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Packrafting and Kayaking in Gronda and Sorba

The best photogenic jumps and slides of the Govin Kayak Valsesia Tour 2025.

By Packrafting.cat

July 2^nd, 2025

Val Sesia

This article is part of a series about our kayaking trip to the Val Sesia Valley in the Piedmont region of the Italian Alps.

💣 Welcome to the mess: kayaking and packraft on the Gronda and the Sorba 💥

We're not here to float, we're here to make a mess. The Gronda and Sorba rivers in Valsesia, it is true that they are for those who are looking for postcards and selfies perfect for Instagram, pure postureo 😉. But it is also true that if you get into the white waters that cross the beautiful village of Rassa, the posturing becomes more serious, these rivers are pure nerve, pure attitude, pure liquid party 😉.

The Gronda bites you, the Sorba spits at you. And us? We dive in head first 😈. Because if there's no splashing, capsizing, swimming and laughter, what's the point?

Between kayaks, a hanging packraft and friends who are just as crazy, we had one of those days that leave you with stiffness from so much paddling and shooting the camera 🤘🔥. Here there are no guides with ties or routes for tourists: this is live water, adrenaline and rock'n'roll to the max.

This river is a wild jewel, but not the kind you hang around your neck. Here the scenery blows your mind: brutal mountains, dreamy villages, crystal clear water and an environment that screams "come and play, but no hot pants!" The slides and jumps are not there for you to look at - they are there for you to attack without thinking. Nothing here leaves you indifferent. Either you fall in love or you get scared. And we, you know... we choose to fall in love screaming. 💀🤘

Packrafting and Kayaking in Gronda and Sorba

Are you going up or are you falling down? 🚀

Many of the videos and photos, especially the higher quality ones 😉, are from fellow travellers:

Alvaro la Fuente: I recommend you to read his post about the Kayak trip to Val Sesia in the blog alpinismolafuente.blogspot.com
Andoni Put: I recommend you his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@andoniput2349
Jeroen Belis: I recommend his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7jyAuCHSj0WMA60GbCCKQ/videos

With whom to go to Val Sesia?

With the Govin Kayak school and Fredy(Alfredo Burcio Rodriguez), of course!

Valsesia is a small heart of Italy full of rivers flowing by ramps and jumps that we will know in this trip through the classic rivers of one of the most mythical areas for kayaking in Europe, the so called VALSESIA KAYAK TOUR. You can find these and other whitewater kayaking trips on the Govin Kayak Whitewater Kayaking Trips website.

If you're thinking of an adventurous getaway in the heart of nature, surrounded by imposing mountains, crystal clear rivers and pure adrenaline... look no further: Val Sesia, in the Italian Piedmont, is your destination. And if you want to live this experience to the fullest, there is a name you should know: Govin Kayak. And more specifically, Fredy.

Why Val Sesia?

Because Val Sesia is simply Europe's kayaking paradise. If you like powerful rivers, breathtaking landscapes and the feeling of being alive in every rapid, this is the place for you. The Sesia, the Sermenza, the Egua, the Sorba... you don't come here to take a walk, you come here to really play, whether you're just starting out or you're already fearlessly taking on classes IV and V.

But beware, it is not enough to have the perfect river. To get the most out of it, you need to be surrounded by the right people.

Govin Kayak: much more than a school

Govin Kayak is not just a school, it is a tribe, a family. A family of river enthusiasts who welcome you with open arms, teach you, look after you and, above all, pass on their passion. From the first message you notice that everything flows here: the organisation is top-notch, the equipment is impeccable and the atmosphere... well, you live it, you don't count it.

Fredy: pure essence of the river

And here Fredy appears. Instructor, guide, colleague, total machine. Fredy not only knows every rock and every stream as if he had carved them himself, but he also has the magic to make you feel at your best. With him you not only learn: you grow, you let go, you laugh and you eat your fears with potatoes.

His approach is a brutal mix of patience, humour and pure passion for the river. It doesn't matter if you're just starting out or if you're already going for class IV and V waters: Fredy knows how to take you a little further, without pressure, but with all the flow.

Put in

It is accessed from the car park at the entrance of the village, walking, you can do scouting of the entire section of the river Gronda and choose which section to do, in our case we entered one of the first pools of the straight arrival to the village just before the bridge and the characteristic wooden house with floral decorations.

The official embarkation according to the usual apps (rivermap, white water guide, riverApp, eaux vives, etc) is a little further upstream but as I haven't done this section I can't give much information.

So we went to Gronda and Sorba to take postureo photos of the most important waterfalls and slides 😉. Pure postureo!

Take out

The disembarkation point in our case was near the first car park at the exit of the village.

The most important points are:

Km 0 Embarkation: from the road on the right bank of the river Gronda, near the Oratory of St. Anthony of Padova, you jump over the guardrail and enter one of the pools.
50 metres: first jump with a small slope
Km 0.1: Jump of the Roman bridge, where you are sure to have spectators. On the right bank after the bridge is the wooden house with the characteristic floral decorations.
170 metres: confluence with the river Sorba. We enter a long straight stretch of rapids before the Sorba slides. We are navigating through the village of Rassa.
km 0.2: first slide of the Sorba River
250 metres: second bridge
Km 0.3: Zone of rapids between slides.
Km 0.4: Second slide.
Km 0.5: Third bridge
550 metres: Third slide.
Km 0.6: landing

Sections

With the following screenshots I will try to explain you the sections of the Gronda and Sorba rivers that we did. As you probably already know, the village of Rassa is located at the confluence of the Gronda and Sorba torrents. The car park at the entrance of the village is next to the confluence of the two rivers. This is the place to park and from here you can go up the Gronda river torrent. Depending on the water and your desire to walk, you can do the upper section or, as we did, start at one of the pools before the bridge.

