Samaria Gorge National Park, Sfakia

The Samaria Gorge is absolutely stunning, you'll be treated to many breathtaking views. We came by rental car, which is perfectly doable as long as you arrive at the trail head early (we started the hike at 8:30). As noted in other reviews, the hike is strenuous, mainly downhill so very demanding for your lower body. Invest in a good pair of (preferably hiking) shoes. It is said to be a 13 km hike, but others with trackers revealed that it was actually an 18 km hike. Many parts of the hike offer shade, but definitely not all. It is recommended to bring a hat/cap and sunscreen. We completed the trail in 6 hours, including several breaks. At the end of the trail you can either walk to Agia Roumeli (+/- 2.5 km) or make use of the shuttle service (€2,00 p.p.). Once there you can purchase the ferry ticket to Sougia (€11,00 p.p.), the ferry leaves at 17:30, boarding starts at 17:00, so you'll have free time until then. In Sougia you have several options to get back to Omalos (Samaria Gorge Parking): public bus, minivan (€10,00 p.p.), taxi (approx. €130,00). We thought it was absolutely worth the trouble and sore muscles. Our biggest advice: check several reviews/blogs to come as prepared as possible.

Incredible hike. Nothing too technically challenging, but it is an endurance hike with some steep elevation (mostly downhill, maybe 15-25% incline at the start for about 3km). Once finished with the downhill section, it’s mostly flat along the sides of the canyon until reaching the Iron Gates. Bring a water bottle, but you don’t need a big one - there are a surplus of spots to fill up water on the way (the river is safe for consumption, and the first half has water springs too). Sunscreen and a hat are mandatory as there is very limited shade. Some highlights include the village of Samaria half-way through, stunning views at the trail head, and a defining trek as the canyon narrows towards the end. Bring euros for the shuttle at the end and the boat to return to the main cities. The town the gorge opens into has great authentic food, so be prepared for a good meal. The full hike took about 4 hours and 15 minutes for myself. My tracker said it was about 22km total, with about 1100 metres of descending and 400m of ascending. Lots of up and down throughout.