Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Kalymnos Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 33 ft | 10 m |
| GPS: |
36.9526, 26.979 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
|
| Page Views: | 806,541 total · 3,847/month | |
| Shared By: | Erik Olson on Jan 21, 2008 · Updates | |
| Admins: | Jason Halladay, Luke Bertelsen, Charles Yang, Loren P |
Description
Only the last person in your group should lower off the permanent carabiners to clean the route. Please top rope and lower off your own quickdraws after leading. The majority of routes in Kalymnos have a steel lowering carabiner for quick and easy cleaning however at popular crags but they can quickly become worn and sharp from people top roping directly off the fixed gear.
Updated May 2024
Kalymnos may be one of the greatest sport climbing areas in the world. With over 4,200 routes in the 2023 guide being mostly accessible with a short hike and/or scooter and great amenities you'll wonder why you've ever climbed anywhere else. Many of the routes feature tufas and are steep, but there is also an array of pockets, thin vertical climbing and LOTS of moderates on the lower angle grey limestone. There is something for everybody with grades from 5a to 9a (5.7 to 5.14d). With some exceptions, the bolting is generally close together and safe, with particular attention paid to the first three to avoid deck potential. The atmosphere is quite different here than other locales, the climbers tend to be a little older and tend to travel as couples as opposed to a place like Thailand.
For all the information you need to get to Kalymnos and have a great time, see the ClimbKalymnos.com FAQ.
Grades: Kalymnos had a reputation for 'vacation grades' for the most part although the recent guides did a nearly wholesale downgrade. Because of this, many of the grades painted on the rock will be higher than that of the guide. You'll note a substantial increase in difficulty on humid days or when the rock seeps a little, so be weary of your desire to downgrade any further, you may have just had good weather. As of the 2023 guidebook, here is the grade breakdown:
Up to 5.9: 882 routes
10a - 10d: 1485 routes
11a - 12a: 971 routes
12b and up: 878 routes
Wag-Bag use is very highly encouraged. If you've never been, you'll be disappointed greatly by all the poor jobs by past poopers below every wall. The soil is very hard and rocky so most people do not bury their waste hardly at all. Encourage your friends to bring wag-bags.
If you plan on making new climbing friends most people use Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger. For mobile data, it's probably cheapest to download an eSIM. There are many apps that allow you to get that done in about 10 minutes. Lastly, if the airline loses your luggage, it'll get flown to Kos, put on the ferry to Kalymnos, and you can pick it up at the Kalymnos port. You'll have to coordinate with the airline and ferry people.
Getting There
Updated Sept 2024.
Below is the website to see the ferry schedule related to option 1.
For the departure port, select: Mastichari, Kos. The other option (Kos (town), Kos) is 45 minutes from the airport and the ferry doesn't run as frequently.
For the arrival port: select: Kalymnos (town), Kalymnos
https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/#/
Option 1: The best way to get to Kalymnos is to fly to Kos (airport code KGS), taxi to the Mastihari port (10 minutes, 20 euros cash), then take a ferry (30-60 minutes, 8-10 euros per person, credit cards accepted) to Kalymnos. Occasionally, high winds cancel the ferry between Mastihari to Kalymnos. The ferry schedule can be accessed on ClimbKalymnos.com.
Slow ferry: anemferries.gr
Fast ferry: anekalymnou.gr
Another fast ferry: lafasi.gr
Option 2: The next best option is to fly to Athens, then fly directly to Kalymnos (1 hour flight, airport code JKL). Flights operate a 3 - 5 times a week, depending on the season, and can be cancelled due to high winds.
Option 3: You can also ferry from Piraeus, the main port in Athens to Kalymnos. This ferry takes 10-14 hours and runs year-round and can take cars.
Once you arrive in Kalymnos, you'll be in Pothia. Grab one of the many taxis waiting and pay about 20 euros to get to Massouri.
There is usually one late ferry to accommodate the last flight into Kos from Athens. If for whatever reason you miss it, there are plenty of hotels to grab in Mastahari that are walking distance from the ferry.
Creative options:
Take ferries between islands all the way from Athens. This will be more expensive and take a long time but you may enjoy several of the islands on the way in. Santorini or Crete would be well worth a stay.
You can also fly to Istanbul for some tourism then fly to Bodrum Turkey and take the ferry over to Kos (Kalymnos is much closer to Turkey than to mainland Greece).
Notes on the ferry:
When the weather is super windy, the ferry from Mastihari to Kalymnos gets canceled. If you're on Kos when that happens, take the bus from the airport to Kos town, and take the big ferry from Kos Town to Kalymnos. The boat is much bigger and runs even in windy weather.
