The 5 best canyoning tours in Italy

Italy has many great canyoning spots, which is why we have decided to list the 5 best canyoning tours in Italy. Find out which ones have the highest abseiling walls or the most exciting water slides…

In addition to the fascinating canyons near Lake Garda, there are lesser-known locations such as the Alcantara Gorge in Sicily, where water has carved its way through lava. Or, there are wonderful green landscapes in Valle d’Aosta.
Below, you will first find a summary table with an overview of the main characteristics of each canyon.
Further down, you can learn more about each canyon.

Canyon	Region	Difficulty level	Minimum age
Sorba	Piemonte	From easy to moderate	10 years
Rio Nero	Trentino Alto Adige (Lago di Garda)	From easy to difficult	6 years
Vione	Lombardy (Lago di Garda)	From easy to moderate	10 years
Chalamy	Aosta Valley	From easy to difficult	6 years
Alcantara Gorge	Sicily (Etna)	Moderate	10 years

Canyoning in the Sorba, Piemonte

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Piedmont

In Italy’s second largest region, Piedmont, nature still plays a very important role and, as a matter of fact, Piedmont is only seventh in terms of population in Italy. Here, beautiful mountains and valleys are within easy reach from famous cities such as Turin and Cuneo. In winter, tourists flock to the slopes of the Vialattea or Bardonecchia. In summer, Valsesia offers everything that lovers of white water sports could wish for. Indeed, canyoning in the Sorba gorges, for instance, is very popular.

Valsesia 

In Valsesia, the most common sporting activities are canyoning in the Sorba gorges, canyoning in the Sesia gorges and rafting on the Sesia river. The Sorba torrent has its source in the Colle del Loo. Along its course, before the village of Rassa, one can find a very unique natural canyon that is used for numerous different water sports. After the village, there is another very interesting stretch that is regularly used for canyoning.

Canyoning in the Sorba Gorges

Canyoning in the Sorba gorges can be easy or of medium difficulty. What fascinates the participants most is the final part of the route, where they can try a 35 m long zipline. The meeting points for this experience are normally in Vocca, Campertengo or Piode. If you want a bit more of an adventure, a good tip is to book the night canyoning tour which departs at 19:00 and which includes a barbecue once back at the operator’s base.

Canyoning in the Rio Nero, Trentino Alto Adige

Trentino

Next to spectacular ski resorts such as Monte Bondone or Madonna di Campiglio, Trentino also has a lot to offer in summer as well. Many people visit Val di Sole for its breathtaking rafting descents on the river Noce or canyoning adventures near Lake Garda.

Lake Garda 

Lake Garda covers three regions: Trentino Alto Adige, Lombardy and Veneto. The shores of the lake that touch Trentino and Lombardy are very mountainous. Here, canyoning is simply wonderful. The Trentino part of Lake Garda is surrounded by mountains up to 2000 m above sea level with a more Mediterranean climate near the shore.

Canyoning in the Rio Nero 

Canyoning in the Rio Nero gorges is particularly exciting due to the narrow passages and high walls. The abseiling wall is the highlight of this canyon as it totals 20 metres in height. The meeting points for going canyoning in the Rio Nero gorges are in Arco, Pieve di Ledro and Valle di Ledro.

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Canyoning in the Vione, Lombardy

Lombardy

Lombardy is a densely populated region, but, nevertheless, there are still many places where you can enjoy adventurous outdoor sports in the middle of nature. Popular in winter, thanks to places like Valmalenco and Val Camonica, Lombardy is also a great place to visit in summer. For example, rafting on the Adda River is a fun way to cool off on particularly hot days. In addition, the Brescia side, which overlooks Lake Garda, is also a great destination for visitors who want to try kitesurfing or canyoning. 

Lake Garda 

There are many well-known municipalities in Lombardy that are situated on Lake Garda. Some of them are Limone, Tignale but also Sirmione. In Tignale, you can find interesting canyons like the Cione. 

Canyoning in Vione

Canyoning in Vione allows you to jump into 14 natural pools of water. In addition, the more daring can abseil down a 45 m high wall. The meeting point for this canyon is typically in Tignale. 

Canyoning in the Chalamy, Aosta Valley

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Aosta Valley

Despite being the smallest region in Italy, the Aosta Valley has plenty to offer. Courmayeur and Breuil-Cervinia host skiers and snow sports enthusiasts throughout the winter. However, when the ice melts, the fun begins on the rivers and streams. The Dora Baltea is the most popular river for rafting, while the Chalamy torrent, on the other hand, has some  exciting canyoning routes. 

The Chalamy torrent 

The Chalamy torrent is located in the Mont Avic Natural Park, an amazing place to visit thanks to its unspoilt nature. The park covers 5,747 hectares and extends from Champdepraz to the Champorcher Valley.

Canyoning in the Chalamy

The canyoning tours in the Chalamy are quite varied. They can be easy, medium or difficult and depending on the route chosen, a minimum age of 6 to 16 years may be required. Highlights in this canyon are the up to 12-meter long water slides, which can be found in each of the tours. The meeting points for canyoning routes in the Chalamy are usually in Champdepraz or Verrès. 

Canyoning in the Alcantara Gorge, Sicily

Sicily

The island of Sicily is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations in Italy for tourists during the summer. However, thanks to the volcano Etna on the region’s main island, Sicily is not only a summer destination. In fact, Mount Etna is usually snow-capped from October to May, thereby making it possible to go skiing. Nevertheless, when these snows melt, you can  go canyoning in the Alcantara Gorge.

Alcantara Gorge

The Alcantara Gorges are a popular attraction amongst people travelling  to Sicily. Just after the entrance to the Gorges, where the surroundings are still open and the ground is quite flat, there is a small beach that is very popular with visitors. Trying out canyoning at the Alcantara Gorge is probably the most original and unique way to appreciate these impressive walls. In small groups of 6 to 8 people, you will find yourself traversing along stretches untrodden by the masses, where the walls are up to 25 m high and 2 to 5 m wide. 

Canyoning in the Alcantara Gorge

Canyoning in Sicily is a unique experience because you will encounter a landscape like no other with gorges formed by lava. This canyoning tour is suitable for everyone from the age of 10 and is considered to be of medium difficulty. The meeting point is normally in Francavilla di Sicilia.