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Berat, Albania After spending 4 very pleasant days in Himare (see my blog Himare, Albania: Travel Guide ) we drove up to Berat for a one night stay. We then continued on to Kruje (see my blog Kruje, Albania: Travel Guide ). Contents Introduction Berat Castle Berat's Moslem Mangalemi neighbourhood The Christian Gorica neighbourhood The Central Area North of the River Accommodation in Berat Links to My Other Blogs on Albania 1. Introduction to Berat Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site like Gjirokaster, but fortunately much more interesting. I found Gjirokaster very disappointing as detailed in my blog Gjirokaster, Albania: Nothing Special! . We certainly felt that Berat deserved a 1 night stop over. It takes about half a day to see the main sights in Berat. These are: Berat's huge inhabited castle. The Moslem Mangalemi neighbourhood. The Christian Gorica neighbourhood. Berat's central area north of the Usumi River with the King's Mosque, Leaden Mosque and the Boulevard Republika with its cafes and restaurants. 2. Berat Castle We walked up the steep cobbled street called Mihal Komneno to reach Berat Castle entrance. Locals drive up but we wanted some exercise. I also try to avoid driving in historic centres if possible as the driving can get very hairy. Berat Castle is always open as there are inhabited dwellings within the castle walls. We didn't pay an entrance fee. The other 2 castles (Gjirokaster & Palermo) that we visited in Albania weren't very ancient and only dated back to the early 1800's. Berat castle is old with many structures dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. It was much more interesting than the other 2 castles. Berat Castle covers a huge area and consists of walls, fortifications, streets, mosques and churches. You need a minimum of an hour to see the castle and if you explore it fully it could take up to 2 hours. There are several signs throughout the site suggesting routes to follow and providing information on the structures. There are some small restaurants within the castle walls near the entrance. The Bradt guide book recommends the Klea and the Onufri restaurants. Berat Castle Berat Castle A Street in Berat Castle A Church in Berat Castle The Red Mosque in Berat Castle 3. The Moslem Mangalemi neighbourhood It is the Mangalemi neighbourhood that gave Berat its nickname of the City of a Thousand Windows. It is best viewed in the evening from the bridge over to Gorica or from Gorica's riverside. It is very atmospheric during the evening call to prayer and you don't feel that you are in Europe. Shops and restaurants line the north side of the road that follows the riverbank. Unfortunately the road is busy and it isn't a particularly special walk. However, it is worth walking a short way to the Gorica Bridge that was built in 1780. It is a beautiful stone bridge that crosses over to the Christian Gorica neighbourhood of Berat. Mangalemi - The "City of a Thousand Windows" View from Mangalemi of the Gorica Bridge The Bachelors' Mosque 4. The Christian Gorica neighbourhood It is very pleasant wandering around the old streets of Gorica and there is very little traffic. It is mainly a quiet residential area and there aren't many shops or restaurants. Gorica A Street in Gorica 5. Berat's Central Area North of the River The area to the east of the Bachelors's Mosque in Mangalemi is flat and runs south eastwards along the river Osumi. There are some historical buildings to see like the King's Mosque and the Leaden Mosque. Boulevard Republika is the liveliest street in Berat and is lined with cafes and restaurants on the northern side. It's a good place to eat with plenty of opportunity to people watch. Boulevard Republika in Berat The King's Mosque in Berat 6. Accommodation in Berat We stayed in a fantastic 3 bedroom luxury penthouse apartment in Berat for only Eur 45 per night. It can be booked through Booking.com . Details of the apartment are on my blog titled UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 . It is number 8 on this blog. 7. Links to My Other Blogs on Albania Kruje, Albania: Travel Guide Himare, Albania: Travel Guide Gjirokaster, Albania: Nothing Special! Driving through Albania: From Greece to Montenegro The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8 Albania to Montenegro - Week 9

The Palace of the Despots We drove from Nafplio to Monemvasia and stopped off at the archaeological sites of Tiryns , Mycenae and Mystras on the way. Contents Brief History of Mystras Parking and Toilets Opening Hours Tickets Finding your Way around Mystras What to See My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Brief History of Mystras Mystras was founded in the 13th century by the Franks who established a fortress on top of the hill. They were expelled from the Peloponnese in 1262 by the Byzantine Emperor who incorporated Mystras into the Byzantine Empire. Mystras soon became a thriving centre of art, culture and intellectual pursuits. Magnificent palaces, churches and monasteries were constructed, including the Palace of the Despots, the Church of Agios Demetrios and the Pantanassa Monastery In 1460, the Ottomans captured Mystras, marking the end of Byzantine rule in the Peloponnese. They occupied Mystras until 1821, except for a short period of Venetian control from 1687 to 1715. In 1770 Mystras joined a Peloponnese uprising against the Ottomans. It was suppressed by the Ottoman Albanians and Mystras was left in ruins. The final blow for Mystras came in 1823 when the Egyptians, who were aiding the Ottomans during the Greek War of Independence, massacred the local population and destroyed the town. In 1831 the town was rebuilt 9 km away and named Sparti. 2. Parking & Toilets at Mystras There is parking along the road at both the lower and upper entrances at Mystras. There are only toilets at the lower entrance gate. View of the Upper Parking Area View of the Lower Parking Area at Mystras, Greece. 3. Opening Hours at Mystras Winter (1 November to 31 March) 08:30-15:30 Summer 01/04-31/08: 08:00-20:00 01-15/09: 08:00-19:30 16-30/09: 08:00-19:00 01-15/10: 08:00-18:30 16-31/10: 08:00-18:00 Holidays 1 January 25 March 1 May Easter Sunday 25 December 26 December 4. Tickets for Mystras Cost Tickets for Mystras cost Eur 20. Admission to Mystras is free for EU citizens up to the age of 25. From October 1 to 31 May a 50% reduction is granted to over 65's from EU countries. Documentary proof is required for these reductions. Admission to Mystras is free for everyone on the following days: 6 March 18 April 18 May The last weekend of September 28 October Every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st 5. Finding your Way around Mystras You can start at either the lower or upper entrance of Mystras and it is best to follow a circular route. Some people struggle with the paths which are rocky and steep in places. It is worse in the summer heat. Some visitors therefore park at Mystras's lower gate to see the lower site and then drive up to the upper gate to see the remainder of Mystras, or vice versa. Tickets for Mystras are valid at both entrances. People with mobility issues often skip seeing the citadel. Tour groups usually start at Mystra's upper site and walk down to the lower site where they are met by their tour bus. Good shoes are advisable. It is a good idea to bring a site map and water in the summer. Map of Mystras 6. What to See at Mystras It is really worth visiting Mystras and the site can be seen in about 3 hours. Mystras's surviving buildings are mainly churches and monasteries. There is also a castle and a large palace that has been closed for renovations for over 20 years. All the other buildings at Mystras are in ruins. Metropolis of Mystras The Metropolis of Mystras is located near the lower entrance and it dates back to the late 13th century. There is a museum that exhibits sculptures, holy icons, byzantine objects and fragments from some of the other churches. Metropolis of Mystras Metropolis of Mystras Peribleptos Monastery This Byzantine church is slightly off the main circuit for Mystras and as a result it doesn't attract many visitors. It has some very attractive frescoes and is well worth seeing. Peribleptos Monastery Church of Agios Dimitrios The church of Agios Dimitrios was built in 1292 and it is the oldest church in Mystras. Church of Agios Dimitrios The Pantanassa Monastery The nuns at Pantanassa monastery are the only remaining residents of Mystras. The other residents were moved out in 1952. The church was built in 1428 and is the finest surviving church in Mystras. It has some excellent frescoes. The Pantanassa Monastery at Mystras The Interior of Pantanassa Monastery Pantanassa Monastery at Mystras The Despots' Palace The Despot's Palace is the main surviving building in Mystras and it was built in the late 14th century. It has now been closed for renovation for at least 20 years. The 2004 edition of the Rough Guide stated that it was " currently closed for extensive rebuilding and restoration that looks set to continue for a number of years ahead ". I doubt they thought it would be closed for quite so long! It should be the main attraction at Mystras once it is reopened. Looking up to the Despots' Palace Palace of the Despots, Mystras Church of Agia Sophia Agia Sophia Church was built in the mid-14th century. The Ottomans used it as a mosque. Church of Agia Sophia, Mystras The Interior of the Agia Sophia Church Mystras Castle You can wander around the ruins of Mystras Castle and there are good views. A View of the Palace of Despots from the Citadel Church of Agioi Theodoroi The Church of Agioi Theodoroi is the oldest and largest chapel in Mystras. The church was constructed between 1290 and 1295. Church of Hagioi Theodoroi Church of the Hodegetria The 14th century Church of the Hodegetria was part of the Brontochion Monastery. During the Ottoman period it was converted into a mosque. Hodegetria Interior of the Hodegetria 7. My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Agia Triada Monastery Contents Introduction Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora One Day Itinerary for Meteora Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries Great Meteoron Monastery Varlaam Monastery Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Roussanou Monastery Viewpoints at Meteora Accommodation at Meteora Links to My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Introduction Meteora was one of the highlights of our 3 month European road trip. The scenery is out of this world with the 6 ancient monasteries perched on sheer rocks. The only negative was the numerous tour groups. If you have a car you could visit all of Meteora's monasteries in one full day. Two nights would be sufficient if you visit one monastery on the day of departure. We stayed three nights and had two full days in Meteora. Most of Meteora's monasteries close for one day during the week. It is only at the weekend that all the monasteries are open. None of the monasteries open before 09.00 and most close early. If you only stay two nights your visit could be spoiled by bad weather. When we visited Meteora in late May it was very foggy when we arrived and it was raining on the day we left. We thought that the view of the monasteries perched on the sheer rocks, and the scenery, were more spectacular than the interiors of the monasteries. Our visit to Meteora was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4  for our daily trip report covering Meteora. 2. Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora We struggled with the large tour groups that arrived at Meteora by coach. They would crowd into the small chapels, and take over the space, while their guide explained the history. There would occasionally be a queue of tour groups waiting to enter a chapel. You have to understand the logistics of these tours to be able to avoid the crowds at Meteora: Most coach tours only visit 3 monasteries at Meteora. Two of them will be the Great Meteoron and Varlaam, if they are open. The third monastery that groups usually visit is either St. Stephan or Roussanou. Coach tours don't often visit the Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery and the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. There are too many steps leading up to them for their groups who have already walked up to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries. Some coach tours have to pick up clients from their hotels and don't arrive at the monasteries until after 09.00. Most coach tours stop at a restaurant for lunch. My recommendation for avoiding the tour groups and crowds is: Great Meteoron Monastery The Great Meteoron monastery only opens at 09.30 so you won't beat the crowds by going early. The best time may be at lunch time around 12.15 pm. That is when we went. Varlaam Monastery We visited the Varlaam monastery at lunch time (12.30 pm) and avoided many of the tour groups. As the Varlaam monastery opens at 09.00 another strategy would be to go early, around 08.30. It takes 10 minutes to walk from the gate at the base of the monastery up to the entrance. I am not sure what time the gate is opened. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery You can visit the Aga Triada monastery at any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Agios Stefanos or Roussanou. We arrived at the Agios Stefanos monastery at 08.45 and one tour bus had already arrived. We waited at the gate until it opened at 09.00. It is a short walk to the entrance. As it took time for the tour group to buy tickets we had the chapel to ourselves. By 09.30 there were several tour groups queuing to enter the chapel. When we left there were 13 tour buses outside the monastery! We passed Agios Stefanos at 11.00 a.m. and all the tour buses were leaving. The next day we saw that all the tour buses were leaving just before 11.30 a.m. Therefore late morning is probably a good time to visit. I don't know what Agios Stefanos is like in the afternoons. It is open until 17.30. My guess is that it may be quiet from 16.30. You would have plenty of time to see it before it closes if you arrive around 16.30 to 16.45. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can visit the Agios Nikolaou monastery any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. It is best to visit the more popular monasteries at the start of the day and at lunch time. Roussanou Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Roussanou or Agios Stefanos. We visited Roussanou at 14.00 and there weren't any groups. I didn't observe it at other times but feel that some groups might come here first as for Agios Stefanos. 3. One Day Itinerary for Meteora This itinerary for Meteora is only feasible at weekends when all the monasteries are open. During the week you will have to visit the monastery that is closed the following morning. Arrive at Varlaam monastery at 08.30. You should then be one of the first to enter when it opens at 09.00. Your visit shouldn't take longer than 75 minutes. Drive to Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. The monastery can be seen in 45 minutes. Drive to the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery. You should get there after 11.00 a.m. which is when the tour groups start to leave. You only need half an hour for this monastery. Drive back to the car park at the Varlaam monastery. Have a bit of lunch or a snack there. There are no restaurants at any of the monasteries so you will have to bring something. Walk 10 minutes to the Great Meteoron Monastery and enter by 12.30 at the latest. Drive down to Roussanou Monastery. Drive down a bit further to Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery. Visit the view points afterwards or at sunset. Map of Meteora's Monastries 4. Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Summer is deemed to be from 1st April to 31st October. Great Meteoron Monastery Open from 09.30 to 15.00 Closed on Tuesdays Varlaam Monastery Open from 09:00 to 16:00. Closed on Fridays. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Open from 10.00 to 16.00 Closed on Thursdays Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Open from 09.00 (09.30 on Sundays) to 13.30 and 15.30 to 17.30 Closed on Mondays Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Open 09:00 to 17:00. The monastery is open every day Roussanou Monastery Open from 09.00 (10.00 on Sundays) to 16.30 Closed on Wednesdays 5. Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries The dress code for Meteora requires women to wear a dress or skirt covering their knees and men and women to cover their shoulders. All of Meteora's monasteries, except Varlaam, lend free wraps so you can comply. Varlaam sells them for Eur 3.50 and they only accept cash. I wore long trousers and in late May it wasn't too hot. Lani brought her own wrap to put over her long trousers. Some monasteries in Meteora aren't strict about the dress code but Varlaam and Roussanou are. 6. Great Meteoron Monastery There is very limited parking in front of Great Meteoron monastery and it isn't free. Most people use the free car park at Varlaam Monastery or park on the road. Finding parking can be a problem at peak times. It is a 10 minute walk from the free car park at Varlaam monastery to the Great Meteoron monastery. There are then more than 300 steps up to the entrance of the monastery. The Great Meteoron is the oldest, largest and grandest of Meteora's monasteries. Entry costs Eur 5 and it takes about an hour to see. There is a beautiful chapel, a museum, an old kitchen and excellent views from the monastery. The refectory is now closed to visitors. It is one of the monasteries you should see and for that reason it is always busy. The Great Meteoron Monastery is in the top centre The Great Meteoron Monastery The Entrance Sign for the Great Meteoron Monastery A Passage leading to the Great Meteoron Monastery The Church at the Great Meteoron Monastery 7. Varlaam Monastery There is a free car park at Varlaam monastery. If it is full you can park on the road. Parking can be difficult as visitors to the Great Meteoron monastery also use this car park and road. There are 142 steps up to the entrance of Varlaam monastery. There you will have to buy a garment for Eur 3.50 in cash if you don't comply with the dress code . They are strict about this. The entry fee is Eur 5.00. At Varlaam monastery you can: Visit the beautiful church dating back to the mid 1500's. See a huge old wooden water barrel. View the old winch which was used to haul people and goods up to the monastery. Visit the museum. The most interesting exhibit is a short film shot in 1924 showing how the monks lived. Enjoy spectacular views from the pleasant terrace. Use the best toilet facilities of the 6 monasteries! Varlaam Monastery Varlaam Monastery Varlaam Monastery 8. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery The monastery of Aga Triada isn't popular with tour groups despite being featured in the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only". It is more beautiful and interesting than the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery which is visited by tour groups. There is free parking and if it is full you can park along the road. It is a steep climb up about 145 steps to the entrance. The entrance fee is Eur 5. Aga Triada's church has beautiful restored frescoes. There is a garden and there are boulders which you can clamber up to admire the views. Agia Triada Monastery Agia Triada Monastery The Interior of the Church at Agia Triada Monastery. The Interior of the Church at Agia Triada Monastery The Entrance Sign at Agia Triada Monastery 9. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery There is a small free car park in front of the entrance of Agios Stefanos monastery. If the car park is full you can park along the road. This is the monastery with the easiest access as there are very few steps. As a result it is the third most popular monastery in Meteora. The entry fee is Eur 5. The monastery was bombed in World War 2 and rebuilt afterwards. The interior of the chapel is beautiful. The views from the terrace aren't as spectacular as at some of Meteora's other monasteries. Agios Stefanos Monastery The Entrance Sign at Agios Stefanos Monastery Visitors waiting for the Agios Stefanos Monastery to open Bridge to the Entrance of Agios Stefanos Monastery The Church at Agios Stefanos Monastery The Interior of the Church at Agios Stefanos Monastery Tour Groups queuing to enter the Church at Agios Stefanos Monastery 10. