The Gorge of Asfendos in Sfakia is a small but beautiful gorge and it starts southern from the Sfakian mountain village called Asfendos, situated at an altitude of 620 m and a distance of 45 km from Chania city.

Four kilometres of cobbled path dropping steeply in places down an open gorge. I often wonder who built these ancient cobbled ways which still provide excellent walking routes through this rocky landscape.

Follow the path that leads south away from the village down the valley.

15 min. Pass the last of the scattered farm houses, mostly ruinous.

20 min. Pass a water cistern with a vaulted stone roof and a water trough to enter a shallow rocky valley. There is a well built cobbled path on both sides of the stream.

35 min. The cobbled path is now on the eastern bank and it starts to follow a series of hairpins down as the valley becomes more gorge like.

40 min. The sea is visible in the distance as a huge jumble of tumbled boulders occupy the valley. The path drops down through hairpins on the west bank.

50 min. The bottom of the gorge narrows and becomes impassable. The path runs along a rock platform to the side.

56 min. The gorge opens out again and drops away below the path, now high on its ledge.

1 hr 6 min. The path drops through a series of well built hairpins past a little shed under the cliff. Below this the path is more eroded.

1 hr 13 min. Another water tank is followed by further hairpins down as the gorge narrows again.

1 hr 23 min. Hairpins down again.

1 hr 28 min. The hairpins continue as rock walls close in ahead.

1 hr 35 min. The path crosses briefly to the east bank before returning to the west under ochre cliffs on both sides. The valley bottom again drops below the path.

1 hr 40 min. The final set of hairpins drops the path down to the valley floor.

1 hr 50 min. The ruins of an ancient stone walled cistern sit beside the path as it leaves the gorge for the open views of the coast.

2 hours The village of Agios Nektarios and the road. 56 min. The gorge opens out again and drops away below the path, now high on its ledge.

1 hr 6 min. The path drops through a series of well built hairpins past a little shed under the cliff. Below this the path is more eroded.

1 hr 13 min. Another water tank is followed by further hairpins down as the gorge narrows again.

1 hr 23 min. Hairpins down again.

1 hr 28 min. The hairpins continue as rock walls close in ahead.

1 hr 35 min. The path crosses briefly to the east bank before returning to the west under ochre cliffs on both sides. The valley bottom again drops below the path.

1 hr 40 min. The final set of hairpins drops the path down to the valley floor.

1 hr 50 min. The ruins of an ancient stone walled cistern sit beside the path as it leaves the gorge for the open views of the coast.

2 hours The village of Agios Nektarios and the road.

Asfendos Gorge in Chania, West Crete Asfendos Gorge in Chania, West Crete Asfendos Gorge in Chania, West Crete

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