The descent of ravines or canyoning is a semiaquatic sport that combines different disciplines and consists of moving down from the upper part of a river or mountain stream overcoming a series of obstacles such as rappels, jumps and slides using specific techniques and equipment that guarantee the total safety of the descent.
If you love adventure, canyoning gives you the possibility to discover and live unique experiences across rocks, narrow gorges, waterfalls and water slides. Thanks to a series of progression techniques, you will be able to discover splendid and valuable natural sites. Although canyoning can be practised all year round, summer is one of the best time of year to enjoy it.
Catalonia hosts different places for canyoning. Here are a few spots, companies and canyons that will allow you to learn or improve your canyoning skills.
Canyoning in La Garrotxa
Located in Vall d'en Bas (La Garrotxa) under Salt de Sallent (a 140-metre waterfall), Gurn is a perfect canyon to start out in canyoning and practise it with your family.
This river is ideal to take your first steps to the world of canyoning and to get in touch with the techniques of rappels, jumps, slides and siphons (very strong interior water stream). Minimum age: 7. As it is a dynamic canyon, it can be done by large groups.
Sadernes, in the Area of Natural Interest of Alta Garrotxa, is another good canyon to begin with, to practise the technique of rappelling and, above all, to improve your jumping technique (there are many 2 to 7-metre jumps). Guies Ama Dablam allow you to follow the whole route in complete safety and to learn the basic techniques of this sport.
Canyoning in Berguedà
Full of rivers for all tastes and levels, Berguedà is a perfect region to practise canyoning.
Relleus Gent de Muntanya and Cingles. Companyia de Guies de Muntanya del Berguedà are two canyoning companies of the Berguedà region that will allow you to discover spectacular canyons and to dive into a new and very funny world in a very customized way. Here are three canyons of different levels located in Berguedà that we recommend you:
- Empedrats: Located in Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park, Empedrats is probably the best one in the Berguedà region and one of the best places to start out in canyoning in Catalonia. It combines fantastic landscapes and a wide range of obstacles such as slides, jumps, rappels, …
- El Forat Negre de Vallcebre: This canyon is an ideal descent for people who have a low/medium canyoning level, because it has many rappels as well as some wonderful 15-metre descents and jumps. The duration of the activity is rather similar to the time you need to go the canyon itself and back.
- El Pas de l’Escalell: If you have descended several canyons and want to discover longer ones for constant thrill, El Pas de l’Escalell is THE place. This is the number one sports breakout and the most complete canyoning activity you can do in the area.
Canyoning in Terra Alta
Les Roques Natura is an active tourism company that offers different canyoning options in the area of Els Ports, from Canaletes –the most spectacular canyon to start out in the discipline– to Regatxo or Cantavella –more technical descents in which non-beginners can enjoy incredible descents.
Located in Els Ports de Tortosa-Beseit Natural Park, Canaletes canyon is full of jumps, slides and siphons. The high presence of water makes it ideal during hot days, while Cantavella canyon (medium level) is drier, perfect for colder seasons or for people who don’t like water. Action is constant, full of rappels and spectacular geological formations.
Canyoning in Pallars Sobirà
Pallars Sobirà, a Mecca for water activities in Catalonia, hosts the leading companies of adventure and leisure Roc Roi, Ràfting Llavorsí and Turisnat Sort. The three of them will take you to all kinds of exciting activities and descents, from beginners to advanced sportspeople. Thanks to its easy and fast access, Berrós canyon, in Llavorsí, is a good option to start out in canyoning. On the way, the participants will come across a series of obstacles such as waterslides, high jumps and natural pools that have been dug in the rock throughout the years. Your professional guides will make sure the descent is completely safe.
Canyoning in Ripollès
Our trip through the places where you can go canyoning in Catalonia ends up in the region of Ripollès, where Altitud Extrem offers the descent of Gorges del Núria integral, a very complete canyon in which you will have to overcome slides, vertiginous jumps, rappels and cool water. This aquatic descent of medium technical difficulty is divided into three sections that are full of action: rappels (up to 25 metres), handrails, jumps (up to 11 metres), slides (14 metres, some with propelling ending), simple descents and easy-to-climb rocky sections. Surrounded by lush vegetation, you will also cross natural pools you can swim in. Gorges del Núria Integral Canyon has everything you can expect for a great descent!
As you can see, Catalonia hosts a large number of rivers and streams where you can practise canyoning. Apart from the canyons we have described in this post –which are some of the best ones to start or to improve your technique– you can find many others on the websites of the abovementioned companies. If you want genuine adventure, go for a canyoning experience!
