Smiliano Gorge (Ligiotis)

Smiliano Gorge is located about 100km southwest of Heraklion, north of the village Ano Meros. The 2.5km long canyon starts near the village Vrysses and next to the abandoned settlement of Smile. It is very wild and hiking especially in the initial part, with the many waterfalls, requires tough trekking from the sides. Through the gorge runs the Lygiotis River which is supplied by the valleys of Gerakari and the slopes of Samitos Mountain. The canyon has a lot of water in winter and crossing it is very tough.

The canyon is an ideal destination for lovers of canyoning in early summer, as it is full of waterfalls with very deep ponds, perfect for jumps. The highest jump is about 15m, probably the highest in Crete.

The gorge continues to the east and the deep ponds gradually turn to small shallow ponds. At the gorge end the water is almost vanished, thus nobody can predict the aquatic paradise that lies a few meters before.