The Gorge of Syrikari

It is a beautiful gorge in Kissamos that starts from the village of Mesa Sirikari (at an altitude of 500 m and a distance of 50 km from Chania) on the Chania - Kalergiana Kissamou - Kalathenes Sirikari route. It ends in Polyrrinia Kissamou (at an altitude of 400 m), six km distant from the town of Kissamos.

It is wooded with chestnut trees at the beginning, and then with plane trees, cardoons, wild olive trees, hollies, locusts, lentisks etc., and with aromatic herbs like the sage burning bush. Half way you meet the source of "Gra Vrissi" which is full legends, some of which refer to the 'demons' and 'goblins' of the gorge. Its crossing requires 3 to 3,30 hours and is fairly easy. At the exit you will find the ruins of the famous ancient city of Polyrrinia.

The Gorge of Chalase or Sasalou

It is another gorge of Kissamos, wonderful for nature lovers and mountaineers, located in an unspoilt natural environment. It starts from the village of Sasalos in Kissamos at an altitude of 340-m (57 km from Chania), where you come to via the Chania - Nopigia - Koleni -Rokka - Sfakopigadi - Malathyro - Sasalo route. After walking for maximum 4 hours in the main portion of the gorge, you reach the village of Malathyro (at an altitude of 315 m and a distance of 48 km from Chania). If you walk for one more hour you can also reach the village of Voulgaro in Kissamos, 7 km distant from the town of Kissamos.

The Gorge of Prasse

A small but very beautiful and wild gorge with significant altitude differences from the entrance to the exit, the walk in the gorge takes place through small or bigger rocks and under very impressive precipitous escarpments.
You reach the beginning of the gorge via the asphalt road leading from the crossroads of Petra Seli to the plateau of Omalos (Chania - Sougia route) and about 1 km from the entrance to the detour of Omalos. On the nearby dirt road, there is a 1km long pathway leading to Platanos after about 15 minutes, a densely wooded area with plane trees and ferns and full of water sources. You thus enter the main portion of the gorge and exit the gorge after walking for two hours on the rural road leading from the village of Prasse in Kydonia (31 km distant from Chania, at an altitude of 480 m) to the village of Skidia rightwards. You need another 40 minutes' walk before reaching Prasse if you do not have a vehicle at your disposal.

The Gorge of Kavi

It is another of the densely wooded worth visiting gorges of Sfakia, with high precipices. From the mountain village of Anopoli you can start walking on the rural-mountain road leading to the White Mountains, while reaching an altitude of 2000 m near their highest summit. After walking for one hour and a half, a small ramification leads rightwards to the Byzantine chapel of the Rood that contains remarkable murals. You can drive up there too.
It takes about 3 hours to walk up to the exit of the gorge, where there is an asphalt road leading from Chora Sfakion to Anopoli. A few metres downwards, there is a very clean beach called Iliggas, where you can enjoy swimming in the Lybian Sea, eat delicacies and stay overnight in the nearby complex. If you can't make the above crossing, you can have a global view of the gorge by walking as much as you wish toward the inside of the gorge from its exit on.

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