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Nature
Geology
The visitor of Amari will come across a plethora of rocks and formulations. Limestone and dolomitic rocks prevail to the surrounding mountain areas, while in the valley appear schist rocks, foliars and flyschs. Also, mainly at the northern part of the area as well as at the valley of Amarianos, marls, sands and argils rich in fossils appear. The red and brown basaltic rocks around the Lochria village are impressively beautiful. They were formed by volcano eruptions millions of years ago. The great alterations of the anaglyph with the sharp cliffs that appear at the glacis of Kedros and Psiloritis as well as the isolated limestone blocks that are spread around the valley, are a result of breaches that cut the hard rocks picking up the mountains and taking down the coombs. The flumes of the area follow the droughts that were created by the breaches, forming small gorges at their exits from the mountains. Known gorges of the area with this characteristic is the gorge of Patsos, one of the most beautiful gorges in Crete with rich vegetation and waters all year long, the gorge of Platania with the beautiful and alpine path that leads to the cave of Panas and the cliffs with the flocks of carrion buzzards, wild pigeons and crows as well as the impressively wild gorge of Prassies that dewaters the basin towards the north. The visitor will also be impressed by the coombs of the Amari valley with the dense vegetation.
The caves of the area are small and relatively inaccessible. However, they are impressive due to the richness of their fauna. Known caves of the area is the cave of Panas at Platania village, the cave called "Notiki Trypa" at Nithavri village, the cave of Profitis Elias at Gerakari village, the cave of Margile at Elenes village, where the first traces of human inhabitance were found as well as at Idaion Andron and Gerani. At the exit of the gorge of Patsos there is the cavernous temple of Agios Antonios, the sanctuary of Hermes Kranaios.
There is a plethora of other caves such as Syriaki at Platanos village and Leska at Fourfouras that are unexplored and undeveloped.
Flora
Amari is surely one of the most interesting floral areas of Psiloritis. At its western side, near the village of Patsos, the homonymous gorge resembles a small botanic garden as most gorges of Crete. Here, one can find from enormous planes (Platanus orientalis) to tiny orchids such as solenopsis mituta and from Holm oaks (Quercus ilex) to endemic Cretan bear’s tail (Verbascum Arcturus). At the banks of Platis River there are planes and myrtles (Myrtus comunis). Moving along towards east at Thronos village, during spring at the edges of the roads the common myrtle (Myrtus comunis) flowers, which is the first material for the well known myrtle oil, while many fields are "laid" with colorful red and blue anemones (Anemone coronaria). The hills and the fields are full of tiny "bees" (Ophris heldreichii, Ophris candica, Ophris episcopalis). The plateau called Ious Kampos in the same area is considered to be an essential stop for every nature lover since at this place, during spring the fields are filled with various species of orchids (Orchis laxiflora, Anacamptis pyramidalis, Barlia robertiana).
The most impressive sight is considered to be the "carpet" of thousands of red endemic tulips (Tulipa doerfleri) that grow in other areas of Amari as well. During spring, garden flags (Iris cretensis), Stinking Chamomile (Anthemis chia), wild flax (Linum arboretum) bloom, while during summer blooms the impressive and "monstrous" Dragon Arum (Dracunculus vulgaris). For the most "ambitious" visitors, the road to the mountain top of Psiloritis starts eastern from the village Kouroutes and continues to the site "Toumpotos Prinos" where the hiking starts.
Along the road, one can see lupins (Lupinus pilosus), various orchids and the endemic valerian (Valeriana asarifolia), while in the path for the top is worthwhile admiring the bloomed Acantholimon androsaceum and if lucky, the endemic and rare Himantoglossum samariense.
Fauna
The bountiful waters of the valley of Amari create conditions of intense, productivity ("rich green"), increasing its importance for many animal populations of Kedros, Samitos and Psiloritis, especially during winter. All the important raptors that nest at the mountain areas of Psiloritis and Kedros use the sharp and high mountain glacis as their base and feed themselves either at the north smooth slopes of Mylopotamos or at the valley of Amari. Lammergeyers (Gypaetus barbatus), carrion buzzards (Gyps fulvus), war eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Bonelli’s eagles (Hieraaetus fasciatus), lanerrets (Falco peregrinus) and haggards (Buteo buteo) are some very important bird species of the valley. Characteristic is the picture of tens of carrion buzzards that can be observed by the hikers at the cave of Panas, which is the last destination of the hikers, ascending to the gorge of Platania in the beautiful nature loving route that starts from the village of Platania. The second important point concerning the ornithofauna of the area has developed during the last years and the reservoir of Vizari, which (due to its large populations of flying insects) seems to favor at least five, protected species of bats (Rhinolophus ferrrumequinum, R. hipposideros, Myotis blythii, Pipistrelus kuhlii and Tadarida teniotis).
At the valley, we can come across almost all the amphibians and the reptiles of the island (Cretan frogs, green toads, tree frogs, green lizards, snippets, ocellated skinks and the four snakes of Crete), with the exception of the Cretan lizard called Podarcis cretensis which, for many reasons that are still being researched, interrupts its distribution abruptly towards east before the valley of Amari.
Finally, the whole area of Amari is considered very significant for the population of the Cretan wild cat (Felis silvestris cretica). Besides, the glacis from Kouroutes to the forest of Rouvas was a biotope in which for the first time (1996, Natural History Museum of Crete) after its first description almost a century ago, based upon scientific facts, the presence of this animal in the island, was confirmed! It is worth mentioning that until the 90’s, the presence of the Cretan wildcat was considered a problem for the experts. The only record was made by hunters and shepherds, while biological traces did not exist since it was first described (description based upon leather that was sold at the market of Chania!).