If your flight is out of Kos before 9am, I would recommend going to Kos the day before. Yes there are early morning ferries that will get you to the airport in time but I've personally found it a less stressful experience to climb one last day, have a nice dinner, pack, and then head over to Kos for a quiet evening before continuing the adventure or heading home.
Food Beta
Updated May 2024
RESTAURAUNTS:
There's lot of options in Massouri, including vegan and vegetarian options. Most restaurants during the winter starting mid-November and start re-opening in late March/April.
WATER:
The tap water comes from ground wells and is salty so don't drink it. Fill up your water bottles for free at the various TEMAK stations. They are white rectangles with a red roof. There's on in the middle of Massouri and another one at the north end of town before the switchbacks back towards Pothia.
GROCERIES:
There are various mini markets scattered throughout Massouri. There is a big supermarket (closed on Sundays) in Panormos (heading back to Pothia on the right side) called AB. https://maps.app.goo.gl/zuj6RmMr9sUsTHtE6.
There's a lot of bakeries in Pothia for fresh bread and pastries.
Season
Updated May 2024
Peak season is Fall (specifically October), followed by Spring (April and May). The tufas can be seeping in February and March.
Climbing in the winter is also great because there are lots of options for sunny crags. However there are a few things to consider.
1. Lots of accommodations and restaurants in Massouri start closing around mid November and re-open late March/early April. The main grocery store (AB) is open year-round and some accommodations and restaurants remain open.
2. Ferries run between Kos and Kalymnos run less frequently and there are less flights to Kos.
3. It rains more slightly more December and January.
Climbing in the summer (July/August) is possible if you start early at 6am, bring lots of water, and hope for a breeze.
Guidebook
Updated May 2024
The Kalymnos Rock Climbing Guidebook by Aris Theodoropoulos climbkalymnos.com/guidebook/ is THE book to have for Kalymnos beta. The 2023 update includes over 4,200 routes. A portion of proceeds from the guidebook go towards route maintenance and new route development.
The cover of the book tends to get beat up in backpacks so we always keep it in a ziplock or grocery bag.
Gear Beta
2/3 of all accidents in Kalymnos involve lowering a climber off the end of the rope without a knot. Always ensure you have a knot at the end of your rope. Kalymnos has long rope stretching pitches, even with an 80m rope you'll feel like you need an oxygen mask to reach the high elevation of some anchors.
Updated May 2024
Rope
60m rope: This will give you access to many routes but you will be limited.
70m rope: This is highly recommended and gains you access to 80%-90% of routes. Many routes are rope stretchers even for a 70 and you may have to down climb from the first bolt occasionally.
80m rope: This will give you access to 99% of routes in Kalymnos and is the best rope length to bring.
100m rope: Telendos is now boasting routes requiring ropes of this length, and some on Kalymnos. Many big extensions will be easier with this.
Quickdraws
Routes are mostly closely bolted here. Rule of thumb is one quickdraw for every 2 meters. The guidebook recommends:
20m route: 10-12 draws
30m route: 15-17 draws
40m route: 20-22 draws
16 draws would be a minimum for one person. Bring a few slings and longer draws to get around tufa features and depressions that cause rope drag on these long routes.
A stick clip isn't necessary and most first bolts are close to the ground.
Leaver biners
Do not bail off of quick links. The environment permanently freezes quick links shut and they become difficult or impossible to remove. If you need to bail, use a carabiner.
Kneebar pads
This place is kneebar heaven. It's highly recommend to bring at least one kneepad if you're going to push your grade or be climbing above 5.11. Durable pants will be sufficient on many routes. The grades often assume you're taking the rests into account. On the stalactite routes you'll also want a shirt on as you'll get creative back rests, headlocks, chicken wings, threadthroughs, laydowns, rodeos etc.
Wrench
A double box-end 17mm x 19mm wrench is ideal to help local equippers with basic route maintenance.
Helmets
Overall, the rock quality in Kalymnos is really good but a helmet is never a bad idea. Goats on top of the cliffs can knock down rocks and tufas can break at anytime. Do not sit under people climbing, especially tufa routes. New routes and crags are constantly being added and helmets are highly recommended for newer crags.
Classic Climbing Routes at Kalymnos
Weather Averages
|
High
|
Low
|
|
Precip
|
Days w Precip
|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Photos
![An excellent Kalymnos overview map by [[10361]]](https://mountainproject.com/assets/photos/climb/124795779_smallMed_1692586534.jpg?cache=1692586556)
All Photos Within Kalymnos
Most Popular · Newest · RandomMore About Kalymnos
Printer-FriendlyWhat's New
Guidebooks (6)
30 Comments