Tenerife: Los Carrizales Water Canyoning Tour

Los Carrizales is not a gentle sightseeing outing. It is a full-body Tenerife adventure built around waterfall jumps, rappels, slides, and scrambling, with a hard climb through volcanic rock on the way back. Guide Peter leads the small group, gives you the gear and safety briefing, and offers a rope option when a jump feels like too much.

I like two things here: you get real physical action rather than a tame tourist stop, and the group is limited to eight people, which gives the guide room to watch technique and nerves. The big drawback is just as clear: the hike and return climb are tough. You need to be fit, comfortable in water, and ready for heights.

Key points to know before booking

• The return route is a serious climb: Expect steep, rough ground and scrambling over volcanic rock, not a relaxed walk.
• You can choose your level of bravery: Jump from several heights, or use the rope to lower yourself when you are not ready to leap.
• The main slide is about 10 meters high: This is the kind of moment that produces a real adrenaline rush.
• Peter leads a small, safety-focused group: The maximum group size is eight, with English, Hungarian, and Spanish available.
• Natural pools provide the payoff: After the drops and slides, you cool off in fresh water and swim in canyon pools.
• Pack for a sports day: Bring swimwear, towel, food, water, sunscreen, sports shoes, and clothing suited to heavy exercise.

Los Carrizales is for people who want a real challenge

Many Tenerife activities ask you to admire the scenery from a road, boat, or easy trail. This one asks you to work for it. You move through the Los Carrizales canyon by jumping into pools, sliding over rock, rappelling down waterfalls, and climbing over rough ground.

The appeal is simple. You are not just looking at Tenerife’s volcanic terrain. You are using your hands, feet, balance, and nerve to get through it. The water adds relief, especially after the hot and strenuous sections, but it does not turn the day into a lazy swim.

I would treat the word canyoning seriously. You may be athletic and still find the day demanding. The people who got the most from it were ready for sustained exercise, heights, rope work, and a difficult route back to the starting point.

Meeting Peter beside the Berlingo

The meeting point is C. Carrizal Bajo, 9, where parking is available beside the road. Look for a Berlingo marked Vulcan Walkers. Peter is identified as wearing a neoprene suit, so the meeting should be straightforward once you reach the location.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You need to arrange your own transport to and from the meeting point, and you should arrive ready for a day outdoors rather than expecting a resort-style transfer service.

The group can include up to eight people. That limit matters on a technical activity. A guide working with a small group can give clearer instructions and keep a closer eye on how each person handles the ropes, jumps, and rough sections.

The first 30 minutes: gear, briefing, and honest expectations

The day begins with a safety briefing lasting about 30 minutes. You receive the canyoning equipment, get ready, and learn how the activity will work before heading toward the canyon.

This is the point to tell Peter if you are nervous about jumping or heights. The activity is designed to let you use a rope to get down instead of jumping from every height. That choice is important. Canyoning should push you, but you should not feel forced to take a drop that exceeds your comfort level.

The guide’s role is especially important here. Peter is repeatedly praised for patience, safety, and clear help with technique. One particularly useful detail is that he has set up rope options for people who did not want to jump. That makes the tour more suitable for a confident beginner than a format where every participant must leap.

Still, the rope does not remove the physical demands. You need to swim, handle wet rock, move through uneven ground, and remain alert for several hours.

Hiking into the canyon before the water begins

The approach to the canyon is part of the day, not a minor transfer. The activity description refers to a two-hour hike to the canyoning area, while the detailed timing lists longer hiking blocks, with a four-hour section and a two-hour return section around the safety briefing and break. Because those timings do not line up neatly with the stated six-hour duration, confirm the schedule when booking and allow plenty of time.

What is clear is that you hike before the main canyoning begins. This approach helps explain why the day feels more demanding than a short waterfall course. You are already exercising before the first major jump or rappel.

The route also gives you a more direct look at Tenerife’s rough volcanic terrain. The ground can require scrambling and careful footwork. Good sports shoes are essential, and sandals or casual footwear would be a poor choice.

The approach is a drawback if your main goal is time in the water. It is a plus if you want a serious outdoor outing rather than a quick activity inserted between beach hours.

Jumps, rappels, and the 10-meter slide

Once you reach the canyoning area, the day becomes more technical and more exciting. You can jump from several heights into pools, rappel down waterfalls, and slide along natural rock into the water.

The largest named feature is a slide from about 10 meters high. That is high enough to make the moment feel serious, especially when you are standing above the water and waiting for your turn. You get the wind, the speed, and the splash at the bottom, but you also need to follow the guide’s instructions closely.

The jumps are not all-or-nothing. You can use a rope to descend if you feel uncomfortable, which is one of the strongest features of this activity. I like that the tour allows you to face your fears without treating fear as failure.

You should still be comfortable around heights. The tour is not suitable for people with vertigo or a strong fear of heights, and the physical setting will put that fear to the test. If you already know that looking down from a waterfall would freeze you, choose a different Tenerife activity.

Freshwater pools are the day’s natural reset

The canyon’s pools give you a chance to cool down after the effort. You swim in fresh water and move through the canyon in a setting that feels far removed from Tenerife’s built-up resort areas.

This is where the activity earns its sense of place. The water is not simply a swimming-pool break added to an adventure course. It is part of the canyon’s route, and you reach it by working through the rock and waterfalls.

Bring swimwear and a towel. Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and enough drinking water also matter, especially during the hiking sections. Food and drinks are not included, so pack something to eat for the break.

There is no promise of a long relaxed lunch. Think of the break as a chance to eat, drink, and recover before the return route.

