Samariá Gorge

(Local Name: Farángi tis Samariás) 42km/26mi south of Khaniá lies the village of Omalós, on the edge of the fertile Omalós plain. This is the starting-point of the walk (seven hours) through the Samariá Gorge (Farángi tis Samariás), 18km/11mi long, up to 600m/2,000ft deep and no more than 3-4m/10-14ft wide at its narrowest point, the "Iron Gates" (Síderoportes). The Cretan wild goat (kri kri) still survives in this area. To undertake the walk through the gorge you need to be fit, to have stout footwear and carry sufficient food and particularly water. At the south end of the gorge is the village of Ayía Rouméli, from which it is 10km/6mi east (by boat or on foot) to Khóra Sfakíon, with the Venetian fort of