Anyone for canyoning?

Kibris Canyon

Kibris Canyon: First choice for canyoning in the Kalkan / Kas region.

Beginning at the beginning!

Waterfall abseil, Kibris Canyon

Two large spurs of the western Taurus Mountains, Akdaglar and Beydaglar, which form a sort of slanting letter ‘V’ across the Tekke Peninsular, converge in a magnificent mountainous area near Sutlegen on the road to Elmali some eighty kilometers north of Kas.  Pine forests cover the precipitous mountain sides, while apple orchards, almond, walnut and fruit trees of all varieties grow in abundance on the gentler slopes.

Geologists tell us that some 200 million years ago this mountainous region was nothing more than sediment at the bottom of a primeval sea known as Tethys. Then, for 150 million years or so, as these layers of marine sediment built up, they shifted northwards from continent of Africa eventually coming up against the Anatolian landmass. From this point on, and for another 50 million years, the movement was upwards, creating in the process the Taurus Mountain range of southern Turkey.

All of which is to say that this is limestone country – mixed in with bits of the earth’s crust from the ocean bed, known as ophiolites. And limestone, as we all know, is subject to the erosion of ice and rain which, over time, creates great fissures, canyons, gorges, ravines, along with potholes and underground streams.

And so here we are, just off the Kas – Elmali road  (36”28’14.80” N; 29”38’21.10” E) at the start of a magnificent example of natural sculpture, 200 million years in the making, known as Kibris Canyon.

Professionally guided excursions:

Guided canyoning adventure

There are some very experienced adventure sport specialists operating from Kas. All that is required of you is a reasonable level of fitness, moderate swimming abilities and a certain spirit of adventure. The tours are well organised; preliminary instruction is given, wet suits, helmets and climbing gear are provided. At each abseil point a guide will ensure that you are roped in correctly, and in places where there is the option to jump you can always choose not to and instead slide down a rope suspended from a pulley system.

Best time of year for canyoning:

June, July and August are the prime canyoning months as rainfall is virtually non-existent during this period, so flash floods or heightened water levels are not a problem.  Additionally, on days when it is excessively hot down on the coast there’s nothing better than spending time jumping into pools of icy cold water, abseiling down waterfalls and generally splashing and swimming one’s way down a mountain stream.

Most years, adventure companies in Kas take parties through the canyon starting in late May when water levels are higher than in mid-summer and when temperatures are distinctly colder as a result of the recent snow melt in the mountains. However, this varies from year to year. Some years, after a very wet winter, the canyon isn’t negotiable till mid-summer, as the water levels are too high. September is also an option, though by now the weather patterns are beginning to change and early rains are a possibility. Provided one monitors the weather carefully and takes a cautious approach, the route can be done at this time and, in fact, adventure companies do offer trips, given the right conditions, at this time.

Time required for the first section of the canyon:

The upper part of the canyon, from the road to the wooden bridge exit, takes approximately three and a half hours.

Skills required:

Unless you are going in a party led by experienced and qualified guides, you will need to be an experienced rock climber or at any rate have experienced climbers in your group. It’s a good fun route with slides and jumps, but there are quite a few abseil descents so you certainly have to know what you are doing. However, technically it is not that difficult and beginners can do it, but obviously the party will need to include experienced climbers to handle rope management and guidance on abseiling technique. Once again, I should add that conditions vary and the greater the flow of water the greater the level of difficulty. Never forget that while being great fun, canyoning is always a ’serious’ business requiring experience, skill and good judgement.

Equipment and kit:

The water in the canyon is cold, even at the height of summer when the temperature down in Kas is over 40 C, so you’ll need a wet suit. However, you’re never in the water or shade for too long, so a light-weight one is best. Then you’ll need a pair of trainers for footwear and ideally a small rucksack with a dry bag inside to carry snacks and a change of dry clothing.

Cold water flows through the canyon throughout the year.

Climbers planning on doing the route independently will do well to consult one of the adventure companies in Kas for advice on what equipment to take. From my recollection, the longest abseil was around 40 metres. However, it’s advisable to talk to an experienced guide to get a precise figure. As regards abseil anchor points, the route is very well bolted as this is a popular route with adventure tour companies who maintain it throughout the season. That said, you will need to check on this first as heavy rains in winter can alter the shape of the canyon in places with bolts being sheared off in the process.

In any case, as experienced climbers you will no doubt know best what to take in terms of climbing equipment. Suffice it to say, that when I did the route in September, with four of us in the group, we carried two 60m lengths of static rope and another 30m climbing rope, plus jumars and slings. As already mentioned, the bolts were in excellent condition so there was never a need to set up one’s own anchors or use the slings.

All in all it’s a great trip with lots of variety along the way, from dappled shade in leafy glades in the open sections to tortuous narrow ravines with towering walls, and at one point a long abseil down what looks like a tunnel. This particular drop is actually made up of two separate abseils, though tour companies give the option of being lowered down the whole length of the tunnel on a pulley system.

The bridge exit, some three and a half hours from the start, is a scramble up a steep slope on the left just before the bridge which leads to a short traverse along an exposed bit of path.

Gallery

A collection of photos taken in Kibris Canyon, near Sutlegen, half way between Kas and Elmale, southern Turkey:

Map

Here’s the route from Kas to the start of Kibris Canyon.

You can use your mouse to explore the website map or click on the link below it to see the full Google Maps version.

View Kas to Kibris Canyon in a larger map