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can park in a small layby across the road from the steps leading up to the Agios Nikolaou monastery. From there it is a 10 to 15 minute steep climb to the monastery. Luckily that deters a lot of people so it is the quietest monastery. The entrance fee is Eur 5. This monastery is the smallest at Meteora. It is very atmospheric and the small chapel is beautiful. I am not sure if it could accommodate a tour group! You can sit in the chairs and admire the fabulous frescoes. You can climb up to the roof top from where there are excellent views of Meteora's stunning scenery. Agios Nikolaou Monastery The Interior of the Chapel at Agios Nikolaou Monastery View from the Terrace at Agios Nikolaou Monastery View from the Terrace at Agios Nikolaou Monastery View from the Terrace at Agios Nikolaou Monastery 11. Roussanou Monastery We parked on the road above the Roussanou monastery and had a 10 minute walk down to the monastery. Equally you can park on the road below the monastery which would involve a 10 minute walk up. If there is no parking in one area drive to the other area. There is an entrance fee of Eur 5 and the dress code is enforced. The Roussanou monastery has a small chapel with gruesome seventeenth century frescoes of beheadings, spearings and mutilations! There is a small terrace outside with good views over to the other monasteries. You can see the Roussanou monastery in 15 to 20 minutes but walking to and from the monastery adds another 20 minutes. Roussanou Monastery Roussanou Monastery Roussanou Monastery in Meteora, Greece. Entrance Sign at Roussanou Monastery 12. Viewpoints at Meteora We went to several good viewpoints: The rocks next to Varlaam Monastery's car park. The rocks before the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery, when coming from the west. The " Main Observation Deck of Meteora " on Google Maps. They are popular viewpoints and are easy to find. They provide some of the best views of Meteora's monasteries. 13. Accommodation at Meteora Most people visiting Meteora stay in Kalambaka as it has the most accommodation in the area. It is a 15 minute drive to the Great Meteoron monastery Kastraki is a smaller and more attractive place to stay. It is a bit closer to the monasteries but has less accommodation options. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment in Kalambaka through Booking.com at a cost of Eur 61 per night for our 3 night stay. My review of this accommodation is on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 12). 14. Links to My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Map of the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Circular Hike We lived in Vancouver for 8 years where I worked for Canadian Pacific. My very first assignment involved staying at the Chateau Lake Louise for 3 weeks! I did some hiking at the weekends but never hiked to the Plain of 6 Glaciers or Lake Agness. In late August 2025 we came back to Vancouver for a month's holiday. We did a 3 week road trip from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies ( see my blog ) and I finally did the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness circular hike. I had set out intending to just hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers as I thought the Lake Agness trail would be too busy and forested for my liking. I changed my mind at the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house and hiked back via the Big Beehive and Lake Agness. It was a good decision. It was a fantastic circular hike and it wasn't busy as I went at a good time of day and hiked clockwise. Read on for information about this hike including how to avoid the crowds, the route, how to get there etc. Contents Getting to Lake Louise When to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Clockwise or Anti Clockwise? Choosing between Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hikes Description of the Plain of 6 Glaciers Hike and Lake Agness circular hike Refreshments What to take Other hiking options Links to my other blogs on Canada 1. Getting to Lake Louise Map of Lake Louise Advance planning is very important when visiting Lake Louise as access is restricted due to its popularity. Visitors can drive to Lake Louise but the car park often becomes full by 06.30 in the peak summer months and costs $37 for the day! I assume most of these early visitors come for the Lake Agness and Plain of 6 Glaciers hikes. Parking becomes available again in the afternoon once the early hikers have departed. The cheapest way to visit Lake Louise is by booking in advance  a Parks Canada shuttle which costs $8 plus a $3.50 admin fee (with discounts for over 65's and children). A private bus service costs $55 but it may be a bit cheaper if booked online . Parks Canada's shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake depart from the free park and ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. It's a huge parking lot and capacity isn't an issue. The expensive private buses also leave from the Lake Louise Ski Resort. At the Lake Louise Ski Resort proof of the reservation has to be presented at the Parks Canada booth. They issue a ticket (see below) to be shown to the bus driver. The ticket doesn't state whether the destination is Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Parks Canada Shuttle Ticket for Lake Louise It isn't necessary to buy separate Parks Canada shuttle bus tickets to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake when visiting both lakes on the same day. After visiting the lake specified on the Parks Canada reservation there are 2 options: a shuttle bus back to the Park and Ride or a shuttle bus to the other lake. After visiting the second lake the shuttle bus to the Park and Ride can be taken. Reservations  for the Parks Canada shuttles are for 1 hour departure time slots from the Lake Louise Park and Ride. Any shuttle bus can be taken back to the Park and Ride or the other lake. The ticket must be presented to the driver. There isn't so much flexibility with the private buses as the return time must be booked when purchasing tickets. In 2025 the shuttle buses for Lake Louise and Lake Moraine could be reserved from 08.00 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on 16th April. It's advisable to create a Parks Canada account well beforehand and to gain an understanding of how the reservation process works. We flew to Madeira on the 16th April 2025 and couldn't make reservations until the evening. The very earliest shuttle departure times had been taken but there was still plenty of space for departures from 09.00. For early shuttle departures times log in before 08.00 MDT on the day the reservation process begins as they get booked quickly by hikers. The first departure of the day is at 06.30. Parks Canada releases additional tickets 2 days before each departure day for the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttles. I logged in before 08.00 MDT and at exactly 08.00 tried to purchase tickets to Lake Louise. The site churned and after refreshing the page the morning tickets had been taken. I managed to buy tickets for the early afternoon. If you can't make a reservation for Parks Canada's Lake Louise shuttle try to book the Lake Moraine shuttle instead. The shuttle tickets issued by Parks Canada at the Park and Ride car park don't state which lake they are for. You can therefore take the shuttle from the Park and Ride to Lake Louise even if your shuttle reservation is for Lake Moraine. 2. When to do the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Time of Year Lake Louise is covered with ice up to late May and sometimes early June. The ice on Mirror Lake and Lake Agness melts slightly later as they are at a higher altitude. The lakes are far more attractive when they aren't frozen. Snow is often on the trail until mid June and by late September it can begin snowing again. If it's icy the trail is more difficult and micro spikes might be required. Therefore mid June to late September is the best time of the year to hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers and Lake Agness but it's unfortunately when it is the busiest. The hike to Lake Agness is probably the most popular hike in Banff National Park. Reviews of the hike indicate that it can be unpleasantly crowded in peak season. Time of Day The starting time and the route followed are very important factors in determining if the trail will be busy. Hikers arriving by car will usually arrive between 05.30 and 06.30 in summer in order to obtain a parking place. The majority of these hikers will hike to Lake Agness and then return to Lake Louise on the same route. Some people continue hiking from Lake Agness to the Big Beehive and the Plain of 6 Glaciers. The early hikers to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive will usually return to Lake Louise in the mid to late morning. This makes the Lake Agness trail busy later in the morning as there are hikers ascending and descending. Not as many people hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers. I hiked there in mid September and started at 10.00. After leaving the lakeshore there were other hikers on the trail but it wasn't at all bad. That's coming from someone who dislikes busy trails. I therefore recommend hiking to the Plain of 6 Glaciers first and then continuing to Lake Agness. I wouldn't start before 09.00 as you will encounter crowds at the Big Beehive and back down to Lake Agness and Lake Louise. The later the better if you like quiet trails. Unfortunately if you are parking at Lake Louise you probably either need to arrive very early in the morning or in the afternoon after some of the early hikers have left. 3. Clockwise or Anti Clockwise for the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Circular Hike Parks Canada and most travel guides recommend hiking anti clockwise. The only reason seems to be that the steepest part of the hike is from Lake Louise to Lake Agness and it's best to do it before becoming tired. As a result virtually everybody hikes anti clockwise. Following the herd is a disaster if you dislike busy trails! If you hike clockwise to the Plain of 6 Glaciers, and start mid morning, the trail shouldn't be that busy. By the time you reach the Big Beehive in the early afternoon the majority of trekkers will have returned to Lake Louise or be well on their way back. I also think the view is better when hiking clockwise. When descending from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness there are excellent views of the lake and mountains. If you do this section anti clockwise you are facing the wrong way. 4. Choosing between Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hikes? More people hike to Lake Agness than the Plain of 6 Glaciers. However, most travel guides say that the views on Plain of 6 Glaciers hike are better as the trail to the Lake Agness teahouse is forested! If I had to choose between the 2 hikes I would choose the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike as it's less crowded and more scenic. The view from the Big Beehive is spectacular and the trail between Lake Agness and the Big Beehive is beautiful. Therefore the best option is to do a circular hike covering the Plain of 6 Glaciers, the Big Beehive and Lake Agness. The hike isn't that long or demanding. 5. Description of the Circular Plain of 6 Glaciers Hike and Lake Agness Hike Map of the Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike The first section of the trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers follows the northern shoreline of Lake Louise and there are excellent views. This section of the trail will usually be busy as many visitors who are only visiting Lake Louise walk along the lakeshore. Chateau Lake Louise is the starting point of the hike Lake Louise from the Chateau Lake Louise Lake Louise with the Chateau Lake Louise in the background At the western end of Lake Louise the trail ascends 370 metres to the Plain of 6 Glaciers teahouse. It's a gradual ascent and there are excellent views most of the way. It takes about 1.5 hours to reach the tea house from the Chateau Lake Louise. Trail to the Plain of 6 Glaciers View of Lake Louise from the Plain of 6 Glaciers Trail The Plain of the 6 Glaciers Tea House The official trail terminates at the popular Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house but there is a good unmaintained trail for another half an hour past the tea house. It's worthwhile continuing on the trail even if you don't go to the very end. End of Trail Sign just past the Plain of 6 Glaciers Tea House The trail terminates soon after running along a ridge of moraine. Some hikers go further up on the scree. I didn't as the views wouldn't have been better and I hadn't brought hiking poles. The final ridge to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Viewpoint You have to retrace your steps back to the tea house. About half an hour past the Plain of 6 Glaciers tea house the trail to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive branches off to the left. Initially the Highline trail is through open terrain and then it becomes forested. There were very few hikers on the Highline trail in the early afternoon. Highline Trail from Plain of 6 Glaciers to the Big Beehive Highline trail through the forest After 15 minutes the Highline trail turns off to the left and ascends steeply for 45 minutes to the Big Beehive. The Big Beehive is a large free-standing rock outcrop in the shape of beehive. There were very few hikers on the Highline trail but quite a number at the top of the Beehive. The area on top of the Beehive is q uite large and there are fantastic views of Lake Louise.  The best  view  of Lake Louise is obtained by slightly descending to the far cliff edge. It was also more peaceful there with no other hikers. View of Lake Louise from the Big Beehive View of Mirror Lake from the Big Beehive From the top of the Big Beehive it's a 15 minute steep descent to Lake Agness. It's a beautiful trail and surprisingly there were virtually no other hikers. Most people seem to hike to Lake Agness and the Big Beehive in the morning and I descended in the mid afternoon. Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Descent from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness Lake Agness There is a popular tea house at Lake Agness and there were quite a few people there. From the tea house there are 2 trails back to Lake Louise and they converge at Mirror Lake. I took the left trail which is less steep. At Mirror Lake there is an excellent view of the Big Beehive. The trail from the Lake Agness tea house to the Chateau Lake Louise wasn't busy but it was more forested than the trail from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness. Lake Agness Tea House Mirror Lake and the Big Beehive I had thought the Lake Agness hike would be too busy and forested for my liking. Neither were an issue and I really enjoyed the circular hike to the Plain of 6 Glaciers, Big Beehive and Lake Agness. The hike was well signposted and I had no problem route finding. The hike took 5.5 hours. 6. Refreshments I took a packed lunch but many people have something to eat at the Lake Agness or Plain of 6 Glaciers tea houses. The Lake Agness tea house is the busier of the 2 tea houses and the waiting time can be an issue at both of them. The tea houses generally receive good reviews but the food is pricey due to the remote location. Both the tea houses will accept credit cards if the internet is working but it often isn't. Therefore bring cash and bear in mind that USD is probably only accepted at a 1:1 ratio. 7. What to Take It obviously depends on the time of year and the weather forecast, although weather forecasts can be unreliable. The following should be considered: Bear spray Hiking poles. I didn't bring any and they would only have been useful at the very end of the Plain of 6 Glaciers hike. Water as it is very expensive at the tea houses Food and snacks Sun block Sun glasses Micro spikes when there is snow and ice. Waterproof jacket Phone for photos and internet. There was internet most of the way from the Big Beehive to Lake Agness and Lake Louise. I wore zip off trousers and was pleased to be able to convert them to shorts when it became hot. I wore lightweight boots but walking shoes would be fine in the summer. 8. Other Hiking Options The trail up to the Little Beehive starts near the Lake Agness Teahouse. It's an easier alternative hike than the Big Beehive as it's only 1 kilometre to the top and the elevation gain is 100 metres. There are excellent view of Lake Louise and the surrounding mountains from the top of the Littl e Beehive. It is definitely worth the short hike if you aren't hiking to the Big Beehive. View from the Little Beehive Some hikers go up Devil's Thumb after the Big Beehive. Devil's Thumb is much more difficult and some scrambling is required. 9. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Vancouver Travel Guide Kootenay National Park Travel Guide Yoho National Park Travel Guide The Icefields Parkway Drive

Map of the northern section of Kootenay National Park Map of the Southern Section of Kootenay National Park Contents Introduction Canada National Parks' Passes Sinclair Canyon Radium Hot Springs Numa Falls Paint Pots Marble Canyon Stanley Glacier Hike The Continental Divide Scenery along the Highway Where to Stay Links to my other Blogs on Canada 1. Introduction It takes about one hour to drive through Kootenay National Park without stopping. However, you need a whole day or more if you want to see the main sights, soak in the Radium Hot Springs' pool and do the Stanley Glacier hike. The scenery in Kootenay National Park is not as spectacular as in the Banff and Jasper National Parks. The scenery becomes impressive nearer the northern boundary with Banff National Park. However, Kootenay National Park is definitely worth visiting. Most of Kootenay National Parks Attractions are in the northern end of the park with the exception of Radium Hot Springs. We stayed at Invermere for 2 nights and then drove through Kootenay National Park to Canmore near Banff. We saw all the sights in the north of Kootenay National Park on our drive to Canmore. See my blog Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip for information about this road trip and what to do and see. 2. Kootenay National Park Admission Fee You must have an annual Parks Canada Discovery pass, or a Parks Canada day pass, to stop in Kootenay National Park. Passes aren't needed if you drive through Kootenay National Park without stopping. The annual Discovery Pass costs $75.25 for adults, $64.50 for seniors, $151.25 for families (up to 7 people in a vehicle) and it's free for under 18's. A daily pass costs $11 for adults, $9.50 for seniors, $22 for families (up to 7 people in a vehicle) and it's free for under 1 8's. The daily pass is valid until 16.00 on the day after purchase. Therefore visitors can use it for almost 2 consecutive days of sightseeing in Canada's National Parks. It 's more convenient to buy an annual pass and if you are spending more than 7 days in Canada's National Parks it can work out cheaper. Park's Canada doesn't have offices at all the entrances to the National Parks and this can make visiting the National Parks difficult if you are relying on one day passes. If you are coming from the west there is a Parks Canada Office in the town of Radium Hot Springs and passes can be bought there. The town is just outside Kootenay's National Park's southern boundary whereas the Radium Hot Springs' pool is a few kilometres away in Kootenay National Park. 3. Sinclair Canyon Sinclair Canyon is just within the southern boundary of Kootenay National Park. Highway 93 runs through the canyon so it's not exactly peaceful! There are car parking areas at both ends of Sinclair Canyon and it's roughly a 5 minute walk through the canyon. Sinclair Canyon isn't spectacular but it's worth stopping to walk through. There is a hike on the Juniper trail from the southern end of the Sinclair Canyon to Radium Hot Springs. The Juniper trail goes above the Sinclair Canyon. It's 2.9 kilometres long each way and the hike takes about 2 hours. Mosquitoes can be an issue in mid summer. Sinclair Canyon in Kootenay National Park 4. Radium Hot Springs The pools at Radium Hot Springs are not in the town but 3 kilometres further north in Kootenay National Park. Radium Hot Springs has a large hot pool which is at a temperature between 37 and 40 centigrade. There's also a swimming pool at a temperature of about 28 centigrade. We really enjoyed the Radium Hot Springs pool and spent 2 hours soaking in it. It was very sociable and people were chatting to each other. It wasn't crowded in early September and the hot pools in Banff are far busier. It's advisable to get out of the water every so often as the water is hot. There is drinking water and paper cups at the hot pool. There are changing rooms, toilets and free lockers. Towels cost extra so it's best to bring your own. Towels can be taken out to the pool area. Radium Hot Springs costs $17.50 for an adult and there are discounts for seniors and youths. The pool are open from 08.30 to 20.00 in the peak summer months. After Labour Day Radium Hot Springs doesn't open until 11.30 which is very late. It's advisable to check the opening hours  before going. Radium Springs Hot Pool Radium Hot Springs Hot Pool Radium Hot Springs Swimming Pool 5. Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park It's a 50 minute drive from Radium Hot Springs to Numa Fall. The car park is just off Highway 93 and the falls are a 2 minute walk from the car park. There's a bridge over the river which provides a good view of the falls. It doesn't take long to see Numa Falls. Numa Falls in Kootenay National Park 6. Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park The parking lot for the Paint Pots is only a 3 minute drive from Numa Falls. The Paint Pots are 1 kilometre from the car park and it's a 15 minute scenic walk. The Paint Pots are 3 colourful pools of mineral water. Map of the Paints Pots & Marble Canyon Bridge crossing the Kootenay river at the start of the Paint Pots trail Kootenay River Trail to the Paint Pots in Kootenay National Park  Paint Pot in Kootenay National Park  Paint Pot in Kootenay National Park Paint Pot in Kootenay National Park 7. Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park Marble Canyon is a 2 minute drive from the Paint Pots. It's possible to hike between the Paint Pots and Marble Canyon but the trail can be muddy. Most people drive there. The trail from the car park to Marble Canyon follows the canyon upwards and there are 7 bridges crossing it. The 700 metre long path is steep at times.  There  a re good views of the canyon and river along the trail. Start of the Marble Canyon trail Middle section of Marble Canyon trail Middle section of Marble Canyon trail End of the Marble Canyon Trail 8. Stanley Glacier Hike The best scenic hike in the Kootenay National Park is to Stanley Glacier . The hike on the maintained trail takes about 4 hours and is about 4.5 kilometres each way. It's possible to continue hiking up on a rocky unmaintained loop trail and this takes a couple more hours. The Stanley Glacier parking lot is a 3 minute drive from Marble Canyon. It can be full by mid morning during the peak summer months. 9. The Continental Divide The Continental divide is at the boundary of Kootenay and Banff National Parks and is the dividing line between the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds. Most people stop to take a quick photo of the sign. There isn't anything else to see. The Continental Divide between Kootenay and Banff National Parks 10. Scenery along the Highway The photos below were taken when driving northwards through Kootenay National Park and give an impression of the scenery seen from the highway. Scenery north of Radium Hot Springs Scenery north of Radium Hot Springs Kootenay River 1 hour north of Radium Hot Springs Scenery 1 hour north of Radium Hot Springs View from the south of the Continental Divide 11. Where to Stay The northern section of Kootenay National Park contains most of the main sights and is only a 35 minute drive from Banff. However, accommodation is expensive in Banff. There is plenty of more reasonably priced hotel and motel accommodation in the town of Radium Hot Springs. We stayed 2 nights in Invermere, which is only a 15 minute drive away from Radium Hot Springs, and rented an excellent apartment . 12. Links to my other Blogs on Canada Vancouver to Canadian Rockies Road Trip Vancouver Travel Guide Plain of 6 Glaciers & Lake Agness Hike Yoho National Park Travel Guide The Icefields Parkway Drive

Map of Andros Contents Introduction Andros Town A Drive around Andros island The Beach at Agios Petros Batsi and Gavrio Hiking on Andros Car Repairs on Andros Accommodation on Andros My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Introduction to Andros Island I first heard of Andros about 4 years ago when I read a newspaper article about the wonderful hiking trails. Unfortunately when we got there the trails didn't live up to expectations. Andros isn't particularly popular with foreign tourists despite being only a 2 hour ferry ride from Athens. Another reason why we visited Andros is that we had our own car and there are several daily car ferries from Andros to Athens and Naxos. We arrived from Naxos (see my blog Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide ) . Before Naxos we visited the islands of Syros and Tinos and have done travel guides for these islands. 2. Andros Town 2.1. Parking in Andros Town The centre of Andros Town is pedestrianised and the streets around the centre are a bit narrow. There is limited parking. Google maps show 2 car parks and we went to the car park to the north of Andros Town. The car park was small and we got the last space. The car park is very convenient as it is on the seafront and near the centre. The other car park is to the west of the town centre. 2.2 What to See in Andros Town Andros Town is very attractive and juts out into the sea on a rocky spur . It isn't spoiled, or touristy, as most visitors stay on the northwest side of the island. We spent a pleasant hour or so wandering around the streets of Andros Town. There are two museums and beaches on either side of Andros town. A View of Andros Town from the Coastal Road The Main Street in Andros Town A Street in Andros Town Agios Georgios Church in Andros Town A Church in Andros Town At the back of Andros Town A Church in Andros Town A Church in Andros Town An Alley in Andros Town 3. A Drive around Andros Island We drove from the northwest of Andros island to Andros Town on the east coast. We then drove southwards to Korthi where we stopped for lunch. The road crosses back over to the west coast after Korthi and we drove up to Gavrio. The drive around Andros island took 5 hours and the scenery was beautiful. Unfortunately there were few places to pull over on the mountain roads to enjoy the views and take photos. View of Andros Town from the Road Korthi Korthi 4. The Beach at Agios Petros There are lots of good beaches on Andros island but we only visited the one at Agios Petros. It is an excellent sandy beach but it is fairly open and could be affected by wind. Most of Agios Petros beach is for public use but at the southern end there are 2 roadside tavernas that have sun loungers and umbrellas on the beach. There was no charge, but at least Eur 8 of food or beverages had to be ordered from the taverna. I think this is Eur 8 for 2 people. There was plenty of parking near these tavernas. The Beach at Agios Petros 5. Batsi and Gavrio View towards Batsi from our Accommodation 5.1. Batsi Batsi is the main resort on Andros island. There is nothing of historical interest but Batsi has been developed well. We usually had our evening meals at one of the waterfront restaurants followed by a pleasant stroll on Batsi's seafront. There is a large beach in the centre of Batsi and plenty of free parking in June. The Harbour at Batsi 5.2. Gavrio Gavrio is the port for Andros island. It is a small pleasant town with very little for visitors to do. There are free car parks at the southern end near to where the ferries dock. The Seafront at Gavrio 6. Hiking on Andros 6.1. Overview Andros was the last of the 4 Cyclades islands that we visited. On the other 3 islands the hiking trails were well signposted but often overgrown. Hiking trail 11 on Andros passed within 100 metres of our accommodation so it was the first hike we attempted. Unfortunately the first section was overgrown so we abandoned the hike. We ended up only doing one short hike on Andros island. This was due to concerns about trail maintenance and because I couldn't find circular hikes that appealed. 6.2. Planning Hikes on Andros The Andros routes website is run by volunteers who hike, and maintain the trails. There is a page that details all the hikes and another page that provides information on path maintenance . It does seem that they try to maintain the trails. The AllTrails website shows trails for 48 hikes on Andros island. They all have reviews providing useful information. If the reviews are recent they can provide a good guide to the condition of the trails. 6.3. Trail 9A - Paleopolis Archeolgical Site This short trail is described on the Androsroutes and AllTrails websites. It takes about half an hour each way and is in good condition. The Androsroutes website showed the route condition as " open, with a lot of overgrown vegetation at parts ". Bizarrely there was no overgrown vegetation in June 2023. Whereas for trail 11 the website didn't report any overgrown vegetation but we found it to be a problem. The route on the Alltrails website starts above the main road. We parked in a layby off the main road, just past the museum at Paleopolis. When driving from the north the layby is on the right hand side and has space for about 10 cars. From the layby walk back along the road to Paleopolis until you see a 9A sign pointing to the left. Don't descend the steps before that. There is a sign indicating that there is no access. Half way down you can go left or right. These paths lead to different ends of the beach. At the north end of the beach there are rocks from where a couple of people were swimming. At the far south end there is a small sandy beach, but you have to clamber over a large boulder to reach it. We didn't see any archaeological remains. A View from the Main Coastal Road at Paleopolis The Initial Steps Down Half Way Down to the Beach The Northern End of the Beach Looking towards the Southern End of the Beach On the Way Back Up A View up to the Coastal Road 7. Car Repairs on Andros We had to have the front springs and shock absorbers replaced on our car. I found AutoTechnics on the internet and the owners of our accommodation recommended them. The garage ordered the parts from Athens and they received and fitted them 2 days later. They did a good job and the cost was reasonable. It was very convenient. They are located at Agios Petros, across the road from a great beach. We spent half a day on the beach while they fixed our car. We could see our car in the workshop from our sun loungers! 8. Accommodation on Andros We stayed in a 3 bedroom house on the mountainside high above Batsi which we booked through Booking.com for Euro 65 per night. It was very good value which is probably because the house is a 10 minute drive up a steep hillside. I reviewed the accommodation on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 4). 9. My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Map showing the circular route we drove to Perast & Herceg Novi We drove to Perast and Herceg Novi during our 6 night stay in Kotor (see my blog Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ). We really liked Perast and Herceg Novi but found Our Lady of the Rock Island too touristy and busy. Contents Introduction Perast, Montenegro Parking Our Lady of the Rock Island Perast Old Town 3. Herceg Novi, Montenegro 4. Ferry from Kamenari to Lepetane 5. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs 1. Introduction We based ourselves in Kotor for 6 nights and went on day trips from there to see other places in Montenegro like Budva and Lipa Cave . Another day trip was to Perast, which is only a 20 minute drive from Kotor, and from there we drove a further 1 hour to Herceg Novi. The road to Perast and Herceg Novi is in good condition. The road is very scenic as it follows the northern shore of a fjord. On the way back it is possible to take a ferry over to the southern side of the fjord and do a circular drive back to Kotor. It is a very nice day trip to 2 historic towns with spectacular scenery the whole way. We left Kotor at 08.00 to avoid the traffic congestion in Kotor and parking problems at Perast. As a result we benefited from having little traffic on the road to Perast. Another way of seeing Perast and Herceg Novi would be to take one of the numerous boat tours on offer when wandering around Kotor's waterfront. These boat tours are normally about 3 hours long and also stop at a few other places like the Blue Cave. It seems most coastal resorts in Europe have a Blue Cave! These boat tours cost around Eur 40 per person, but usually only stop at the islands off Perast and Herceg Novi. We wanted to see the towns and didn't want to spend Eur 80. 2. Perast, Montenegro 2.1. Parking at Perast You cannot park in the centre of Perast unless you are staying there. There is a barrier to prevent unauthorised entry. There is limited free parking along the road above Perast but we paid for parking. Parking is a problem in high season unless you arrive early. Most private parking is off the main road and is free. However, the deal is that you must pay to go to Our Lady of the Rock Island or on a boat tour. Apparently they charge Eur 10 per person to the Island, whereas independent boats only charge Eur 5 per person. So if there are 2 people in your car you are effectively paying Eur 10 for parking! Some of these parking sites have toilets. There is paid parking on the side of the road just before the western entrance to Perast. They charge Eur 8 per day and there is a booth with an attendant there. There aren't that many parking places, but when we arrived at 08.30 we got a space. Input " Parking 1 " on Google maps to locate it. We found the parking attendants to be very helpful and pleasant. For some reason a number of reviewers on Google thought they were like the mafia! 2.2. Our Lady of the Rock Island We were strolling along Perast's waterfront just before 09.00 when a friendly boatman offered us a ride to Our Lady of the Rock Island for the usual round trip charge of Eur 5 per person. He promised he would return for us in 30 minutes and assured me that it would be long enough. I had my doubts but it was actually too long! Our Lady of the Rock Island is a very small island with a church on it. Fortunately there was initially only one other boatload of people there. Unfortunately the church was closed and didn't open until about 09.20. It is therefore best not to go before 09.30 if you want to enter the church. There is a Eur 2 entrance fee for the church. There is a pay toilet on the island and an advantage of getting there early was that it was free. By the time we left at 09.30 a lot more people had arrived on the island and there was a queue to enter the church. Our Lady of the Rock Island is one of those places that everyone wants to visit, but in reality it is nicer seeing the island from the mainland. It's a bit of a tourist trap. Our Boat to Our Lady of the Rock Island The Church on Our Lady of the Rock Island 2.3. Perast The majority of tourists seem to only visit Our Lady of the Rock Island. This may be because most boat tours only stop at the island. As a result wandering around the quiet streets of the old Venetian town of Perast was very pleasant. Perhaps the tour groups hadn't yet arrived as we were there early. We were impressed by the number of historic buildings along Perast's waterfront. We also enjoyed wandering up most of the streets above the waterfront and admired the Venetian churches and dwellings. It took us 2 hours to see Perast. You could easily spend longer if you go to the beach and have a drink or a meal. Perast St. Nicholas Church in Perast View from Upper Perast Bujovic Palace and Museum A Street in Perast St. Marko Church in Perast 3. Herceg Novi, Montenegro 3.1. Parking in Herceg Novi The Bradt guide states that " parking here is quite the ordeal ". I dislike trying to find parking in new places and usually use Google reviews beforehand to determine where to park. For some reason I didn't do my usual research and was surprised by the size of Herceg Novi when we got there. The main road runs high above the town and when I saw a free metered parking spot on the road I grabbed it. It would have meant a steep and hot walk down to the historic centre, and back up again, but I didn't want to drive around looking for parking. However, the parking meter was faulty and I couldn't pay. It turned out to be fortunate as a local man gave me directions to a cheap and very convenient multi storey car park about 5 minutes walk from Herceg Novi's historic centre. There are free toilets at this car park. The car park is called " Parking Opstina " and can be located by entering this name on Google Maps. 3.2. Sightseeing in Herceg Novi We explored Herceg Novi's old town, but didn't climb up high to see the Spanish Fort, nor did we walk to Savina Monastery to the east. It doesn't seem worth visiting the Spanish Fort as the Bradt guide describes it as "a messy, graffiti-scrawled ruin". The Bradt guide book suggests starting exploring from the main square (Trg Nikole Durkovica). If you use Parking Ostina it will be the first part of Herceg Novi's old town that you reach. From there you can climb up past the Bell Tower to Trg Belavista which has the Church of St Michael in the centre. There are a few restaurants in this square and we had lunch at one of them. We later found a better selection of restaurants around the seafront promenade and wished we had eaten there. We could have then walked up northwards to the 16th century Kanli Kula tower. We decided not to as several reviewers on Google felt that the Eur 4 entrance fee wasn't worth it. In summer time it is a venue for open air productions. It would frustrate me to pay an entrance fee for a place spoiled by being used as a theatre. Instead we walked down to the seafront promenade via the Church of St Jerome and the imposing Forte Mare. The entrance fee is Eur 4 for the Forte Mare (Sea Fortress). Again we decided not to go in as the consensus of Tripadvisor reviews seems to be that it is only worth it for the views. Herceg Novi's seafront promenade is very pleasant and runs for about 5 kilometres to the town of Igalo. We only walked along part of it as it was very hot. There is a narrow beach on the one side and a lot of restaurants and cafes on the other side. Trg Nikole Durkovica in Herceg Novi The Clock Tower in Herceg Novi The Parish Church of St. Jerome Church of St. Michael in Trg Belavista Forte Mare  in Herceg Novi  Herceg Novi's Seafront Promenade 4. Car Ferry from Kamenari to Lepetane We drove back from Herceg Novi to Kotor as far as the village of Kamenari. There is a car ferry that goes from Kamenari to Lepetane on the south side of the estuary. The ferry only takes about 10 minutes and costs Eur 5. It is a very regular ferry and we didn't have to wait long before boarding. We were at the end of the queue and didn't realise we had to pay before boarding at an office near the jetty. We weren't the only ones and the ferry staff let me drive onto the ferry while Lani paid. The road that runs along the south side of the estuary from Lepatane to Kotor is very narrow in places. It is too narrow for vehicles to pass at times. As a result I didn't enjoy driving along there despite the stunning scenery. A good strategy is to follow other cars as this usually forces the oncoming vehicles to give way. The Car Ferry between Kamenari and Lepetane View on the Drive from Lepetane to Kotor View on the Drive from Lepetane to Kotor View of Kotor from Muo 5. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10

