Kourtaliotiko Gorge
The
Kourtaliotiko Gorge (also known as the
Asomatos Gorge) is a
gorge on the southern side of the western part of the island of
Crete. It is situated where the Kourtaliotiko River flows southwards between the mountains of
Kouroupa and
Xiron.
The village of
Koxare is at the northern end of the gorge. A road runs north to south through the gorge joining Koxare to
Asomatos; it then leads west, on to the town of
Plakias on the southern coast of Crete.
A small ruined church (Agios Nikolais) sits within the gorge. There is also a 40 metre high waterfall.
The cliffs on the side of the gorge provide a roosting site for the
Griffon Vulture.
There is a specific point on the gorge: When you enter from the northern entrange, about 20 meters far from the entrange, you can hear some "claps", like when you hit your hands. These "claps" are the "kourtala", that is, the name of the gorge. These claps are the conseguense of the wind when enter to the caves of the gorge and create in some way that hit. The point near the northern entrange is the mail point to hear that sound.
