4 Best Places to Go Canyoning in Europe

[Sophie Andersen]

Canyoning is a fast-paced adventure sport that's swiftly sweeping the world. The activity entails the utilization of various skills and techniques to conquer the world’s most challenging environments, as it prompts you to master jumping, running, climbing, abseiling, diving, but also to create mental fortitude and persevere amidst the perils of Mother Nature.

Sound like fun? It totally is, and in order to experience the adventure of a lifetime, here are the three unforgettable places to go canyoning in Europe.

Interlaken, Switzerland

Switzerland is home to lush green valleys, breathtaking rocky mountains, and Saexten, Chli Schliere, and Grimsel canyons. While Grimsel and Chli Schliere will make you work for your right to walk in the untamed nature, if you are a beginner, then Saexten should be your first destination, as it is the fastest and easiest canyon to conquer, with a circuit lasting approximately three hours.

Otherwise, Grimsel and Chli Schliere have something different in store for you, as you will have rappel straight away into the Grimsel canyon, walking cautiously down a slippery stairway and making jumps up and down the path. Before you begin Chi Schliere, you will have to mentally prepare yourself for a whole day of being submerged halfway underwater while making high jumps and rappelling deep into the canyon, only to be greeted by long, vertical waterfalls.

Málaga, Spain

Some two hours away from the city of Malaga, a chain of canyons presents magnificent scenery and terrifying challenges. The Almanchares Canyon in Sierra Tejeda y Almijara National Park is imbued with narrow courses and numerous waterfalls, and although deemed easy to intermediate, it will prepare you for your next destination – Barranco Moreno and Las Buitreras.

Barranco Morenno is located in the same national park as Almanchares, but poses a far greater challenge with its steep and high waterfalls, high jumps, narrow paths and rapid streams, where it can get quite easy to lose your balance and end up completely submerged underwater.

Lastly, located two hours west of M;alaga, the canyon of Las Buitreras is riddled with narrow, winding roads and paths hardly distinguishable from the ominous cathedral-like rocks that surround and imbue the ambiance. This canyon is not for the faint of heart, as it will have you jumping from boulders and making your way down narrow pathways deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast.

Hrcavka and Nevidio, Bosnia/Montenegro

Probably one of the most challenging and life-changing experiences awaits you deep in the untamed nature of the Balkans. Located in east Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Hrcavka River is home to one of the most challenging and exciting canyons in Europe, spanning over 13 kilometers surrounded by natural wonders such as crystal clear mountain water, very narrow gorges, waterfalls and streams, all surrounded by lush greenery and magnificent views.

But the Hrcavka is not the only exciting canyon you can visit in the Balkans, as the beast spans farther south to the central region of Montenegro, where Nevidio canyon awaits. Canyoning in Montenegro is a true delight for adventure junkies and nature lovers, as the scenery presents views you can rarely witness anywhere else in Europe.

The canyon itself is harsh, beautiful and untamed, and you will have to employ your skills and courage to get through this challenge. Conquering Nevidio is no easy task, as you will have to tread through narrow gorges and along a 3,5-kilometer-long trail surrounded by 400-meter canyon walls, numerous waterfalls and frightening whirlpools.

 

Canyoning has never been this popular, and with thousands of people pouring in from across the globe to experience and witness the natural wonders of Europe, the popularity of this perilous sport grows with each passing day. With these three canyoning destinations, you are guaranteed to make lifetime memories and experience an adventure like never before.