Canyoning in New Zealand
Can you spot the second person in this image?
Canyoning – Canyoneering
As the word suggests, Canyoning or Canyoneering (USA) is done through, into or across canyons, ravines or crevasses. A canyon may be defined as a narrow, deep, rocky, and steep-walled valley carved by a swift-moving river or repeated flash floods. The size of the canyon bottom is generally extremely small when compared to the height of the sides. There are two distinctly different types of canyons – dry and wet, (wet being prevalent in New Zealand) and many different levels or difficulty.
Canyoning is the exploration of canyons and is more than just hiking down a canyon, it is a technical descent down a canyon that involves using every part of your body and requires all kinds of skills – scrambling, climbing, rappelling (Abseiling), rope work, technical climbing, down climbing, technical jumps swimming and shouting “yeehaa” as often as you dare.
Canyoning in New Zealand
In New Zealand it is a wet business! – But the rewards are undeniable. In most cases these adventures are staged in beautiful wilderness area’s, remote and rugged mountain locations, featuring sheer sculptured rock formations, water-polished chutes, crashing cascades, clear pools and streams with a backdrop of ancient rainforest – ticking all the boxes most desired by those who enjoy the sport.
Canyons can be very easy or extremely difficult, though emphasis in the sport is usually on aesthetics and fun rather than pure difficulty. A wide variety of canyoning routes are found throughout New Zealand and canyoning is enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels.
Canyoning Adventures
Self-drive Itineraries Canyoning
