Dropping into canyons since 1994
Deep Canyon, Wanaka, have been running trips since 1994, the first in the country to do so. Our guides are very experienced and easy to get on with, not to mention super-keen!
Our equipment and procedures are of the highest standard and our commitment to safety is absolute. This allows us to run maximum adventure/maximum fun trips in wild and fantastic situations. Our focus is strongly on personal satisfaction and good humour.
Deep Canyon Employment Application Form 2024-2025
Our guides are certified under the NZOIA* Canyon qualification framework [some guides may have further overseas based qualifications]. This is a New Zealand specific programme and Deep Canyon is actively involved in setting the standards for, and assessing on, the programme.
- Guide with us:
New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Associ
Meet our Guides
Jon Alzibar
Coming from the Basque Country and with the Pyrinees as a second home, Jon has more than 15 years working in adventure sports. Mountain guiding and canyoning are his passion and in the last 6 years working in these sports. Jon is a IFMGA (UIAGM) registered guide, he practices rock climbing, mountain biking, caving, skiing…a non stop soul.
Jon will be back for another season in NZ in Oct 24.
Andreas Gartner
Andy is a fully qualified guide and holds 2 canyon qualifications he works as a senior guide in Germany and Austria. Recently he has been scuba diving in remote Indonesia he is also a Padi Dive Instructor.
Andy joined us in Wanaka for the summer of 23-24 and we look forward to guiding with him again over the summer of 2024-25.
Dave Vass
Dave is the owner and has been since um, way back when it was the first and only canyoning company in NZ. Dave has tons of experience in ice, rock and mountain climbing, caving, river trips, rope access work, search and rescue and freediving. Oh and of course canyoning in which he is a pioneer of the NZ canyoning scene with lots of exploring and first descents. He was also an assessor and developer of the NZOIA canyon guides programme.
Dave broke his neck a while back while hiking and now doesn’t do any of that stuff. He does however keep an eye on things and holds the title in the company of Figurehead. A former member of the Otago Conservation Board, an advocate for recreational access to the great outdoors and has been busy writing a bunch of ripping yarns, check out his book “Not set in Stone”.
Ros Goulding
General Manager at Deep Canyon.
With a B. Com from Otago University and a background in business and guiding, along with a wealth of recreational mountaineering, skiing, hiking and sailing. Ros always looks forward to the challenges of managing Deep Canyon.