Kalymnos

Kalymnos is now well known to everybody who climbs a little because this pretty little Greek Island has an incredible amount of rock to offer. There is a high concentration of superb routes on only a few square kilometers and new ones are constantly being added. It is a great destination for both fanatic climbing trips and chilled family climbing holidays. There are not many places in Europe where in the morning you can climb in amazing caves full of tufas, in the afternoon sunbathe on beautiful beaches and in the evening have a drink and chat with other climbers in one of many cozy bars on the island. 

There are around 64 sectors bolted on the island, all of them on solid limestone. On some crags the rock is a little sharp and on others it is a little polished but there are so many climbs to choose from that it does not really bother anybody. With such a quantity of rock in Kalymnos you find all types of climbing styles from delicate slabs and vertical crimpy walls, pumpy climbs on big jugs to spectacular tufa climbing. Kalymnos tufa climbing is different from anywhere else for two reasons. First, on crags such as Grand Grota, the tufas are huge and everywhere you look. You have to literally find your way up through them holding onto them, stepping on them and squeezing in between them. Don't forget to get your knee bars and heel hooks right otherwise you won't get too far! Secondly, in Kalymnos you get to climb superb quality tufa lines not only in hard grades but also in the 6th and easy 7th grade. Most of the climbs are single pitches but there are also many 2 or 3 pitch stamina routes in sectors such as Panorama or Sikati cave. You might need to get used to a little strange friction though, as on all seaside crags there is usually more humidity in the air. 

There are a couple of villages on the island where climbers usually stay. The majority usually stay in Masouri or Armeos both of which are close to the most popular crags and offer accommodation ranging from hotels, budget hotels, Bed&Breakfasts to apartments for rent. There is no free camping allowed on the island though.

You can either fly to the nearby island of Kos which is serviced by low cost airlines and then take a ferry to Mastichari port or you can fly straight to Kalymnos airport which has a connection from Athens but the flights sometimes get canceled due to high winds.

The best time to visit is April through to May and then from October to November when the island is not as busy with tourists and also is a little cooler. The climate in Kalymnos is quite dry which makes it possible to climb throughout the whole year. Most of the crags are in the shade in the morning so if you get your timings right, you can always get decent climbing conditions. In the Summer it gets too hot for serious climbing though. In Winter you can climb in the afternoon as most of the crags are South facing but mind the rain because once the tufas get wet they take their time to dry out.