Twice as Many Visitors to Crete’s Samaria Gorge

According to Greek media, the number of tourists to visit Samaria Gorge this year has dοubled since last April. Samaria Gorge, in Crete, has been a national park since 1962, mainly due to the presence of kri-kri goats, which are restricted to the areas of the gorge and another small island near Crete. Visitors may encounter other endemic species there as well. The walk through Samaria National Park is 13 km long, hard work at an altitude of 1,250 meters, but the walk to the nearby village Agia Roumely, where the park exit can be found, is another three kilometers, making the total hike 16 km long. Chania forestry service stated that this April, 2,154 tourists undertook the hike - a 104 percent rise on last year’s number, making the gorge Crete’s top tourist attraction, and one of the most important environmental destinations in Europe.  

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