Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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Join us on a spectacular hike to Mount Gingilos on Crete, starting high above the famous Samaria Gorge at the Omalos Plateau. Step into our footsteps and experience the changing landscapes, rugged rock formations and incredible summit views of one of our favorite mountain hikes on the island.

The trail begins at the Samaria Gorge parking area, but instead of heading down into the gorge, we climb into the mountains above Omalos. What starts as a peaceful Mediterranean hiking trail soon leads through increasingly dramatic terrain: colorful vegetation, natural rock arches, enormous formations, boulder fields and finally the rocky ascent toward the summit of Mount Gingilos.

One of the things we loved most about this hike was just how diverse it felt.

The higher we climbed, the wider the landscape opened up. From the upper slopes and summit, you can look down onto the Omalos Plateau, across the surrounding mountains and toward the White Mountains, over parts of Samaria Gorge and all the way to the distant sea. It almost feels like standing on a mountain placed on top of another mountain.

And then, of course, you have to make your way back down. As the sun slowly disappeared, clouds moved through the mountains and the landscape changed once again, giving us a beautiful ending to the hike.

🥾 Tour Facts: Mount Gingilos Hike
- Start: Samaria Gorge Parking Lot / Omalos Plateau
- Distance: approx. 9.1 km
- Elevation gain: approx. 860 m
- Summit: 2080 m above sea level
- Route: Out & back
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Hiked in: October

Most of the route is regular mountain hiking, but the final approach to the summit includes some scrambling over rocky terrain. Sure-footedness and appropriate mountain experience are therefore important.

Mount Gingilos is also sometimes called or spelled Mount Gigilos.

🎧 About this virtual hike
This video combines first-person hiking footage with longer scenic moments that let you stop and simply take in the landscape. Along the way, you’ll hear our original nature and walking sounds together with beautiful background music, while small on-screen notes add some context about the route and surroundings.

So whether you're researching hiking in Crete, planning your own Mount Gingilos adventure or simply want to experience a peaceful 4K nature walk through the mountains, we hope you enjoy the journey.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Hiking Along the Omalos Plateau
03:44 Following a Narrow, Rocky Trail Through the Vegetation
05:30 Natural Rock Arch
06:07 Hiking Through Incredible Rock Formations
07:50 Climbing Through a Sea of Rocks and Boulders
10:16 Views from Afchenas Saddle
11:17 The Rocks and Views Get More Dramatic
12:12 Surrounded by Shale Rock
12:43 Not Quite There Yet – But the Views Are Already Spectacular
13:22 The Final Scramble to the Gingilos Summit
14:29 Summit of Mount Gingilos
18:24 Starting the Descent
19:20 Clouds Rolling Through the Mountains
22:44 Back Through the Rugged Rock Landscape
24:15 From Sunset Colors Into Darkness