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The Havgas Gorge, situated near the village of Kalamafka and just 12km north of Ierapetra city, is one of several gorges with the same name scattered across Crete. Other examples include the Havgas Gorge in the Lassithi Plateau, Plaka, and Kavoussi. The Havgas Gorge is nestled between the Megali Korfi (1103m) and Kokies (993m) peaks, and its stream, the Kapsous, serves as the primary tributary of the Kalamavkianos River that empties into the Stomio beach of Gra Ligia.
This stunning canyon boasts unique rock formations, sculpted by rare geological events. Many of these rocks are adorned with nature’s own “artwork”, etched over time by the elements. Despite its relatively short length, the gorge offers an easy and enjoyable walk along the riverbed, even for novices. The area’s altitude of around 500m provides the perfect environment for a lush pine forest. Regrettably, repeated fires have caused the forest to diminish in size. Nevertheless, the area is worth a visit, and visitors are sure to be charmed by the sight of small pine trees sprouting from the rocks, akin to bonsai trees.
The gorge’s depth extends to 300m. At one spot, two narrow rocks form the entrance to a series of caves that served as a refuge for Cretan rebels and Allies during the German Occupation. The locals refer to this area as the “Chinese Landscape”, due to the smooth rocks dotted with bonsai-like trees. Adjacent to the gorge’s exit, visitors can explore the village of Kalamafka with its inviting taverns and babbling water. Additionally, nearby attractions include an ancient olive oil mill and the churches of Saint John and Saint Anthony.
Get directions to Havgas Gorge (Kalamafka)
Havgas Gorge is located in the Lasithi Region of Crete, Greece.
The hiking difficulty level in Havgas Gorge is moderate to difficult, with some steep and rocky sections.
The best time to visit Havgas Gorge is during the spring and autumn months when the weather is mild and the water levels are higher.
Swimming is not allowed in Havgas Gorge due to the strong currents and deep pools.
Yes, there are guided tours available for Havgas Gorge that can be booked through local tour operators.
You should bring sturdy hiking shoes, plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and a camera to capture the stunning scenery.
No, there is no entrance fee for Havgas Gorge.
Dogs are allowed in Havgas Gorge, but they must be kept on a leash at all times.
The hike through Havgas Gorge takes approximately 3-4 hours, depending on your pace and the number of stops you make.
The terrain in Havgas Gorge is rocky and uneven, with some sections requiring scrambling over boulders and rocks.
Find below the list of things to do near Havgas Gorge (Kalamafka):
Through this route we explore the south-eastern Crete. We head to Agios Nikolaos and stop in the traditional village of Kritsa, one of the most famous villages of Crete with its narrow picturesque alleys and its traditional shops.
Afterwards we ascend through a beautiful route with magnificent views and end up at the Katharo Plateau at an altitude of 1250 meters where we stop for coffee in a traditional cafe. We cross the forest of SELAKANO and end up in the SARAKINA Gorge which will surprise you with its beauty. Continuing and after our amazing meal, we reach the southernmost end of eastern Crete, the village of Myrtos with its amazing beach where you can have a swim in the crystal clear waters of the LIBIAN SEA.
Returning through a very beautiful route we arrive at your hotel.
This route will leave you with the very best memories.
This quad safari rides the mountain tracks of south-eastern Crete from a meeting point at Galini, between Ierapetra and Makrigialos. The route crosses olive groves and pine forest to a plateau with a 360-degree view taking in both the Cretan Sea and the Libyan Sea at once, and finishes with a Cretan lunch in a mountain taverna. SOUTHEAST CRETE IKE runs it over 5 hours 30 minutes from €195, with a 4.94 rating across 70 reviews.
The day starts with a briefing and ends with lunch, with five stops in between. The route is a loop from Galini back to Galini.
