Vacation in the Samaria Gorge
The
Samaria Gorge is in one of the national parks of Greece, and the only
one situated on Crete. Set in the White Mountains of western Crete, the
gorge is 16 km (10 miles) long, starting from Omalos at an altitude of
1,250 meter (4,100 feet) and dropping all the way down to sea level, at
the village of Agia Roumeli. It is a hike that can take anything from
between four and seven hours and it is best to start early in the
morning to avoid too much of the midday heat, as well as the crowds.
The first
mile is a steep drop of 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) that follows a tricky
trail called the Wooden Stairs - this is the hardest part of the trek
after which the slope is gentler. The path follows the river bed, so the
park is only open from late spring when the river is dry. The vegetation
is at its best in spring, when there is a mass of wildflowers, and the
scent of mountain thyme and oregano fills the air. This is one of the
last areas still inhabited by the rare, horned wild mountain goat known
as kri-kri, and hikers occasionally report a sighting.
Half-way
through the Samaria Gorge lies the deserted village of Samaria, now a
resting place for tired walkers, and towards the end of the gorge the
rock walls narrow to a 3-meters (10-feet) gap, known as the Iron Gates,
and rise dramatically on either side to some 650 meters (2,130 feet).
For thousand of years, up to and including as recently as World War II,
this gorge has been the last refuge of Cretans escaping from, and
defending themselves against, invaders.
