Transportation to Samaria Gorge-What are our alternatives
 

IF the gorge is open during the last week of October, my friends and I plan to walk down it. We will be staying in Chania and will have a car. Is it better to drive part of the way ourselves or take a bus or taxi? We figure that we can walk it in 4-5 hours but the ONLY afternoon ferry from Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakia is at 5PM, connecting to a bus back to Chania @ 5:30 or 7PM. There doesn't seem much point in starting the hike very early if we have to wait for the ferry/bus. Is there an alternative? Thanks for any advice you can share.

Stay overnight in Loutro or Chora Skafion after your hike.

I think the gorge will take a bit longer than that .., at least if there are tour-groups ahead of you which will slow you down. Since you'll already have a rental car, have you considered Imbros Gorge?? (you can google it, and even get a "map" of the gorge).

It is shorter than Samaria G., but very scenic and has similar famed narrow parts, a stream,etc. Takes about 4 hours, and you'll almost have the place to yourself! In May we only saw about 10-12 others in 5 hrs (we stopped to picnic half-way down).

You drive to Vrisses then down a v. scenic road (watch for Minoan ruin on left) to Imbros village, where you leave car. At mouth of gorge, walk about .5 km on a road to a taverna with taxis to take you back up to your car. Simple... and memorable

There's no point in taking a car, unless you stay overnight in one of the places the boat goes to and you leave it there. The reason people tell you to start early is because it's so flippin' hot at midday, and the notion is to get the worst of the walk out of the way before then.

IMHO the hottest bit of the walk is the bit between the Iron Gates and the Agia Roumeli. There's just no shade at all.

So, given it's late October, you'll have less of a problem with that. Depending on where you leave from the bus journey- whether you go with the public bus or buy into a trip- will take 1 1/2- 2 hours.

When you get down, find a nice taverna, and plan for lunch to be your big meal. Have nice relaxed afternoon. If it's warm enough, take a swim- remember to take your dookers, and rmembe the beach is stoney not sandy. There is no way out except by boat, or on foot back the way you came.

But before the taverna remember to buy your ferry tickets

Sheila: what are "dookers?"

We must return to Chania after hiking the gorge because we have reservations already. Sounds like we just have to plan on this adventure taking all day...

Thanks for all replies!

It does, Lina.

Dookers are what you wear to take a dook in:)

(swimsuits- not gender specific)