Kalymnos is a tiny island in the Greek archipelago, just off the Turkish coast. But it's not your typical beach paradise. Kalymnos is a climber's paradise.

The island has several thousand bolted sport routes for climbers of all levels. In October 2024, we gathered a group of Estonian climbers and went to experience this exoticism firsthand.

The first dreary autumn weather had just arrived in Estonia when we packed our shorts, flip-flops and sunscreen and boarded a plane in Tallinn in the early hours of the morning. A short flight to Athens, from there to the island of Kos, and it was time to throw on our jackets!

In seconds, we got two big taxis from Kos airport, which took us to the port. Oh surprise - the ferry to Kalymnos was just leaving. Luckily, fourteen of us managed to jump on it.

The closer we got to Kalymnos, visible on the horizon, the greater everyone's excitement grew. From the port of Kalymnos we picked up 4 tiny rental cars - the size of backpacks. Very good, because the streets on Kalymnos are narrow and winding. In fact, scooters are more popular than rental cars among rock climbers on the island, with which you can comfortably zip from one crag [area with climbing cliff paths] to another.

Masouri - our home village

Our accommodation was in the village of Masouri - the main climbing center of the island. The port town of Pothia is larger, but it is more of a local area. Masouri consists largely of one street, which is densely packed with long-stay guest apartments and restaurants. A couple of small grocery stores too. And of course, climbing equipment shops, where Estonians still had the joy of discovering for several evenings.

Our accommodation consisted of four lovely Mediterranean-style apartments, each sleeping 2-5 people. Simple rooms with stone walls that kept the temperature just right. Nothing luxurious, but that's not what we came to Kalymnos for. The bed was there, the room was clean and functional - that's all you need!

Most of the island's most popular crags are located within a 20-minute drive from Masouri. That is, their parking lots. From the parking lot, you also have to approach or pass through the climbing sector. approach. Kalymnos had quite short approaches, a maximum of 15 minutes of walking. Just right to get the first warm-up in.

how to climb outdoors 101

Climbing trips always have this relaxing routine. The schedule is pretty simple and similar every day: wake up, breakfast, climb, lunch, climb, dinner, evening planning for the next day, sleep. There are no daily worries, unexpected meetings, deep existential problems. You just... are. And you climb.

The morning generally started around 8 am. Everyone worked at their own pace - Triinu woke up earlier to go for a morning run, Maria did some work on the computer, Kaarel slept until the last possible moment. Breakfast worries were solved at a local restaurant or with snacks bought the night before from the store. By around 10 am, everyone was ready to pack their cars and hit the road.

Each group member was able to carry some part of the group equipment - rope, express, topo book. Team effort! The drive around the island was wonderful... The winding road wound along the mountainside, with a view of the inviting Adriatic Sea and the neighboring island of Telendos opening up on one side.

The logistics before starting to climb always take some time. You need to find the beginning of the approach route, the right sectors, the right routes. Fortunately, on Kalymnos, the names of the routes are partly written on the rock and since there were many other climbers, we were able to exchange information with them. An indispensable assistant was also a topo book, which contains all the necessary information about the location, difficulty and characteristics of the routes. For example, the book shows at what time and to what extent the sector is open to the sun - very necessary information for planning where to climb in the morning, where in the afternoon.

The routes have been found, climbing pairs have been formed, equipment has been amicably distributed - now it's just a matter of getting the rope and going! Before that, definitely put on a helmet and calculate roughly how many express cables you'll need to bring the rope up. They don't hang on the wall outside...

For the first day we chose a crag, where there were more easy and positive sloped routes. To settle in. Some of our group, for example Sten, Anett and Maria, were climbing outdoors for the first time - they first received training on what to keep in mind when climbing outdoors, what it means to tie around at a station, how to read a route, etc. There are no colorful dolls outdoors, you have to feel and look for them as you go. Climbing a real cliff for the first time could cause a little anxiety, but we got used to the situation quickly and already on the first day we designed quite manly routes. Once you bite through the fact that even centimeter-sized pieces of rock hold up well outdoors, it is much safer to go!

We usually planned our days so that in the morning we climbed sectors that were exposed to the afternoon sun, and in the afternoon we climbed sectors that were in the shade. In direct sunlight, the rock tends to get very hot, which is not a good way to climb. It is also uncomfortably hot, and the risk of sunburn is also higher.

Sometimes we just had lunch at the crag - watching friends climb and munching on snacks from a bag at the same time. More fun than watching TV in the evening, especially when someone throws in a few snacks! But sometimes we pampered ourselves and visited local restaurants.

