Beyond road, trail or chair lift, utopian alpine canyons play host to an adrenaline fuelled adventure. Accessed only by helicopter, this is your chance to explore the plunge pools, waterfalls and narrow limestone corridors carved out by the glacial meltwater of the Swiss Alps as you rappel, climb and plunge into an amphibious alpine playground.
SKY TO CANYON
the Swiss Alps by helicopter
While the Alps are known for their towering mountains, home to European snowsports by winter and a mountain biking paradise by summer, lining the peaks are a network of canyons, fed by glacial meltwater snaking its way to the valleys below.
By helicopter, local guides will fly you deep into the remote canyons boasting deep, crystal clear pools seemingly sculpted for adventure. Here you’ll learn and develop cliff diving techniques, chute sliding and rappelling skills, putting your courage to the test in arguably the world’s best canyoning locations.
Highlights:
- Discover a remote and rarely visited region of the Swiss Alps.
- Reach otherwise inaccessible areas by helicopter.
- Learn canyoning skills from professional cliff divers.
- Test your courage and your head for heights.
- Swim in crystal clear glacial meltwater.
- Experience mediterranean culture in the Swiss alpine.
- Bed down in traditional farmhouses at night.
The Activity
A medley of scrambling, rappelling, jumping, swimming and climbing, canyoning is an exciting approach to adventure with a unique opportunity to explore otherwise unreachable regions of natural wilderness. Expect to shake with adrenaline.
Quality gear and a helicopter at your disposal, you’ll find your way into some of the world’s best canyoning locations with crystal clear plunge pools and natural chutes seemingly tailored for adventure. With great connections to the Swiss Alps, this is an ideal adventure to extend, with options to sample the local mountain biking and trekking trails, relax beside glacial lakes or explore the medieval castles of the region’s capital.
Ticino – Switzerland
Known as the mediterranean soul Switzerland, in a quiet and often overlooked southern corner of the Swiss Alps lies the Italian speaking region of Ticino. Defined by its palm lined lakes and towering alpine peaks, once owned by its Italian neighbours, this is a region distinctly different from the rest of the country.
Easily accessible from Milan over the Italian border, while remaining an alpine region, Ticino is noticeably milder than the rest of the country with 2,300 hours of sunshine compared to Zurich’s 1,700 where forests cover about a third of its area.
Draining much of the region and shaping the surrounding land, the Ticino river is the major river in the region. Offering fantastic whitewater opportunity, it sits amidst a land known for romantic landscapes and medieval architecture which have historically attracted poets and artists alike. Ticino is a land of juxtaposition, north and south, mountains and lowlands, nature and culture, city and country.
Your Guides
Hand-selected by the Adventure Experts at Secret Compass not only for the location’s undeniable ability to drop jaws, but for the local team’s professional and rigorous approach to canyoning and their intricate local knowledge. Professional cliff divers by trade, these guys have a contagious enthusiasm and bodacious approach to canyoning backed by a confidence inspiring keen eye for safety.
Is this Adventure for You?
This adventure has an activity rating of Medium. At this level, we recommend you are an active individual with a good level of fitness, as canyoning can be very physically challenging requiring confidence in the water and good core strength. There are flexible options to change the pace and daily itinerary of this adventure to meet your experience levels, but good physical fitness and the ability to swim confidently are prerequisite.
Depending on your own taste, there are several accommodation options to suit you. From sleeping on straw beds in an agritourism project to a friendly locally run guesthouse, the simplicity of a mountain hut or even a taste of luxury at a five star hotel close to the castles of Bellinzona, these are all within close distances to the jump off spot for a day in the canyons.
Adventure by Design
Get in touch to receive the Travel Brief to discover our recommended itinerary, before adapting it to your match your group size, availability and travel preferences. In addition, there are a number of options and extensions available to take your adventure to the next level.
Speak to one of our Adventure Experts today for more information on private adventures designed with you in mind, or group.
