Canyoning for Beginners: No Jump Is Mandatory

There's a moment on every canyoning tour where someone stands at the edge, looks down, and asks: "Do I have to?"

No. You don't. Not this one, not any of them. And that's exactly what makes canyoning in Interlaken such a good first time. The canyon gives you options. What you do with them is up to you.

When people hear "beginner canyoning," some picture a watered-down version. A paddling pool with rocks. That's not what this is.

The Interlaken canyon is a real canyon: narrow walls, natural pools, waterfalls, a 10-metre rappel, slides through carved rock. What makes it beginner-friendly isn't that it's easy. It's that every single obstacle has an alternative. The 2-metre jump? There's a way around it. The rope swing over the waterfall? You can walk down instead. The slide? Your guide shows you a different route.

Nobody keeps score. Nobody notices if you skip something. And most people who skip at the start end up choosing the splash by the second half. Because watching others do it looks exactly the way it feels: good.

The most common worry before booking isn't the water or the heights. It's self-doubt. Am I fit enough? Am I too old? Will I slow the group down?

The reality: the Interlaken canyon is suitable for anyone aged 12 and up, with a maximum weight of 125 kg. You don't need strong swimming skills, the swim vest gets you through every section. You don't need upper body strength, the rappel is controlled by the guides, and the slides are powered by gravity. The walking sections between obstacles are short and manageable.

The canyoning guides from OUTDOOR have been running these tours since 2001. They've guided grandparents, nervous teenagers, people who haven't exercised in years, and people who were scared of water. They adjust the pace to the group, explain everything before you do it, and never pressure anyone.

The canyon takes about 90 minutes. You don't need to train for this. You just need to show up.

The drive from the base to the canyon takes about 10 minutes. A short walk through the forest. Then the safety briefing, thorough and calm. The guides explain every technique: how to position yourself for a slide, how to step off an edge for a jump, how the rappel works.

Then you're at the first rappel: 10 metres down a rock face into the canyon. Sounds intense. Feels intense too. But the ropes are controlled entirely by the guides. Your job: lean back, walk your feet down the wall and trust the system. Most people are grinning by the time they reach the bottom.

After that first descent, something shifts. The canyon is beautiful, the water is cold but the wetsuit works, and you notice that "I'm not sure about this" has quietly turned into "what's next?"

That's the thing about canyoning for beginners. The hardest part is the first step. Everything after that is gravity, water, and the sound of your own laughter bouncing off the walls.

For the full overview of the tour, read our complete guide to canyoning in Interlaken.