Zourva - kaloros - melindau - koukoule - omalos - lakoi - vryssi - zourva

A very difficult round trip.
From zourva village (600m) to tromarisa spring (aprox 3 km 1050m) there are signs and the path is clear. After that i move south to pigadakia spring (about 1200m) where sometimes at the end of the summer the is no water and took the old sheperd path until the old sheperd house at aprox. 1500m. From there kaloros (1920m) peak is visible but there is no path. Few meters below the summit there is an old fighting aircraft (see the pics). From there i went to peteokourta and i climb the north face of melindau peak (2150m). Unfortunately there is no path. The climb is difficult because there are many moving rocks (halases).
From melindau you can see the rest of lefka ori summits samaria gorge chania town the south and north coast of crete. ☺
After melindau i summit mavri peak and psari peak and i descent to poria. This part has signs red and blue. From poria to kallergi shelter there is a dirt road and its part of european path 4 (E4 white and yellow signs).
At kallergi shelter you can sleep eat or take water but make sure it is open.
Here is the fb page:
https://m.facebook.com/kallergirefuge/?locale2=el_GR

I had enough water to omalos the weather conditions where very good so i skiped kallergi.

A few meters before kallergi there is a path that goes to omalos plateau via koukoule peak (red blue signs if i remember correct)

The path is not good for running but most of the path i did was like this... 😛

From omalos plateau i took water from the taverna there and i followed the road that goes to chania for a few hundred meters where another path starts there and goes to lakoi village.

This path has signs but the plantation makes even walk there really difficult...

Bellow lakoi village (aprox at 36 km) i turn right and left the main path t laki. I took an old and partly destroyed and exposed path that enters vryssi gorge until th third spring of the route, vryssi (aprox 1000m) I yhing it is a bad idea to try someone alone. A helmet is recommented because the wild goats above the cliffs are moving and rock falling is typical there.

From the srping i followed the path from the east side of the gorge that goes to zourva village. There are no signs there.

Lefka ori are very wild and demanding mountains. There are many water sources but in lower altittude like those three i visit.

Almost a marathon with aprox. 3.000m vertical elevation (acording to my polar watch) but i did "run" only a small fraction of the mountain. Lefka ori is the largest mountain region in greece.


There are many options for those who want to go faster. I just choose the most mountainous path.

For example you can skip kaloros and melindau and go feom vikos to the end of the dirt road that goes to poria and kallergi.

From melindau you can skip the other peaks and follow the e4 signs to the dirt road.

From poria instead of going kallergi omalos and then to lakoi village you can turn right and go north this road after a few km connects to the path to lakoi (check the map)

From kallergi instead of going to omalos via koukoule where the path is in bad condition you can continue the dirt road and then asfalt road to omalos. A fast runner in downhill would run in 3-4m pace easily.

Lastly i have done almost the same route last year but in reverse.
Check here
 https://el.wikiloc.com/mountain-running-diadromes/zourva-vrissi-lakoi-omalos-kallergi-tromarisa-zourva-37246222

Which way is better?
Hm there is uncertainty in vryssi gorge and on the summits about conditions etc.
Maybe is better to go through the gorge fresh instead of tired so i recomment the reverse. Choose a cool day and start early to benefit from the temperature!

Enjoy ❤