RIO VERO
History of canyoning started in Rio Vero ! Therefore he contributed significantly to the region notoriety.
The sheer size and beauty of the cliffs make this canyon a true natural museum. Technically easy, several big chaos of blocks make this descent,very playful and aquatic: like a mineral labyrinth made of small slides, snorkeling and jumping (all bypassable). It ends with the famous medieval village of Alquezar, which adds to the trip a cultural touch. It is an ideal tour for families and lovers of grandiose landscapes.
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: easy. No rappel
Approach: 1 hour
Return walk: 25 minutes
PÉONÉRA
The Canyon Péonéra is undoubtedly one of the most popular in the Sierra de Guara. The descent begins with a succession of cascades and basins where the current often invites to play with. Naturally shaped for the canyoning activity, this tour offers many surprising passages: aesthetic chaos of blocks, long swimming passages, a wide variety Jumps and siphons (all bypassable). At the half-way, at the source of Tamara, we follow naturally the descent by a small canyon named Puntillo, totally different: less cashed so sunny, the limestone gives way to the conglomerate. After a little chaos, the river opens onto a very pretty basin where you can practice jumps of different heights in an emerald green translucent water.
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: easy. No rappel
Approach: 1 hour
Return walk: 30 minutes
BARRASIL
Wide and wild gorge carved into the Sierra de Guara plateau, this very aquatic canyon is undoubtedly the one that offers the most spectacular jumps in the region! It allows to stay away from the crowds of the big weekends during summer break.
Starting from the small village of Rodellar, you start an approach walk that cross the pass of Andrebot where you will discover the typical landscape the Sierra de Guara. Then starts the canyon with a chaos of imposing blocks where we sail from waterfall to waterfall, bordered by majestic cliffs. Some beautiful underwater passages (bypassable) provides great sensations. Follows a succession of walks and swimm (which presents no technical difficulty) where you can practice jumps at various heights from 2 to 10 meters (all bypassable). Reaching towards the end of the canyon, the « Billionaire swimming pool » is an astonishing natural overflow pool with perfectly oval shape offering a moment of true luxury. The tour ends with a large reach of 300 meters and as much of swimming in a majestic natural corridor that leads directly to the campsite El Puente.
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: easy. No rappel
Approach walk: 1h45 hour
Return walk: none
FORMIGA
Here is the most representative canyoning canyon. Nestled in a gorge of conglomerate rock, its descent is very complete, and connects playful passages playful accessible to all. Physically approchable, it enables to learn gently the basic ropes techniques, and offers many fun passages. After a pleasant walk overflown by griffon vultures, the parcours begins with a very easy small rappel before reaching the water. What’s come next is aquatic: slides, small optional jumps. Two rappel of about 7 meters (which the most adventurous can possibly jump), give to this descent its technical aspect. The end of the canyon – more open and sunny – offers beautiful canyoning passages, which according to the water level, can be sensational!
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: easy. 3 easy abseils, the largest of which is 15 meters
Approach: 1 hour
Return walk: 10 minutes
BALCÈS
The hidden Gem of Sierra de Guara! This very complete canyon is located in a wild area of the Sierra de Guara in the Rio Isuala valley. After an approaching walk in a very mountainous setting, we will reache the bottom of a valley bordered by high cliffs in bright colors. The Balces canyon begins with a chaos of blocks and a rappel of 8 meters in a beautiful waterfall. Then follows small down-climbing passages, slides, optional underwater passages… provides access to the most incredible moment of the descent unique in Sierra de Guara: a one meter narrow sculpted by the erosion of the l ‘water. Another 5-meter reminder allows you to get out of the gorge and finish the canyon with nice passages. This very rhythmic canyon surprises by its originality and its beauty.
