The National Park of the White Mountains Crete, known as the Samaria Gorge, founded in 1962 to the protection and preservation of scientific and cultural value of the region.

For these reasons it is recognized by the Council of Europe as one of the most wild, unspoiled and unique in scientifically terms of natural parks in the world! The Samaria Gorge is in west Crete, in the White Mountains. It is the longest gorge in Europe, with a length of 18 kilometres. The gorge starts at Xyloskalo (1227 m. above sea level) on the Omalos Plateau and runs down to the seaside village of Agia Roumeli on the south coast of Crete.

The orbitlab team was contracted in 2009 by the Forestry Department of Crete and the Administration of the National Park to create a Virtual Tour that showcases this beautiful landscape. We walked up & down the Gorge in two days and captured 12 spherical panoramas trying to include the main sections of the Gorge.

It was an adventurous task as we had to carry the equipment hiking in this wild route for hours. But the results satisfied us and the people of the administration as they have now an impressive tool to showcase the Samaria Gorge and its beauty in the web.

You can take the virtual tour at :

http://www.orbitlab.gr/samaria