Lefka Ori ( Greek : Λευκά Όρη , meaning 'White Mountains') or Madares ( Μαδάρες from the Cretan Greek μαδαρός meaning 'without coverage, bald, bare of any vegetation for high mountain areas') is a mountain range located in Western Crete , in the Chania prefecture. The White Mountains or Lefka Ori occupy a large part of the centre of West Crete and are the main feature of the region. They consist mainly of limestone, from light grey to bluish or black color. The White Mountains have taken their name from the perpetual white or off-white color of their peaks as the off white of limestone during the summer and fall interchanges with the snow that covers the peaks until late in spring.
19-695: The highest summit is Pachnes at 2,453 m (8,048 ft) and there are over 30 summits that are over 2,000 m (6,562 ft) high. The Lefka Ori also have about 50 gorges, the most famous being the Samaria Gorge . Another characteristic of the mountain range is that there are a number of plateaus that exist at heights of 500–1,100 metres (1,640–3,609 ft), such at those of Askifou, Impros, Kallikratis , Anopolis, and Omalos , which are all surrounded by mountains. Pachnes (from Greek πάχνη which means 'morning dew' but also in Cretan it can mean 'fog')
38-558: A moon landscape. This is technically called a high desert. It is unique in the northern hemisphere. The prominence of the Lefka Ori range can be seen in the aerial footage below of the Hania province from space [1] : There are four refuges in Lefka Ori. The Volikas Refuge was built in 1958. It is located above the village Kampi Keramion, at an elevation of 1,450 metres (4,757 ft). It can accommodate up to 30 persons. The Kallergi Refuge
57-592: A rich history as a hiding place for rebels during Cretan uprisings against the Venetian and Ottoman rulers, as well as during German Occupation (1941–1945). The Lefka Ori are home to both of Greece's caves with depths greater than one kilometer, Gourgouthakas and the Cave of the Lion. Samaria Gorge The Samariá Gorge ( Greek : Φαράγγι Σαμαριάς or just Φάραγγας ) is a National Park of Greece since 1962 on
76-631: A series of almost vertical 900 m (3,000 ft) cliffs called 'the Untrodden'—at the head of the Samaria Gorge . This mountain range, which hosts another 14 endemic animal species, is protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . In total, their range extends to the White Mountains, the Samaria National Forest and the islets of Dia, Thodorou, and Agii Pandes. Recently some were introduced onto two more islands. By 1960,
95-618: A way from Agia Roumeli to the Gates and back. 35°16′16″N 23°57′41″E / 35.27111°N 23.96139°E / 35.27111; 23.96139 Kri-kri Capra aegagrus cretica The kri-kri ( Capra hircus cretica ), sometimes called the Cretan goat , Agrimi , or Cretan Ibex , is a feral goat inhabiting the Eastern Mediterranean , previously considered a subspecies of wild goat . The kri-kri today
114-404: Is also a threat, as the population has interbred with ordinary goats. Hunting them is strictly prohibited. Archaeological excavations have unearthed several depictions of the kri-kri. Some academics believe that the animal was worshiped during antiquity. On the island, males are often called 'agrimi' ( Greek : αγρίμι , i.e. 'the wild one'), while the name 'sanada' ( Greek : σανάδα ) is used for
133-491: Is found only in Greece : specifically on Crete and on three small islands off its coast ( Dia , Thodorou , and Agii Pantes); as well as on the island of Sapientza ( Messenian Oinousses ) off the southwestern coast of Peloponnese , where it was brought in great numbers in order to protect the species from extinction. The kri-kri has a light brownish coat with a darker band around its neck. It has two horns that sweep back from
152-519: Is the second tallest peak in Crete, after Mount Ida , which is also known as Psiloritis (from the Greek Ψηλός which means 'high, tall' and from the Greek όρος for 'mountain', i.e. 'tall mountain') and the 10th in Greece . There are only a few main roads leading into the White Mountains. From the north the roads to Omalos and the entrance of the Samaria Gorge and the road to Chora Sfakion through
171-529: The distance between the settlement of Omalos on the northern side of the plateau and the village of Agia Roumeli . In fact, the gorge is 16 km long, starting at an altitude of 1,250 m at the northern entrance, and ending at the shores of the Libyan Sea in Agia Roumeli . The walk through Samaria National Park is 13 km long, but one has to walk another two kilometers to Agia Roumeli from
