Allgäu: Starzlachklamm Canyoneering Adventure

The best part of this Starzlach Gorge canyoning tour is the variety. In about two and a half hours inside the gorge, you rappel through a waterfall, scramble over rock, jump into pools, and finish on an 18-meter water slide. It is a proper active outing, not a quick roadside attraction.

I like the careful introduction to the gear and the certified guide-led format, especially if this is your first canyoning trip. I also like that photos are included, so you can focus on the route instead of guarding your phone. The catch is simple: you need to swim, handle jumps of up to 4 meters, and arrange your own drive from the meeting point to the gorge.

Key points at a glance

• Rappel through a waterfall: You may abseil from heights of up to 12 meters as water thunders around you.
• An 18-meter natural water slide: The tour finishes with its biggest sliding feature.
• Beginner-friendly instruction: Your guide explains the equipment and techniques before the action begins.
• A 20-minute approach walk: You climb to the gorge’s starting point before the safety briefing.
• Two and a half hours in the gorge: The main route mixes jumps, climbing, narrow passages, rappels, and slides.
• English or German guidance: The tour is led by a state-certified canyoneering guide.

What makes Starzlach Gorge worth your time

Starzlach Gorge, or Starzlachklamm, gives you a compact setting for several canyoning skills in one outing. You are not simply walking beside a stream and stopping for a single jump. The route asks you to move in different ways, sometimes under your own power and sometimes with ropes or water doing the work.

That variety is useful for beginners. You get a chance to learn how the equipment feels before the more demanding sections arrive. Instead of spending the whole tour repeating one move, you can try abseiling, scrambling, jumping, and sliding in the same half-day.

The scenery is also part of the appeal, though this is not a sightseeing walk. The gorge is shaped by running water, and the main attraction is being inside that moving environment. You should expect wet rock, rushing water, and close passageways rather than broad viewpoints or a relaxed nature trail.

The overall schedule is four hours, with roughly 30 minutes set aside for the safety briefing and about two and a half hours for the guided canyon section. The remaining time covers meeting up, preparing, and reaching the start of the route. That makes this easy to fit into a day in the Allgäu, provided you leave enough room for changing afterward.

Meeting at Im Wasen 16 in Blaichbach

Your day begins at Canyoning Station Allgäu, Im Wasen 16, in Blaichbach. This is both the starting and finishing point, so you return to the same place at the end.

The guide first introduces the equipment and explains how it will be used. That matters because canyoning gear is not just something you put on and forget. You need to understand the basic movements before you reach the gorge, especially if you have never used abseiling equipment.

The guide speaks German or English, so you can receive the instructions in either language. Since the tour includes jumps, ropes, and movement over wet rock, make sure you understand the safety directions before starting. Ask questions early if a technique is unclear.

One important practical point is transportation. The tour does not include hotel pickup, and you need your own vehicle to travel from the Blaichbach meeting point to the Starzlach Gorge. The information provided does not specify the exact driving time, so plan that transfer before the tour day rather than assuming the gorge starts beside the station.

The 20-minute climb to the canyon entrance

Once you reach the Starzlach Gorge area, the route begins with a 20-minute climb to the starting point. This approach is part of the physical challenge, even though it is not yet the canyoning itself.

Wear clothing and footwear suitable for getting wet and moving over uneven ground. The official preparation advice is to bring beachwear and a change of clothes. The dry change of clothes is especially useful at the end, since you will spend much of the main route in and around water.

The climb also gives you a useful transition from ordinary sightseeing to the activity ahead. You are not stepping straight out of a car and into a waterfall. You walk to the route, prepare with the guide, and then receive a detailed safety briefing before entering the main sections.

A 30-minute safety briefing that earns its place

The safety briefing lasts about 30 minutes. For a first canyoning outing, this is time well spent rather than a delay.

You learn about the equipment, the techniques, and the actions required for the different obstacles. Rappelling through a waterfall is very different from jumping into a pool, and both differ from sliding down a long chute. The guide’s role is to help you understand those changes before you face them.

The equipment is included in the price, along with the services of a state-certified canyoneering guide. You do not need to arrange your own canyoning kit. Still, included gear does not remove the need for personal preparation. Bring the required clothing, arrive ready to listen, and be honest about your swimming ability and comfort with heights.

The tour is not suitable for non-swimmers, children under 14, or pregnant women. Those limits are important. Even if you are fit, canyoning involves water, heights, and physical movement, so this is not the right choice for someone who cannot swim or who needs a gentler outdoor activity.

Two and a half hours of rappels, jumps, and rock

The main guided route lasts about 2 hours and 30 minutes. You work through the gorge with the guide, using a mix of rope work and natural features.

One of the clearest highlights is the rappel through a waterfall. The maximum abseiling height is about 12 meters. That is high enough to feel serious, but the guide-led setup gives you instruction before you commit to the descent. Expect the water and the height to make this section more memorable than a dry climbing-wall rappel.

