10/10/2026
@ Pachnes, 2,453 m
A glimpse from the roof of the White Mountains, captured by the drone of our friend Kostis Kopasis, from the summit of Pachnes, the highest peak of Lefka Ori.
Stretching across western Crete, this vast mountain range is home to more than 50 peaks above 2,000 metres, a maze of deep gorges, high plateaus and a spectacular alpine landscape known as the Mountain Desert.
Their limestone, marble and dolomite rocks formed on the floor of an ancient ocean, hundreds of millions of years ago. Powerful tectonic forces gradually lifted them from the seabed, while erosion carved the rugged peaks, caves and gorges we see today. The result is a striking, almost lunar landscape, where the pale rock gives the White Mountains their name, Lefka Ori.
Wild, remote and deeply connected to the spirit of Crete, these mountains reveal a side of the island that many visitors never get to see.