First is the 09:00 meeting and briefing, covering the vehicle controls and safety rules, followed by a test drive so you are comfortable before leaving. Second, the group heads into the southern mountains through olive groves, stopping at stalactite formations for photographs. Third comes a mountain village and a forest of Mediterranean plant species, then a stop above the Libyan Sea. Fourth, the track climbs past a sheepfold and an isolated Orthodox chapel to a plateau at around 1,500 metres, from there you see Mirabello bay, Agios Nikolaos and Elounda to the north, and Chrissi and Koufonisi islands to the south. Fifth is the descent to a mountain village for lunch, then the winding roads back to Galini.
You need a driving licence to ride.
The route stays in the mountains behind the south-east coast.
The €195 covers the quad, the fuel, the guiding and the meal.
Included:
Not included:
Bring your driving licence, it is required.
We recommend this one for the viewpoint, which is the single best argument any tour on this page has. Standing on a plateau at 1,500 metres where you can see the Cretan Sea and the Libyan Sea at the same time, Mirabello bay one way, Chrissi island the other, is something Crete offers in very few places, and almost none of them have a road.
At 4.94 across 70 reviews with a flat 5.0 for guiding, the delivery is as good as the route. The guide, Jürgen, is named in review after review by guests from Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK and Austria, praised for speaking English, French, German and even Dutch, for explaining how the landscape and the island came to be, and for looking after small groups properly. One German couple were the only two on their tour.
The safety briefing gets repeated praise, which matters on a quad. A French reviewer described the instructions as very clear and said it let them ride with confidence. Another noted the staff explain the day’s schedule and the safety briefing before anything starts, and the test drive means nobody’s first time on a quad is on a mountain track.
The lunch is not an afterthought. Reviewers from France, Germany and the Netherlands all single it out, a family tavern, a typical Cretan meal, properly taken care of.
Two honest points rather than complaints, because this review record contains no criticism at all.
It is €195, which is at the upper end for a half-day activity in Crete. Value for money still scores 4.9, so people who paid it thought it worth it, but go in knowing the number.
Transport is extra. The meeting point at Galini is signposted from the main road, but if you are staying in Heraklion or Chania this is a long drive, and the transfer is a paid option rather than an inclusion.
Bring your licence, ride the test loop properly, and take a layer for the altitude.
The meeting point is at Galini, between Ierapetra and Makrigialos, marked by a large sign on the main road. The day starts at 09:00 and runs 5 hours 30 minutes.
Bring your driving licence. Transfer from your accommodation is a paid option rather than an inclusion.
The tour runs 5 hours 30 minutes, starting at 09:00 from the meeting point at Galini.
A driving licence is required to ride the quad.
Lunch and drinks at a mountain taverna are included, and reviewers consistently rate the meal as a highlight rather than a filler.
From the plateau you see the Cretan Sea with Mirabello bay, Agios Nikolaos and Elounda to the north, and the Libyan Sea with Chrissi and Koufonisi islands to the south.
A safety briefing and a test drive come before the route starts, and reviewers who had never ridden a quad describe feeling confident afterwards.
Transfer is a paid option, not an inclusion. The meeting point is signposted on the main road at Galini.
Check dates and prices for the Ierapetra quad safari day tour.
This is a seated food tasting rather than a walking tour. Over 2 hours at the Faedra Beach restaurant at Ammoudara, just west of Agios Nikolaos, a host takes you through five Greek and Cretan dishes served as separate courses, opening with a shot of tsikoudia alongside Cretan rusks and fresh tomato. Kamaratos SA run it from €55, and vegetarian and vegan versions are available.
The evening is built around five dishes, each served and explained in turn.
First comes the welcome: tsikoudia, the Cretan grape spirit, poured with rusks and fresh tomato. Second comes the sequence of five plates drawn from the everyday Greek and Cretan repertoire, mezedes, casseroles, ladera and mageirefta, the slow-cooked dishes that Greek households actually eat. Named dishes on the list include fava, taramosalata, fasolakia and stuffed peppers, tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines. Third comes dessert, and the tasting closes there.