Route of the Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Contents Introduction The Kotor Serpentine Road Lovcen National Park Njegos Mausoleum Lipa Cave Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs 1. Introduction We drove from Kotor (see my blog Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) up the steep, narrow and scenic "Kotor Serpentine" road to Lovcen National Park. We visited Njegos Mausoleum in Lovcen National Park and then drove through Cetinje, the once royal capital of Montenegro, to the impressive Lipa Cave. We took a 1 hour tour of Lipa Cave before driving back on a good road to Budva. We decided to visit Budva another day (see my blog Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) and continued on back to Kotor. We didn't walk around Cetinje as it is very spread out and it was hot. We drove around this quiet and spacious town and liked what we saw. It looks like it is a very pleasant town to live in. There isn't much of interest to see unless you want to visit a number of museums. We didn't! This drive could obviously also be easily started from Budva, Tivat and Perast. It took us about 7 hours. 2. The Kotor Serpentine Road The Kotor Serpentine road is a historic road that weaves its way up the mountain from the outskirts of Kotor to the western entrance of Lovcen National Park. We have driven on some difficult roads during our 3 month European road trip and this was one of the most difficult. The Kotor Serpentine road is only a single lane in many places and climbs steeply up the mountain with numerous hair pin bends. When vehicles meet on narrow sections of the road one vehicle has to partially pull off the road or reverse back. Unfortunately there is often a bit of a drop off from the edge of the road and I was concerned I would damage our tyres if we pulled over. One tactic is to follow other vehicles up. The more the merrier and the bigger the better! This forces the oncoming traffic to give way. Don't drive down the road to Kotor in the morning as we saw several tour buses coming up. Usually the buses expect, and insist, that smaller vehicles give way. Trees often block the views down to Kotor, but drivers should be concentrating on the road anyway! There are not many viewpoints where you can stop so take advantage if you see one. The views of Kotor Bay are fantastic. View on the way up the Kotor Serpentine Road View from near the top of the Kotor Serpentine Road 3. Lovcen National Park We were relieved when we reached the top of the Kotor Serpentine road. Shortly afterwards we turned onto an excellent new road through Lovcen National Park. We were immediately stopped by a man on the side of the road who was collecting a toll fee of Eur 6. He did give us a receipt so it must have been legitimate. It was a scenic drive through Lovcen National Park. On the eastern side of Lovcen park the not so new road steeply descended down to Cetinje. There was very little traffic. Apparently there are a few hiking trails, but we didn't see any trail signs nor did we see any one hiking. It would be quite easy to park the car and hike in the open countryside. Most people seem to just drive through Lovcen National Park or visit Njegos Mausoleum. Lovcen National Park Lovcen National Park Lovcen National Park 4. Njegos Mausoleum We went to the Njegos Mausoleum as it was highly recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. Also the Bradt guide book says " it's as glorious as anything Montenegro has to offer ". Unfortunately I can't confirm that as we were put off by the Eur 8 entrance fee. It was a hazy day and the views wouldn't have been great. I didn't think it would be worth shelling out Eur 16 for the two of us. Since our visit I have looked at photos of the Njegos mausoleum on several websites and believe we made the right decision. The Njegos mausoleum itself isn't that special in my opinion. The setting is special, but you need a clear day to appreciate the views and justify the entrance fee. The view of the Bay of Kotor is no better than from the Kotor Sepentine Road or from the top of the fortress wall at Kotor. The road up to the Njegos Mausoleum was fine and ended at a turning circle at the steps to the Mausoleum's entrance. You then park on the side of the road (see the photo). The Bradt guide book says " good luck in finding a space " but we didn't have a problem. You can get good views of Lovcen National Park by just climbing the steps to the Mausoleum's entrance. It is worth the drive up to appreciate these views The adriacom website provides some historical information and photos of the Njegos mausoleum and the views. You can see from their hazy photo of the Kotor Bay that it probably isn't worth paying to enter if the weather isn't good. Steps leading to the Njegos Mausoleum View from the Entrance to the Njegos Mausoleum. View from near the Njegos Mausoleum. 5. Lipa Cave Lipa Cave is about 6 kms south west of Cetinje. The final 3 kilometres is along a narrow dirt road which is in reasonable condition. There is a large paved car park at Lipa Cave with a restaurant and toilets. There are 5 tours of Lipa Cave each day from 10.00 to 16.00 and they last 1 hour. Entrance to Lipa Cave costs Eur 15.90 for an adult. They do advise on their website that you should arrive 30 minutes before the tour starts. I am sure you can arrive a bit later as long as there is space on the land train. Our land train was almost full when we visited in late June, so don't arrive late in peak season. The Lipa Cave is cold so don't wear shorts and a T shirt unless you are a very hardy soul. We changed into jeans and wore a jacket. The tours of Lipa Cave have very good reviews on Tripadvisor . We thoroughly enjoyed it and Lipa Cave was very spectacular. The guide was excellent and English was the language for the tour. Tractor Train for transporting people to the Lipa Cave. Entrance to Lipa Cave Lipa Cave Lipa Cave Lipa Cave Lipa Cave Lipa Cave 6. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide Day Trip to Perast & Herceg Novi Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10

Map of Crete Contents Introduction 2. North West Crete Base Drive to Elafonissi Beach Hike to the Monasteries on the Akrotiri Peninsular Chania Agia Marina Beach German War Cemetery & Late Minoan Tomb Falasarna Beach Hike from Paleochora to Sougia Balos Beach 3. South West Crete Base - Plakias Plakias Hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli Samaria Gorge Hike from Agia Roumeli How to avoid Crowds on the Samaria Gorge Hike Frangokastello Drive around the Amari Valley Palace of Phaistos Rethymno Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni 4. South East Crete Base - Ierapetra Spinalonga Gournia Archaeological Site & Moni Faneromeni Hike from Xerokambos to Kato Zakros Myrtos and Tertsa beaches Kritsa Town & Lato Archaeological Site Diaskari beach Ierapetra Accommodation in Crete Car Rental in Crete Link to other blogs on Greece 1. Introduction We spent 3 weeks in Crete from the 1st June 2025. We wanted to avoid the busier and very hot period from mid June to late August. We wanted it to be hot enough to be able to sit in the shade on the beach but not so hot that we couldn't hike. We found that the weather in Crete was excellent for the beach in June whereas when we visited the Cyclades islands in May 2022 it wasn't quite hot enough. The heat didn't prevent us from hiking but by the time we left Crete it was almost too hot for hiking. The month of May would be better for hiking. Crete is a large island and it is necessary to stay in several locations to explore it. We stayed in 3 different locations and spent a week in each sightseeing with a rental car. We avoided staying at the main tourist beach resorts. Our favourite part of Greece was the relatively unspoilt south west coast between Paleochora and Hora Sfakion. There is some road access to this coast but the most convenient way to travel is by ferry, taxi boat and hiking. I wish we had spent more time in this area. We really enjoyed our time in Crete and would like to return. It is a beautiful island with friendly locals who can speak English. We deliberately didn't visit some of the places listed as "must see" in the guide books. They are usually overcrowded and spoiled by tourism. For example: We were going to visit Knossos but it would have meant a tiring 3 hour round car trip. In the end we decided it wasn't worth visiting an archaeological site that was speculatively rebuilt in the early 1900's. The entrance fee is now Eur 20 to visit an overcrowded attraction. If you do go try to visit early or late in the day to avoid the crowds and heat. Also check the cruise ship schedules as when cruise ships are berthed in Iraklio it will be busier at Knossos. We only visited one of the "must see" beaches and that was Elafonissi beach. Even in early June Elafonissi beach was too busy for our liking. We found many of the less well known beaches to be more enjoyable and cheaper to visit. See my section on Balos beach for why we didn't visit it. Palm beach is difficult to access unless you arrive by boat and it's overwhelmed by visitors. Vai beach is also far too popular. I like hiking but the hike down Samaria gorge is too popular. Between 500 to 1200 people hike down the gorge each day. Most hikers set out between 07.00 and 11.00 and that equates to between 2 to 5 trekkers every minute! Instead we hiked up the best part of the Samaria gorge from Agia Roumeli ( see section 3.3. ) and only saw 15 other hikers in 3.5 hours! See section 3.4. for how to avoid the crowds on the Samaria gorge hike. 2. North West Crete Base Map of Western Crete 2.1. Drive to Elafonissi Beach We stayed about a 20 minute drive east from Kissamos. From Kissamos it's possible to do a circular drive when visiting Elafonissi beach. There is a road that follows the west coast and also a road further to the east which goes through the Topolia gorge. We drove on the road through the Topolia gorge both ways and it's a good scenic road through the mountains. The Rough Guide to Crete mentioned several villages to visit along this road but there was in fact very little to see in them. Elos was the nicest village but it's frequented by tourist buses. The villages of Perivolia and Kefali weren't worth visiting. We stopped off at Moni Chrysoskalitissa which is near Elafonissi beach. It's in a very pleasant setting. Surprisingly very few tour buses stop here. The present church only dates back to the 19th century. We had a pleasant half an hour visiting Moni Chrysoskalitissa. There is an entry fee of Eur 2.50. I had read that parking at Elafonissi beach was a problem in peak season so I booked online with Mega Parking and it cost Eur 5. When we arrived at Elafonissi beach there were several car parks with plenty of space. A small car park named Mega tried to wave us in but it wasn't the right car park. Our car park was the last one, closest to the beach and had toilets. Some of the car parks further from the beach cost Eur 3. There are restaurants and cafes near the car parks and it's about a 10 minute walk down to the beach. The beach was too busy and windy for us. Elafonissi beach was pretty but in my opinion the less commercialised beaches are better. Our intention had been to do a 3 hour round hike eastwards along the coast from Elafonissi beach to Ammolophi beach. This is hike number 13 in the Rother Walking Guide to Crete. Unfortunately the path was poorly signed, rough and difficult to follow. One hour after leaving Elafonissi beach we reached beautiful Kedrodasos beach and decided not to go any further. Kedrodasos beach is prettier than Elafonssi beach but smaller. There is a road part of the way to Kedrodasos beach but it does involve more walking from the road to reach the beach compared to Elafonissi beach. Moni Chrysoskalitissa near Elafonissi beach Moni Chrysoskalitissa near Elafonissi beach Elafonissi beach in Crete Elafonissi beach in Crete Sun loungers & sunbeds at Elafonissi beach Kedrodasos beach in Crete Ottoman Aqueduct in Elos Chapel of Ayios Yeoryios in Elos Topolia Gorge 2.2. Hike to the Monasteries on the Akrotiri Peninsular We did hike number 8 in the Rother Walking Guide to Crete. This hike starts at Moni Gouvernetou which is north east of Chania on the Akrotiri peninsular. The drive from Chania to Moni Gouvernetou passes the 17th century Moni Ayia Triadha so we visited it. It cost Eur 3 to enter Moni Ayia Triadha and there are some impressive buildings including a church and museum. In summer it's open from 09.00 to 19.00 except on Wednesdays and Fridays. The road from Moni Ayia Triadha to Moni Gouvernetou is scenic but a bit rough towards the end. There is a free car park from where a path descends down to Moni Katholiko. There is a booth at the start where an entrance fee of Eur 2.50 is payable. Moni Gouvernetou is shortly after the booth but as it's closed on Wednesdays we couldn't visit it. It's then about a 200 metre descent to Moni Katholiko and the interesting Bear Cave is passed on the way. Moni Katholiko was abandoned in the 16th century due to pirate raids and cannot be entered. The 150 metre long St. John's cave is located here but we didn't see it and forgot to search for it. The round hike takes about 2 hours and it's a fairly popular hike despite the tiring ascent. There are good views of the countryside and the sea in the distance. We enjoyed it and it's a good excursion. It's possible to continue down to the sea. The Rother Walking Guide stated that the trail to the sea was closed but it wasn't in June 2025. Agia Triada in Crete Agia Triada in Crete Agia Triada in Crete Museum at Agia Triada in Crete Moni Gouverneto on the Akrotiri Peninsular Bear Cave Bridge next to Moni Katholiko Moni Katholiko 2.3. Chania Parking in Chania Parking in Chania is very difficult unless you use the new and free Park and Ride facility . Electric buses run every 20 minutes from 07.00 to 22.40 to the edge of Chania's old town. There is a major road intersection just before the car park which can make it a little difficult to locate. The sign at Chania's Park and Ride shows that the buses stop at 4 locations. Most people alight at the KTEL bus station on Kidonias Street which is the second stop. This bus stop is very close to Halidon Street which is a main street leading to Chania's Cathedral and Old Venetian Harbour. Make a note of where you got off the bus so you know where to return to! I have marked the route from Chania's KTEL bus station to the Old Venetian harbour on Google Maps . Tourist Office & Toilets in Chania The tourist office at 40 Kriari Street has maps and information on the places to see in Chania. This tourist office is only a 3 minute walk from the KTEL bus stop on the way to the harbour. There are also public toilets in the nearby square. What to see in Chania It takes about 4 hours to see most of the main sites if you don't visit the museums. Sights at the Venetian Harbour Area on the Western side of old Chania: The Cathedral is in a square just off Halidon Street. It isn't that old as it was constructed in the mid 1800's. The Yali Mosque is on the eastern side of the harbour and was built in 1645 when Chania fell to the Ottomans. It's no longer used as a mosque and is used for temporary exhibitions. There is no charge to enter the Firka Fortress on the west side of the harbour. It was the main Venetian barracks in Chania and later the Ottoman's forces used it. There isn't much to see but it's pleasant to wander around. Firka Fortress is open Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 14.00. Nearby to Firka Fortress is the Bastion of San Salvatore. This is the best section of Venetian fortifications that were constructed in the 16th century. It's free to enter but visiting hours are limited. It is worth walking along the alleys surrounding the western and southern side of the Old Venetian harbour. They are mainly lined with shops and restaurants for tourists. The Venetian harbour is at its busiest and most attractive in the evening. Sights at the Inner Harbour Area on the Eastern side of old Chania: Walking along the outer sea wall towards the lighthouse provides good views of Chania's old town and the distant mountains. The arched Venetian Arseneli are on the waterfront. They were built in the 15th century as ship repair bases. There used to be 17 of them but now only 7 are left. You cannot enter them but they form an impressive ancient structure. The very distinctive church of Ayios Nikalaos is in the 1821 Square. It was constructed in the 14th century. In 1645 the Ottomans converted the church into a mosque and added a minaret. It's now a church with a minaret! The area around Ayios Nikalaos is known as Splantzia and it's an interesting area to walk around. When walking around Chania's old town one comes across several other ancient structures: Remains of Minoan Kydonia that was destroyed by fire in about 1450 BC. The Byzantine walls of Chania dating back to the 7th century. The area between Splantzia in the east and the cathedral in the west is full of shops and restaurants that cater for locals as well as tourists. Chania Park & Ride Information Chania's Park & Ride Car Park View over to Firka Fortress, Chania Chania's Harbour Chania's Harbour Yali Mosque in Chania The Venetian Dockyard in Chania Firka Fortress in Chania Bastion of San Salvatore in Chania Church of St Nicholas in Chania The Cathedral in Chania Minoan remains of the Kydonia Palace Complex in Chania Byzantine Wall of Chania 2.4. Agia Marina Beach Agia Marina is a popular beach resort just west of Chania and next to Platanias. When driving along the main road it's difficult to distinguish the 2 resorts as it is a long urban sprawl. The beaches at Agia Marina and Platanias can't be seen from the road and most of the access to the beaches is via hotels and restaurants. We therefore weren't initially very impressed when walking down the main street in the hot sun looking for a recommended restaurant. Once we found the recommended Palirria Taverna we were happy. The taverna offered free sunbeds and umbrellas on the sandy beach for customers having lunch and there was a good view over to the island of Ayii Theodori. The Palirria taverna is run by a very welcoming family and the food is good. There is rock at the water's edge so it's best to use swimming shoes. The beach at Agia Marina is long and I walked the entire length. The middle section of the beach is the nicest. It 's also more commercialised than the western end where the Palirria Taverna is lo cated. The beaches at Platanias and Agia Marina are similar but I preferred Agia Marina. Beach at Ayia Marina in Crete Palirria Taverna on Ayia Marina beach, Crete 2.5. German War Cemetery & Late Minoan Tomb near Chania The German War Cemetery and the late Minoan tomb are 10 kilometres west of Agia Marina and we combined it with a visit to Agia Marina's beach. There is car parking right in front of the entrance to the German War Cemetery and there are toilets as well. There is an excellent exhibition at the entrance detailing Germany's invasion of Crete and the impact it had. The narrations are in several languages including English, German and Greek. We probably spent half an hour absorbing this very moving information. The actual war cemetery is higher up on a hill. The cemetery is beautifully attended and has fantastic views. Just before the cemetery there is further information about some of the very young German soldiers who died in the war. Although the Germans committed terrible atrocities in Crete I found it very sad that they died so young. The late Minoan tomb is a short walk away from the German War Cemetery. However, we were lazy and drove there! There isn't any parking but we managed to park on the side of the road. From the road it is a short walk to the late Minoan tomb which dates back to the 14th century B.C. Unfortunately the roof was damaged by a German bomb but it is still worth seeing if you visit the German War Cemetery at the same time. The German War Cemetery The exhibition Centre The late Minoan tomb 2.6. Falasarna Beach Falasarna beach is a large and sandy beach on the west coast, just a bit south of Balos Bay. It's a popular beach with locals and can get very busy at weekends. Falasarna beach can be windy so check the weather forecast before going. There are several free car parking lots at Falasarna beach. We took the second turn off for parking as it seemed closer to the beach. We ended up at the northern end of Falasarna beach. A sun umbrella and 2 sun loungers cost Eur 20 for the rows closest to the sea and Eur 15 for the back rows. There was a taverna at the back of the beach with toilets. We enjoyed our time at Falasarna Beach. Falasarna beach 2.7. Paleochora to Sougia Hike The first 4.5 kilometres of the hike from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach is on a dirt road. We therefore decided to take a taxi from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach. We called Sergentanis Manolis for a taxi upon our arrival at Paleochora and he collected us 5 minutes later! He drove us in his large van as the road to Gialiskari beach is a bit rough. The large van was more expensive and we paid Eur 20. We had driven from near Kissamos to Paleochora in the morning to do the hike and had parked our car on Paleochora's seafront road just east of the pier. We hadn't realised that this road becomes pedestrianised after 19.00. This would have been a problem as at the end of the hike our ferry from Sougia was arriving at Paleochora after 19.00! Luckily Sergentanis warned us and we moved our car to