Introduction to the spring rock climbing season!
Places are full! You can register for the waiting list or come. For a trip to Poland.
A trip for true climbing enthusiasts! Crag Express is a travel series that takes you to discover exciting crags all across Europe. This trip is perfect both for seasoned climbers and beginners who have never climbed outdoors before. All you need is the desire to climb and the ability to belay—we’ll teach you everything else on the spot.
We're jumping out of the dark winter into the warm cliffs of Sardinia, Italy! Specifically, we're visiting two of the most scenic climbing spots on the Mediterranean: Cala Gonone and Pedra Longa.
We will spend a total of 6 full days at the cliffs. During this time, the schedule is completely free - those who want to, climb all days from morning to evening; those who want to, take a few days off to hike, go diving, or enjoy the local atmosphere in another way that suits them.
We will be moving around with rental cars to explore as much as possible during these 6 days. We will be staying in bungalows in Cala Gonone, which also have cooking facilities. The beach, grocery stores and several restaurants are 200 m away from the accommodation.
About the region
Sardinia is an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, which is half the size of Estonia, but has about the same population. The highest peak on the island is Punta La Marmora at 1834 m. The capital of the island is Cagliari.
The beginnings of climbing culture in Sardinia date back to the 1950s, when the local limestone cliffs were first climbed. In the 1970s and 1980s, the area was discovered by well-known climbers who opened several climbing centers there. trad routes. Over the next few decades, the popularity of the area grew rapidly and new routes were bolted. 2000-2010 was the next big leap in climbing culture, when a number of topo books were published and climbing festivals were organized. Today, the island is a mix of old classics trad trails and freshly paved sports trails.
In April, Sardinia is already warm enough to climb, but not too hot. The historical average temperature on the travel dates is 15 °C during the day, and the sea water is also 15 °C, so pleasantly warmer than the sub-zero spring weather in Estonia.
NB! To come on the trip, you must be able to climb at least 6a indoors with protection.
It is not necessary to buy all the climbing equipment yourself (ropes, quickdraws, carabiners, slings), but since ropes and quickdraws do not just hang on natural rock, you will need to assemble at least a couple of the necessary equipment. Fortunately, there is also the option of using the ropes and quickdraws that are part of the group equipment, which are in sufficient supply.
👉 SEE EQUIPMENT LIST HERE 👈
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: rock climbing trip to the island of Sardinia in Italy
Dates: 30.03.-06.04.2026
Activity: rock climbing
Adventure guides: Kaarel Kuslap and Rene Ollino
Technical difficulty level: 3/5 (required) lead security skills)
Physical difficulty: 1-3/5 (according to the goals you set for yourself)
Group size: min 8, max 10 (including 2 guides)
Trip price
Early bird (until 28.02.2025) — €950
Late Registration (from 01.03.2026) — €1045
NB! Elamus+ community members get a 5–10% discount. Read more and check your discount eligibility. community members page.
Travel cost
Price includes
Transportation from Cagliari Airport to Cala Gonone and back (rental cars)
Rental car use and fuel on the island throughout the trip
Accommodation (bungalows in Cala Gonone)
Group equipment: ropes, express, 4 trad kits, pharmacy, topo book
On-site trad ja multi-pitch training with internship
Stylish Elamus+ sports shirts
On-site instruction by EKR3 certified climbing coaches
Memorable memories and photos of you climbing
Price does not include
Flight tickets Tallinn-Cagliari-Tallinn (prices from €250)*
Transport to and from Tallinn Airport
Meals (in the bungalows we cook together and split the costs between us)
Insurance (travel insurance and MANDATORY sport insurance suitable for climbing )
Personal hygiene products and medications
Personal climbing equipment: climbing shoes, climbing harness, helmet, safety device, self-belay device, carabiners, etc. (helmet and harness can also be rented if necessary) Elamus Pluss)
Unscheduled excursions, transport, etc. (or if you want to do something extra, e.g. diving)
*For more information about a specific flight, please ask the adventure guides.
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a prepayment (20%) must be paid within 3 working days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by e-mail. If there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule
Day 1 (30.06): Voices on the plane
The most sensible way to get to Sardinia is by plane. Flying to the island is cheaper than taking a ferry from the Italian mainland. We fly to Cagliari airport, where we meet the train drivers and get into rental cars, which we drive for a few hours along the bright blue Mediterranean coast to Cala Gonone. This town is the island's main climbing center and will be our base for the rest of the week.
In Cala Gonone, we have two 5-person bungalows (a single-story wooden summer house), with both double beds and single bunk beds. We assemble the rooms on site according to your preferences.
