For millions of years, the geological upheavals are reflected strongly in the intense relief of Crete. While mountains rose, the river water continued its corrosional route through the limestone terrain, forming today's "land of gorges", Crete. With more than 400 canyons, Crete hosts the largest number of gorges in Greece. Many travel agencies offer packages for gorge trekking and there is are several hiking and mountaineering clubs based in Heraklion, Chania, Rethymnon, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Ierapetra and Mires.
Cretan rivers meet large faults and steep descents during their course through the canyons, forming hundreds of small and high waterfalls. Crossing gorges of Crete with high waterfalls is possible only by using technical equipment. Appropriate training in canyoneering techniques can be offered by specialist companies on the island. The most popular technical canyons of Crete include the imposing gorge Ha, Tsoutsouras, Kalami, the gorge of Arvi (which after an 80m high fall turns into a dark underground river) and many more.
In the village Karavados in prefecture Heraklion lies a small gorge that is completely unknown, Argoulidias gorge. Its name is taken after the many wild olive trees (called argoulides in Cretan dialect) found in the canyon, the vegetation of which is complemented by carobs, Nerium oleanders and many plane trees.
Gerakia is a technical gorge of the range Asterousia in the area of Agios Ioannis, near Kapetaniana, with a southern orientation. It is one of the many parallel technical gorges of the area and crosses a beautiful pine forest.
Agios Antonios is a technical gorge, ie its crossing requires technical means of canyoning, as it has ten waterfalls. The most imposing point in the gorge is the highest waterfall of 60 meters, which is completely smooth.
The gorge of Kamares, known as Kamaraiko Gorge, is the largest canyon in the area of Kamares village of Pyrgiotissa province on the south side of Psiloritis. We meet its imposing exit in a steep turn a few meters west of the village, on the main road to Lochria.
Lower Gorge (Kato Farangi) is located in the region of the village Mythi in the province Ierapetra. It is the last rocky part of the stream that runs through the river Myrtos or Kriopotamos.
Potamos beach in northwestern Gavdos is formed at the outlet of various small streams. Their soils are mainly clay, which makes them create special formations as they are dissolved by rain and wind. Some of the formed streams pass through harder rocks, creating deep canyons with waterfalls of amazing beauty, which, however, can be seen by someone with water even in winter relatively rarely.