In other words, in a single descent we make the short but intense final stretch of the Gronda River, and we join the current of the Sorba River, boosted by the waters of the Gronda, to make the famous Sorba Slides that are in the first part of the Sorba River.

The last car park on the way out of the village in the direction of the Sesia Valley was our disembarkation point.

First jump

Romanesque bridge at Rassa

The Rassa bridge is one of the best known and most frequented passes in Val Sesia, located just before its confluence with the river Sorba. This point is particularly recognisable by the presence of a traditional wooden house with balconies decorated with flowers, which makes it a very photogenic spot for kayaking and packraft activities.

The boof should be made just before the edge, with a firm paddle to ensure the correct elevation of the nose of the kayak or packraft and guarantee a stable landing.

The ideal line is close to the left bank of the river, trying to avoid landing on the rockier area of the right bank.

In the image on the right you can see Andoni Put elegantly overcoming this jump.

As you can see from the number of photos, it is an ideal place to take pictures of book kayak jumps, with a postcard landscape in the background with the houses of the pretty village of Rassa.

The jump seen from the bridge.

My favourite photo form Alvaro la Fuente

Sorba Slides. The natural slides for kayakers in Valsesia

If there's one place where kayaking becomes pure play, it's Sorba Slides in Valsesia, Italy. Imagine a skatepark, but on water: polished rock ramps, smooth drops and boofs everywhere. It's fast, fluid and super fun.

Perfect for those who already have some experience (class IV level), it's all about sliding, jumping and smiling. The lines are intuitive, but be careful: it's best to go with someone who knows the terrain, especially if it's your first time. You can also consult the video section below with a video tutorial on how to overcome each slide.

👉 It's best to go in spring, when the thaw gives the perfect flow. And if you can, come to the Valsesia River Festival: it's the perfect excuse to go down the slides over and over again in an amazing atmosphere.

In short: adrenaline, fresh water and a lot of flow. A place to repeat! 💦🚣♂️

First slide

Es el slide más ancho, justo después del puente, hay diferentes líneas, os recomiendo mirar el vídeo de Youtube de más abajo.

The first slide of the Sorba River is the widest of the Sorba Slides series. It is characterised by a continuous slide on a well-polished rock slab, which offers a fast, fluid and very visual descent.

The recommended entry is from the left bank, where the flow is more stable and allows a controlled approach. From this point, it is important to maintain speed and progressively steer the boat towards the opposite bank (right) to make the most of the natural water line and avoid areas of possible retention or lateral eddies.

This slide is ideal for practising trajectory control on fast slopes and for gaining confidence in the dynamic reading of the river. Although it looks friendly, it is essential not to relax: a bad entry or angle error can quickly destabilise the boat.

In short, the third slide of the Sorba is a very enjoyable section, with plenty of room for correction, room to play and perfect both for first descents and for those looking to fine-tune technique on slopes of this type.

As an extra point, there is an ideal viewpoint of this slide where you can take some spectacular aerial images.

Second slide

Seguido del primer tobogan, sin mucho tiempo para recuperarse hay un pequeño desnivel que hay que boofear.

Third slide

The third slide of the Sorba River is the widest of the Sorba Slides series. It is characterised by a continuous slide on a well-polished rock slab, which offers a fast, fluid and very visual descent.

As an extra point, there is an ideal viewpoint of this slide where you can take some spectacular aerial images.

View from above the road of the slide section.

Webcam

Check the website located in the area to see the live flow: https://tebgroup.eu/cam/tebrassa02.jpg

More photos

Google my map

Kayak y Packrafting en los ríos Sorba y Gronda.

Mapa Wikiloc

Packrafting y kayak en los ríos Gronda y Sorba. Sorba Slides

How to kayak Sorba Slides

The location of the village of Rassa, in the district of Vercelli, at the confluence of the rivers Gronda and Sorba is a very remarkable enclave. These two rivers join forces at this point and flow into the Sesia river, joining the group of whitewater wonders that can be found in this area of the Italian Piedmont.

After so much canoeing on the river, you need a place where your heart can keep pumping without your chest exploding. And that's where Rassa appears, a little village that looks like something out of a postcard... but with attitude.

Stone streets, wooden houses and Romanesque bridges - all surrounded by mountains that embrace you tightly, as if to say "you can't leave here without falling in love". And the fact is that Rassa is not only beautiful, it is one of those places that catches you, that smells of wood, of a village.

So you know: Rassa is small, but it has a giant soul. Perfect for getting lost, for finding yourself again and, above all, for planning the next adventure with your hands still wet.

See you at the river!

The river is a living environment, changing and subject to permanent development. The publishers of the river sketches and the creators of this website cannot be held liable in any case of inaccuracy, omission or error in the river sketches. The topos editors and website creators disclaim all liability in case of any accident that may occur on the rivers described in this guide.