The Gorropu canyon - Ring tour

Embark on a challenging hike through the Gorropu Canyon, often called Europe's deepest canyon, where towering limestone walls reach up to 500 meters high and narrow to just 5 meters wide in places. This difficult 7.8-mile (12.5 km) ring tour involves a significant 2905 feet (885 metres) of elevation gain, typically taking around 5 hours and 16 minutes to complete. You will navigate a rugged landscape with dramatic cliffs, ancient holm oaks, and juniper trees, often following the Rio Flumineddu river through forests filled with aromatic plants, and scrambling over boulders inside the gorge.

Planning your visit requires good fitness, sure-footedness, and sturdy shoes. While the overall difficulty is high, you can choose your access point; the route from Genna Silana Pass is popular, starting downhill but requiring a steep ascent on your return. Alternatively, the longer 14 km route from Sa Barva Bridge is generally considered easier. Inside the canyon, you will find marked green, yellow, and red routes, with the red route demanding specialized climbing gear and experience. Always bring at least 1.5 liters of water per person.

The Gorropu Canyon is a truly notable natural spectacle, renowned for its unique geological formation and micro-environment that supports diverse flora and fauna, including endemic species. The dramatic scale of its rock walls and the clear river make it a prime hiking destination in Sardinia. You can also find refreshing natural swimming pools along the Flumineddu river and spot ancient shepherd's huts, known as cuile, adding to the cultural and natural appeal of this extraordinary place.