Richtis Gorge
Richtis Gorge
4.5
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Monday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
8:15 AM - 3:00 PM
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  • Adele
    Budapest, Hungary4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun hike, not too difficult however not suitable for small children and people with mobility issues
    We started from Exo Mouliana and hiked to the waterfall (about 1-1,5 hours from the official parking spot), then to the beach (it's about 30 more minutes from the waterfall). The road is beautiful with some rocks and creeks to cross which makes things more fun. Bring as much water as you can though, and wear proper walking shoes. Also, please note that if you arrive at the beach going back to Exo Mouliana will take you at least 2 hours if you don't intend to cross the gorge again. A nice couple gave us a ride from the beach back because we ran out of water. Many thanks to them again <3
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 22, 2023
  • Vincent R.
    Amersfoort, The Netherlands632 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great hike through the gorge. Think about your safety.
    An amazing hike through the gorge really. Not too long, not too short either, this hike is just the sweet spot. A little hard to get to the start (we started at the parking by the beach). It is a remote area with not phone network coverage, so think about some safety procedures and how to communicate in case of an accident.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 9, 2023
  • Sweeton C
    Canada102 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely hike.
    Lovely, peaceful walk, a bit muddy in places. We went in February on a Friday and there was lots of room to park up by the road. I would recommend driving down the lane to the Venetian Bridge as it is a steep hike back up and not a bad drive down. There is parking for a few cars down there. The walk itself is well marked and well worn. There are little bridges over the creek but some of the path was flooded so good hiking boots are a must. We found it took longer than indicated and although we walked down for about 1.45hr we never reached the waterfall as we knew the hike back up would take even longer. Even so, it was very pretty and lots of little waterfalls along the way.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 12, 2024
  • jim d
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful but hard work if you don’t hike regularly
    Ideal weather (warm dry not too hot, not too wet underfoot and low insect count). Started at top car park and went all way to beach. Beautiful : but I am not the fittest, 66yo and overweight. I found it very difficult and tiring. There is a fair amount of scrambling and you have to be very careful (unless fit and nimble) not to stumble and hurt yourself. So much so that I opted to walk the road way back : further and higher but less tricky. By chance was offered a lift half way (many thanks to the young Afghan couple) which saved me a long walk. It’s excellent but don’t take it on lightly! Probably no problem for folks who hike in hills/mountains regularly.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written May 18, 2024
  • ecbj-61
    Ahus, Sweden351 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful nature and a somewhat challenging walk
    It was a beautiful trail with s well prepared rout. It was a bit challenging at times to climb over rocks and jump over waters. We met both older people and quite young children so it is possible for ordinary fit people to take this hike. zjudt take it slow. Good to know is that you need 3 euro in cash to get in.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 27, 2024
  • Rob J
    13 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Really Nice walk, although you do need an element of fitness to do it all.
    To help understand the best options.As it can be confusing, the path is a scramble of rocks,rivers, homemade steps, rough terrain , uneven ground and some good paths but not many! You do need to be reasonably fit and mobile to do this walk. It is not for young children. If you are fit park and the top by the road in the car park of Mouliana and walk down , it takes maybe an hour and a half to walk to the water fall from here and another half an hour to the beach beach. To save some energy and time you can drive down the thin road to the start but there's limited parking space. The Toughest part for me was from the end back to the car park. Because it was very hot with no shade and uphill. There is fresh water from a spring at the beach if you run out of water. I definitely recommend swimming in the sea to refresh but be careful the rocks are sharp. If you are not very mobile you could park the car at the bottom near the beach and walk up to the waterfall which will take you maybe half an hour. Still a little challenging but doable. The women at the entrance is lovely. Its €3 cash to get in, no cards. I did it alone in 4hrs with a swim but im fit and walk fast, too fast at times. There is shade and a cool breeze at times but also hot patches where your exposed. Take plenty of water and wear sensible shoes not flip flops, i wore standard trainers. Well worth the visit.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written June 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles576 reviews
Excellent
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Sweeton C
Canada102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Lovely, peaceful walk, a bit muddy in places. We went in February on a Friday and there was lots of room to park up by the road. I would recommend driving down the lane to the Venetian Bridge as it is a steep hike back up and not a bad drive down. There is parking for a few cars down there.
The walk itself is well marked and well worn. There are little bridges over the creek but some of the path was flooded so good hiking boots are a must.
We found it took longer than indicated and although we walked down for about 1.45hr we never reached the waterfall as we knew the hike back up would take even longer. Even so, it was very pretty and lots of little waterfalls along the way.
Written February 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MikeyB62
London, UK144 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
Worth the effort if you like hiking. It’s a 2hr hike from the car park at the roadside, or a half hour walk from the beach car park. We took the easy option and drove the track down to the beach. It’s a steep and rough concrete road, but quite drivable if you are competent, about 5.5kms. The walk up to the falls is not level, and is a rocky, hands on scramble in places. It is also wet and muddy in a few places. We wore proper hiking shoes. Sturdy trainers would be ok. It’s not a walk for flip flops (thongs) or fashion shoes.
Written June 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ellenvc0405
Lier, Belgium2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Friends
The route to the waterfall and back was quite challenging (climbing over rocks, branches, over water). Be careful that you need to walk the route back up as well (total duration between 3-4u walk).
Not a recommendation for doing this with children.
Written May 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adele
Budapest, Hungary4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
We started from Exo Mouliana and hiked to the waterfall (about 1-1,5 hours from the official parking spot), then to the beach (it's about 30 more minutes from the waterfall).

