Imbros gorge is located in the south-western part of Crete, it descends parallel to the Samaria gorge and it is 9 km long. It is part of the European path E4, it takes 2 to 3 hours to cross and can be visited all year round.
The descent starts from the village of Imbros, 55 km southeast of Chania, and ends at the village of Komitades. There is a car park near the entrance and the ticket for the entrance costs just 2 euros.
The gorge is of low degree of difficulty, the path is easy to walk on and this makes it ideal for families with children. There are traces of a stone-paved path Inside the gorge; in the past the gorge was the main pathway connecting Chania with Sfakia. Many battles between the Turks and the Cretan rebels took place inside the gorge. Also, during the II World War, after the battle of Crete and the conquest of Crete by the Nazis, the allied troops escaped through the gorge to Sfakia.
At first, the canyon is open and its walls are low, then it narrows and the walls become higher and higher. There are surprises for the visitor everywhere, caves and wild animals. More than 50 species of birds find refuge here, including the Eurasian vulture with a wingspan of 2.8 meters. Wild goats climb up and down the rocks. There are, also, foxes and snakes. Vegetation is abundant with cypresses, hemlocks and maples sprouting through the rocks. Rare endemic plants, such as the Cretan cyclamen (cyclamen creticum), grow here.
During the descent, there are many interesting sites. At the Aeroplano site, a plane had crashed during the 2nd World War. ΄Gournia' is the next site with troughs in the rocks that fill with water in the Winter. ΄Stenada΄ is the narrowest point of the canyon with a width of 1.6 meters and a height of 300 meters. ΄Xepitira is an impressive rocky arch.
Imbros Gorge is accessible and popular. It is suitable for children, seniors, people of all experience and fitness levels who want to explore the wild nature of Crete. Also, unlike other canyons that end in the sea and you need to take a boat to get back to your car, here, where the canyon ends, in the village of Komitades, there are buses to take the hikers back to the parking area in Imbros village.
The gorge offers an unforgettable walking experience and it is one of the most popular places in Crete. It can be combined with a visit to Sfakia, for swimming and eating in a traditional tavern.
(more articles about Crete on www.gomega.gr)
