Travel Guide Orino

A particularly rustic mountain village located at an altitude of 1,000 meters, which you can reach by hiking from Koutsouras through the Orino Gorge, formerly known as the Valley of the Red Butterflies, or by car along a 10 km road that passes through particularly bucolic landscapes. The E4 hiking trail passes through Orino and its route, either west or east, can give you good ideas for excursions. In Orino itself, there is not much: it is an isolated village where you can quench your thirst at the kafeneio.In the village of Orino there is one of the steepest rivers in Crete that crosses the main square of the village and enters the canyon. It originates at the top of the Abelia plateau and flows down the slopes of the Thripti and Papouri mountains. Descending the canyon along the riverbed on a marked path for four hours requires professional equipment. In the spring, the river forms incredible waterfalls with ponds and an amazingly beautiful final section. The last three waterfalls in Peristerion are among the most impressive in Crete. The river continues to flow down through the valley, diluting in the sand of the beach of Koutsouras. It is also possible to go up to Dafni via Chrysopigi. This is an additional 11 km that can be done all year round in three and a half hours of walking.