Day 2 (31.03): we will go over ropework skills
We will have a joint study day. Everyone can repeat the things that need to be repeated. The main focus is multi pitch repeating techniques: stations, communication, using a half rope, descending. We also practice climbing in three pitches.
In addition, we will go over the most common emergency situations and rescue techniques. If you are interested, you can try trad climbing.
We choose a simpler crag or multipitchto best highlight the learning outcome.
Days 3-7 (April 01-05.04): CLIMB!
Every day we have a meeting to set the goals and routes for the next day. Rene and Kaarel try to steer the group towards multipitch and try easy trad routes, but it's also perfectly okay to just test your limits on the sport routes for a few days. Or take a day off from climbing altogether, for example by exploring local hiking trails.
We can either have dinner and breakfast together or use the services of nearby restaurants. However, the prices at the restaurants are reasonable enough to enjoy local delicacies every night!
Day 7 (06.04): return flight to Kevad
We travel back the way we came to spring Estonia.
NB! The schedule and planned activities may be subject to minor (or major) changes — for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Don't worry, let's do it!
I've never climbed natural rocks before. Can I still do it?!
If you're not unfamiliar with at least belaying from above, you'll definitely get it! Rock climbing isn't much different from climbing indoor walls, the only difference is that instead of a predetermined path consisting of colorful blocks, you have to find a suitable rock curve for yourself by feeling it with your hands. Don't worry, we'll guide you on the spot in everything you need.
I really want to come on the trip, but I don't know how to do this security stuff. Can I still come?
However, you need to learn how to belay in order to be able to climb rocks. If you don't know how to do it yet, there are several options:
In the climbing factory Complete green and red card training, which gives you the right to climb independently in indoor halls, but during the process you will also learn how to belay.
Join Elamus+ with mountaineering training, where in addition to climbing, you can also learn the most important knots, solve rescue situations, and other exciting rope work. You will have time to learn belaying before the trip.
It is also possible to take private training from us,in Tartuor in Tallinn.
But I don't have any personal climbing equipment. Where can I get it and what kind of equipment is suitable?
You can rent or buy climbing equipment. When renting or borrowing, keep a critical mind. Climbing equipment has a lifespan of 8-10 years. If you find used old equipment somewhere, it's worth remembering that your own life depends on it. If things seem decent, renting can really save you some money by bringing it with you for one trip. Elamus+ The equipment rented by us is safe and has already been inspected by the adventure guides, so there is no reason to worry when renting from us.
It is wise to definitely try the equipment on when buying. A climbing harness and slippers should be comfortable. A suitable rope for Sardinia is a 60-80 m long, weatherproof, and dynamic rope with a thickness of 9,5-10,5 mm. The thicker the rope, the harder it is to climb with it. However, a thicker rope has a longer lifespan.
If you are a confirmed visitor and are missing a few items that you need advice on purchasing, feel free to ask the tour guides for advice.
What's up? trad-climbing? Can I come on the trip if I've never done it before?
Trad means climbing on a route where there are no bolts or other safety points installed. The lead climber installs various crevice tools in the rock cracks, which are later removed. Trad Traditional climbing is also called clean climbing because it preserves the rock better (no objects are drilled into the rock). Trad Practicing climbing is also beneficial for alpinists who want to climb AD and more difficult routes, because there too, it is occasionally necessary to place crampons on the route.
You don't have to be early to come on a trip. trad If you've ever encountered climbing - you can also learn it on site. And in fact, you can also just climb sport routes if you want!
Read more also frequently asked questions.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
ID card/passport;
sports insurance suitable for climbing (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participation in the trip;
travel insuranceNB! We recommend that you take out travel insurance immediately after receiving confirmation of your registration for the trip, so that longer-term health problems are also covered.
Plan your trip early and start training for it. If you've never been to rock climbing before, now is the time to familiarize yourself with the terms: eight-knot, express, station, backstep and safety equipment. It would be a shame if you couldn't come along just because you don't have safety skills. If necessary, we can arrange some private training to reinforce safety techniques when climbing a big wall. Read more FROM HERE. ;)
Although at the end of the day everyone is still responsible for their own actions and consequences, we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with climbing. As a result, the group leader has the right to make ongoing decisions about the competence of the participants, the suitability of their equipment, physical fitness, etc., and, if necessary, prohibit access to certain routes if it endangers the health of the group or the participant themselves. Hopefully, of course, there will be no need for this.
Read also travel conditions.
Contact
Adventure guides:
Rene Ollino
Tel: 5660 0428
Email: rene.ollino@gmail.com
