Canyoning in Gran Canaria: Waterfalls, Jumps and a 09:30 Start in Telde

Canyoning is Gran Canaria's wettest day out, and the top trip needs no experience at all. You spend the day walking, abseiling, jumping and sliding down a green ravine with four waterfalls of 5 to 20 metres, in a group of no more than 10, for from ~€65 per person. Two things to plan around: the group meets at 09:30 in Telde on the east coast, and the canyon depends on the water.

What does a canyoning day in Gran Canaria involve?

Canyoning means following a watercourse down a ravine, using whatever the terrain demands. On this trip, run by Mojo Picón Aventura, that means walking, swimming, jumping into pools, abseiling down waterfalls and riding natural rock slides.

You change into a neoprene wetsuit, helmet and harness with a carabiner and descender, then walk to the head of the canyon. The listing describes it as ideal for inexperienced people, set in a green, forested ravine with four waterfalls between 5 and 20 metres and several natural slides.

The listing calls it a 4-hour canyoning trip within a 5-hour booking, so the extra time covers changing, the briefing and the walk in and out. Plan on a full morning and a tired afternoon.

Where do you meet, and how do you get there?

The group meets at 09:30 in the car park of the Decathlon store in Telde, on the east coast between Las Palmas and the airport. The exact meeting point can change if the operator moves the trip to a different canyon, and it is confirmed by email before the day.

From the southern resorts that is an early start. The listing mentions hotel pickup depending on availability, but does not promise it, so check on the booking page whether your hotel is covered before relying on it. If you are driving, the GC-1 motorway runs straight up the east coast; our Gran Canaria car hire guide covers the road and parking.

Which canyon will you do?

The GetYourGuide listing does not name the canyon, precisely because it can change. On other booking platforms, Mojo Picón Aventura's canyoning is listed in the Barranco de los Cernícalos near Telde, which another operator's listing places inside the Los Marteles Special Natural Reserve. Past reviewers also describe trips with the same company in other ravines, such as the Barranco del Toro.

Treat the canyon as the operator's call on the day, based on water and safety. What the listing does fix is the format: a beginner-friendly descent with waterfalls, slides and jumps, not a technical route for experienced canyoners.

Who can go canyoning in Gran Canaria?

• Age: 10 to 70, according to the GetYourGuide listing
• Experience: none required
• Not suitable for: pregnant women
• Group: up to 10 participants, with guides speaking English and Spanish

You need to be comfortable in water, and you should be able to swim. The operator's listings on other platforms state a minimum age of 12, swimming ability and no extreme fear of heights, which is stricter than the GetYourGuide listing's 10. If you are booking for a child aged 10 or 11, confirm with the operator first.

Reviewers single out the guides, and it is a physical day: one guest who did the coasteering alternative wrote about sore muscles the next morning. Do not book it for the day before a long hike.

What is included, and what should you bring?

• Included: guide, wetsuit, helmet, harness and safety equipment, insurance, a picnic of chocolate, biscuits, fruit and water, and a photo report
• Bring: sports shoes with grip that you do not mind soaking (the listing names sports shoes), plus our suggestion of swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes
• Cancellation: free up to 24 hours before

Proper shoes matter here. The canyon floor is wet rock, so leave sandals and flip-flops at the hotel.

Canyoning or another adventure day?

If you want adrenaline without getting soaked, the island's interior has other full days. The Gran Canaria volcano sunset tour combines a steep Roque Nublo hike with a summit sunset, with pickup from the southern resorts.

For shorter thrills on the water from the south coast, see the jet ski and parasailing options in our things to do in Gran Canaria guide, which also sets out where each activity on the island sits.

FAQ – canyoning in Gran Canaria