Join a group of alumni, family, and friends on NOLS first trip to the Greek island of Kalymnos for 8 days of spectacular climbing on some of the world’s best limestone.
This craggy island in Greece’s Aegean sea is populated with beautiful cliffs and caves that boast thousands of climbing routes. Over the last 2 decades Kalymnos has grown into one of the world’s premiere rock climbing destinations attracting climbers from all over the world.
For the duration of the trip, we will stay in Masouri, one of Kalymnos’s many climbing villages. We will stay in studio style hotel rooms that each have their own small kitchen. The rooms are quite comfortable, and are within walking distance of the beach. On our first evening together in Masouri, we will start off with an orientation to meet the group, discuss gear, and individual goals before making a plan for the week.
Over the next 8 days we will sample the climbing at Kalymnos’s many crags breaking into small groups to focus on skills such as knots, rope handling, belaying, anchors, protection placement, sport climbing systems, rappelling, lead climbing, and climbing movement. We also may have the option to do multi-pitch climbs in small groups.
Climbing on Kalymnos is appropriate for all levels of climbers. Hikes to crags are relatively short and most locations offer a wide range of difficulties. While the first few days of the trip are more geared towards solidifying technical skills and safety awareness for beginner and intermediate climbers, all levels of climbers will be able to find appropriate challenges on this trip.
We will take one rest day in the middle of the trip to explore the island’s many beaches, visit a cultural heritage site, and take the short boat trip to Telendos for dinner.
Evenings will be casual and relaxed. We will either prepare meals together in our hotel or venture into town to sample some of Kalymnos’s excellent cuisine. Being a seafaring culture, seafood naturally makes up a large portion of the local cuisine. However, speciality honey, cheeses, and Kalymnian versions of mediterranean classics also add an impressive diversity to the local diet.
Climbing in Kalymnos is excellent year round, but visiting in May allows us to avoid the height of the summer tourist season as well as the fall climbing crowds. Daily temperatures this time of year range in the high 50s to mid 70s. Cool ocean breezes make for excellent climbing temps, while the daily highs are warm enough to welcome an ocean dip.
We will round out the trip together with a celebratory dinner before traveling home or continuing on to other adventures.
Overall difficulty:
*lodging in hotels lessens the toll on our bodies, but daily climbing means challenging days and sore muscles.