Richtis Gorge is located on the northern side of Lasithi prefecture, 14 km from Sitia and 33 km from Agios Nikolaos and stands out for its natural beauty. After a downhill course of 3.3km and with an altitude drop of 320m. it ends at the beach. What makes the gorge unique is the 20m high Richtis waterfall, with the lake, towards the end of the route. Richtis, in the Cretan idiom, means waterfall.
The entrance of the gorge is located near the village of Exo Mouliana, where there is a car park. Alternatively, visitors can drive to the historic bridge of Lachanas, further into the gorge, and leave their car there. The bridge was built in 1907 and made it easier for the locals to cross the river during times of flooding. In 1923, with the exchange of Christian and Turkish populations, after the Asia Minor disaster, it became the site of battles between the Greeks and the Turks.
The path goes along the river, there is water all year round, which turns the hike into a unique experience. The landscape is overgrown with plane trees, oleanders and aromatic plants. Also, small reptiles, birds and small mammals make the walk one of the most beautiful experiences in Crete, suitable for the whole family. The old water mills, an imprint of the past, impress visitors. The route, with wooden stairs and passages, is very well signposted and constantly informs about the distance to the waterfall, the highlight of the route.
After 1800 m, 1.5 hours of walking and the descent of the huge wooden staircase, the visitor arrives at the beautiful waterfall and the lake. There they can swim in the cool waters or rest in the wooden dining table with benches. However, because the place gathers a lot of people in the summer, it would be advisable to cross the gorge on weekdays or early in the morning.
Continuing the course and descending down the gorge, the visitor arrives at the beautiful beach of Richtis. There are many tamarisk trees, stone seats and tables and drinking water, so many locals choose the beach to relax. The beach is isolated, without taverns or cafes. It is full of large pebbles and stones and is not ideal for swimming when it is windy.
Many visitors prefer to reach the exit of the canyon by car and then walk, upstream, to the waterfall. They, first, drive downhill the road that starts at the village of Exo Mouliana and they reach the end of the gorge, the path through the gorge is shorter but enough to enjoy.
Richtis gorge is one of the most beautiful routes in Crete and therefore very popular.
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