Empress Canyon: Unforgettable Full-Day Canyoning Thrill!

One of the most surreal experiences of my life. I was scared yet had so much fun! My wife and I did this back in December (late in posting the review) but an amazing experience from the word go. I would 100% recommend this to everyone who is in Sydney. It can be scary but put your trust in the more than capable guides. You will love it!

My Empress Canyon Abseiling and Canyoning adventure was truly epic!!! I was enthralled by the lush, stunning beauty of the canyon, and abseiling down the final waterfall was scary, heart-pounding fun! But I got a whole lot more! What I didn’t expect was to meet my soulmate on the tour who would turn my world upside down—in the best way possible. The tour itself was magical and so much fun! But what came next was even more magical. From our first big jump into the cold canyon water, I was captivated by her infectious smile – and I knew my fellow international adventurer was one-of-a-kind. She gleefully maneuvered through the canyon with a sparkle in her eye, and it was love at first sight! We started chatting as we scrambled, waded, and jumped through the canyon, and then...never stopped. Daily texts turned into deep conversations. International adventures. Shared dreams. She has transformed my life. Since that day, we’ve hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, climbed snowy mountains in Japan, paddled rivers in Hokkaido, and adventured through the canyons of the American Southwest. From our first exhilarating hours in the Empress Falls Canyon, we embarked on the adventure of a lifetime—an international romance that reignited my spirit and reminded me what it feels like to be truly alive. High and Wild Mountain Adventures, thank you for not only a thrilling day —but for opening a doorway to meet my soulmate and a whole new life of love and shared adventure.

I am so glad I did this! It was truly an amazing time! The staff was great. It was a little tricky to find, and when I went into the building, the door was closed (they were getting things ready), but aside from that, no issues once so ever. They were safe but funny. The staff has a good time with each other, so you know they enjoy what they do, but who wouldn’t. The canyon was beautiful. I was so bummed about the battery in my go pro dying. I haven’t looked at the footage, so I hope I was able to catch some of the beauty. Luckily, others had phones, so I can share the experience visually with people. I am a little bruised up, but I’m not the most graceful person. You have to try this if you like an adventure!

Epic day! What a great way to experience a stunning part of the Blue Mountains. Our guides were great and made you feel really comfortable in the situation. An epic finish by getting to abseil down Empress Falls. Incredible experience!

I was looking for an adventure that was outside my comfort zone, but within my limits (no previous abseiling/canyoning experience) to celebrate my birthday. High and Wild were brilliant from the start. I had some questions regarding the abseiling (due to a previous injury); and they were able to discuss what the day involved in more depth (so I could decide if it was doable for me prior to booking). Our guides, Ben and Kate, were absolutely brilliant: fun, knowledgeable, and safe (I saw a couple of things throughout the day with other abseilers that made me very glad I'd chosen High and Wild!). They also seemed to instinctively know what was needed when I had a bit of a moment on the edge of the waterfall; and they got me into "the zone" by giving me some very calm guidance on where to put my feet for the first part (which was technically the most difficult, and shows they know this waterfall like the back of their hands!). Learning to abseil was fun, the canyon was gorgeous, and the waterfall (while a little tricky for me!) was an exhilarating challenge. I was also lucky to have an amazing group of people to share the adventure with.

I had a great time doing the Empress Canyon abseiling and canyoning full day tour with High and Wild. Zol was a great tour guide. He made us feel safe and comfortable and was patient with anyone who was nervous. I booked the tour alone and made great friends on the trip as well. I highly suggest booking an adventure with High and Wild!

What a blast! Abseiling was unreal, with the gorgeous views making this experience a real highlight. Lunch was delicious and canyoning was insane. We all had so much fun climbing the rocks, jumping into the springs and ofcourse abseiling the breathtaking 30m waterfall!!

It was my 18yr old daughter's first experience canyoning and she couldn't have been in better hands! The two guides were very professional and at the same time made it a fun day. Empress Canyon was absolutely beautiful and is part of the Blue Mountains that remains hidden unless you are shown. It was great because she wanted to learn how to abseil which a half day instruction was part of the package. I can totally recommend High and Wild mountain adventures to anyone wanting to experience this wonderful place.

Everything about this was so much fun. I 100% think everyone thinking to do it should do. The guides Ben and Zol were fantastic and brought their knowledge and experience. If you’re thinking about it, do it!

12/10 experience. We had Brian and Zol as our tour guides, and they were fantastic. As a first time canyaneer, I was a little slow to throw myself over the canyon voluntarily, but Brian eased me through it. The views, walk through the rain forest leading up to the waterfall and food were wonderful. One of my favorite days in Australia so far! From someone who loves the outdoors, this is the perfect tour to see what the blue mountains are made of.