Canyoning in Azores

The Azores are built for canyoning: volcanic islands cut by steep, green ravines where waterfalls drop into plunge pools and the rock is worn smooth enough to slide. Working your way down a canyon, abseiling the falls, jumping the pools and sliding the chutes, is one of the most exhilarating ways into the islands' wild interior, and the water stays runnable most of the year.

The canyoning tours on this page are ones we picked by hand, run by guides with the right certifications and kit, which matters in fast water. When you compare canyoning in the Azores, look at the island and the level. Sao Miguel has routes for first-timers through to harder descents in the Ribeira dos Caldeiroes and the lush north; Flores, the greenest island, has some of the best canyons in the archipelago. Most trips supply the wetsuit, helmet and harness, brief you on dry land first, and grade the route to the group. Half-day sessions suit beginners; longer canyons reward anyone with a head for heights.

For an active, adrenaline half-day in spectacular country, canyoning beats a viewpoint. Expect to get cold and wet, and to come out grinning.

5 Azores canyoning tours from EUR 65. Handpicked certified guides, wetsuit and gear included, beginner to advanced canyons with free cancellation on most - easy to book online.