The road is beautiful with some rocks and creeks to cross which makes things more fun. Bring as much water as you can though, and wear proper walking shoes. Also, please note that if you arrive at the beach going back to Exo Mouliana will take you at least 2 hours if you don't intend to cross the gorge again.

A nice couple gave us a ride from the beach back because we ran out of water. Many thanks to them again <3
Written September 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jim d
1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Solo
Ideal weather (warm dry not too hot, not too wet underfoot and low insect count). Started at top car park and went all way to beach. Beautiful : but I am not the fittest, 66yo and overweight. I found it very difficult and tiring. There is a fair amount of scrambling and you have to be very careful (unless fit and nimble) not to stumble and hurt yourself. So much so that I opted to walk the road way back : further and higher but less tricky. By chance was offered a lift half way (many thanks to the young Afghan couple) which saved me a long walk. It’s excellent but don’t take it on lightly! Probably no problem for folks who hike in hills/mountains regularly.
Written May 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Airlia L
33 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
This adventure is worth the effort. The hike through the gorge is not for the faint of heart but the views (both driving and hiking there) are quite amazing. There are different route options. You can opt to see the waterfall (which we did) and the beach (which we also did) but it will take a bit longer. Wear close toed shoes! Bring water! And a change of clothes for when you’re done.
Written June 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ecbj-61
Ahus, Sweden351 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
It was a beautiful trail with s well prepared rout. It was a bit challenging at times to climb over rocks and jump over waters. We met both older people and quite young children so it is possible for ordinary fit people to take this hike. zjudt take it slow. Good to know is that you need 3 euro in cash to get in.
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vincent R.
Amersfoort, The Netherlands632 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
An amazing hike through the gorge really. Not too long, not too short either, this hike is just the sweet spot. A little hard to get to the start (we started at the parking by the beach). It is a remote area with not phone network coverage, so think about some safety procedures and how to communicate in case of an accident.
Written October 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matt
Boston, MA1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
We visited the Gorge during our stay on Crete. While the road to get down was intimating, the beautiful hike and waterfall made it all worth it. Even better was Georgia in the admissions booth. She was knowledge about the hike and region, and a delight to chat with before we began our trek through the gorge. Ya know, in fact, skip the waterfall. Just talk to Georgia.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DRKOS
London, England, United Kingdom185 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2011
Richtis gorge is one of the most beautiful trails in Crete; it starts at Exo Mouliana village, which is located on the Agios Nikolaos - Sitia national road near Sitia, and ends at Richtis beach, one of the most secluded beaches on the island. It is a "jungle-like" path with old bridges, ruins, a waterfall and the beach at the end.

If you are looking for an almost completely unspoiled (the only human interventions on the walk are for safety/accessibility purposes) nature/wildlife/beach experience in Crete, this is the real deal!

Things you should know before you visit:

I'll try to cover as many issues as I can think of since there are not many places on the net that will provide comprehensive information about this relatively unknown/untouched path.

Exo Mouliana village is about 1h45min drive from Heraklion, 1h20min from Herssonisos, 45min from Ag. Nikolaos/Elounda, 16min from Sitia, 50min from Palekastro, 1h from Makry-gialos, 1h15min from Kato Zakros.

