Samaria Gorge in Chania welcomes over 64,000 visitors in first 100 days of 2026 season
The Samaria Gorge National Park in Chania has welcomed more than 64,000 visitors in the first 100 days of its 2026 operating season, a milestone reached on August 26, according to Greece’s Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (OFYPEKA). The gorge, one of the island’s best-known hiking destinations, is among the many gorges in Crete that draw large numbers of hikers each summer.
Of those 100 days, the gorge remained accessible to the public for 90 days, or 90% of the period, OFYPEKA said in its announcement.
According to the organisation, the park’s operation follows a policy of prioritizing protection of the natural environment and human life. OFYPEKA applies safety threshold values approved by the Chania Regional Unit, together with civil protection decisions from the Region of Crete, on preventively barring passage, overnight stays and circulation during the fire season, a period when parts of the island are periodically placed under high wildfire risk.
2025 season comparison
In 2025, the Samaria Gorge’s operating season lasted 179 days, of which the site was open to visitors for 155 days, or 87%, receiving 119,138 visitors, OFYPEKA said. Closures that year were attributed to adverse weather, high temperatures and periods of very high fire-risk alert, as well as closures during seismic activity in the wider area. Officials in Chania have separately called for adjustments to the weather thresholds that trigger such closures.
The park currently employs 59 staff members overall, OFYPEKA said. For the first time this year, medical and nursing personnel have been present at the site from the first day of operation, a step the organisation said significantly strengthens safety and first-aid provision for visitors.
OFYPEKA said the park’s operation continues to be based on protecting and highlighting the unique natural environment of the Samaria Gorge, along with prevention and safety for both staff and visitors.