Wine is poured through the meal. The point of the format is breadth: five smaller plates cover more of the cuisine than one main course does, and the host explains the ingredients and the cooking method behind each.
The tasting stays in one place, on the coast west of the town.
The €55 covers the whole tasting at the table.
Included:
Not included:
We recommend this one for what it is, and we want to be exact about that, because the old page title on this site said walking tour and the experience is not one. You sit at a table by the sea for two hours and eat.
What earns it a place is the choice of dishes. Fava, taramosalata, fasolakia and stuffed vegetables are home cooking rather than taverna showpieces, the ladera and mageirefta that Greek families cook on ordinary weekdays and that most visitors never get a proper run through. Being talked through five of them in sequence, with the reasoning behind the ingredients, is a genuinely different thing from ordering mezedes off a menu.
The single review on record is a strong one. A German guest who took it in October 2023 wrote that their host Manos was great, that they learned a lot about Greek food philosophy, ingredients and culture, that the staff were very kind and that the food was very delicious.
That single review is also the caveat, and it is a real one.
One review is not evidence of consistency. Five stars from one guest tells you far less than four stars from two hundred, and this listing has no volume behind it. Treat the rating as a promising signal rather than a proven record.
The format is fixed, so check it suits you. There is no walking, no market visit and no cooking, if you want a tour of Agios Nikolaos on foot, this is not that, and if you want to cook, a cooking class is the right booking. Dietary requirements are worth flagging when you book, since the vegetarian and vegan versions are arranged rather than standing.
Confirm your dietary needs early, arrange your own transport, and pace the first shot.
The meeting point is the Faedra Beach resort at Ammoudara, west of Agios Nikolaos. The tasting runs 2 hours and seats you at the seafront restaurant for the whole of it.
Come hungry rather than after lunch, five courses plus dessert is a full meal, not a snack.
The tasting runs 2 hours, seated at one restaurant for the whole session.
No, it is a seated tasting at a seafront restaurant, with no walking element despite the older listing title.
Five Greek and Cretan dishes are served as separate courses, followed by dessert.
Both are available on request, so state your requirement at the time of booking.
Tsikoudia is the Cretan grape spirit poured as a welcome here, served alongside rusks and fresh tomato.
One review, rated five stars, from a German guest in October 2023, a small base to judge it on.
Check dates and prices for the Greek and Cretan food tasting in Agios Nikolaos.
Take a tour to Richtis beach on the far side of Mirabello Bay and trek through the forest to the stunning Richtis waterfall. After pickup from your accommodation, enjoy the beautiful scenery on the 1-hour drive to the bay of Mirabello. Leave the asphalt and travel off road down to Richtis beach, hugging the mountainside.
Park at the bottom and enter Richtis gorge to start the 30-minute walk to reach the falls. Follow a trail through the forest, listening to the sounds of birds and running water. Stop to admire the incredible waterfalls, with time to climb up the stairs to the top of the falls, take photos, or swim in the cool waters.
When you are ready to leave, head back to the beach along the same trail. During the tour you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch at a local tavern, with wine and water included. At the end of your tour, you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel in the Elounda area.
Find below the list of hotels near Havgas Gorge (Kalamafka):
Situated in Ierápetra and only 27 km from Lake Voulismeni, Elis superb villa features accommodation with mountain views, free WiFi and free private parking. This villa provides air-conditioned accommodation with a balcony.
The villa has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with sea views.
Staff at the villa are always available to provide advice at the reception.
Elis superb villa offers a picnic area. If you would like to discover the area, hiking and walking tours are possible in the surroundings and the accommodation can arrange a car rental service.
Panagia Kera Church (in Kritsa) is 27 km from Elis superb villa, while Agios Nikolaos Port is 28 km from the property. The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 70 km from the villa.
Featuring air-conditioned accommodation with a rooftop pool, mountain view and a balcony, Villa M – Villa with private pool and yard is located in Anatolí. It features a garden, pool views and free WiFithroughout the property.
The villa comes with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with sea views.