One route that everyone will definitely remember from the trip is one in the Arginonta Valley sector, which starts in a cave and halfway out you reach the outside of the cliff. Difficulty level 6B, but actually with nice little nooks and completely manageable for most of the group. I think almost everyone tried their hand at this route during the trip - some from above, some from below. The rest of the group lived along at the same time.

That's what's so great about climbing trips, that there's a strong sense of community. Everyone has come here for a common goal and helps each other towards success. It doesn't matter whether you're 18 or 48. Whether you've only bouldered before or have already been climbing outdoors many times. Whether you climb at level 5B or 7A. If you need to carry a rope up, there's always someone in the group who can help with that. If there are no express or carabiners, someone will always lend you one. Left a lunch snack behind? No problem, take my nuts.

Evening activities - delicious food, new plans

Mixed grill for two - Kaarli and Rainer's favorite!

After a long day of climbing, we returned "home" at dusk, each of us did our evening hygiene procedures, and then we landed at one of the dozens of local restaurants. The menu was similar everywhere: rich seafood dishes and grilled meat, pasta dishes, and Mediterranean salads. Although our apartments also had a tiny kitchen, we used it minimally. The restaurants simply had such tempting dishes at such reasonable prices! For example, grilled meat or fish with salad and potatoes cost an average of 15 euros. And it was still a manly plate. We quickly found our favorite place to eat - it was one where the second round of drinks was on the house and we also received a local dessert as a gift: donuts with powdered sugar and honey. Let's just say that you won't go hungry on this island!

Multi-pitch or a hike along the walls of Telendos

Kalymnos has mostly only single pitch or one rope's length of trails. However, there are plenty of multi-pitch or several rope-length routes on the neighboring island of Telendos. Half of the group and I decided to check them out as well. To do this, we formed climbing pairs so that the first-time climber was accompanied by a previous climber. multi-pitch experienced climber. It's safer that way. We looked for routes with appropriate difficulty levels and their starting points in the book.

The next morning we set off early. An older man drove us to Telendos in his dilapidated motorboat. That was his main job - to transport people from one island to another every half hour, from morning to night. For a small extra charge, he even dropped us off at the beginning of the trail. It was a fun adventure. At first, we accidentally told him the wrong place - we were supposed to go to the south side of the island, but we went to the north side instead. Anyway, we drove in a circle - so we could enjoy the boat ride more!

Although driving climbers multi-pitch The starting point is an everyday thing, there was no proper pier in the “harbor” to land on. Instead, car tires were placed on the cliff for the safety of the boat, nothing else. An exciting experience!

Hendrik and Hiie went climbing on a route called Wild Country (max difficulty 6a+, 9 pitch, total length 260m), Kelli and Riho's trail called Wings For Life (max difficulty level 6a, 11 pitch, with a total length of 240m). Kaarel, Janar and Liis also joined the latter as a three-rope team.

It wasn't hard to find the start of the Wings For Life trail and we were soon on the cliff. Easier trails generally always start with a positive slope, more reminiscent of hiking on a rock than climbing. Very good, you can settle in comfortably. Somewhere halfway through it got more interesting, sometimes even making your legs tremble for a moment. Because during the entire climb you see a sudden, 100-meter descent. Adrenaline rush!

Multi-pitch is generally most effective when completed in stages lead-change climbers. That's what we did. The station points were in a relatively comfortable place most of the time, you could put your feet down and rest. Even though the entire route was in full sun, the sea breeze had a cooling effect. The only challenge was a local plant that caused an allergic reaction in some climbers - snot flowed, spots on the skin. Fortunately, nothing critical, the situation returned when we left the island. Next time, bring allergy medicine!

After a couple of hours of climbing, we literally reached the top - near the highest point on the island. Fortunately, we didn't have to go back down all those ropes, because we could hike back to the harbor from the top. However, it was about a 2-hour tiring hike downhill - quite an effort. But the beer in the harborside bar tasted even better. And the ride back with the sunset was all the more enjoyable. Ah, what a reward at the end of a successful day!

going back home

“Who has 2 more of my express?” or the division of equipment at the end of the trip

On the last day, the trek back to the port didn't make many of us happy. Some of us had taken our return ticket a day or two later, which was a very sensible decision and one that everyone else envied. Although the weather on Kalymnos wasn't exactly summery on the last few days of climbing (we were wearing jackets), the pleasant Mediterranean life and excitement still lingered in our souls. And so many routes left unclimbed, deep water solo without trying… oh, I’ll definitely have to come back!

Author: Kelli Kuslap