Is Canyoning possible by rain?

Generally yes, because you get wet anyway. But lets put the joke aside. There are more factors to consider, such as:

How much water can the canyon take?
How big is the surface or rather how is the consistency of the soil?
(karstified or soft alpine pasture)?
Does the canyon have forced passages/emergency escape?
etc…

These are things your guide should consider before planing anyways. You are also welcome to inquire about it with your provider.
There are also canyons with water intakes on the upper length, which means they still  can be used even after a few days of raing without any problems. Some providers sell canyoning as an alternative holiday activity when the weather is bad on vaccations. We don’t really share this opinion, as the sun affects the mood in a more positive way, you get warmer and the sun actually rises the fun factor.

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Can I take part in Caynoning when I wear contacts/glasses?

Almost with every inquiry/booking this question is aksed, so much better it is to answer it now already.
Wearer of glasses can wear the glasses on easy tours without hard water contact or big slides und jumps or respectivly take them off for a short moment. We do recommend at least a strap for your glasses, even better glasses for sport.
Wearer of contacts should bring an extra pair of lenses and if they have goggles, which for example prevent that the lenses will be washed out when ropping through water.
If you don’t necessarily need glasses or contacts, it is definetly more comfortable without them. You could ask your provider if you can rent goggles.

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Canyoning for kids/beginners?

As it is with many sports there are different difficulty levels with canyoning as well. Only in rare cases this is communicated directly, they talk more about a beginners-tour. The demand for this tour can be handled by everyone with an average fitness-level between the age of 12 and 60 and without prior knowledge. With canyoning-beginner-tours the slides and the jumps can usually be avoided or roped down. The guide can help the client to rope down, incase he is not confident about that yet.

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Can I go Canyoning without a guide?

This questions is asked a lot as well and is legitimate. Even with all the curiosity or euphoria, if you can handle it all by yourself. You should ask yourself a few questions:
Do I have the needed caynoning equipment and do I know how I have to use it?
Do I know the caynioning roping/saving technique, which differs very strongly form the alpine technique?
Do I have reliable information about the canyon? (Topography, approach, access, emergency escape, exit, mobile reception, level of difficulty)
How is my metrological knowledge respective weather changes?
Am I prepared for surprises (broken standing area, injuries) and can I handle them?
Do I know basics about reading the water respectivly fluid dynamics?
Should you be able to say „yes“ to all of these question without hesitation, then theoreticaly there is nothing in your way to take the tour on your own.
We recommand for practical experience: Search for a provider that offers caynoning classes on our website and start building up on your own level. This way it should be doable with enough personal responsibility. Thousands of ski tourers are doing this the same way each winter, when they take part in a trainging with the LVS.
In the south of France for example are some easy canyons which are walked through by families (almost without any equipment). In these regions the part of the private walkers is much higher as for example in Austria – which of course is a result of geology.

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What is Canyoning actually?

Canyoning (BE) or Canyoneering (AE) describes a joung trend sport in which a Canyon is passed trough from top down. Depending on the requirement or the geolocial structure, waterfalls or obstacles are mastered by roping, climbing, jumping or sliding; pools by swimming or sometimes even through diving. The origination goes back decades (back then mostly as expeditions bottom-up) and started mostly in the southern regions oft he alps, Spain and France and even in countries like Australia. The break through in the alpine region came in the last 10 – 15 years. Jointly responsible were the foundation of single unions and clubs, the training for a authorised canyoning guide and a commercialised offer for guided tours. On our page you can find a selection of professional canyoning providers throughout Austria, just choose the region, the provider and let’s get started.

to the provider side

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How much is Canyoning?

The prices differ in Europe quite a bit. For example there are beginner tours in France for 45€/per person and in Switzerland the cost is 150 CHF/per person. In Austria a beginner tour is approx. 70€, for intermediate tours approx. 90€ and extrem or day tours can be up to 120€. These are usually group prices or guided group tours. The price for individual tours is higher of course, but you can enjoy a tour with „only“ your friends.
Our suggestion: When requiring about a tour, also ask if equipment, shoes, camera/fotos, lunch and transfer will be charged separately.

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What equipment do I need for guided Canyoning?

Usually the entire equipment is provided by the canyoning guide, which means neopren suit, neopren socks, canyoning shoes, helmet and harness. Should your guide not provide shoes, we reccomend ankle-length sturdy shoes, which wont be to heavy when getting wet. Usually you would wear swimwear underneath your neopren suit such as swimming trunks or bikini/swimsuit.
Further we reccomand to wear a functional shirt. Advantage: More comfortable when entering, a bit warmer during the tour and simply more hygienic.

Here as an overview the things you should bring yourself:
bikini, swimsuit, swimming trunks
towel
if you wear contact lenses: extra lenses, as a precaution goggles – should be provided by your guide
if neccessary earplugs for higher jumps – should be provided by your guide
important personal medicine such as allergy medicine, insulin etc.
small drinking bottel – no glas
small snack like cereal bar
neopren underwear or functional shirt, no cotton

These are the important things. Mentionable would be a helmet bracket for the actioncam (such as GoPro) or your own helmet (please check with the guide if your helmet is qualified for canyoning)

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The best Canyoning-Tours?

Because canyoing consists of several „disciplines“ (roping, climbing, jumping, sliding, swimming) this question is really subjectiv. As people that are keen on sports have different preferences, this can vary highly. We have seen many tours throughout Europe and definitely have to say, none of them were bad. Which one of them is the „best“ or the „prettiest“ tour, depends on your preferences, the tour planning and the guiding of your personal guides. If there would be a list of the „Top 10 CANYONS of Europe“, there would probably be 2 for Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain. On our page you can find a selection of professional canyoning providers throughout Austria, just choose the region, the provider and let’s get started.
to the provider side

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Which shoes to choose for Canyoning?

Long term no. 1 on the accident statistic is „accidents while walking“. This shows quite clearly how important special shoes for canyoining are. For this reason some sporting goods manufacturers have developed amphibian- or canyoning shoes. Our reccomandation is clearly Hydro Lace or Hydro Pro from Adidas. Should you take part in a guided tour, you should choose a provider that offers rental shoes. We advise you not to wear sneakers or light sport shoes in the canyon!

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Where can you do Canyoning?

Canyoning is an outdoor sport, which means, canyoning takes place outside almost every were, where water has formed a canyoing over thousands of years. In Europe it is limited  to the alps. Canyoning is offered in almost all tourism areas. Austria is surely a good address for it, as the nature offers everything form „mild to wild“ and is backened through the state unions with an established training for a canyoning guide. Even worldwide this sport is becoming more and more popular. On our page you can find a selection of professional canyoning providers through out Austria, just choose a region, pick the provider and let’s get started.
to the provider side

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