A outdoor play equipment is also available for guests at the villa.
Lake Voulismeni is 31 km from Villa M – Villa with private pool and yard, while Panagia Kera Church (in Kritsa) is 30 km away. The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 74 km from the accommodation.
Located in Ierápetra, 31 km from Lake Voulismeni and 30 km from Panagia Kera Church (in Kritsa), Villa K-Villa with private pool offers a garden and air conditioning. This property offers a private pool, free WiFi and free private parking.
The villa features 3 bedrooms, a kitchen with a dishwasher and an oven, a washing machine and 2 bathrooms with a hair dryer. Towels and bed linen are provided in the villa.
Agios Nikolaos Port is 31 km from Villa K-Villa with private pool. The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 74 km from the accommodation.
Featuring an outdoor swimming pool, a garden, and barbecue facilities, Villa Lato – Villa with private pool and yard provides accommodation in Anatolí with free WiFi and pool views. The air-conditioned accommodation is 19 km from Ierápetra.
The villa features 2 bedrooms, a flat-screen TV, an equipped kitchen with a dishwasher and a microwave, a washing machine, and 2 bathrooms.
The villa offers a terrace.
Agios Nikolaos is 31 km from Villa Lato – Villa with private pool and yard, while Elounda is 40 km away. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 91 km from the accommodation.
Located in Ierápetra and only 31 km from Lake Voulismeni, VILLA VASO provides accommodation with mountain views, free WiFi and free private parking. Guests benefit from a balcony and a picnic area.
The apartment with a terrace and sea views features 2 bedrooms, a living room, a flat-screen TV, an equipped kitchen with an oven and a fridge, and 1 bathroom with a shower. Towels and bed linen are featured in the apartment.
Guests can also relax in the shared lounge area.
Panagia Kera Church (in Kritsa) is 30 km from the apartment, while Agios Nikolaos Port is 31 km away. The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 74 km from VILLA VASO.
from
€65
/night
Diktynna offers traditional houses, converted into villas with fireplace and views over the Libyan Sea. It is situated 12 km from Ierapetra. Free Wi-Fi and free parking are provided.
Diktynna Traditional Villas air-conditioned with 2 bedrooms and a living room. They all have a large, fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher and veranda or balconies. There is free Wi-Fi, and a flat-screen satellite TV is available in each of the rooms.
Guests can use the traditional wooden oven, located in the public space of the residential complex.
With Diktynna as their base, guests can explore the surrounding villages of the Lasithi region. You can follow the hiking trails in the area or enjoy a ride with mountain bikes provided on site for free.
from
€118
/night
This magnificent natural phenomenon – Sarakina Gorge – can be found near the traditional village of Mythi and the coastal settlement of Myrtos, where the Kryos river merges with the sea.
As the tale goes in Greek mythology, Zeus’s son, the giant Sarantapihos, once paused to quench his thirst from the Myrtos or Kryos river, near Ierapetra. His sweeping beard slashed the mountain, dividing it into two parts, thereby forming the Sarakina canyon.
Regarded by many visitors as Crete’s most captivating hiking gorge, Sarakina may only stretch 1.5km, but within this concise journey, one encounters an awe-inspiring spectacle of nature, a natural sculpture painstakingly crafted by water over countless years. The canyon boasts towering walls that rise up to 150m high and extremely narrow passages often found in technical gorges that require canyoneering equipment. The width of Sarakina fluctuates between 3 to 10 meters, rarely extending beyond these points.
The majority of the canyon is accessible to explorers of all abilities, featuring water, pools, and a handful of climbing points that necessitate careful navigation. A standout feature is the abundant water almost all year round, creating picturesque waterfalls and ponds perfect for a refreshing dip, even in the summer. In winter, traversing the gorge without getting soaked is a challenge. As one embarks on the route, they’ll encounter the need to climb, navigate immense boulders, and cross rocky bridges. Carved stone stairs and tree trunks are present in tricky spots to facilitate easier climbing.
