Italy · RAFTING & CANYONING
This is the shortlist you would send a friend who lands on Friday: 12 rafting & canyoning tours that repay the money, each with its cost and the one thing to know before you commit.
Spend eight hours on Etna’s northern slope with a local guide such as Salvatore, Ross, or Maya. Walk the easy Sartorius Craters trail, enter a lava tunnel, eat lunch at an Etnean restaurant, then swim or relax in the Alcantara Gorges. Small groups, hotel-area pickup, and cave gear are included.
“The experience was great…the food could be better! Salvo was a very good guide.”
Join Ursus Adventures for a guided Noce River rafting run from Cusiano to Dimaro. You’ll start with a safety lesson, warm up on easy water, then face Class IV rapids near Mezzana before gentler waves to the finish. The trip lasts about two hours and includes transport, equipment, and a rafting guide. Children aged 5 and up can take part.
“Geweldige ervaring met instructeur Karanti gehad. Alles werd van tevoren duidelijk uitgelegd. Aanrader voor iedereen, ook wanneer je geen ervaring met rafting hebt.”
You’ll raft 16 km through the Lao Canyon in Pollino National Park, one of Italy’s UNESCO geosites. The route includes rapids up to grade III+, spring waterfalls, fossils, and rock walls reaching 300 meters. Guide Gerado is specifically praised for calm, firm instruction. The 3-hour private outing includes transport, safety gear, and insurance.
Canyoning Gumpenfever takes you through Tignale’s wild gorges near Lake Garda for about 2.5 hours. You’ll climb, slide, swim, jump, and learn to abseil with a trained English-speaking guide. Small groups, safety gear, bottled water, park fees, and free guide photos are included. Guides may include Thomas, David, or Adi.
“Thomas was a proffesional guide All the family enjoyed the canyoning. It was a wonderful trail with jumping snapling and beautiful nature Thanks”
Meet your guide near Tignale, suit up in a neoprene wetsuit, and follow a small group through Gumpenfever canyon. You will walk, rappel, leap from a 5-meter ledge, and slide down a 14-meter rock chute. German, English, and Italian guidance is available, with photos sent afterward.
“Really great few hours with the kids. Good instructions and equipment.”
You’ll walk upstream through the cold River Alcantara, pass volcanic rock walls, swim through narrow channels, jump into clear pools, then float back downstream in a wetsuit, helmet, and jacket. English and Italian guides such as Andrea, Salvo, and Davide lead the 2-hour outing from Agriturismo Valle Alcantara. Bring swimwear and a towel.
“Very polite hosts and guides. Polite and very well mannered. Guided us safely and provided us a good understanding of why the river is how it is. They guided us as deep into the river as anyone with our skill level could hope to go. Great value for money”
Meet your rafting guide beneath Porta del Popolo, then walk to Scalo de Pinedo for a safety briefing and a two-hour float down the Tiber. Guides such as Facundo, Julia, Greg, and Andrea combine basic rafting instruction with Roman history. Expect calm water, city views, a few rapids near Ponte Garibaldi, and a simple slice of Roman pizza with water afterward.
“This Rafting Tour definitely was the highlight of our city trip to Rome, even after seeing the Colosseum and the Vatican museums ! It is a beautiful experience to see Rome from an entirely different perspective (looking from the raft, over the river and see beautiful Rome passing by during a beautiful sunset) ! The team who provide this tour are VERY experienced in rafting and we immediately felt we were in good hands !”
Meet Lao Rafting in Laino Borgo for a guided three-hour descent through Calabria’s Lao River canyon. After a 20-minute safety briefing, you’ll ride a shuttle to the river, then raft with a qualified guide in each boat. Mimo is one guide named in guest feedback. Wetsuits, helmets, insurance, showers, and return transport are included.
“16/08/24 Esperienza fantastica, tutto perfetto guide impeccabili e organizzatissimi, sempre sorridenti e molto simpatici, vi mettono a vostro agio. Il posto poi è uno spettacolo il bello della natura. Sicuramente lo rifarò ma la prossima volta in tenda al camping presente alla fine del percorso rafting. Tanti complimenti e un grazie per la bella giornata trascorsa alla LAORAFTING.COM”
Meet Trentino WILD in Dimaro Folgarida 45 minutes before departure, get fitted with equipment, and receive instruction before rafting the Noce River. This roughly two-hour outing suits beginners with moderate fitness. Shared transfers, a guide, rafting photos, and all taxes are included, but lunch is not.
“It was an amazing experience! The guide was very knowledable and made it really fun! Would definitely do again.”
Meet at Dolomiti Camping Village in Dimaro Folgarida for a family-friendly Noce River rafting trip. Your guide handles the route and safety while you paddle through the Brenta Dolomites. Luca and Luis are among the guides named in guest feedback. Gear, transport, and rafting photos are included.
“You should definitely do it. It was just great. We had a lot of fun and a great guide - Luis!!Auto-translated”
You’ll paddle a calm, leafy stretch of Calabria’s Lao River with Lao Rafting, guided by a trained team that includes Vincenzo. Expect gentle rapids, quiet water, small jumps, and the chance to take a river swim. The private one-hour outing suits families and first-time rafters who want fun without a hard workout.
“All guides are super nice, friendly and skilled. I was. With Vincenzo that was sharing with us his passion for rafting and nature. Thank you again Vincenzo !! We had the soft rafting that was very relaxing with a couple of gentle jumps. Next time sure I will go for the next level in the canyon and the other very interesting activities they offer”
Spend 6 to 8 hours exploring Mount Etna by SUV or minivan, with stops at the 2002 lava front, Monti Sartorius craters, and Grotta dei Ladroni. Enjoy a pasta lunch, then visit the Alcantara Gorges. Guides including Salvatore, Giovanni, and Emanuele lead the English-speaking groups.
“Emmanuel made us feel safe and he gave us all te information and tips very proffesionally. The locations where fenomenal”
Pick a ruin, a gallery, a cellar or a boat.
