Samaria Gorge, Crete hike in mid July

anyone had problems (loss or theft) storing luggage at the public bus station in Chania?

I've used it many times over the years and neer had a problem. I've never heard of anyone having a problem. On the other hand, I don't think I'd leave anything of real value - there or anywhere else.

If you stay in Chania overnight and plan on returning, you could leave your luggage at whatever hotel/guesthouse you're using.

Has anyone done the hike down in the heat of summer?

Yes, but not in July. A lot of the route is in partial shade, which helps. The important thing is to keep hydrated. Drink water constantly, even if you don't feel thirsty. There are safe-to-drink freshwater springs at rest/picnic stops every hour or so. Top up your water bottles there. It's all downhill (mostly), so take your time, don't tire yourself out. And eat something! Too many people exhaust themselves needlessly because they don't have experience hiking and they don't take on the necessary fuel and water.

If you want to walk all the way from the top, consider staying on Omalos overnight, which allows you to start as early as possible (another way to beat the heat). Here's one of a small number:

http://www.neos-omalos.gr/

It's another 3 km to Xiloscala, the start of the gorge. You could walk there to be at ticket booth at opening time. Alternatively, the hotel has a shuttle van and they take guests for free, but you may have to wait around until 8am or so, after most people finish their breakfast. If you go with this option, ask them how early they can drive you to Xiloscala .. maybe they'll leave early if requested.

Another alternative is to not start at top but go to Ag Roumeli (via ferry from Sfakia) and head up the gorge in the morning. The best part of the gorge is the bottom half, from old Samaria village to the coast. Big advantage to this is that with a 7am start you may well be the only people there, and get up near the abandoned village in 2 hours or so (very liittle uphill), then turn back. I've done this a number of times and crossed paths with maybe 10 people each time.

It will be very hot in mid-July that's for sure, I have been around mid-June and that was very hot, particularly the last section which is the worst as there is no shade and the sun is at it's highest point. and the gorge runs N-S.

The method I used last time maybe an option:
I stayed in Paleochora (Sougia is also an option) and did the Samaria Gorge hike from there, via the usual early morning bus to Xyloskala, in that case the ferry from Ag. Roumeli brings you back directly to home port.

After staying there I took the ferry along the south coast to stay in Loutro and then on to Chora Sfakia.
I also did the Imbros gorge whilst staying in Loutro, using the morning ferry to Chora Sfakia, bus to the top of the Imbros gorge and back on the late afternoon ferry from Chora Sfakia to Loutro.

Thank you so much Ouzo and bthdth for the great information!

Since July is so Hot, Imbros Gorge might be the more enjoyable choice .... despite the greater ballyhoo for Samaria (perhaps because there are commercial excursions who profit from promoting it), Imbros has many of the same features, only shorter distance ... it takes half a day instead of all day.... and instead of being in a long line of walkers, in Imbros there are few ... sometimes you are entirely alone. As for the show-stopper "narrowest" places -- in Imbros there's one spot, on a bend, when you can almost touch each side (a short woman could not... maybe a NBA center w. long arms could touch!). There are also areas of shade all along the way, where you can sit and picnic. For EITHER gorge, I urge you to take "trekking sticks" or at least, the day before, go hunting in tree areas for some sticks ... it's not so much the hike that tires the legs, as it is the balancing act -- you are walking mainly on boulders ranging in size from baseball to volleyball, and the knee-strain involved in balancing is what kills yuh.

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