What is canyoning exactly and what does it mean?
Canyoning is a mountain sport in which you descend through a gorge (the canyon) carved out by water by abseiling, sliding and jumping. You use special rope techniques to get everyone down safely and responsibly.
Go with a guide / instructor who teaches you the techniques to descend independently with a rope. A slide, as the name suggests, is a piece of rock that we can slide down into a pool while sitting down.
If the pools are deep enough you can also jump down if you wish. Rest assured though, you don't have to just jump or slide anywhere. If you prefer abseiling, that's no problem.
What do we actually need to do a canyoning tour?
You need quite a complete canyoning equipment before you can responsibly jump into the deep.
For starters, a neoprene suit. Nowadays there are special neoprene suits on the market that are specially developed for canyoning. A neoprene suit protects you against the cold and against the hard rocks. It is important that the outside of your suit is made of tear-resistant material, as we scrape against the rocks, roam through the bushes and often enough slip if it was just a bit too slippery. The knees and elbows must be provided with a rubber coating that protects these areas of our suit from damage. Furthermore, shoes, climbing equipment, ropes, carabiners, etc. are required.
A typical canyoning day, at canyonguide, goes as follows:
– The day before we agreed on a clear meeting place near the canyon.
– At the agreed time and place, your guide will be waiting for you to drive to the beginning of the canyon.
– In the parking lot, all the material we need is distributed among the group (wetsuits, belts, helmets, ropes, backpacks, waterproof barrels).
– We walk in our swimsuits to the entrance of the canyon where we change into our wetsuits.
– Let's have a fantastic adventure together! During the canyons that last a day, we have lunch somewhere in the canyon in a nice sunny spot.
– At the exit of the canyon we take off our wetsuits and walk back.
What do you take with you on a canyoning trip?
– Swimwear (if you already put this on in the morning at home or at the campsite, it is not necessary to change in the parking lot).
– A pair of sports shoes (no sandals or other open water shoes).
– A packed lunch (few sandwiches, some energy bars) if the canyon lasts 3 hours or more, otherwise a few energy bars (muesli bars). Not too much because it all has to fit in the watertight barrels.
– If you wear glasses, think of a piece of string to tie behind your ears. If you have contact lenses, take a few disposable lenses with you instead of your expensive hard lenses.
– We leave dry clothes and towels in the car.
Largely based on text: http://canyon-guide.com/
If you want to go canyoning independently or purchase materials, we have an extensive range and are happy to advise you.
See also: What material / equipment do you need for canyoning?
Overview Canyoning knowledge base: Go back.
