Canyoning in October

Samaria Gorge is the reason to come — a 16km descent through a 300m-deep limestone canyon, ending at the Libyan Sea village of Agia Roumeli. It is one of Europe's most dramatic gorge walks, and the combination of the White Mountains backdrop, the final swim in the Libyan Sea, and the ferry return to Chora Sfakion makes it a complete day experience. Imbros Gorge (8km, open year-round) is the lower-key alternative for shorter time windows or off-season visits. Neither route requires technical climbing — both are accessible with standard hiking fitness and appropriate footwear.

The Blue Mountains' sandstone plateau, 1.5 hours west of Sydney, is cut by narrow slot canyons that are genuinely world-class — dark, claustrophobic passages barely wide enough to squeeze through, with filtered light coming from 30m above. Claustral Canyon is the most celebrated: a full-day technical descent involving abseils, swims, and a subterranean section where the only light is what you bring. Empress Canyon and Grand Canyon (the accessible version) offer shorter routes. These canyons are a well-kept Australian secret — you can do a serious canyon experience as a day trip from one of the world's great cities.

Wadi Mujib is a categorically different experience from European technical canyoning — a wade-and-swim descent through a narrow basalt gorge, where the Mujib River drops 900 metres to the Dead Sea over 70km. The RSCN (Royal Society for Conservation of Nature) manages access as part of the Wadi Mujib Biosphere Reserve, keeping numbers controlled and the experience genuine. The Siq Trail (the main route) involves boulder-hopping, swimming through slots barely wide enough for a person, and following rope lines through waterfall drops — ending at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. No abseiling or technical gear required; swimming ability and a tolerance for cold water are all you need.