Canyoning in the Garganta Verde, Zahara de la Sierra

The Garganta Verde is a limestone canyon in the municipality of Zahara de la Sierra, with walls up to 400 metres high according to the company that guides it. The official trail only goes down as far as the Ermita, a large cave at the bottom; canyoning takes you inside the canyon, among boulders, abseils and pools, as far as the Bocaleones river. Horizon Naturaleza y Aventura, a company from Grazalema, descends it with a qualified guide: about 3 km with 180 metres of descent and medium difficulty.

What the day is like

You meet at the Descansadero, on the Zahara to Grazalema road. From there it is between 40 minutes and an hour's approach walk, with views of the canyon. Once inside, the route mixes jumbled blocks, natural slides and abseils of 3 to 15 metres, and depending on the time of year there is more or less water in the pools. On the way you pass the Cueva de la Ermita, a cave with stalactites and stalagmites whose walls are tinted pink and green by algae, according to the park's page.

Horizon gives 5 hours on the activity page and warns in the text that it can reach 6 or 7 depending on the group and the state of the canyon. Allow the whole day.

Price, age and booking

From €48 per person, with a minimum of two. From age 12, and minors always with a responsible adult. They ask for a basic level of agility and coordination; the company itself describes the descent as demanding, so it helps to be fit. They speak Spanish and English. The guide provides helmet, harness, ropes, wetsuit, waterproof bags and drums, with civil liability and accident insurance, first-aid kit and photos.

The canyon is in the park's Reserve Zone and can only be entered with a permit; Horizon arranges it with the booking. You book on its website, on 655 934 565 or at [email protected]. They answer Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 19:00, and at weekends from 10:00 to 13:30. The website does not publish a cancellation policy or a start time: ask when you book.

What to bring

Swimwear to wear under the wetsuit, footwear that can get wet with a good sole (they prefer hiking boots), at least 1.5 litres of water per person, something to eat on the way and a sandwich for the end, and a dry change with a towel to leave in the car. You need your own vehicle to reach the meeting point.

What you will see

Besides rock and water, the Garganta Verde is famous for its griffon vultures: the Junta counts it among the most numerous colonies in Europe, and from the bottom of the canyon you can watch them soaring over the walls. Horizon also mentions ibex, wild boar and golden eagle.

If you prefer to walk without ropes, the Garganta Verde trail goes down to the Ermita with a free permit. To sleep nearby, the Hotel Arco de la Villa is in Zahara.