Greece·October
KALYMNOS CLIMBING ISLAND
6 days climbing and exploring the limestone paradise of Kalymnos.
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Overview
Sun, sea, mouth-watering fresh food and quality limestone: this is what springs to mind when you hear 'climbing in Kalymnos'. Over the past couple of decades, this Mediterranean paradise has become a world-renowned sport climbing destination, and today you’ll find over 3,400 routes of all styles and grades interspersed with scintillating beaches and quaint traditional villages. Why not discover all of this yourself, and join us for 6 days of climbing (and chilling) on this beautiful island? You’ll be accompanied by a certified guide who will show you around some of the island’s best crags, and help you develop your climbing skills and techniques - no matter whether you’re a beginner or aspiring pro.
Local Partners
Meet our local partner in Kalymnos
Giovanni
Giovanni is a certified Alpine guide with a passion for travel and love of mountain sports of all varieties. He particularly enjoys discovering new walls and cliffs, especially in the Mediterranean marine areas where he grew up.
The Experience
6 days climbing in the limestone paradise of Kalymnos
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DAY 1
Arrive and Settle In
Arrive in Kalymnos, meet your guide and fellow Mapo Tapo travellers and settle into your accommodation. If you have some time to spare, why not take some time to visit one of the island’s stunning beaches?
DAY 2
First Climb
After an energising breakfast, it’s time to get climbing! For your first taste of Kalymnos climbing, we’ll head to Kastelli, a peaceful seaside crag boasting 4 sectors with incredibly varied climbing.
DAY 3
Aginonta and Chill
Now that you’ve started to find your feet a little, we’ll venture to Aginonta for some incredible climbing on red rock. This crag is home to a good variety of different climbing styles, and boasts many quality routes for beginner and intermediate climbers. After this, spend the evening as you prefer: head for a refreshing swim, or a beer in a local bar.
DAY 4
A trip to Telendos
It’s time for an adventure! Today we’ll head to climb on the nearby small island of Telendos, which boasts unforgettable views of Kalymnos. The island has seen quite a lot of route development over the past few years, so you’re sure to find something that suits your style.
DAY 5
Secret Garden and Grande Grotta
For our final climbing day, we’ll head to Secret Garden, a crag situated in a remote and wild area in the north of the island, boasting exceptional climbing on tufas and stalactites. In the afternoon, we’ll pay a visit to the iconic ‘Grande Grotta’ to finish your trip with a bang!
DAY 6
Departure
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The final day of the trip is reserved for you to pack and head home at your leisure.
The programme is very flexible to take into account weather conditions, activities level and endurance of the group.
Gallery
Kalymnos, Greece
Over 3,400 top quality routes, from delicate slabs to tufa-filled overhangs
If you’re a climber, then chances are that you’ve heard of Kalymnos. One of Greece’s Dodecanese Islands, Kalymnos boasts everything you’d expect to find in this area - sun, beautiful sea, friendly locals, delicious food, a relaxed atmosphere - with the added bonus of some incredible climbing! While the island’s climbing overwhelmingly consists of limestone sport routes, it’s far from monotonous: with over 3,400 routes to choose from, you’ll find anything from delicate slabs to the massive overhangs of Grande Grotta, crimps, tufas, stalactites, pockets… To top it all off, the routes are generally very well equipped and span a good range of grades: half of the island’s routes are below 6b, but you’ll also find over 700 routes 7b and up.
Basecamp
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Stefanos Climbing House - Apartments
Stefanos Gerakios apartments and studios is the ideal place for those who want to live the real Kalymnos island experience! The Stefanos's family will welcome them with open arms! They are located at 200m from the beach and next to restaurants, super markets, bus stops, cafeterias and bars! ...and most important thing they are very close to the best climbing sector in the island!
Stefanos Climbing House - Apartments
Stefanos Gerakios apartments and studios is the ideal place for those who want to live the real Kalymnos island experience! The Stefanos's family will welcome them with open arms! They are located at 200m from the beach and next to restaurants, super markets, bus stops, cafeterias and bars! ...and most important thing they are very close to the best climbing sector in the island!
Stefanos Climbing House - Apartments
Stefanos Gerakios apartments and studios is the ideal place for those who want to live the real Kalymnos island experience! The Stefanos's family will welcome them with open arms! They are located at 200m from the beach and next to restaurants, super markets, bus stops, cafeterias and bars! ...and most important thing they are very close to the best climbing sector in the island!
What's Included
What's Included
4 days of climbing
5 nights of accommodation
Equipment rental (no climbing shoes and chalkbag)
A certified alpine guide
What's Not Included
Flights
Climbing shoes and chalkbag
Transport (the group will rent a car on arrival - we can help organise this)
Anything not mentioned in the 'What's included section'
Meals and Snack
Transport from/to airport
More Info
Climbing Skills
No minimum level is required for this trip as you will be accompanied by a certified guide and Kalymnos boasts crags for all levels. All you need is a passion for the outdoors and adequate fitness to spend 4 days climbing.
Liability
Mapo Tapo selects crags and local partners with the utmost care. We can for any inaccuracies, however, accept no liability. Rock climbing is a risky sport that takes place in nature. Ultimately, you are fully responsible for the choices you make. Mapo Tapo recommends that anyone who does not have sufficient knowledge not to go outdoors alone.
Travel
Please DO NOT book your flights until this trip is confirmed. Most of our trips require a minimum number of participants to run. Wait for the status of the trip to be confirmed and for more information go to the "How it works" section
Blog Posts
Thu 16 Dec 2021 · Climbing Tips
Rock Climbing Packing List: What to Bring on a Mapo Tapo Climbing Trip?
A short guide to help you pack for your upcoming Mapo Tapo rock climbing trip.
Mon 29 Nov 2021 · Community
Mind the gender gap! How can we make the climbing community more inclusive
Tania Matsuka tells us about being one of the first female guides in Greece and her experiences of sexism in the climbing community.
FAQs
What level do I need to be climbing at to join this trip?
This trip is suitable for climbers of all levels as you will be accompanied by a certified guide. Since there are 4 days of rock climbing back-to-back a moderate level of fitness is recommended.
How will I get to the crags/ accommodation?
Transport is not included in this trip, so the group will need to rent a car or mopeds to get around. We can help organise this for you once the departure is confirmed.
The meeting point for this trip will be Kalymnos airport and then you will take a taxi to the accommodation to rent your car.
What is the maximum and minimum group size for this trip?
The minimum group size is 4, and maximum 6.
Where can you rent the car?
You can rent it directly from Stefanos, the host of the accommodation. It will cost approximately 30€/day/car --> 1 car can transport 4/5 people.
Dates
October 17 - 22 2023
FROM$1153/pp
April 25 - 30 2024
FROM$1153/pp
July 23 - 28 2024
FROM$1153/pp
August 23 - 28 2024
FROM$1153/pp
October 30 - November 4 2024
FROM$1153/pp