Samaria Experience: The Programme

The Samaria Experience – back to the roots of Cretan traditions

The “Samaria Experience” is a unique programme of activities created and run by a prominent family from the villages of Samaria and Agia Roumeli.

For many years Roussos Viglis has been dreaming of conveying his intimate knowledge and deep love of one of the most remote and wildest places in Europe. Finally the time is ripe and the “Samaria Experience” started running from spring 2014.

In 4 days of activities centered around the village of Agia Roumeli and the gorge of Samaria you will get an understanding of what it was like to live in this beautiful but harsh place: how people lived and how they survived in almost complete isolation, what they ate, how they cooked.

You will also discover the gorge of Samaria as very few see it: away from crowds and through the eyes of people who were born and grew up there.

Kri Kri buck in Kefalovrisia

On our Samaria tour with Kristin Pedersen we encountered a handsome 4 yearold kri kri buck in Kefalovrisia. We especially noticed his beautifull horns! Thank yu Kristin for the nice pictures! Στη βόλτα μας στα Κεφαλοβρύσια συνταντήσαμε εναν ωραίο τράγο τεσσάρων χρονών. Ιδιαίτερη προσοχή δώσαμε στα όμορφα κέρατα.

In the shadow of the majestic pinetrees, between high mountains…

In the shadow of the majestic pinetrees. Nothing like a guided tour of the Samaria Gorge by a true local. 

 

Beekeeping lesson with Roussos

Beekeeping lesson with Roussos with the Samaria Experience Roussos enjoyed having a beekeeping lesson in June with Kristin K Pedersen. It is a nice experience to share knowledge and love for the bees! Thank you so much for the nice fotos!

The bee colony from above. The location of the beehive is in the old village of Agia Roumeli, calmly situated between the mountains.

The bee colony

Roussos uses the smoker to calm the bees down. The smoke does not work as a sedative. Instead it signals to the bees that thereis fire somewhere so they are preoccupied with finding it instead of attacking.

Roussos can usually tell just from opening the beehive how the bees are doing. If they are healthy, active, how they are performing and if they need support.

Roussos is checking out the first honeycomb.

Bees buisily working along.

The queen bee. You can spot her from the colour on her back but a trained eye can find her from her bigger size and slightly different shape.

Roussos is checking out a new honeycomb.

The bees have started to build their wax hexagons on the new honeycomb.

The calm surrounding of Agia Roumeli.

And ofcourse…goats.

The view from Xiloskalo a few days ago.

It is a beautiful way to start your day!

Walking up from the turkish castle above Agia Roumeli on an autumn day.

 

It was an autumn day and the Samaria Gorge was closed due to the rain in the previous days. We walked up from the turkish castle above Agia Roumeli. Five condors were cirkeling around in the sky. Then they started flying horizontically left and right breathtakingly close to us. I had never been so close to them before. It was an amazing experience.

Agia Paraskevi church

The small church of Agia Paraskevi  hides on the hill over the valley of Agia Roumeli.

Hiking up to Agia Paraskevi and gazing through the valley of Agia Roumeli.

Walking up to Agia Paraskevi and looking through the valley of Agia Roumeli towards the Libyan sea. Gavdos Island can be spotted in the backround. It was a wonderful day with spectacular colours.

Agios Pavlos at Agia Roumeli bay

Built in the 10th century, one of the oldest churches on Crete. On the beach, built with a previous temple’s stones and beach rocks.

September sky over libyan sea and cretan mountains

Travelling from Sfakia to Agia Roumeli.

Samaria experience on Instagram

We are now also on instagram here.