A Fermat-like principle of minimum time is formulated for nonlinear steady paths of fluid flow in inhomogeneous isotropic porous media where fluid streamlines are curved by a location dependent hydraulic conductivity. The principle describes an optimal nature of nonlinear paths in steady Darcy's flows of fluids. An expression for the total path resistance leads to a basic analytical formula for an optimal shape of a steady trajectory. In the physical space an optimal curved path ensures the maximum flux or shortest transition time of the fluid through the porous medium. A sort of "law of bending" holds for the frictional fluid flux in Lagrange coordinates. This law shows that-by minimizing the total resistance-a ray spanned between two given points takes the shape assuring that a relatively large part of it resides in the region of lower flow resistance (a 'rarer' region of the medium).