Richtis Gorge is a gorge in Crete, Greece. It is a state protected park near Exo Mouliana, Sitia, eastern Crete that starts at the traditional village Exo Mouliana, which is located on the national road between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia and ends at the secluded Richtis beach, just east of the village Kalavros. The hiking trail is about 4 km in length of moderate to hard difficulty. Elevation difference between the starting point and the beach is about 350 meters. Rich vegetation and animal life can be observed along the way, as well as old stone bridges and water mills before it culminates with the Richtis Waterfall and beach, making Richtis gorge trail one of the most diversified hiking experiences in Crete.
Walk down the gorge and return to the village the same way via the gorge. If with a car, parking at Lachana bridge and starting the descent from there will save about 20 min walking each way.
Walk down the road to the beach and walk up the gorge back to the village. The opposite is not recommended on a sunny day because the road is not shaded and you will be walking uphill and under the sun, the gorge however is almost entirely shaded.
Drive to the beach and walk the gorge until the waterfall, return to the beach and drive back to the village
Drive 2 cars to the beach, drive back with one car, walk down the gorge and drive back to the village with the other car. Alternatively, arrange with someone to pick you up from the beach and drive you to the village.
Times are given with the assumption that the gorge is walked at very slow pace and with at least one stop.
Precautions
Must read before going to Richtis Gorge waterfall.
Hiking not for children
Not recommended to walk canyon between waterfall and Lahana bridge with children, because of few dangerous passages and no places for rest.
Dangers in darkness
Don't go to waterfall near sunset time, because in case of emergency you could have have difficulty to return to Exo Muliana village in darkness or call for help. Go to waterfall no later than 3-4 hours before sunset.
Use navigation maps with pre-downloaded location data that work independently of mobile cell grid and use GPS navigation satellites signal. Also such an application has good function letting to log your walked way, which you can use as a guide for return the same way back.
Have charged sources of light and it's reommended to have a overhead lamp similar as miners use.
If having no light source it's better to walk 1-2 hour 5 km long, but more clear car road back through the Richtis beach side, than walking the canyon 2-3 hours 4 km with obstacles. Alternetively better to stay in a car overnight in a Richtis beach or waterfall parking level and go back with sunlight.
Through the canyon path there is not enough direction markings. They should be marked twice more often or at least in a few confusing difficult passages, that lead to circling around without apparent clear way out, while in reality there are easy passings around the corner, for example, if you will go back a little bit.
Difficulty to call for help
Down in a canyon there is no cell phone network grid signal, so in a case of emergency or health condition you will not be able to call for help by phone.
Loud shouting for people is not effective, except if people are relatively near.
Good shoes
Especially after a rainfall, the beginning of the descent is very muddy and treacherous. Waterproof shoes or sandals are strongly recommended, as the stream leading to the waterfall has to be crossed numerous times, often inevitably through the water.
Dangers of driving
Last kilometers of car road down to Richtis Beach and waterfall parking is steep, unpaved, narrow and could have falled rocks risky for braking. Keep in mind, that two cars will have difficulty to pass. Also have a enough powerful engine to return back up hill if your car is loaded with weight.
Going down steep serpentine could overheat car brakes - be careful and use low gear to slow your car and compensate brakes usage.
If going down from Exo Muliana to Lahana bridge or back go only straight road, don't turn left or right - there are long road branches leading off the goal.
Potentially dangerous animals
There are some snakes in gorge and people saw them in a waterfall water. Also there are tarantula genus spiders.
