Mahabs Bouldering

Mahabalipuram (aka Mamallapuram), or Mahabs, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site south of Chennai. The town is close to two thousand years old, and gained prominence in the 7th and 8th centuries when it became a major port city for the Pallava kingdom. Several monolithic temples and monuments, cut out of giant granite boulders are still in pretty good shape today, more than 13 centuries later.

The area is the primary bouldering destination for climbers from Chennai. Dozens of problems have been established in just the last couple of years here. The rock can be sharp, and climbing usually involves technical moves on crimpers and slopers. Most climbing happens from 6 am until about 10 am, after which it's usually too warm to climb. Best months to climb are December (once the rains have passed) to February.

The bouldering is in close vicinity to protected historical monuments, so please keep a low profile, minimize your impact, and take out your trash and anything else you brought in. There is absolutely no drilling or roped climbing permitted in the area at this time.