
If you travel on one of our self-guided trips, you receive a Destination Manual with information on the country and a state-of-the-art Road Book with detailed route description, turn by turn diagrams of each crossing and explanatory text. On top, you can navigate the route in your own smartphone via our excellent S-Cape Travel App.
Welcome to Greece!
