Samaria Gorge New Entry Fees in Effect from May 2025

Starting in May 2025, visiting Samaria Gorge will cost you double. The fee structure is as follows:

• Single-day individual ticket: €10
• Group ticket for 10+ people: €8 per person
• Family ticket: €6 per person
• Annual pass: €25 (unlimited visits during the open season)

Tickets can be pre-purchased online or at designated entry points: Xyloskalo (Omalos) and Agia Roumeli. No sneaky access from anywhere else, sorry. Enforcement will come via on-site staff, and if you’re caught trying to cheat the system, expect a fine of ten times the ticket price. Think you can outsmart that? Just try it.

Also read: Samaria National Park: Stricter Rules Transform Visitor Experience in 2025

The Free Entry Days (a.k.a. the Bargain Hunters’ Paradise)

For those determined to avoid paying, mark your diaries. Samaria Gorge will offer free entry on three key dates annually:

• 21 March: World Forestry Day
• 21 May: European Natura 2000 Day
• 5 June: World Environment Day

These ‘free for all’ days don’t mean everyone gets a go with Instagram moments. It’s still a natural reserve, not your back garden. Guides and volunteers will still operate as normal while you roam guilt-free.

Who Gets a Free Pass Every Day?

Not everyone will be coughing up to see nature at its best. If you’re anyone from this golden club, you’ve struck the jackpot:

• Kids under 18 or people over 65 (congrats for aging well or not at all).
• Students from EU countries.
• Families lucky enough to fall into the ‘large brood’ category.
• People with disabilities (plus their companion) because, well, fairness.
• Officials doing serious work—think forest services, police, rescue teams, etc.
• Researchers, mountain guides, and other educational types.
• Residents of the nearby municipalities.
• Anyone waving around an active unemployment card—being broke has perks sometimes.

Where Will the Money Go?

Don’t let the fees sting too much; at least the proceeds have a purpose. The cash will be used to:

• Maintain hiking paths and visitor facilities.
• Keep the place clean and well-protected.
• Improve visitor safety (because nature is great, but accidents aren’t).
• Upgrade essential resources like water and waste systems.
• Provide weather monitoring, so people aren’t caught off guard by a rogue storm.

Even better, 30% of the revenue gets shared with local municipalities (Platanias, Sfakia, Kantanos-Selino, and Chania). Finally, some investment where it’s needed most.

The new system kicks off immediately, replacing any wishy-washy, old-school arrangements. Love it or hate it, these moves aim for sustainable tourism, preserving the area’s natural beauty while keeping the experience enjoyable (and less crowded) for everyone. Dealing with limits, rules, and silly red tape might feel like a drag, but hey, at least you’re getting a gorge worth shouting about.