Canyoning

Canyoning (canyoneering in the United States, kloofing in South Africa) is a sport that involves traveling through canyons using a variety of techniques, such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), swimming, and rafting.

Although non-technical descents such as hiking down a canyon ("canyon hiking") are often referred to as "canyoneering", the terms "canyoning" and "canyoneering" are more often associated with technical descents—those that require rappels and ropework, technical climbing or down-climbing, technical jumps, and/or technical swims.

Canyoning is frequently done in remote and rugged settings and often requires navigational, route-finding, and other wilderness travel skills.

Canyons that are ideal for canyoning are often cut into the bedrock stone, forming narrow gorges with numerous drops, sculpted walls, and sometimes waterfalls. Most canyons are cut into limestone, sandstone, granite, or basalt, though other rock types are found. 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 the world.

Canyoning gear includes climbing hardware, semi-static ropes, helmets, wetsuits, and specially designed shoes, packs, and rope bags. While canyoneers have used and adapted climbing, hiking, and river running gear for years, more and more specialized gear has been developed as the as sport's popularity increases.

In most parts of the world, canyoning is done in mountain canyons with flowing water. The number of countries with established canyoning outfitters is growing yearly.

Nepal has huge potential for adventurous travellers with activities such as mountaineering, trekking, canyoning, rafting, paragliding, mountain biking, and honey hunting. Canyoning is prominent in Sundarijal (Kathmandu), Sindhupalchowk (Old jambo),Pokhara, Jalabire (Chitwan) among others. Dalat in Vietnam is well known for canyoning and rapelling. In Japan, "kyanioningu" and sawanobori are practised, the latter being the sport of climbing up canyons and gorges. In Taiwan, canyoning is practiced alongside a sport called river tracing that typically involves travelling upstream. The Philippines has a canyoneering run at Kawasan Falls, Badian, Cebu that is popular among foreign travellers.

Canyoning in the United Kingdom has gained in popularity over recent years. In the UK, Wales, Scotland, Cumbria and Yorkshire and some areas of Cornwall are recognized as the prime locations for this activity. In the Welsh language, canyoning is called "cerdded ceunant". It is also referred to as "gorge walking" or "ghyllscrambling" which the UK Scout Association defines as "the activity of following a river bed through a gorge. This often includes climbing, swimming, abseiling and scrambling depending upon the environment".