Iron Gates Travel Guide

The Iron Gates, correctly known as 'Portes' (meaning doors or gates), mark the most iconic and breathtaking point in Samaria Gorge. Here, the towering rock faces close in dramatically, squeezing the path to a mere four meters while the cliffs rise almost vertically to heights of up to 300 meters. This creates a stunning corridor that evokes a sense of awe and wonder, a true testament to the power of nature sculpted over millennia.The Iron Gates are located roughly 12 kilometers from the northern entrance of the Samaria Gorge at Xyloskalo, about an hour away from Agia Roumeli. The full Samaria Gorge hike stretches 16 kilometers, descending from the White Mountains to the coastal village of Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea. The gorge is open to hikers from May to October, weather permitting.The Samaria Gorge became a National Park in 1962 and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981, aiming to protect the habitat of the Kri-Kri goat and other endemic species. The Iron Gates not only represent a geological marvel but also a key part of this protected ecosystem.