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: medium. 2 abseils of 8 and 5 meters. The main difficulty is the approach and return marches
Approach walk: 1:30 hour
Return walk: 30 minutes
VIRGEN / SMALL MASCUN
Starting from Rodellar, this combination of two canyons is an ideal option for spring (low water level in summer), and perfect for discovering in the same day two very different atmospheres of the canyoning activity. Virgen is a dry canyon that surprises by its aesthetics. Ideal for learning the rappeling techniques, this descent consists in a succession of big steps with smooth and sculpted walls. At the end of this first canyon, you will reach the famous aquatic canyon of the Mascun (in its lower part). We will continue the day in the water, exploring a chaos of blocks in which there is fun and easy passages: jumps, small caves, waterfalls, swimming… Large magnificent cliffs – on which you may see some climbers – border the canyon to the reach of Barrasil, which announce the close end and the arrival at El Puente campsite.
Info:
Category: aquatic canyon
Difficulty *: easy. 3 abseils, the largest of which is 10 meters
Approach walk: 20 minutes
Return walk: none
BARRANCO FONDO
Aesthetic descent into a non-aquatic gorge typical of conglomerate landscapes, this is a unique journey into the heart of beautiful and wild nature. This canyon consists of two very different parts, the first aerial and technical, the second intimate and aesthetic. In a natural amphitheater we start with superb fairly easy but impressive abseils, which allow us to descend this giant staircase. The last reminder is remarkable: it follows a ramp of vegetation in a smooth and rounded room. After a short walk, we arrive at the second part of the narrower canyon which invites us to progress, either abseiling or small de-escalation, in the meanders of the canyon to a magnificent room. We come to the bed of the Rio Isuala which we will have to cross to reach the ascent path that winds through the scrubland of the Sierra de Guara.
Info:
Category: dry canyon
Difficulty *: medium. 6 abseils, the largest of which is 22 meters
Approach: 1 minute
Return walk: 30 minutes
BASENDER
Dry canyon ideal for a first technical approach to the abseiling, the basender crosses the typical landscape of the Sierra de Guara. A tributary of the Rio Vero, its descent is a succession of reminders in a mineral universe sculpted by erosion for thousands of years. The first 9-meter abseil gives access to the heart of the canyon. This is followed by a succession of small playful jumps, whether you descend either by de-escalation or by toboggan. The large calcite gray cliffs announce the 3 abseils of 8, 11 and 9 meters, the main difficulty of this technical course. After a few canyoning passes, we arrive at the last reminder, just as easy and very aesthetic (13 meters) which allows us to reach the canyon of the Rio Vero. A path allows us to return to the departure car park. If the team of the day is sporty, we can continue on Le Portiacha: a gorge close to the Basender, quite short but very intense. It is a succession of 3 very aerial recalls (26, 8 and 30 meters). The last reminder is simply sublime, like a spider in a room painted with large orange flows.
Info:
Category: dry canyon
Difficulty *: easy / medium. 5 or 8 abseils depending on the option chosen
Approach: 30 minutes
Return walk: 15 minutes
PORTIACHA + OSCUROS DEL VERO
Here is a very original descent which proposes to discover two very different atmospheres: a dry canyon with great abseilings and the upper aquatic part of the Rio Vero. From the car park near the village of Lecina, you can quickly access the first canyon with a first vertical abseil of 30 meters. The gorge then plunges into the immense canyon of the Vero with a 30-meter abseil in a spider’s thread in the heart of a particularly beautiful room.
We then follow the emerald water of the Rio Vero to discover the first chaos of blocks in this mythical canyon. The highlight of the show is undoubtedly a perfectly smooth mineral wave where the dimmed light provides a surreal ambiance. A little further, we visit the Cocinetta du Chimiachas, before turning around to go up all the chaos of blocks. But we also go back in time: the explorers of the Rio Vero in 1966 traveled the canyons in the opposite direction of the current to avoid being trapped and always have the possibility of descending. Depending on the water level, this swim against the current exercise can be quite sporty!
Info:
Category: dry and aquatic canyon
Difficulty: medium. 4 rappels, the largest of which is 40 meters.
Approach walk: 2 minutes.
Return walk: 30 minutes.