The route also includes jumps from heights of up to 4 meters. The wording matters here: up to 4 meters means the route contains a range of heights, not that every jump reaches the maximum. You should still be comfortable with the idea of jumping into water and following the guide’s instructions about where and how to land.

Between the bigger moments, you scramble through narrow passages and climb over sections of the gorge. These parts help break up the adrenaline. They also require attention, since wet rock and tight spaces can make simple movements feel more demanding than they would on dry ground.

The tour ends with an 18-meter water slide, the longest single feature listed for the route. It gives the outing a clear finish and adds a playful note after the rappelling and jumps. If you prefer an activity with a memorable final challenge, this helps the tour feel complete rather than simply ending after the last obstacle.

What the photos add to the outing

Tour photos are included. That is a practical advantage, not just a nice extra.

Canyoning makes photography awkward. Your hands may be occupied with ropes or bracing against rock, and bringing a personal phone into a wet gorge is a poor risk. With the guide handling photos, you can pay attention to the route and still have a record of the waterfall rappel, jumps, or slide.

The available information does not specify how many photos you receive or how they are delivered. Treat the photo package as a bonus rather than the main reason to book. The real value remains the guided access, instruction, equipment, and time inside the gorge.

Is $124 a fair price?

At $124 per person, this is not a low-cost walk or a simple equipment rental. It is a guided, half-day technical outdoor activity with the canyoning gear, a certified guide, and photos included.

I think the value is strongest for a first-time participant. You are paying for instruction, route leadership, safety management, and access to an activity that would be difficult to arrange independently. The guide also helps you move through several types of obstacles without having to organize ropes, equipment, or a suitable route yourself.

For an experienced canyoneer who already owns equipment and knows the Starzlach Gorge, the price may feel less attractive. You would be paying mainly for guided organization and the included photos. The tour is better suited to someone who wants a structured introduction or a straightforward way to try this section of the Allgäu.

The four-hour duration also helps the price make sense. This is not a 45-minute taster. The main canyon section takes about two and a half hours, with the briefing and approach adding useful preparation time.

Planning your clothing and after-tour comfort

Bring beachwear and a full change of clothes. You should assume that the canyoning portion will leave you wet.

The change of clothes matters because the activity ends back at the station, where drinks are available for purchase. Food and drinks are not included during the tour, so do not expect a supplied meal or refreshment stop. Arrange anything you need before or after the activity.

Alcohol and drugs are not allowed. That is especially important for a route involving water, ropes, jumps, and uneven rock. Arrive ready for physical activity and follow the guide’s directions throughout.

The booking terms allow free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which is useful when your Allgäu plans depend on weather or changing transport arrangements. The provided information does not state a specific weather policy, so check the current conditions and operator instructions before setting out.

Who should book this canyoning tour?

I would point this tour toward active visitors aged 14 and older who can swim and want more than a passive gorge walk. It suits you especially well if you are new to canyoning but comfortable trying controlled jumps, water slides, and a rappel under instruction.

It is also a good fit for a small group of friends or family members with similar energy levels. The range of obstacles means everyone gets several types of challenge, though nobody should feel pressured to pretend that heights or jumps are comfortable.

I would not choose it for someone seeking a quiet nature outing, someone who dislikes getting wet, or anyone who wants to stay on dry ground. Non-swimmers should not book, and pregnant women and children under 14 are specifically excluded.

Because the group size is not provided, you should not assume a private tour or a very small group. If that matters to you, ask the provider before booking.

The practical verdict

I like this tour because it gives you a real canyoning sampler in a manageable four-hour format. The waterfall rappel, 4-meter jumps, narrow passages, and 18-meter slide create a varied route, while the briefing and certified guide make it approachable for beginners.

The main drawbacks are the need for your own transportation, the physical demands, and the fact that the price is high for anyone who already has canyoning skills and equipment. You also need to bring a change of clothes and accept that this is a wet, active outing from start to finish.

Book it if you can swim, are at least 14, and want a guided introduction to canyoning in the Allgäu. Skip it if you prefer dry sightseeing or cannot comfortably manage water and heights. For the right person, the combination of instruction, equipment, photos, and a long route through Starzlach Gorge makes the $124 worthwhile.

FAQ

Where does the Starzlach Gorge canyoning tour start?

The tour starts at Canyoning Station Allgäu, Im Wasen 16, in Blaichbach. The activity also ends back at this meeting point.

Do I need my own transportation?

Yes. You need your own transportation from the meeting point to the starting area at Starzlach Gorge. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

How long does the activity last?

The full activity lasts about four hours. The safety briefing takes approximately 30 minutes, and the guided canyon section lasts about two and a half hours.

How high are the rappels and jumps?

The tour includes abseiling from heights of up to 12 meters and jumps from heights of up to 4 meters. It also includes an 18-meter water slide.

Can non-swimmers join?

No. The tour is not suitable for non-swimmers. It is also not suitable for children under 14 or pregnant women.

What should I bring?

Bring beachwear and a change of clothes. Drinks are available for purchase after the tour, but food and drinks are not included.