another street. Gialiskari beach is a nice sandy beach with a car park, taverna, sun loungers and umbrellas at both ends. The east end of the beach was frequented by nudists. I wouldn't want to lie on their sun loungers afterwards! Gialiskari beach would make a good stop when hiking from Sougia to Paleochora but we didn't want to swim and sun bathe at the start of our hike. We didn't begin the hike at Sougia as the latest ferry in the morning from Paleochora to Sougia leaves at 08.30. That's fine if you are staying in Paleochora but it was too early for us as we were staying a 1.25 hour drive away. As the temperature was about 30 degrees centigrade we took 6 litres of water with us. There is a spring at Lissos but it can dry up. As it turned out water was flowing from the spring. We only saw one other hiker before we reached Lissos. There were more people at Lissos who had either hiked or arrived by taxi boat from Sougia. The archaeological site at Lissos is very interesting and the buildings date from the Classical Greek and Roman periods. There is a shady area around the spring which has benches. A good spot for lunch in hot weather! Lissos beach is rocky and is in small bay which is also used by taxi boats from Sougia. We managed to enter the sea without shoes and really enjoyed cooling off in the beautiful bay. In case of emergencies there seems to be an official at Lissos until about 14.00. There is also a sign with the telephone numbers for the taxi boats. We didn't have a cell phone signal but some people did. A couple of water taxis arrived whilst we were on the beach. The hike from Lissos to Sougia passes through the beautiful Lissos gorge. The pier for Anendyk's ferries is passed just before reaching Sougia. The hike from Gialiskari beach to Lissos took us 3 hours and it was another 2 hours to Sougia. The hike from Paleochora to Gialiskari beach would take another hour. The hike was very well marked and we had absolutely no problem in following the trail. Sougia is a small and very laid back village and we really liked it. We had a good meal at the Liviko restaurant which is right on the coast. This restaurant has sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and they cost about Eur 10. The ferry from Sougia to Paleochora sailed at 18.20 and cost Eur 16. The ticket office opens about 30 minutes before the ferry sails and they accept credit cards. Masses of hikers disembarked when the ferry docked at Sougia as the ferry had come from Agia Roumeli where the Samaria gorge hike ends. However, the ferry was almost empty when we departed and it was a very pleasant voyage back to Paleochora. We really enjoyed this hike and highly recommend it. It would have been even better if we could have spent a few nights in Paleochora and Sougia. The hike from Hora Sfakia to Agia Roumeli is similar and details are in section 3.2 . Gialiskari beach near Paleochora Paleochora is in the distance Looking down to Lissos Lissos beach Boat transfers from Lissos The Odeum in Lissos The Church of Panagia in Lissos The Church of Panagia in Lissos The Church of Ss Cyricus and Julitta in Lissos The Church of Ss Cyricus and Julitta in Lissos The spring in Lissos The ascent from Lissos Looking back to Lissos Lissos Gorge The beach at Sougia Main street in Sougia The ferry from Sougia to Paleochora Paleochora 2.8. Balos Beach Balos beach is beautiful but extremely popular. We didn't visit it for several reasons: Balos beach has been spoiled by tourism. We don't like crowded boat tours. The final 7 kilometres of the dirt road to Balos beach is rough and most car rental insurance policies don't cover driving on dirt roads. Many tourists with rental cars take the risk and go anyway. Although I have driven on a lot of dirt roads in Africa I didn't want risk it. Strata Tours has a thrice daily mini bus service from Kissamos to the parking lot for Balos beach that costs Eur 20 per person. This is a good option if you don't want to go on a boat tour or risk driving a rental car to Balos beach. It's a 20 minute hike from the parking lot down to the beach and there are excellent views of Balos beach on the way. 3. South West Crete Base - Plakias 3.1. Plakias We liked Plakias although it can suffer from wind blowing down the Kourtaliotiko gorge. It isn't overdeveloped yet or spoiled by tourism. However, it does have good facilities. There is a nice sandy beach on the east side of Plakias. Sun umbrellas and sun loungers cost between Eur 10 and Eur 15. There is plenty of parking along the road. Several boat trips depart from Plakias' pier and there are numerous boards advertising the trips. They include trips to Preveli Palm beach, Gavdos island, Loutro and Agia Roumeli. We had lunch several times at Antonis Place and really enjoyed our meals. It's a very popular restaurant. Damnoni beach is just a couple of kilometres east of Plakias and is usually more sheltered. It's a long sandy beach with a road running along it. There is parking along the road and 3 good tavernas at the western end. All receive good reviews and we had an excellent lunch at Taverna Violakis . Plakias Town The beach at Plakias Plakias Damnoni beach near Plakias 3.2. Loutro to Agia Roumeli Hike Hike 24 in the Rother Walking Guide is from Agia Roumeli to Loutro and it states that it takes 5 hours. We decided to do the hike the other way around so we could spend the night in Agia Roumeli and hike part of the way up the Samaria gorge the next day ( see section 3.3 ). It's possible to start this hike in Hora Sfakion but I thought that the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli would be long enough in the heat. Also the first part of the route from Hora Sfakion to Loutro is on the road. It turned out to be a good decision as Lani was suffering from the heat during the final section of the hike An Anendyk ferry  departs Hora Sfakion for Loutro at 09.30 but as we wanted to leave earlier we took a water taxi  for Eur 45. There is paid parking along the port road and there were plenty of parking spots when we arrived. A man on a motor bike came to collect the parking fee of Eur 5 for 24 hours. When we returned the next day he collected another Eur 5 as we had stayed longer than 24 hours. It was only a 10 minute boat ride to the small village of Loutro. Loutro is now popular and has expanded over recent years. There are quite a few hotels and 2 narrow beaches. Loutro was very nice even though the narrow waterfront was busy. There is a ruined Venetian Castle to the west of Loutro's harbour and the trail to Agia Roumeli goes past it. We didn't go that way and instead climbed up to the better preserved Ottoman fortress above Loutro. From the Ottoman fortress we descended down to the hamlet of Finix. The trail had been well marked until about Finix but the section after that to Lykos, and towards Marmara, wasn't well marked as road construction has interfered with the trail. I wished I had downloaded the trail onto my phone but we did manage to follow the trail with difficulty. Both Finix and Lykos have small hotels. From Lykos it doesn't look like the trail can continue along the steep coastal cliffs but it does! It involves a bit of minor scrambling and there are some chains to assist. After 1.5 hours of walking from Loutro we reached the pretty small beach at Marmara. We had a drink in the taverna that overlooked Marmara beach. They have sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and it looked very pleasant. It was tempting to have a swim but we still had a long way to hike. There is a little chapel on the hill above Marmara and from there it was a 3 hour hike to the next taverna at the beach by the Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos. Unlike the previous section of the hike there was some shade along the trail from pine trees. We stopped for a picnic lunch on the way. We had run out of water by the time we reached Agios Pavlos and it looked as if the taverna was closed. We were relieved to find it was open and stopped for a drink and a swim. It was still very hot when we left at 16.30 and the owner of the taverna advised us to wait until it had cooled down and to take plenty of water. We didn't wait any longer but luckily bought more water. On the final stretch to Agia Roumeli Lani suffered from the heat and we had to stop several times. Just before Agia Roumeli the trail wasn't clear and we walked along the seafront avoiding barbed wire. The trail is in fact a bit inland. We reached our hotel in Agia Roumeli at 18.00. Agia Roumeli was very quiet as most of the Samaria gorge hikers had taken the 17.30 ferries to Sougia and Hora Sfakion. Our room in the Calypso Hotel had a great shower and after cleaning up we had supper at the hotel and a wander around peaceful Agia Roumelli. It had been a very enjoyable day and I highly recommend the hike. The next morning we set off to hike up part of the Samaria gorge before taking the 11.30 ferry back to Hora Sfakion. See section 3.3  for details. It turned out to be a great 2 day hike and it was the most enjoyable part of our 3 week holiday in Crete. I really like the coast from Paleochora to Hora Sfakion in south west Crete. A similar great coastal hike is from Paleochora to Sougia (see section 2.7 ). Parking at harbour in Hora Sfakion The boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro View from boat to Sweetwater beach Loutro Beach at Loutro Ottoman castle above Loutro Looking down to Loutro Approaching Finix A bit of a scramble between Finix and Marmara Marmara Beach Chapel above Marmara beach View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete Agios Pavlos Chapel Waterfront at Agia Roumeli 3.3. Samaria Gorge Hike from Agia Roumeli Before going to Crete I researched the Samaria Gorge hike on the internet and decided that it was too busy for my liking. An average of 900 people a day hike the Samaria Gorge. The Samaria Gorge opens at 07.00 and you can only hike down the entire way if you start hiking by 13.00. At the end of the hike most hikers take ferries from Agia Roumeli to Sougia or Hora Sfakion that depart at 17.30. Consequently most hikers won't start the hike later than 11.00. This is because the hike down the Samaria gorge takes 5 to 6 hours and they don't want to miss the 17.30 ferries. That means there are almost 4 hikers a minute starting the hike between 07.00 and 11.00! To make matters worse some of these hikers will have done little hiking before. I envisaged hikers blocking the trail and making it difficult to pass. See section 3.4 for ways of avoiding crowds when hiking down the Samaria gorge. I thought, a much better hike would be to take the morning ferry to Agia Roumeli and hike back to Loutro or Hora Sfakion along the beautiful coast. Agia Roumeli to Loutro is a 5 hour hike and to Hora Sfakion it's probably a 7 hour hike. This is hike number 24 in the Rother Walking Guide. When we arrived in Crete I did a bit more research. I determined that we could do the coastal hike the reverse way, spend the night in Agia Roumeli and then hike up through the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli early the next morning. We would turn around in time in order to catch the 11.30 ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. The only disadvantage was that I had already booked all our accommodation for our 3 week stay in Crete. However, a room in the very good Calypso Hotel in Agia Roumeli is only about Eur 60 per night. We decided to take a taxi boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and hike to Agia Roumeli. Then spend a night at Agia Roumeli and start hiking up the Samaria gorge early the next morning. See section 3.2 for details of our hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli. We reached Agia Roumeli at 18.00 after most of the Samalia Gorge hikers had departed on the 17.30 ferries. We had a good dinner and night's sleep at the Calypso Hotel. We started hiking at 06.30 the next morning and reached the entrance to Samaria gorge just before 07.00. We were the first people to enter the Samaria gorge and there was no one else in sight. We walked up to the narrow "Iron Gates" part of the Samaria gorge frequently stopping for photos. The Iron Gates are where the Samaria gorge is only 3 metres wide. We still hadn't seen any other hikers and had the Samaria gorge to ourselves. After the Christos rest area one hiker passed us. We continued hiking up the Samaria gorge for another half an hour before turning back. I think we had enough time to hike to the abandoned Samaria village but Lani's foot was hurting. A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village and the section from Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. We passed a group of Italian hikers on the way back. We got back to the Calypso hotel at 10.00 where we had breakfast. Then after a stroll around Agia Roumeli we took the 11.30 ferry to Hora Sfakion. The voyage was very scenic and it was enjoyable as there were few people on the ferry. It would be a different matter on the 17.30 ferry packed with hikers! We were both very pleased that we had hiked part of the Samaria gorge and really enjoyed our stay at Agia Roumeli and the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli. I highly recommend doing it. Path from Agia Roumeli to Samaria Gorge Ticket office at entrance to Samaria Gorge in Crete Start of Samaria Gorge in Crete The "Iron Gates" at Samaria Gorge Christos Rest Area at Samaria Gorge Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Beach at Agia Roumeli Ottoman castle high above Agia Roumeli View from ferry between Agia Roumeli and Hora Sfakion View towards Marmara and Finix from the ferry 3.4. How to avoid Crowds on the Samaria Gorge Hike I stated in section 3.3 that on average 900 people a day hike down the Samaria gorge each day. On very busy days there can be as many as 1,200 hikers. As most hikers start hiking between 07.00 and 11.00 this equates to about 4 to 5 people hiking down the Samaria gorge every minute. Some people won't be bothered that the Samaria gorge trail is crowded but hikers that don't like busy trails should read on for advice on how to hike the Samaria gorge at a quieter time: Start the Samaria Gorge Hike after 11.00 Most hikers will start hiking down the Samaria gorge by 11.00. This is because the hike takes 5 to 6 hours and the ferries from Agia Roumeli to Sougia and Hora Sfakion depart at 17.30. Therefore hikers leaving later, say midday, should have the trail to themselves. Hikers aren't allowed to start hiking down the Samaria gorge to Agia Roumeli after 13.00. Starting the Samaria gorge hike late would probably involve staying the night in Agia Roumeli which is a very pleasant place to stay once all the hikers have left. The Calypso hotel is very comfortable. It would also mean doing the hike in the heat of the day. If you did spend the night at Agia Roumeli you could hike the next day to Loutro ( see section 3.2 ) and from Loutro catch the late afternoon ferry back to Hora Sfakion. That's the same ferry that all the hikers returning from the Samaria gorge hike will be on. Hike the Samaria Gorge at the Weekend The official at the check point told us that fewer people hike the Samaria gorge at the weekend. She said that on week days there is an average of 900 hikers and at weekends the number of hikers drops to about 500 per day. The reason could be that the weekends are when most tourists are arriving and departing Crete. Don't Hike the Samaria Gorge the day after a Closure The Samaria gorge is often closed for safety reasons. It can be too hot, too windy, rain can cause rock falls etc. It is likely that the day after the Samaria gorge has been closed the hike will be busier. Incidentally it is best to check before you leave for the hike that Samaria gorge hasn't been closed. Usually any closure is indicated on the official web page for buying tickets for Samaria gorge. Start the Samaria Gorge Hike very early Most travel guides recommend starting the hike as soon as the Samaria gorge opens at 07.00. If too many people follow this advice it would be counter productive. Hike partly up the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli That's the hike we did. See section 3.3 . A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village. The park official said the section from the abandoned Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. If you start hiking as soon as Samaria Gorge opens it should be possible to reach the abandoned Samaria Village, or get very close to it, and still be able to catch the 11.30 a.m. ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. When we hiked up Samaria gorge we only saw about 15 hikers in 3.5 hours. We had the Samaria gorge to ourselves and it was fantastic. 3.5. Frangokastello Frangokastello is a 50 minute drive west of Plakias. There is no centre to the sprawling small town. Most visitors head to the imposing castle where there is paid parking. Next to the castle is a field with free parking. Frangokastello castle was built in 1371 to deter pirates and the exterior of the castle is impressive. There is very little to see in the interior and that's probably why there isn't an entrance fee! From Frangokastello castle it's a short walk to the very nice sandy beach. Frangkastello's beach is on a spit of land and there are sun umbrellas and sun loungers on either side of the spit which cost about Eur 10. The Venetian Castle at Frangokastello The beach at Frangokastello 3.6. Amari Valley Drive We did a circuit of Plakias - Thronos - Moni Asomaton - Monastiraki - Amari - Spili - Plakias and the drive took 6 hours. Unfortunately most of the villages in the Amari Valley were destroyed by the Germans in the 2nd World War and the reconstructed villages have little of interest for tourists. In Thronos only the 11th century Church of Panayia is of interest. It was locked when we arrived but an old man came out of a house opposite and opened it for us. The Church of Panayia has beautiful frescoes but unfortunately photography isn't allowed. Part of the floor is a mosaic from the previous Byzantine church on this site. We were asked to put a small donation in the donation box. We walked up to the acropolis of ancient Syvritos above Thronos but there is very little to see to justify the effort. We had a quick stop and look at the church at Moni Asomaton and then drove on to the nearby Minoan archaeological site of Monastiraki. It was a bit difficult to locate and unfortunately it was the one day of the week that it was closed. We were disappointed that we couldn't visit Monastiraki as the site was quite extensive and looked interesting. It is open from 08.30 to 15.30 every day except Tuesday. The entrance fee is Eur 5. We continued on to Amari hoping to find a restaurant for lunch but there was nothing. The Venetian clock tower is the only building of interest at Amari and we walked up to see it. On the way back to Plakias we stopped off at the pleasant town of Spili which is visited by tourists and tour groups. There were several restaurants in Spili but they didn't appeal as too much fast food was on the menus. Unfortunately there seems to be little of interest in the Amari valley for tourists. Mountain road in the Amari Valley Ayia Paraskevi at Moni Asomation Church of the Panayia at Thronos Acropolis of ancient Syvritos Venetian Clock Tower in Amari The main square in Spili 3.7. Palace of Phaistos We visited the Palace of Phaistos on the way from Plakias to our new accommodation in Ierapetra. It's one of the best Minoan sites in Crete and it has just been designated a World Heritage site. The site dates back to 2000 B.C. In the last couple of years the entrance fees to Greece's archaeological sites have been drastically increased and it now costs Eur 15 to visit the Palace of Phaistos. Phaistos is open every day of the year except on holidays. The opening hours are 08.00 to 20.00 from the 1st April to 1st September. There is free parking near the site and a snack bar and toilets at the entrance. We arrived at Phaistos in the late morning. Although there were other visitors Phaistos wasn't busy and there weren't any tour groups. We spent an hour looking around the impressive site of Phaistos. Theatral Area & West Court at Festos The Grand Stairway at Festos Festus Archaeological Site The King's Megaron in the Royal Apartments of Festos The Kouloures at Festus 3.8. Rethymno Rethymno is a 1.25 hour drive east of Chania and an hour's drive north of Plakias. We drove there when moving from our accommodation near Kissamos to Plakias. I had read that parking in Rethymno can be difficult but we didn't have a problem when we arrived at 10.30 a.m. in early June. There are 2 large car parks at the port . One of these car parks is completely free and there isn't a barrier. There are toilets at the end of this car park (Eur 0.50). The car park next to it has a barrier but parking is free from 02.00 to 17.00. There is another large paid car park across from these 2 port car parks. It's about a 10 minute walk westwards from these car parks to Rethymno's old town. Rethymno's large main beach is just on the eastern side of these car parks. There aren't many specific sites to see in Rethynmo but it's very pleasant wandering around the old alleys. Unfortunately most of the restaurants and shops now cater for tourists. Half a day is sufficient for visiting Rethymno. There are numerous restaurants for tourists in Rethymno and it's difficult to know which ones are good. We wanted to have lunch at Stella's kitchen  as it had very good reviews but unfortunately it was closed on Sundays. We therefore ate at another restaurant which had average food. The main sites in Rethymno are: Venetian Fortress The imposing fortress is the largest ever built by the Venetians. It was built in the 16th century to prevent pirate raids. The fortress quickly fell to the Ottomans in 1645. The fortress is open from 08.00 to 20.00 and there is an entry fee of Eur 5. There is a 50% discount for people over 65 even if you don't reside in the EU. There are free toilets near the entrance. There isn't much to see at the Fortress apart from the mosque which has a very impressive dome. Otherwise it is a matter of just walking around the extensive walls. Venetian Harbour This harbour has always had a problem with silting up and it's only used by a few pleasure boats. During the day time it is worth a quick look but there isn't much going on. Rimondi Fountain The attractive 17th century Rimondi fountain is near to the Venetian Harbour and most tourists want to take a photo of it! Loggia This was built in the 16th century but can't be entered. Nerantzes Mosque This was originally a church but converted to a mosque by the Ottomans. The tall minaret dominates Rethynmo's skyline. It isn't open to the public. Rethymno's Harbour The Venetian Harbour in Rethymno The Augustinian Monastery of our Lady in Rethymno Church of our Lady of the Angels in Rethymno Typical Alley in Rethymno Rimondi Fountain in Rethymno The Loggia in Rethymno The Fortezza in Rethymno The Mosque in the Fortezza at Rethymno The beach at Rethymno 3.9. Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni We visited the Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni when driving from Rethymno to Plakias. It is only a 15 minute drive from Rethymno and a 30 minute drive from Plakias. The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni is open every day from 09.00 to 17.00 except Tuesdays. The entrance fee is Eur 5 and there is parking and toilets at the site The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni is worth visiting if you are driving by but I wouldn't make a special journey. There are many tomb entrances but most tombs are too small to enter. It's possible to enter tomb 159 which dates back to 1200 B.C. The Late Minoan Cemetery of Armeni can be seen in 45 minutes. Typical entrance to tombs at the Minonian cemetery Entrance to Tomb 159 at the Minonian Cemetery 4. South East Crete Base - Ierapetra Eastern Crete 4.1. Spinalonga Island Spinalonga island is one of the most popular sights on Crete and is an idyllic setting. The Venetians built the imposing fortress on Spinalonga in 1579 and it encompasses the entire island. The fortress was impregnable and was handed over to the Ottomans by treaty in 1715, fifty years after the rest of Crete had surrendered. A town was established inside the fortress by the Ottomans. In the first half of the 20th century Spinalonga was a leper colony and the lepers lived in this town. Spinalonga was the last leper colony in Europe as drugs had already been found to control leprosy. The leper colony was very primitive and the lepers were treated very harshly. Spinalonga island is open from 08.30 to 18.00 every day from 1st April to 31st October. It's closed in winter. The entry fee is Eur 20. The entry fee was only Eur 8 a couple of years ago but the entry fees for all Greece's archaeological sites have been drastically increased. Spinalonga island can be accessed by half hourly taxi boats from Plaka and Elounda . The boat ride takes about 10 minutes and costs Eur 12 from Plaka and Eur 14 from Elounda. Tickets can be bought on arrival. Any boat from Spinalonga can be taken back to the mainland. There are 2 free car parks at Plaka and the car park on the northern side has more space. I had read that it was best to visit Spinalonga either early or late in the day to avoid tour groups. We couldn't do that but I had also read that most tour groups visited in the morning so we visited in the afternoon. We went at 14.00 in mid June and it wasn't busy. Upon arrival at Spinalonga the entry fee is payable and then access to the fortress is through a tunnel. The main part of Spinalonga fortress is around the area immediately after the tunnel. After passing through the tunnel it is possible to climb on to the fortress walls and obtain a good view. The street running along the western side of the fortress has most of the remaining dwellings. There are very interesting exhibits detailing the history of Spinalonga in several of the houses on the left hand side. Eventually the only other gate to the fortress is reached. We also climbed up the hillside to explore other parts of Spinalonga's fortifications. There are good views but there is little else to justify the effort. We finished by walking around the walls of the entire island. The fortifications are very imposing and it doesn't take that long to walk around them. We thoroughly explored Spinalonga and spent 1.5 hours doing so. We were fortunate that after walking around the island we spotted the taxi boat arriving. We quickly descended and saved up to half an hour wait. I heard reports that some tourists have been put off visiting Spinalonga due to the high cost of the entrance fee and taxi boat. It's expensive but we really enjoyed our visit to Spinalonga and thought it was worth the cost. Boat from Plaka to Spinalonga Spinalonga The tunnel entrance to Spinalonga's fortress Spinalonga's fortress Settlement within Spinalonga's fortress View from Spinalonga island Museum at Spinalonga Disinfection kiln for Spinalonga's leper colony Fortress walls at northern end of Spinalonga islan 4.2. Gournia Archaeological Site & Moni Faneromeni The Gournia archaeological site is on the north coast but it's only a 20 minute drive from Ierapetra on the south coast. Gournia is open from 08.30 to 15.30 every day except Tuesday and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Parking is on the quiet road near the entrance. Gournia is the most completely preserved Minoan town in Crete and dates back to 1500 B.C. It was an important town as it controlled the narrow isthmus between north and south Crete. We enjoyed wandering around the old streets and houses of Gournia. However, there is nothing over 2 metres high and some people might consider the site to be a mass of walls! We visited a few other archaeological sites in Crete and felt that Phaistos Palace and the Lato archaeological site were more interesting. Moni Faneromeni is very near Gournia but it involves driving 5 kilometres up a hillside to reach it. Fortunately the monastery had a very good relationship with the wife of the previous prime minister and a tarred road was constructed to it. There are excellent coastal views all the way up to Moni Faneromeni. Two monks reside at the monastery and the one who greeted us was very friendly. We were allowed to take his picture on the understanding we wouldn't publish it. We have kept our promise! The main frescoes in the church look ancient but in fact they aren't very old. It was atmospheric inside. Once a year many pilgrims walk up to the monastery and pray for a few days. The ancient Minoan Town of Gournia Moni Faneromeni Moni Faneromeni View from Moni Faneromeni 4.3. Xerokambos to Kato Zakros Hike This is hike 70 in the Rother Walking Guide but the book starts the hike at Kato Zakros. We did the walk the other way around and it turned out to be a good decision. When we arrived at Xerokambos we drove on a dirt road to Krinakia beach and there is a car park there. It's a nice beach and is popular with nudists. There was a sign at the car park pointing the way and from there the trail was clearly marked all the way to Kato Zakros. There was no shade at all and we only saw 3 other hikers. The scenery was nice but it doesn't vary enough. The only tricky section is just before Kato Zakros and a little bit of scrambling is required. The hike took us 2 hours and 45 minutes which is longer than what the Rother Guide indicated. We had a good lunch at the Nostos restaurant in Kato Zakros and afterwards relaxed on the free sun loungers on the beach. Whilst there we heard a couple, who had hiked down the nearby Dead's gorge, asking the restaurant owner to arrange a taxi back to their vehicle at the top of the gorge. We were surprised that there was a taxi at Kato Zakros. The restaurant owner informed us that the taxi driver did a good business transporting hikers who only wanted to hike the Dead's gorge one way. We decided to take a taxi back to Krinakia beach rather than hike the same trail back again in the heat. The restaurant owner arranged the taxi for us and it cost Eur 35. The taxi driver was reluctant to drive the final section along the dirt road so we walked it. If we had started the hike from Kato Zakros we probably wouldn't have known about the taxi. Also there isn't a taverna at Krinakia beach and the nearest one is 2 kilometres further south. Trail sign at Krinakia beach Krinakia beach Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Rouso Spasma Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Hike from Krinakia beach to Kato Zakros Beach at Kato Zakros 4.4. Myrtos and Tertsa Beaches Myrtos beach is a 20 minute drive west from Ierapetra. Myrtos is a busy little village with lots of restaurants along the sea front. Some restaurants provide free sun umbrellas and sun loungers if you have lunch there. Myrtos is very pleasant and seems a popular place. Reviews state that parking isn't problem at Myrtos but when we went on a Sunday we found it difficult to find a parking place. Tertsa beach is a further 15 minute drive west from Myrtos. The drive there is along a scenic, but narrow, road with high cliffs on the one side and the sea on the other side. At Tertsa there are 3 Tavernas and the Stefania and Lambos restaurants provide ample parking. We went to the Stefania restaurant and used their sun umbrella and sunbeds for free on the sandy beach as we were staying for lunch. Lunch was good and we had a nice day at Tertsa. Tertsa is much quieter than Myrtos and parking is easier. The beach at Tertsa Stefania Restaurant in Tertsa 4.5. Kritsa Town & Lato Archaeological Site We drove from Ierapetra to Kritsa on the minor mountain roads that go via the Bramianon reservoir and the village of Prina. We hardly saw any other traffic which was fortunate as in a few places the road was only single lane! We found a free parking lot in the centre of Kritsa. Kritsa can also be reached on a good road from the resort of Agia Nikolaos. Kritsa is frequented by tourists and tour buses as it's a pretty town with craft shops for tourists. Unless you are a shopper there isn't a lot to see in Kritsa but it's pleasant wandering around. We had a good lunch at the Agadiko restaurant . There is good 1.5 hour circular hike through the nearby Kritsa gorge. It is hike number 57 in the Rother Walking Guide. We didn't do the hike as it was very windy and we were concerned about falling rocks. The Byzantine church of Panagia Kera is only one kilometre from Kritsa and it has the most complete and famous Byzantine frescoes in Crete. Unfortunately we had a late lunch and by the time we got there it had just closed. It is open every day, except Tuesday, from 08.30 to 15.30. We visited the Lato Archaeological site which is three kilometres from Kritsa. It's open every day, except Tuesday, from 08.30 to 15.00 and the entrance fee is Eur 5. Lato was of Doric origin and dates back to the 5th century B.C. Lato's ruins are impressive and are in a scenic location. Tourist store in Kritsa Street in Kritsa The Lato archaeological site The Prytaneion at Lato Archaeological Site The Cistern at Lato Archaeological site The temple at the Lato archaeological site 4.6. Diaskari beach Diaskari beach is a 35 minute drive from Ierapetra. It is a quiet beach with one taverna and plenty of parking. A sun umbrella and 2 sun loungers cost Eur 10. The beach is sandy but there is some rock as you enter the sea. We really liked it and went twice. The taverna only provides a limited menu of cold meals on Thursdays. The beach at Diaskari Diaskari Taverna 4.7. Ierapetra The seafront promenade in Ierapetra Venetian fortress at Ierapetra Church of Afendis Hristos in Ierapetra Ierapetra's Old Town Napoleon's house in Ierapetra Ugly greenhouses surround Ierapetra 5. Accommodation in Crete We spent 3 weeks in Crete and booked apartments and houses through Booking.com in 3 different locations. We avoided the main tourist areas and tried to find accommodation that was quiet, spacious and clean. 5.1. Apartment in North West Crete We stayed at the Christine Luxury Villa which is a fantastic 3 bedroom apartment in the village of Kolymvari, a 30 minute drive west of Chania and a 20 minute drive east of Kissamos. It's new, modern, well finished and nicely furnished. It was centrally located for exploring the north west of Crete and there was enough to do for a full week there. We paid Eur 790 for a week in June which was a bargain. 5.2. Town House in Plakias We stayed at the Michaela Beach House which was a pleasant 15 minute walk away from the centre of Plakias. It's a 3 bedroom end town house in a modern development. We enjoyed our stay. We paid Eur 907 for 6 nights in June. It wasn't up to the same very high standard as Christine Luxury Villa but was still good accommodation. The potential issues with this property are: On our final night the land next to the town house was being cleared. It's likely they will build more houses there. That would block the view and create noise during construction. The largest bedroom is on the lower floor and is accessed through an outside entrance. You can hear some noise from the adjoining town house and if the occupants were noisy it could be a problem. 5.3. House in Ierapetra (South East Crete) We stayed at Apple Home which is a luxury 3 bedroom house in Ierapetra. We paid Eur 1,148 for the week. This house was of the same very high standard as Christine Luxury Villa. The house was spacious, modern, well furnished and had everything one could need. Penelope (the owner) was fantastic and provided us with lots of information on what to do. The only disadvantage is that Ierapetra isn't a very interesting or beautiful town. However, it was a good base and the north coast was only a 20 minute drive away. 6. Car Rental In Crete I wanted to rent a car from a local car rental agency as they are usually cheaper than the international agencies. Unfortunately I couldn't find a good local car agency which allowed vehicles to be collected at Chania and returned at Iraklio. We therefore rented a car from Hertz through Booking.com and we were happy with their service. We didn't take out their full collision damage insurance as it was too expensive and we didn't pay for Lani to drive because of the cost for an extra driver. They weren't fussy when checking the condition of the car when we returned it. When we returned to the UK I discovered that Auto Rentals Crete rents vehicles at both Chania and Iraklio airports and has excellent reviews . They provide full collision damage cover in the quoted price and there is no charge for a second driver. 7. Link s to other blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide   Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide   Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide   Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide   Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide   Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide   Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide   The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide   Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide   Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide   Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide   Mystros: Travel Guide

Map of the Ponta de Sao Lourenco Hike The Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike is probably the most popular hike in Madeira. There are spectacular coastal views the entire way whereas most of Madeira's other hikes are through forest. Also the weather is more reliable than for the hikes in the interior of Madeira although wind can be a problem. Unfortunately this means that there are masses of people hiking the Sao Lourenco peninsular and it doesn't help that the trail isn't circular. In addition parking becomes difficult and it's only possible to park a long way from the trail head. Most people advise starting the Sao Lourenco hike early as otherwise the sheer number of tourists spoils the experience. The trouble is that too many people follow this advice! Also unless you start the Sao Lourenco hike very early you will meet lots of trekkers when hiking back. If you do start early then I would recommend starting at 08.00 at the very latest but 07.30 would be better. We didn't fancy a very early start and had read that the number of hikers, and availability of parking, wasn't bad from around 16.30. We therefore arrived at the Sao Lourenco peninsular trail head at 17.00. We found plenty of free parking places near the trail head. I had read that you had to pay an Eur 3 entrance fee for the Sao Lourenco peninsular hike and that fines of Eur 50 were issued to hikers who hadn't paid. I therefore tried to pay at the trail head but there wasn't a ticket office nor any notices about an entrance fee. It could be that the officials collecting the entrance fee had finished work for the day. For the first half hour of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike we passed quite a few other people finishing the hike. After that there were always a few other hikers in sight but it wasn't at all bad. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular hike took us 2.25 hours but we didn't do the final climb up the hill as there was a sign stating access was prohibited. Quite a few other hikers ignored this sign but my wife didn't want to. Just before the prohibited access sign there is a small cafe. It was closed when we reached it at 18.00. A few reviewers on the Walkmeguide.com  website had complained about the upkeep of this closed part of the Sao Lourenco trail! The metal rope is in poor condition and can cut your hand. Another hiker had to go to hospital as he injured his foot on the steep descent. The slope didn't look difficult to me if hiking poles were used for the descent. We really enjoyed the Sao Lourenco hike and the scenery was excellent. However, I think that you have to start very early or late or the sheer numbers of hikers will spoil the experience. See my 2025 Madeira Travel Guide for detailed information about what to see and do in Madeira. The Sao Lourenco Peninsular The Cafe at the end of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular The sign that a lot of hiker's ignore! The last section of the Sao Lourenco hike that is officially closed