190-529: The entrance (near Omalos village), and a bus connection that will be waiting for hikers after they disembark the ferry in Sougia or Sfakia (Chora Sfakion). If you are on your own, you can make a one-day round trip from Chania (see below) or from Sougia or Paleochora. Note that the morning buses from Sougia and Paleochora do not operate on Sunday. The ferries leave Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakion (eastbound) and to Sougia/Paleochora (westbound) at 17:30. There also exists
209-546: The female. The kri-kri is a symbol of the island, much used in tourism marketing and official literature. As molecular analyses demonstrate, the kri-kri is not, as previously thought, a distinct subspecies of wild goat. Rather, it is a feral domestic goat , derived from the first stocks of goats domesticated in the Levant and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean around 8000-7500 BCE. Therefore, it represents
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#1732765844879228-559: The head. In the wild they are shy and avoid humans, resting during the day. The animal can leap some distance or climb seemingly sheer cliffs. The kri-kri is not thought to be indigenous to Crete, most likely having been imported to the island during the time of the Minoan civilization . It was once common throughout the Aegean but the peaks of the 2,400 m (8,000 ft) White Mountains of Western Crete are their last strongholds—particularly
247-468: The island of Crete – a major tourist attraction of the island – and a World's Biosphere Reserve . The gorge is in southwest Crete in the regional unit of Chania . It was created by a small river running between the White Mountains (Lefká Óri) and Mt. Volakias. There are a number of other gorges in the White Mountains. While some say that the gorge is 18 km long, this distance refers to
266-643: The kri-kri was under threat, with a population below 200. It had been the only meat available to mountain guerillas during the German occupation in World War II . Its status was one reasons why the Samaria Gorge became a national park in 1962. There are still only about 2,000 animals on the island and they are considered vulnerable: hunters still seek them for their tender meat, grazing grounds have become scarcer and disease has affected them. Hybridization
285-458: The park and an island just off the shore of Agia Marina . There are several other endemic species in the gorge and surrounding area, as well as many other species of flowers and birds. The village of Samariá lies just inside the gorge. It was finally abandoned by the last remaining inhabitants in 1962 to make way for the park. The village and the gorge take their names from the village's ancient church, Óssia María. Visitors to Crete can complete
304-422: The park exit, making the hike 15 km long. The most famous part of the gorge is the stretch known as the Gates (or, albeit incorrectly, as "Iron Gates"), where the sides of the gorge close in to a width of only four meters and soar up to a height of almost 300 meters (980 feet). The gorge became a national park in 1962, particularly as a refuge for the rare kri-kri (Cretan goat ), which is largely restricted to
323-457: The plateau of Askifou further to the east. There are other approaches from the west from Sougia and Paleochora leading to Omalos as well as approaches from northeast from Argyroupoli – Asi Ghonia and from Plakias-Frangokastello along the southern coast in the east. There are also a few other minor roads leading to higher elevations. The central and southern parts of the Lefka Ori lie at an elevation of 1,800 m (5,906 ft) and above resembles
342-555: The walk down the gorge from the Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, at which point tourists sail to the nearby village of Sougia or Hora Sfakion, where they could spend a night there, or they could catch a coach back to Chania. The walk takes five to seven hours and can be strenuous, especially at the peak of summer. Local tourist operators provide organized tours to the Gorge. These include bus transportation from one's hotel to
361-498: Was built in 1970. Its elevation is 1,650 m (5,413 ft) and it can accommodate 45 persons. It is located 5 km (3.1 mi) from Omalos. The Tavris Refuge was built in 1992 and it is located near Ammoudari, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) from Askyfou, at 1,200 metres (3,937 ft). It can accommodate up to 45 persons. The Svourichti Refuge was built in 1994. It is located seven hours from Anopolis at 1,980 m (6,496 ft) and it can accommodate 20 persons. The Lefka Ori has
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