This walk takes about 3h (4.5km) including regular stops for photos or a snack and another 15min to go back if you have arranged for someone to pick you up by car at the beach. The path is marked and it will be easy to find your way, in fact there is only one way - follow the stream. If you decide to walk back the path add another couple of hours to the total. As of summer 2011 there is no regular service that will pick you up at the beach to take you back. When we visited (a group of two families) two of us went down to the beach with two cars and left one of the cars there to use for our return and then drove back to the village to start our walk as we didn't have enough time to walk the path both ways. Another option, if you chose not to walk both ways, is to arrange for someone to pick you up (a friend or taxi) or to go on an organised excursion that some travel agents in eastern Crete offer.

You can also do it the "lazy way" by driving down to the beach and walking to the waterfall from there (about 1h) and then walk back to the beach. But you would be missing a few things this way. The walking entrance of the path is on the east side of the village and the road on the west side of the village, both start on the national road and entrances are marked. There is no need for an off-road vehicle to drive to the beach as the road is concrete paved throughout and regularly maintained (not an asphalt though), use caution as there are no guardrails on the side of the road (as of august 2011) and the beautiful views can be distracting ;). Walking the road back to the village will take you about 1h35m (5.6km uphill walk).

It is a relatively easy walk, but keep in mind this is still a gorge so no flip-flops. Walking or hiking shoes or boots are recommended. It is not recommended for people with mobility problems or children under 10 years old or any unsupervised children. It is not advisable to walk it solo unless you have a bit of relevant experience. If you visit during winter or early spring when the water is at its highest level you might get your feet wet in places where you have to cross the stream, although this is usually avoided by careful path finding and a little improvisation :). There is not a single commercial establishment (temporary or otherwise) along the path, that means take some food and water with you. Not a lot of water is needed though as there is a clean water source (fresh mineral water coming directly from a mountain source 24/7 all year round) freely available for everyone at the end of the path. You can use your mobile phone for a large part of the walk and although there are areas where the signal will be unreliable, walking further up or down the path from the "blank" areas will fix this and there is good signal when you arrive at the beach area (best when you are very close to the sea).

I have walked the path 3 times (2 in summer, 1 in spring). The last time I visited (august 2011), we were a group of two families and our plan was to walk along the river, have a picnic at the waterfall and then walk further down to the beach for a swim and relax watching the sunset. We started around 12.00 (we had left one car at the beach earlier) from Exo Mouliana village and in about 10-20min we were at the Lachana bridge, a 200 year old stone bridge that used to be part of a very old road connecting Sitia to Ag. Nikolaos. From this point on, the path started to look like a jungle, but without the wild carnivores ;). There were only a few parts from Lachana bridge and further down the path that were not almost completely covered by vegetation (mostly large platanus trees), which was good since it was a particularly hot day. I was the only one in the group that had walked the path before and keeping my mouth shut about the little surprises that lie ahead was no easy task. These included “discovering” the ruins of old water mills almost completely covered by vegetation, picturesque ponds, clearings with stunning views of the mountains, caves and lots of interesting local species of flowers and other vegetation. You can also find local species of butterflies (some tend to rest in large groups in the bushes and burst out when you shake the bush with a stick or while walking), river crabs and small eels in the river and if you are lucky enough you can see wild rabbits, hawks and partridges along the way.

The grand attraction of the path is of course the waterfall. It is an about 16m high waterfall that plunges in a pond surrounded by vegetation forming a very scenic spot for resting and having a snack (there are wooden picnic tables next to the waterfall). We arrived at the top of the waterfall around 14.00 and took the stairs (there are stairs in a few parts of the path to improve accessibility and safety) down to the pond where we had our longest break before continuing to the beach.

The beach is almost completely untouched, so no bars or restaurants or any other commercial establishment. There is however a fresh water source freely available and some tables you can use to have a meal and some utensils left there by the locals who visit regularly. There are a few solar light posts that turn on automatically at night and as far as I could tell there is no regulation against spending the night there. In the evenings, locals from the nearby villages often organise large gatherings with food and drinks at the beach which they usually share, but these are more or less spontaneous, nothing you would find advertised anywhere.
The first thing we saw coming out of the “jungle” part of the path while walking the last couple of hundred meters before the beach was the tamarisk trees and the solar light posts that lie on a large clearing just before the beach. There were a few other visitors (perhaps 6 or 8) already there, I assume all from the same group since they were all taking a nap under the trees or on the pebbly beach. We stayed maybe 4-5h for a swim, a bit of exploring the area and some (more) food that we had brought with us and we drove back to the village at sunset.

We will be returning next year.
Written January 28, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Richtis Gorge - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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