Map of the Samaria Gorge Hike On average of 900 people a day hike down the Samaria Gorge to Agia Roumeli. On busy days there can be as many as 1,200 hikers. The Samaria Gorge opens at 07.00 and you are only allowed to hike down the entire way from Xyloskalo to Agia Roumeli if you start hiking by 13.00. Upon reaching Agia Roumeli hikers usually take ferries to Sougia or Hora Sfakion that depart at 17.30. As the hike down the Samaria gorge takes 5 to 6 hours most hikers start before 11.00 so they don't miss the ferries. That means there can be 4 to 5 hikers a minute starting the hike between 07.00 and 11.00! That's far too crowded for me. Hikers that don't like busy trails have the following options: Start the Samaria Gorge hike after 11.00 Hikers leaving later, say midday, should have the trail to themselves. However, hikers aren't allowed to start hiking down the Samaria gorge to Agia Roumeli after 13.00. Starting the Samaria gorge hike late would probably involve staying the night in Agia Roumeli which is a very pleasant place to stay once all the hikers have left. The Calypso hotel  is very comfortable. However, it would also mean doing the hike in the heat of the day. If you did spend the night at Agia Roumeli you could hike the next day along the beautiful coast to Loutro (see the next section for details) and then take the late afternoon ferry back to Hora Sfakion. That's the same ferry that all the hikers returning from the Samaria gorge hike will be on. If you don't want to hike any more there are 2 ferries in the morning to Hora Sfakion. Hike the Samaria Gorge at the Weekend The official at the check point told us that fewer people hike the Samaria gorge at the weekend. She said that on week days there is an average of 900 hikers and at weekends the number of hikers drops to about 500 per day. The reason could be that the weekends are when most tourists are arriving and departing Crete. Don't Hike the Samaria Gorge the day after a closure The Samaria gorge is often closed for safety reasons. It can be too hot, too windy, rain can cause rock falls etc. It is likely that the day after the Samaria gorge has been closed the hike will be busier. Incidentally it is best to check before you leave for the hike that Samaria gorge hasn't been closed. Usually any closure is indicated on the official web page  for buying tickets for Samaria gorge. Start the Samaria Gorge hike very early Most travel guides recommend starting the hike as soon as the Samaria gorge opens at 07.00. This would mean a very early start from your accommodation as the drive to the Samaria Gorge entrance at Xyloskalo would take at least 1.25 hours for most people. If too many people follow this advice it would be counter productive! Hike partly up the Samaria Gorge from Agia Roumeli A park official informed us that the best section of the Samaria gorge hike was between the Iron Gates and the abandoned Samaria village. The park official said the section from the abandoned Samaria village to the top of the Samaria gorge wasn't particularly special. If you start hiking as soon as Samaria Gorge opens it should be possible to reach the abandoned Samaria Village, or get very close to it, and still be able to catch the 11.30 a.m. ferry from Agia Roumeli to Hora Sfakion. This is what we did and we only saw about 15 hikers in 3.5 hours. We had the Samaria gorge to ourselves and it was fantastic. We travelled to Agia Roumelli by taking a taxi boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and then hiked for about 6 hours to Agia Roumeli. See the next section for details of this hike. It's also possible to take a ferry from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and Agia Roumeli. We reached Agia Roumeli at 18.00 after most of the Samalia Gorge hikers had departed on the 17.30 ferries. We had a good dinner and night's sleep at the Calypso Hotel . We started hiking at 06.30 the next morning and reached the entrance to Samaria gorge just before 07.00. We were the first people to enter the Samaria gorge and there was no one else in sight. We walked up to the narrow "Iron Gates" part of the Samaria gorge frequently stopping for photos. The Iron Gates are where the Samaria gorge is only 3 metres wide. We still hadn't seen any other hikers and had the Samaria gorge to ourselves. After the Christos rest area one hiker passed us. We continued hiking up the Samaria gorge for another half an hour before turning back. I think we had enough time to hike to the abandoned Samaria village but Lani's foot was hurting from plantar fasciitis. We passed a group of Italian hikers on the way back. We got back to the Calypso hotel at 10.00 where we had breakfast. Then after a stroll around Agia Roumeli we took the 11.30 ferry to Hora Sfakion. The voyage was very scenic and enjoyable as there were few people on the ferry. It would be a different matter on the 17.30 ferry packed with hikers! We were both very pleased that we had hiked part of the Samaria gorge and really enjoyed our stay at Agia Roumeli and the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli . I highly recommend both hikes. Path from Agia Roumeli to Samaria Gorge Cafe before the entrance to Samaria Gorge Ticket office at entrance to Samaria Gorge in Crete Start of Samaria Gorge in Crete The "Iron Gates" at Samaria Gorge Christos Rest Area at Samaria Gorge Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area Up the Samaria Gorge from the Christos rest area The bus from near the Samaria Gorge checkpoint to Agia Roumeli Agia Roumeli Beach at Agia Roumeli Ottoman castle high above Agia Roumeli View from ferry between Agia Roumeli and Hora Sfakion View towards Marmara and Finix from the ferry Loutro to Agia Roumeli Hike Hike between Agia Roumeli and Loutro Hike 24 in the Rother Walking Guide is from Agia Roumeli to Loutro and it states that it takes 5 hours. We decided to do the hike the other way around so we could spend the night at Agia Roumeli and hike part of the way up the Samaria Gorge the next day. It's possible to start this hike in Hora Sfakion but I thought that the hike from Loutro to Agia Roumeli would be long enough in the heat. Also the first part of the route from Hora Sfakion to Loutro is on the road. An Anendyk ferry  departs Hora Sfakion for Loutro at 09.30 but as we wanted to leave earlier we took a water taxi  for Eur 45. There is paid parking along the port road and there were plenty of parking spots when we arrived. A man on a motor bike came to collect the parking fee of Eur 5 for 24 hours. When we returned the next day he collected another Eur 5 as we had stayed longer than 24 hours. It was only a 10 minute boat ride to the small village of Loutro. The village is now popular and has expanded over recent years. There are quite a few hotels and 2 narrow beaches. Loutro was very nice even though the narrow waterfront was busy. There is a ruined Venetian Castle to the west of Loutro's harbour and the trail to Agia Roumeli goes past it. We didn't go that way and instead climbed up to the better preserved Ottoman fortress above Loutro. From the Ottoman fortress we descended down to the hamlet of Finix. The trail had been well marked until about Finix but the section after that to Lykos, and towards Marmara, wasn't well marked as road construction has interfered with the trail. I wished I had downloaded the trail onto my phone but we did manage to follow the trail with difficulty. Both Finix and Lykos have small hotels. From Lykos it doesn't look like the trail can continue along the steep coastal cliffs but it does! It involves a bit of minor scrambling and there are some chains to assist. After 1.5 hours of walking from Loutro we reached the pretty small beach at Marmara. We had a drink in the taverna that overlooked Marmara beach. They have sun umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and it looked very pleasant. It was tempting to have a swim but we still had a long way to hike. There is a little chapel on the hill above Marmara and from there it was a 3 hour hike to the next taverna at the beach by the Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos. Unlike the previous section of the hike there was some shade along the trail from pine trees. We stopped for a picnic lunch on the way. We had run out of water by the time we reached Agios Pavlos and it looked as if the taverna was closed. We were relieved to find it was open and stopped for a drink and a swim. It was still very hot when we left at 16.30 and the owner of the taverna advised us to wait until it had cooled down and to take plenty of water. We didn't wait any longer but luckily bought more water. On the final stretch to Agia Roumeli Lani suffered from the heat and we had to stop several times. Just before Agia Roumeli the trail wasn't clear and we walked along the seafront avoiding barbed wire. The trail is in fact a bit inland. We reached our hotel in Agia Roumeli at 18.00. Agia Roumeli was very quiet as most of the Samaria gorge hikers had taken the 17.30 ferries to Sougia and Hora Sfakion. Our room in the Calypso Hotel  had a great shower and after cleaning up we had supper at the hotel and a wander around peaceful Agia Roumelli. It had been a very enjoyable day and I highly recommend the hike. I really like the coastline from Paleochora to Hora Sfakion in south west Crete. A similar great coastal hike is from Paleochora to Sougia (see section 2.7 of my 2025 Crete Travel Guide ) . Parking at harbour in Hora Sfakion The boat from Hora Sfakion to Loutro View from boat to Sweetwater beach Loutro Beach at Loutro Ottoman castle above Loutro Looking down to Loutro Approaching Finix A bit of a scramble between Finix and Marmara Marmara Beach Chapel above Marmara beach View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete View between Marmara and Agios Pavios beach in Crete Agios Pavlos Chapel Agios Pavlos Chapel Beach at Agios Pavlos Waterfront at Agia Roumeli

Techa Gompa near Umlung Contents Introduction When to do the Markha Valley Trek What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek Permits for the Markha Valley Trek Cost of the Markha Valley Trek Map of the Markha Valley Trek Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I did the Markha Valley trek by myself in mid August 2024. Before doing this trek I spent 3 nights acclimatising in Leh (see my blog Leh, Ladakh Travel Guide - 2024 ). I then trekked in the Sham Valley for 3 days to further improve my acclimatisation (see my blog 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek ) . At the end of the third day of trekking in Sham Valley I took an unofficial taxi to Skiu. I stayed in a homestay for the night (12th August) at Skiu before trekking through Markha Valley for 4 days. I spent the nights in Skiu, Markha, Thachungtse and Nyimaling. I was concerned that the trails and accommodation could be very busy as I was hiking in peak season. I was pleasantly surprised, and probably fortunate, that neither the Sham Valley trek nor the Markha Valley trek were busy except at Nyimaling. I wanted to have my own room or tent and fortunately this was possible. At Skiu I had the homestay to myself. In Markha I had a triple bed room to myself. It was fortunate that I decided not to stay in Hankar as I later heard it was overflowing with trekkers. I had continued on from Hankar to the Thachungtse tented camp and had a tent to myself. I was one of the first trekkers to arrive at Nyimaling and was only allowed to have a tent to myself as the outer zip was broken. I really enjoyed the Markha Valley trek. The scenery was fantastic and there was great camaraderie with other trekkers. I usually don't like trekking on roads but the rough road from Skiu to Markha didn't spoil my trek. There was very little traffic and it made navigation very easy! The Markha Valley trek isn't difficult but the section between Skiu and Hankar can be very hot. There are now bridges over the river in many places. However, in years when the water level is high river crossings could be difficult on the descent from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I was fortunate that there was little snow last winter so the river levels were low. Update An Indian trekking group's Facebook posting on 28 August 2025 stated: Markha Valley We could not complete the trek - it rained and snowed continuously for 72 hours since Sunday - we reached Markha on Monday in the steady downpour having to do 5 river crossings taking off our boots and wearing sandals - a log bridge broke after we crossed and a pony fell into the river but miraculously survived by swimming to the shore - the next day we were supposed to trek up to Hanker but heavy snowfall started in the morning and continued through the day - the upper reaches of the Markha river could not be forded and there was large scaled damage due to landslides and rockfall- realising that we would not be able to cross the Kongmaru la and descend in safety we decided to head down the valley the same way we came up - we left Markha at 6 am yesterday and walked 22 km through rain and river crossings down to Skiu - it took about 8.5 hours and we camped in Skiu - this morning we started from Skiu and again walked 20 km down below chilling where the car could pick us up / the main jeep road between Sumdo below chilling all way up to Skiu and sera has been totally devastated by rockfall and landslides - we walked 42 km in two days and just reached Leh - the team is well and survived the ordeal - will post the videos later. 2. When to do the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek can usually be done from late May to mid October. There is more risk of snow on the pass in May and October. In late June and July the river levels are often higher. As discussed in the section on River Crossings the river level is mainly a concern when descending the Gongmaru La as there are now bridges over most of the rivers until Nyimaling. Another consideration is the number of trekkers. July and August are the busiest months for the Markha Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. The section of the Markha Valley trek from Skiu to Hankar can also be very hot in July and August as it is in a valley. I trekked in mid August and the temperature on this section felt like it was in the mid 30's centigrade. In my opinion late August to mid September would be a very good time to do the Markha Valley trek. There should be less trekkers and the temperature would be less extreme. 3. What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek 3.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases Unless you are bringing your own tent you don't need to bring a sleeping bag for the Markha Valley trek. I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. For temperatures in mid August there were sufficient blankets and duvets at all the places I stayed at, including the tented camps at Thachungtse and Nyimaling. It would be colder in September and October but as there are less trekkers there should be more blankets and duvets available. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. You can be sure that the pillow cases provided are rarely washed. 3.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps on the Markha Valley trek provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Markha Valley trek and relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses or parasites. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days and it took me 7 weeks to completely recover. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 3.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult on the Markha Valley trek and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and that they are comfortable. I met some trekkers who had bought new footwear in Leh and were really suffering with blisters. To make matters worse they hadn't brought any plasters or Compeed. I also took water shoes as I had brought them for the Zanskar trek. I didn't use them as the river levels were low in 2024. However, when the river level is higher it would be good to at least have a cheap pair of plastic crocs for river crossings and they can be bought in Leh. 3.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays in the Markha Valley were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 3.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There was mains electricity in my room at Skiu and at Markha the homestay charged my cell phone from their solar powered batteries. My phone battery then lasted on airplane mode until I finished the trek. 3.6. Medications I hadn't taken Diamox for 20 years before this trek. However, I decided to take half a tablet on my arrival at Delhi at midnight and also the next morning and evening in Leh (3,500m). I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation in Leh as a result. I decided to take half a tablet of Diamox when I arrived at Nyimaling and half a tablet early the next morning. I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation but I usually acclimatise well anyway. Therefore I would suggest taking some Diamox on the Markha Valley trek in case you need it unless you have already spent a week or so at altitude. I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 3.7. Other Items Other items worth considering: A head torch even though there is electricity at some locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Warm clothes for Nyimaling and the amount depends on the season. It got close to 0 centigrade during the night in mid August. I had a thin down jacket and long johns. I took a pee bottle which I had bought for my Zanskar trek. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles for the descent. Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never take them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to bring! Don't bring any satellite communication devices, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 4. Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek There was connectivity with the Jio network at Skiu according to the lady running the homestay I stayed at. However, I didn't have a Jio SIM card. Outside Markha's monastery there is free internet and it worked well. The password at the time was 1234567890. However, check the password with your homestay before walking up! The Jio and Airtel networks can be accessed at the top of the Gongmaru La. Many trekkers phone from there to arrange for a taxi to meet them at Chokdo. I don't think there is any connectivity to the BSNL network on the Markha Valley trek. I had BSNL and Airtel SIM cards and the BSNL SIM card was of no use to me during my 6 weeks in Ladakh. Jio seems to be the best and then Airtel. 5. Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek If you are on a really tight budget you can hitchhike or perhaps take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go to the taxi stand in central Leh where lots of taxis are parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Skiu it costs INR 4,175 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I took a taxi to Likir to start the Sham Valley trek and then at the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Temisgam to Skiu for the Markha Valley trek. I asked about taxis at a local store in Temisgam and the owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000! For the return journey from Chokdo to Leh you have several options: Arrange a taxi to meet you at Chokdo before you start the Markha Valley trek. The official rate is about INR 4,500. The problem would be estimating your arrival time in Chokdo. I left Nyimaling at 07.15, immediately after breakfast, and got to Chokdo at 12.00. However, the numerous river crossings were very easy in 2024. Phone a taxi driver once you reach the Gongmaru La using a Jio or Airtel SIM card. It took me about 3 hours to descend to Chokdo. Hope that there is a taxi waiting at Chokdo. There were several when I got there but they may have all been prearranged by other trekkers. Try and share a prearranged taxi at Chokdo. That's what I did and the other trekker wouldn't accept any payment from me. Phone for a taxi from Chokdo and probably wait 1.5 hours for it to come from Leh. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 6. Permits for the Markha Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Markha Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Chilling. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was travelling to Chilling. However, if I was doing the longer and more difficult trek starting in Zhingchan it wasn't necessary as the road didn't go past the check point. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend there are 2 options. Start the Markha Valley trek from Zingchan or leave Leh by about 06.30 so you can get through the check point before it starts operating. INR 600 Permit for the Markha Valley Trek The Ancient Tracks Travel Agency in Leh 7. Cost of the Markha Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Markha Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The costs of my 4 day trek were: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Skiu (Estimate) 4175 50 Homestay - Skiu 1600 19 Homestay - Markha 1600 19 Thachungtse tented camp 1600 19 Nyimaling tented camp 2000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Chokdo to Leh (Estimate) 4500 54 TOTAL 16075 192 Regarding taxi fares I actually took an unofficial taxi from the end of the Sham Valley trek to Skiu for INR 4,000 and a kind trekker gave me a lift in his prearranged taxi from Chokdo to Leh. 8. Map of the Markha Valley Trek 9. Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Before travelling to Leh I read several blogs about the Markha Valley trek and also the Cicerone Trekking in Ladakh guide book. I brought photocopies on the trek as they kept warning about wrong turns and difficulties navigating the trail. I also downloaded maps on Maps.Me and Mapy.cz . The reality is that the trail for the Markha Valley trek is very easy to navigate and it would be very hard to go wrong except in very poor visibility for the section after Hankar. I never had to look at the photocopies or the downloaded maps. There is now a road all the way from Chilling to Markha so it is virtually impossible to go wrong on this section of the Markha Valley trek. From Markha to Lower Hankar there seems to be a jeep track although no vehicles were using it as they couldn't cross the river just before Markha. The trail was a bit confusing after the restaurant in Lower Umlung and after leaving Upper Hankar. After Upper Hankar you go through a gate and then walk along the left bank of the river. After a while there is a steep trail on the left up the hillside. It looked a bit hairy but it was actually okay. You don't cross the river at all until you get to the bridge just before Thachungtse. The only other time I was a bit uncertain of the trail was at the Tsigu lakes, between Thachungtse and Nyimaling. Two other trekkers in front of me were uncertain whether to take the left or right path but we all correctly guessed to the left. Other blogs suggest following the horse droppings on the trail and it is a good indicator of the right path, particularly on the descent from the Gongmaru La. On this descent there are a couple of sections where the trail briefly ascends in order to avoid going through narrow and difficult canyons. The locals can often get through the canyons when the river level is low but it is safer to take the trails up. 10. Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek The homestays on the Markha Valley trek run on a rotation system with each homestay in the village taking turns to take in trekkers. If the designated homestay is full they will send you to the next designated one, if there is more than one in the village! The rotation system sounds very fair but in reality it isn't. The rotation system means that poor quality homestays receive the same income as good quality homestays and they have no incentive to improve. In Skiu the lady running the homestay didn't like me taking photos as some areas were very untidy. She should have tidied up instead! In Markha I had a great homestay in the new section of the village but some trekkers in the old section of Markha were complaining about their accommodation. All the homestays charge INR 1,600 (USD 19) per night for food and lodging. Nyimaling tented camp charges INR 2,000 (USD 24). This cost includes dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and cups of tea. Breakfast usually consisted of freshly cooked chapatis or Tibetan bread with jam. At Skiu I was also served eggs. Dinner was usually Chhutagi or a rice dish. Chhutagi is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunches consisted of a sandwich or large pastry with a filling. Cold boiled potatoes were sometimes added. There was also a small juice box and chocolate bar. If the homestays are busy you might have to share rooms or sleep in the dining room. I was lucky and always had a room to myself. The toilets were long drops. They had a good system where you put soil down the hole after going to the toilet. I didn't find the toilets bad and they were clean. I was a bit perturbed at Markha when I saw the neighbour's dog lying underneath the long drop! The homestays provide filtered water but I recommend sterilising it. 10.1. Homestays in Skiu A couple of years ago travel blogs for the Markha Valley trek reported that there were no homestays in Skiu. I don't understand this as there are several. The taxi dropped me off at the far end of Skiu. The first homestay I enquired at informed me it wasn't their turn and directed me to the next homestay about 5 minutes away. There are also homestays at the start of Skiu which operate on a separate rotation system. My homestay was fine. I had my own room, the food was good, it was quiet and the toilet was clean. I had mains electricity in my room and I could charge electrical devices. There was limited Jio cellphone connectivity and the owner only seemed to be able to make calls from 1 room. There is probably better phone and internet connectivity in the first part of Skiu. 10.2. Homestays between Skiu and Markha When I arrived at Skiu in the late afternoon I had considered walking on as the heat had subsided. However, I wasn't sure about the accommodation after Skiu. I met some other trekkers who were continuing on but they had their own tents. The Skiu Women's Eco Cafe is a 50 minute walk from Skiu and the trekkers I had met camped there. The cafe was closed when they got there and it was closed when I passed it early the next morning. The sign doesn't mention that there is camping or homestay accommodation and the fancy flush toilet was locked. There is a camping site and restaurant at Hamurja which is a 1 hour 40 minute walk from Skiu. The sign mentions that beds are available and it looked like there were at least two fixed 2 man tents. I have never seen any mention of a settlement called Hamurja before and it is probably near Pentse. Sara is 2.5 hours from Skiu and there is a homestay and camping site. 10.3. Markha's Homestays There is at least one homestay and two campsites before you cross the river and enter Markha. They were probably used more when there weren't bridges over the 2 river crossings before Markha. Trekkers often had to wait until the next morning to cross the rivers. There are about 10 homestays in Markha. There are about 7 homestays in the old section of Markha at the foot of the hill below the monastery. There are another 3 homestays about 5 minutes further on and they are just off the trail to Umlung. I stayed in the new section of Markha and my homestay was very good. I was given a triple room and I checked that they wouldn't put other trekkers in before accepting it. The homestay was very clean and tidy, the food was good and the hosts were very pleasant. 10.4. Homestays between Markha and Thachungtse I had a drink at the restaurant at Lower Umlung. The restaurant looked good and the lady running it was very pleasant. I can't remember the homestay in detail but I think it should be a reasonable place to stay. Lower Umlung is a 90 minute walk from Markha. The homestay & campsite in Lower Umlung The homestay and camping site at Upper Umlung is about 15 minutes from Lower Umlung. I didn't take any photos of the homestays at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. There are several homestays in Lower Hankar and two in Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is the nicer location but it seems to fill up. I visited one of the homestays and the dining room looked nice but there might have only been one bedroom with triple beds. Trekkers at Nyimaling told me that the homestays in Upper Hankar had been packed the previous night and trekkers were sleeping in the dining room. 10.5. Thachungtse Tented Camp I intended to stay in Hankar rather than Thachungtse as I wasn't sure if they had fixed tents for trekkers at Thachungtse. I was also concerned about the river crossing just before Thachungtse as a YouTube video mentioned there wasn't a bridge in 2023 and that the river crossing in the afternoon was very difficult. I reached Lower Hankar very early at 10.50. It was so early that I didn't register that I was in Lower Hankar! I soon got up to Upper Hankar and had problems locating the homestays. I was finally shown the homestay and was given a triple room. I decided not to stay as I wasn't keen on the room and I wasn't sure if I would have it to myself. I tried without success to find another homestay. Luckily I met a small group of trekkers and their guide said they were going to Thachungtse. He said there were fixed tents there and that there was a bridge across the river before Thachungtse. I therefore decided to go there. There is a lower and upper part to the Thachungtse campsite and I was directed to the upper area where there were 4 two man tents and a large dining tent. There were only 3 other trekkers there and I was given my own tent with a sleeping mattress and duvets/blankets. The man running the upper campsite told us that early the next morning he was going to Hankar for 2 days and his campsite would then be closed. We therefore had to have breakfast at 06.00 but we could leave after him. I asked him if trekkers would be allowed to stay in the tents whilst he was away but he said not. The cost was INR 1,200 like the homestays and that included tea, dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch. The campsite was good but it concerned me that they were closing for 2 days in peak season. If I had arrived a day later accommodation may have been a problem. I did pass another campsite between Hankar and Thachungtse so it may be possible to stay there if Thachungtse was full. The lower campsite had some larger fixed tents and a stone dining room. It was full as a group was staying in most of the larger fixed tents. I met 2 trekkers who were staying in a 4 man tent and they said the owner had tried to charge them for 4 persons. They did negotiate the rate down a bit. 10.6. Nyimaling Tented Camp I arrived at Nyimaling at 11.15 which was very early. I asked the owner for a single tent but it wasn't possible as he didn't know how many people were coming. As he took me over to the 2 man tents he showed me one with a broken zip on the fly sheet and said I could have that tent to myself. I was delighted. The camp filled up with trekkers and by mid afternoon it was full. The last couple given a tent were told that if any one else came a third person would be squeezed in! Officially it was a 3 man tent but in reality it was tight for even 2 people. Later in the afternoon it started to rain and the campsite became muddy. One trekker who had intended to sleep outside asked for a tent and the owner told me that he would have to sleep in my tent. I refused as the vestibule of my tent couldn't be used for luggage. I would have been sharing the worst tent even though I was the first person to arrive at the campsite. In the end they found a tent for him but the owner wasn't happy with me. I read a blog that said they have plenty of spare tents at Nyimaling which they can erect if necessary. That isn't correct and the only tents are the ones erected. Most of the tents are 2 man tents but they also have a couple of 8 man tents. In total 50 to 60 people can be accommodated. Groups with their own tents tend to camp a few hundred metres away. As it often rains or snows at Nyimaling the campsite can be muddy. When it is sunny it is pleasant and you can sit outside and drink tea. When it rained everyone stayed in their tents until dinner time and then went into the very rudimentary and dark dining tent. The owner said that it was very difficult planning for meals as the number of trekkers staying varied so much and he didn't know the number until the actual day. Apparently the day before the camp was only a third full. Supper consisted of 2 huge pots of food and rice and it was self serve. It's best to line up as quickly as you can and not sit in the seats by the walls as it is difficult to get out. The food was good and plentiful. It was very sociable in the basic surroundings. Breakfast was served at 07.00 and it was again self serve. I think there was porridge and chapatis. Whilst we were eating breakfast they were preparing our packed lunches in the kitchen. I went to the kitchen after breakfast to pay the INR 2,000 for the night and collect my lunch. I didn't eat it until I got back to Leh! When I left two Israelis were trying to pay for their share of an 8 man tent. The owner was insisting they pay for all 8 people even though they weren't all hiking together. Apparently 2 of the others had already paid and left but the owner couldn't remember this. I don't know how it was resolved but the owner wouldn't back down and started being rude about Israelis. It was all a bit unpleasant. It is best to arrive at Nyimaling early so you can get reasonable accommodation. Otherwise you could end up in a 8 man tent, share a 2 man tent with 2 other people or sleep in the dining room. None of those options appeal to me! They don't make single trekkers share a tent with the opposite sex. As a result one woman had a tent to herself. 11. River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek The river crossings on the Markha Valley trek were my main concern as I was doing the trek by myself. All the travel blogs said that river crossings could be a problem just before Markha, between Markha and Umlung, before Thachungtse and on the descent from the Gongmaru La. The first river crossing before Markha village now has a bridge for pedestrians but not for vehicles. In mid August 2024 most vehicles couldn't cross this river. The final river crossing before Markha has a bridge suitable for vehicles. There are now bridges where the river crosses the trail between Markha and Umlung and also before Thachungtse. I crossed the bridge near Thachungtse in the early afternoon and it was a raging torrent. I wouldn't have attempted to wade through that river by myself. It was worse than any of the rivers I crossed on the Zanskar trek. I had to cross a small stream about 15 minutes after leaving Thachungtse early in the morning. It was very easy to jump across as the water level was low. A trekker reported in July 2018 that this stream was a raging torrent at 14.00. The time of day, snow fall the previous winter, rain, temperature etc can make such a big difference. At Nyimaling you have to cross the river to take the trail ascending to the Gongmaru La. When I arrived in the afternoon it looked like I would have to wade through it the next morning. However, the next morning the river level had dropped and it was possible to hop across on the rocks. After the initial descent from the Gongmaru La the river has to be crossed numerous times, perhaps around 30 times. Fortunately the river level was very low in 2024 and it was easy to cross each time without removing my boots. In some years this river on the descent can be a raging torrent and difficult to cross. One blog recommended trying to get to Chokdo by 10.30 to avoid difficulties in crossing. The bridges were well made but there is always a risk that a bridge can be swept away in floods and not replaced immediately. The first steel road bridge at Chilling, built in 2015, was washed away in flood water later that year! Therefore you cannot rely on the bridges I mention being in place. You should enquire about them when trekking. 12. Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek traditionally used to be started from either Zhingchan or Chilling. The Zhingchan route takes about 7 days and requires crossing the 4,973 metre high Kanda La at the start of the trek. Most trekkers don't take this route due to the risk of altitude sickness and the extra time required. If you acclimatise properly, and have the time, the Zhingchan route is the superior option. I did the Chilling route as time was a constraint and I wasn't adequately acclimatised. I actually started the trek in Skiu as there is now a road from Chilling to Markha. Very few trekkers now start the Markha Valley trek from Chilling and I don't recommend doing so for reasons detailed in the next section. Many trekkers take a taxi to Markha in the morning and either stay there or hike to Hankar the same day. This reduces the trek to 3 days and 2 nights. I think that it is a shame to drive from Skiu to Markha as the scenery is excellent and there is very little traffic on the road. 12.1. Chilling to Skiu I was driven along this section of the Markha Valley trek and most trekkers do the same. I don't recommend hiking this section as: The first part of the road is tarred and the traffic is fast. The scenery isn't as good as during the rest of the Markha Velley trek. In July and August it is likely to be very hot. 12.2. Skiu (3430m) to Markha (3806m) As I mentioned earlier many trekkers skip this section of the Markha Valley trek as they drive from Leh to Markha. I think that is a mistake as the scenery is excellent and can't be appreciated from a vehicle. The dirt road doesn't spoil the hike as there is very little traffic and it makes route finding very straight forward! I arrived in Skiu late in the afternoon and stayed the night there. That meant I could leave Skiu early and walk in the cooler early morning temperatures. It would have been even better if I had walked for 1 hour 40 minutes the previous afternoon from Skiu to the tented camp at Hamurja . I left Skiu at 07.30 and reached Markha at 13.00. The temperature was very pleasant for the first couple of hours but then it became very hot as the trail is in the Markha valley. Markha is an attractive village with a crumbling old fort and a monastery on the hillsides. I didn't see any other trekkers until I reached Markha and then I met plenty. 12.3. Markha (3806m) to Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) It only took 3 hours to walk to Lower Hankar (3,990m) and from there it was another 20 minutes to Upper Hankar (4,048m). It was too early to stop for the day and I walked another 2 hours to the tented camp at Thachungtse. Most trekkers spend the night at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is in a very attractive location with an old fort perched on a rocky outcrop. Apparently it is possible to scramble up to visit it. The altitude at Thachungtse would be too high for most trekkers who drive from Leh (3,500m) to Markha the same day. I saw very few other trekkers on the trail as I left Markha at 07.30, which was earlier than most trekkers. 12.4. Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) to Nyimaling (4848m) The weather was overcast for the first time during the Markha Valley trek. The sun makes such a difference to the the scenery and it seemed a bit bleak at times. However, there were good views of the snow covered Kang Yatse which is 6,400 metres high. It was an uphill walk to Tsigu lake. After that the terrain flattened out and the last section to Nyimaling was across a plateau. It took 3.5 hours to walk from Thachungtse to Nyimaling and the previous day it had taken 2 hours to walk from Upper Hankar to Thachungtse. As I had left Thachungtse early at 07.30 I only saw 2 other trekkers on the trail. Nyimaling is in a bit of a bleak setting. Some trekkers climbed up the hillside to the south west of the campsite to get better views of Kang Yatse. There are apparently some very nice walks around the Nyimaling area but you have to know where to go. It wasn't advisable for me to explore by myself and I wouldn't fancy spending a second night at Nyimaling's muddy tented camp. 12.5. Nyimaling (4848m) to Chokdo (3660m) I wanted to set off very early from Nyimaling but breakfast was only served at 07.00. I left at 07.15 which was before many trekkers but I still had about 10 trekkers ahead of me. There were 2 groups camped near us and I was pleased that I was about 20 minutes ahead of them. It is a steep 440 metre ascent from Nyimaling to the Gongmaru La (5,287 metres) but it wasn't difficult and it took 1 hour 40 minutes. It wasn't cold or windy at the top and I spent 15 minutes enjoying the views before starting the descent to Chokdo. The very first part was steep but there was a good path that snaked down. I was pleased that no one was ahead of me or behind me and it stayed that way until I had almost reached Chokdo. The trail to Chokdo was very clear. It crossed the river about 30 times but since the river level was so low the crossings were easy. The only time I had any doubts about the trail were when it ascended a couple of times to avoid difficult sections through the canyon. It took about 3 hours to descend 1,600 metres from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I didn't find the descent difficult or tiring and the scenery was very good. It is an enjoyable section of the Markha Valley trek when the river level is low. I was fortunate that another trekker overtook me before Chokdo. At Chokdo I asked if I could share his taxi and he very kindly agreed and wouldn't accept payment. I was back in Leh by about 13.30 and ate my packed lunch at my hotel! 13. L inks to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024