The way back is often the hardest part

The return is the detail you need to understand before paying. Several people found it more like climbing than hiking, with steep movement through volcanic rocks and a demanding ascent up and over the mountains.

This is not a flat walk back to the car. Your legs may already be tired from the jumps, swimming, rappelling, and approach hike. The climb asks you to keep using your hands and feet when you would rather sit down.

That difficulty is also part of what makes the day memorable. You do not simply finish the canyoning and get collected at the bottom. You must earn your way out. If you enjoy mountain challenges, the return can feel like a satisfying final test. If you want the water section without a hard exit, it may be the wrong choice.

Wear shoes with a secure grip, and do not arrive underfed or short of water. The supplied advice calls the activity suitable only for athletic people, and the return climb is the clearest reason why.

Peter’s guiding style and group size

Peter is the named guide, and the available languages are English, Hungarian, and Spanish. The guide team has also included Yuri on some outings, but Peter is the main contact described for this experience.

The strongest praise centers on safety and patience. Peter helps people with rope technique, gives alternatives when they do not want to jump, and keeps attention on the group. That is exactly what you want in a canyon where the challenge is physical and psychological at the same time.

A small group of up to eight keeps the pace more manageable than a large commercial outing. It should also mean less waiting around while people work through a rappel or jump, though the exact pace will depend on the group’s ability.

One useful extra reported by a customer is a video of the day provided at no charge. That may be available, but it is not listed as a guaranteed inclusion, so do not book solely on the expectation of receiving one.

What the $157 price gets you

At $157 per person, this is not a budget half-day attraction. The value comes from the specialist equipment, guide, canyon access, safety management, and the amount of activity packed into the day.

Your price includes the canyoning guide, all canyoning equipment, and liability and accident insurance. You are not paying only for a walk to a waterfall. You are paying for instruction and supervision during jumps, rappels, slides, and the return through difficult ground.

You still need to cover your own transport, food, and drinks. That is normal for an outdoor activity, but it affects the true cost. Add the price of getting to C. Carrizal Bajo, 9, plus a packed meal and personal supplies.

For someone who wants a major adventure and can handle the physical demands, the cost can be fair. For someone seeking a casual swim with a few easy jumps, it is poor value because much of the day is spent hiking and climbing.

Who should book this Tenerife canyoning tour?

I would recommend it to an athletic adult who wants a demanding day and is willing to leave the comfort zone. It suits you if you can swim, tolerate heights, follow rope instructions, and keep moving over uneven ground.

It is not suitable for children under 14, pregnant women, people with back problems, people with vertigo, non-swimmers, people over 65, or anyone weighing more than 243 pounds, or 110 kilograms.

Those limits are not minor fine print. The activity combines water, height, rope work, and a long approach or return route. If you have a medical concern, the supplied information does not offer a softer version, so choose conservatively.

I would also avoid scheduling it after another exhausting activity. The day is already six hours by the advertised duration, and the detailed timing suggests you may need to allow longer. Give your body time before and after.

What to pack for six hard hours outdoors

Pack lightly, but pack properly. Your useful list is:

• Swimwear and a towel
• Sports shoes with a secure fit
• Sports clothing
• Water and food
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat

You should not count on buying food or drinks during the activity. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and shoes are not allowed indoors, though the practical focus here is outdoor canyoning footwear.

Keep your water and food choices simple and easy to carry. You will be climbing, scrambling, and getting wet, so anything you bring should be secure and suitable for movement.

Booking flexibility and timing

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately, which is useful when your Tenerife plans are still shifting.

Check the available starting times before booking. The tour is described as six hours, but the detailed schedule includes a 30-minute briefing, a 30-minute break, and hiking blocks that appear longer than the advertised total. The sensible approach is to ask Vulcan Walkers to confirm the day’s actual timing.

This activity can sell out because the group is capped at eight. If you have a fixed departure date, book ahead rather than assuming you can find a place at the last minute.

Should you book Los Carrizales?

Book this tour if you want a proper physical adventure, not a light excursion. The combination of waterfalls, jumps, rappels, a 10-meter slide, freshwater pools, and a hard climb back gives you a full day with real effort and real rewards.

Skip it if you are a weak swimmer, uneasy with heights, carrying a back problem, or hoping for a relaxed canyon walk. The most important booking question is not whether you like adventure in theory. It is whether you are ready to keep climbing after the fun part is over.

For the right person, Los Carrizales offers one of Tenerife’s most active ways to meet the island’s volcanic terrain. Peter’s patient rope options make it less intimidating, but the tour remains demanding by design. Bring good shoes, food, water, and enough nerve to try something that will test you.

FAQ

How long does the Los Carrizales canyoning tour last?

The advertised duration is six hours. The detailed schedule includes a 30-minute safety briefing, a 30-minute break, and hiking sections, so you should confirm the exact timing and allow flexibility.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at C. Carrizal Bajo, 9. Parking is available beside the road. Look for a Berlingo marked Vulcan Walkers.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to arrange your own transportation to and from the meeting point.

What languages does the guide speak?

Guiding is available in English, Hungarian, and Spanish.

How large is the group?

The group is limited to eight participants.

Do I have to jump from every height?

No. You can use a rope to descend if you do not feel comfortable jumping.

Is food included?

No. Food and drinks are not included. Bring your own food and water for the day.

Who should not take this activity?

It is not suitable for children under 14, pregnant women, people with back problems, people afraid of heights, people with vertigo, non-swimmers, people over 65, or people over 243 pounds, or 110 kilograms.