Marbella canyoning adventure: My review of the Guadalmina River guided walk
Canyoning in the Guadalmina River canyon near Marbella
The Guadalmina River canyoning route is one of the best outdoor activities you can do near Marbella, and one of the few that is also great in hot weather - the route is often in shade and the water temperature is nice and cool.
In this article I share my first-hand experience of doing a guided river walk through this canyon and some tips to help you plan your visit.
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Where is the Guadalmina River canyoning route?
The Guadalmina River gorge, also known as the Canyon of the Angosturas, is located near the town of Benahavís on Spain’s Costa del Sol. It’s 30 minutes drive from Marbella, just over an hour from Málaga and about 25 minutes from Estepona.
In this section of the gorge the river passes through shady canyons, forms a series of small pools, flows through caverns, and even has some natural rock slides. It’s a picturesque route that really showcases the beauty of inland Málaga province.
A beginner-friendly canyoning route
Canyoning (also called canyoneering or gorge walking) is an adventure sport that involves walking, climbing and swimming through river canyons, sometimes with specialised equipment such as abseiling gear. In this case, the route is suitable for beginners (with the assistance of a guide) and on the tour we did there was no need to abseil down any of the rocks.
The guided experience in small groups is perfectly suitable for anyone with average fitness. I’m far from adventurous or athletic when it comes to outdoor activities and I absolutely loved it.
The scarier stuff (such as the big jumps from rocks into the pools) is completely optional. If you’re a wuss like I am, you can just watch everyone else doing the jumps!
Mid-jump: this rock was higher than it looks!
My favouite part of the route was the section where we were swimming through the caverns. It was so relaxing and the light filtering down from above made the water softly glow and cast sparking reflections on the rocks all around us. Truly magical.
My favourite part of the trip
This is a great activity for small groups of family and friends, and you could also book a spot as a solo traveller.
Which canyoning trip should you book?
There are a few options available on GetYourGuide, some of which include transport to the meeting point, and some where you will need to travel there yourself by car or taxi.
Here are some examples:
Benahavís guided canyoning adventure
Guadalmina canyoning with transport from Estepona
My tips for doing the Guadalmina canyoning route
Choose your footwear carefully
Obviously, whatever shoes you wear will get very wet, so my number one tip is to bring water shoes (escarpines in Spanish). These are rubber-soled, flexible shoes that are great for helping you get a foothold on slippery surfaces such as river rocks. I bought some water shoes for this trip and did not regret it! They’re also great for walking and swimming at pebbly beaches. You can usually get a pair at sportswear shops or online for around €10-15.
Note: Water shoes worked great for me but your tour provider may have specific footwear recommendations, so always check with them ahead of time and follow their advice.
Leave your phone behind
Or put it in a waterproof lanyard case that you can wear around your neck. I left my phone behind - all the photos and videos in this article were taken using my waterproof GoPro. Your guide may be able to take some photos of you to send to you afterwards - this is often included in the package.
Don’t wear sunscreen
The river ecosystem is a delicate balance and our guide asked us not to wear sunscreen as the chemicals can have a negative impact on the flora and fauna. As someone who usually bastes myself daily in SPF50, this made me a bit anxious, but I was absolutely fine and did not burn at all - the route is mostly in shade. If you’re worried about this, you could book your canyoning trip for a time of day when the UV index is lowest (such as morning).
Guadalmina River canyoning FAQ
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The canyoning route takes about 2-3 hours depending on how fast your group is. Factor in travel time to and from the meeting point, and it’s easily a half-day activity.
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Not on the guided tour we did - our guide provided us with wetsuits and safety helmets. Check with your provider ahead of time about their footwear recommendations.
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Yes, there are some parts of the route where the river is too deep to stand up (this may change depending on how much recent rainfall there has been). In my view you don’t have to be a particularly advanced swimmer as these are fairly short stretches. Your guide may provide you with optional lifejackets at the start of the route.
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Unless you are experienced in canyoning, I would definitely NOT recommend doing this route without a guide. Not only does the guide know the area extremely well, they can also help you in some of the more difficult parts of the route, such as the rock slides. I can safely say that I could not have done this route without a guide!
