⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Trail Katsiveli - Niatos

Trail Katsiveli - Niatos - Askyfou

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One of the most mystical and most demanding paths of Crete is the part of the European trail E4 crossing of Mountain Desert of the White Mountains. Crossing the White Mountains usually takes three days and the route will fill our memory with amazing pictures from an unprecedented scenery. During the first day we reach Kallergis shelter from Omalos plateau, during the second way we walk to Katsiveli shelter in the middle of the White Mountains desert and during the third day we walk from Katsiveli to Askyfou. The mountains in winter are covered by snow, so summer and autumn are considered as the best seasons to try this.

Thus, after having spent the second night at shelter Katsiveli, we start the third day of our course, which is the harderst part of all the three days and maybe the hardest of the entire Cretan E4 path, but also one of the most amazing sceneries you could ever imagine. The signing of E4 with poles and brushed marks will be quite sufficient, but we have to be careful for not losing our directions. This course has some steep passages, thus it is not suggested to cross it in winter when snow is high.

Our course starts northwards from Katsiveli till we meet the plateau of Livada and then walk along the north slopes of Svourihti till the narrow passage Sideroporti. From there, hiking gets tiring in the bare alpine desert, comes after several hours between the peaks of Fanari and Kastro and descends while the vegetation starts reappearing. We cross Niato plateau and reach Tavri shelter, where we can spend the night if it's too late. From Tavri, we catch the descending trail through cypresses that reaches the settlement Ammoudari inside Askyfou plateau.