Imbros Gorge

The gorge of
Imbros is the second most popular gorge for hikers on Crete after
the gorge of Samaria. The village of Imbros is a charming mountain village
and also the starting point of the gorge.

 It is much
easier to walk than Samaria: walking distance is 8 km, total descent is around
600m and the average walking time is about 2.5 hours. The path is also easier
in general. This is the sort of walk that you could easily go on with
children. 

The gorge is
fairly narrow (under 2 meters wide at one point!) and has plenty of trees so
shading is assured for a good stretch of the way. The gorge is much
smaller in height as well as length and less majestic than Samaria but this
also means that at all times you are right next to the slopes and cliffs. This
way you have a much better opportunity to see plants and flowers at close
range, especially at spring time. 

 After around a
90 minute walk from the gorge’s entrance (2 hours if you walk really slow) you
will pass an impressive stone arch on your right. After this, the gorge widens
a little and after around 15 minutes more you get to the road and the village
of Komitades where you’ll find quite a few tavernas.

The village
Komitades is the end of the gorge and the meeting point for your bus.