OMALOS - SAMARIA GORGE

Chania - Alikianos - Foumes - Lakkoi -
Omalos - Xyloskalo - Samaria gorge -
Aghia Roumeli.
Return through Chora Sfakion,
or Soughia, or Palaeochora.

We leave Chania and drive southwards,
passing through the settlement of Vam-
vakopoulo (3.4 kms.) and then Aghia
(9.5 kms.), a village with many flowing
springs.

On our journey southwards we pass
through the verdant valley of Keritis,
with its rich groves of citrus trees.

At the 12th km. point, a fork to the right takes us, after approximately 500 m., to Alikianos.

Before the turn-off to Alikianos, the
road branches out, the left fork leading
southwards to Skinies - Nea Roumata
- Prasses - Aghia Irene (Aghia Irene
gorge) - Epanochori - Rodovani - Moni,
and ending up at Soughia (70 kms. from
Chania). The other fork to the left leads
to Omalos and the Samaria gorge,
'which is our destination.

Alikianos was the fief of the Venetian
family of Da Molin. Here was situated
their imposing castle, of which only
scant remains can still be seen. Not far
away was found a carving in relief of
the family's coat of arms.

The inhabitants of Alikianos put up a
strong resistance against the Turks, as
they did, in more recent times, against
the German forces of occupation. The
Germans retaliated by executing the
rebellious patriots and, after the liber-
ation, a modest monument was set up
to commemorate their sacrifice.

A Byzantine church of Saint George,
built in 1243, with very interesting
murals, still stands.
At the 15th kilometre of the main route,
we meet the village of Fournes. From
here, the road branches out, one branch
leading to the village of Meskia (6
kms.), where there are two churches
with frescoes worth seeing.

We will follow the right branch and,
after climbing a road with many curves
for 9.5 kms., on the northwestern flank
of the White Mountains, we come to

Lakkoi, a lovely village amid olive trees
and vineyards, built on the mountainside, with a wonderful view of the snowcapped peaks.

The inhabitants of Lakkoi took an active part in the liberation struggles against
the Turks.

The road continues westwards, towards
Kares, and then turns south again. We
continue to climb. We pass through the
historic "Strata" of the Moussouros fam-
ily, which was celebrated in the old "ri-
zitika" songs, and arrive at the highest
point of our route (1200 m.) from where
there is a panoramic view of the Omalos
plateau, with its surrounding ring of
imposing mountain peaks.

The plateau is in the shape of an irregular circle, approximately 4 kilometres in diameter. Almost in the centre of it lies the small settlement of Omalos (39 kms. from Chania). As a result of its inaccessibility and its naturally fortified position, the area served as a base of operations and a refuge for revolutionary fighters many times during the island's history.

Our road passes through the plateau and,
after four kilometres, ends up at the
Xyloskalo ("wooden stairway") ridge
(altitude: 1,227 m.), 43 kms. south of
Chania, where the entrance to the gorge
is situated. On this spot there was once a
wooden stairway to facilitate the descent,
which is how the place got its name. A
small guest house operates here, and the
view from it over the surrounding area is
superb.

Just before Xyroskalo, a little road leads
to the Skiing Centre of Kallerghi, at an
altitude of 1680 m.

Those visitors who have decided to walk
through the gorge, begin their descent
from Xyloskalo, down some steps to begin
with and then along a foothpath. The sites called "Portes" ("doors") are extremely impressive, as here the walls of the ravine almost touch each other (3-4 m.). The narrowest "porta" is the one near the exit to Aghia Roumeli. A little stream, which becomes a raging river in the winter, flows down the middle of the gorge.

The gorge has been declared a National
Park in order to protect its rare flora and
fauna, and in particular the Cretan
mountain goat, called "kri-kri" or the
"wild one" by the locals. In 1980, Samaria was awarded a prize by the Council of Europe, as one of the most beautiful virgin sites in Europe.

The descend into the gorge is quite difficult and crossing it takes about 6-8 hours. Hikers must wear sturdy walking shoes and hats, and carry along with them only the essentials. These do not include water, as there are springs along the way.
One is allowed through the gorge from
the beginning of May to the end of
October. During the rest of the year, the
melting snows on the high walls of the
gorge and the rains raise the level of the
innocent stream and turn it into a
dangerous torrent. The best time of the
year for the hike is May or the end of
September - beginning of October, when
it is not too hot, although it is relatively
cool inside the gorge, since the sun only
reaches down into it at noon, when its
rays fall perpendicularly between the
sheer walls.

The taking of photographs is permitted,
but the following are not allowed:

- spending the night inside the gorge
- lighting a fire or smoking
- hunting or fishing
- swimming
- cutting plants, flowers or branches
- any kind of noise
- the destruction of birds' nests or eggs
- pets
- fouling the area
- drinking alcoholic beverages.

Near the entrance to the gorge is the
chapel of Saint Nicholas, surrounded by
trees and springs from which flows deli-
ciously cool water. It is believed that
this was the site of an ancient temple to
Apollo, and that the ancient town of
Kaino lay close by.
Half-way through the gorge lies the old
settlement of Samaria, where a few fam-
ilies of woodcutters used to live. It was
abandoned a few years after the gorge
was declared a National Park (1962).

Here is a small Byzantine church of Saint Mary the Egyptian. The name "Samaria" comes from a corrupt form of the name of the church: Ossia Maria - Siamaria - Samaria.

A telephone has been installed in the
abandoned settlement, as well as a police station, a chemist's shop and a heliport. Two mules are also stationed here for use in cases of emergency. At four points along the trail, a first aid box and
fire extinguishers have been installed,
as well as other tools to help put out
fires. Crossing the gorge, also called the
"Farangas" by the locals, ii a unique
and unforgettable experience. Hikers
are face to face with nature and its wild
beauty. Their difficult hike along the
rugged, downward path is rewarded by
the impressive, pristine scenery, un-
touched by human hands and immen-
sely beautiful, which leaves them with
a feeling of awe and infinite admiration
for the pure and unalloyed grandeur
around them.

As they come out of the gorge, dazzled
by its beauty and tired after the long
trek, the hikers are faced with another
picturesque scene: a group of mules and
their muleteers, waiting to take those
who wish to ride, for a small fee, to
Aghia Roumeli.

This is a seaside settlement with a won-
derful beach and a lovely limpid sea,
about 1.5 kms. from the exit of the gorge.
It is built on the site of the ancient city
of Tarra. In the summer, the village is
very busy, since all the visitors to the
gorge end up here, but also because of
the many summer residents who
choose Aghia Roumeli for its incompar-
able beaches.

There are a few beds in a small hotel
and a guest-house and there are also
rooms to rent. In the summer months
there are restaurants, tavernas and
discos.

All the tourist agencies organise excursions to the Samaria gorge.

Information on the KTEL services to
Xyloskalo (for the outward journey) and from Chora Sfakia (for the return journey) can be obtained from the Information Offices of the Municipality of Chania and from the offices of the Greek Tourism Organization in Rethymnon, Chania and Herakleion.

It is preferable to take a KTEL bus or a
coach for this journey. Private cars are
not a good option since they would have
to be left at the entrance to the gorge, at
Xyloskalo.