The Kritsa Gorge, located 9.5km southwest of Agios Nikolaos, begins near the charming village of Kritsa and concludes at Tapes village. This 4 km long gorge, at some points, is only 1.5m wide. It is fairly easy to navigate, with a few areas requiring caution, where large rocks need to be climbed over. However, it is not advisable to visit the gorge following rainfall, as the resulting ponds can obstruct the paths.
The canyon’s entrance near Kritsa is striking. The mountain is split in two, creating the narrow Havgas passage (Havgas is a common term for gorges in East Crete). In addition to the main trail that begins near Kritsa’s stone bridge, there is an alternate path that starts in the village itself.
Close to the trailhead, you’ll find a large rock that can be scaled with relative ease. Beyond this point, the canyon becomes even more breathtaking, with slender passages and towering walls that block out sunlight. This natural wonder is particularly beautiful in spring when flowers are in bloom and water levels are low. The walls eventually recede, revealing a picturesque valley filled with olive groves. If you continue along the riverbed for approximately 1.5 hours, you’ll arrive at the lovely village of Tapes, where you can relax at the local coffee shop.
The Holy Apostles (Agii Apostoli) or Lapathos Gorge is situated on the southern part of Mount Dikti, 28km to the west of Ierapetra and 72km to the south of Heraklion, in the broader vicinity of the village of Kato Simi. This is a technical canyon, implying that crossing it necessitates technical gear and specific training. The Lapathos canyon is an ideal challenge for highly skilled canyoners. It spans approximately 4km and there is a height difference of about 900m between the start and finish points.
The canyon originates from the small plateau of Lapathos, where the Holy Apostles church stands, and concludes on the road that links the village of Pefkos with Ierapetra. Although it’s typically a dry canyon, in 2009, the team of seasoned canyoners Vassilis Vagias, Savvas Paragamian, and Giannis Skondinakis discovered it to contain surprisingly large amounts of water.
The gorge features 28 steep descents that demand excellent rappelling skills. The tallest rappel is 80m, making it one of the highest in all of Crete. The sheer walls of Lapathos serve as nesting grounds for a variety of birds including vultures, hawks, and crows. Towards the gorge’s exit, the vegetation is predominantly made up of pines and cypresses. Following the exit, the stream continues its journey to Tertsa beach.
Situated between the peaks of Katharios Lakkos and Katharia Kefala in the Dikti Range, Havgas Gorge is a prominent long gorge on the Lassithi Plateau. The gorge is nourished by the Megalos or Xenikos river, which springs from the Katharo plateau, courses through the Lassithi Plateau, and then vanishes into the sinkhole Chonos. The water resurfaces from Fleves springs at Kastamonitsa or a man-made water pipe at Gonies and ultimately drains into the Aposelemis dam lake. The name “havgas”, along with its variants, is typically used to refer to gorges in Eastern Crete.
Spanning about 4 km, Havgas Gorge provides a leisurely walk, especially at the exit where it widens and showcases striking landslides on its flanks. As you advance, the gorge abruptly tightens, leading to the scenic Neraidokolimbos lake, situated at the foot of a charming waterfall with a round boulder. According to local folklore, the gorge’s fairies used to bathe in this lake.
Next to Neraidokolimbos is the Plystra side gorge, recognized for its successive waterfalls that flow into the main stream of Havgas. Above the gorge, there is a singular waterfall named after Plystra, known to drip water even during the dry summer months. As per the legend, this is where fairies used to wash their clothes.
The gorge, a part of the E4 trail, offers a tranquil landscape due to the lack of crowds. It is home to a variety of trees, mainly maples and holm oaks. The river is seasonal and only flows following substantial rain or snow, whereas Neraidokolymbos lake retains water throughout the year.
Travelers usually start their journey from the exit point near the reservoirs of Agios Georgios village. Another alternative is to commence from the Katharo plateau and descend along the riverbed. However, reaching Neraidokolymbos may necessitate a jump into the water or retracing one’s steps.
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