The Gorges of Crete, a Triumph of Nature
Crete is a heaven of Nature Lovers – among others, thanks to its thriving flora and fauna and its so varying geophysical relief. The epitome, the finest paradigm of this can be found in the numerous Gorges of Crete.
From the famous Samaria Gorge to the lesser known, each Crete gorge has got its unique flora, shapes, colors history and centuries – old monuments!
Cretan Flora and Fauna
The Cretan Gorges host thousands of different flora species, hundreds of them unique on the world. The general shape of the gorges create natural microclimates, which help the endemic plants to flourish. Therefore, a large part of the island’s rich flora can only be found in the gorges. The truly impressive fact in Samaria gorge and its surrounding region particularly is that its floristic list has not been completed yet! In addition, scientists keep discovering new species. To demonstrate, some of the typical flora species are the Cretan White Peony – Paeonia clusii, the Pink Rockrose – Cistus creticus, the Cretan Ebony – Ebenus cretica, the Hypericum aciferum, the Clabrian Pine – Pinus brutia and the evergreen Kermes Oak – Quercus coccifera.
Regarding the Cretan fauna, apart from the renowned Cretan wild goat or Capra Aegagrus cretica, still living in Samaria gorge, other unique examples consist the Cretan Wildcat or Felis sylvestris cretensis, the Cretan White toothed Shrew – Croccidura zimmermani (the only endemic mammal on Crete), the Macrothele cretica (endemic spider of Crete) and the Griffon vulture or Gyps fulvus.
Cretan Landscapes
The landscapes you can wonder at in the gorges of Crete can take your breath away! Environmental and climate conditions, have breathed life into the rocks of the Cretan gorges by creating dramatic sceneries and rare shapes. The mountains of Crete belong to the Dinarotauric Arrow, a long mountain “chain” first created 70 – 55 million years ago. The Dinarotauric Arrow begins from the Dinaric Alps. Moreover, it expands to the Balkan Peninsula with the Haemus mountains. Then, it continues to Crete and ends at the Range of Taurus in Middle East.
Additionally, the caves naturally formed in the gorges are strongly bounded to the History of Crete. Significantly, the caves reveal a lot about the entire area. In particular, the Ravine “of the Dead”, east Crete, reveals the Minoans’ burial habits through the numerous Minoan burials that have been found in the caves along its walls. Another example consist the caves inside Avlaki or Katholiko gorge, which used to be a refuge for monks at harsh times for the Christian population on the island.
Importance of Cretan Gorges
Except for Wonders of Nature, the Cretan Gorges had a special significance in everyday life of the past. At pre-Second World War Crete, gorges used to serve as streets connecting remote villages to the towns. For instance, Imbros Gorge, to the south of Chania region, used to serve as the street connecting Sfakia villages to Chania town. This is the route Australian and New Zealander soldiers followed in May 1940 to flee from Nazi-attacked Greece to Egypt. Finally, they joined the other Allied Forces’ troops.
Furthermore, the gorges of Crete play a major role in the different weather conditions throughout the island. They serve as “gates” on the natural frontiers, the Cretan mountains. For instance, when driving from Rethimnon town to the south of Rethimnon region, the main road leads you to Kourtaliotiko Gorge. As you will notice, the temperature and the wind intensity is totally different when entering or exiting the gorge. There are numerous cases when the gorges even change the wind direction!
Loving the Gorges of Crete, we designed special Experiences bringing you close to them! You are welcome to find out more on how you can explore them, below!
Chania Nature Experience
https://www.elissos.com/tour/chania-nature-experience/
Rethimnon for Nature Lovers
https://www.elissos.com/tour/rethimnon-for-nature-lovers/
West Crete Off the Beaten Path
https://www.elissos.com/tour/natural-cultural-wonders-of-chania/
The Mystical Palace of Zakros