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Climbing Destinations

Every crag I've climbed, compared.

14 destinations
9 countries

Below is every rock-climbing destination I’ve visited, compared across logistics, the climbing itself, atmosphere etc. Click on any name to read the full trip diary.

Logistics

destinationcountrybest seasonaccessnearest transportcar?approachcostgear rentals & shops
KalymnosGreeceApr–Jun, Sep–NovEasy (rent a scooter)Kos airport + ferryOptional (scooter rental is better)5–30 min$$Rental shops in Masouri — ropes, draws, shoes; guidebooks too
GeyikbayırıTurkeySep-AprEasyAntalya airportOptional5–20 min$Camps (JoSiTo, Rido) rent gear; small shops in Geyikbayırı but better bring your own
El ChorroSpainOct–AprEasyMálaga airport + train/carOptional10–30 min$$Buy in Málaga; some rental via lodges
BuouxFranceMar–Jun, Sep–NovModerateMarseille / AvignonYes10–20 min$$None at the crag — nearest shops in Apt / Aix; bring your own
FrankenjuraGermanyApr–OctModerateNurembergYes (spreadout)5–20 min$$Shops in Nuremberg & Forchheim; little at the crags
ArcoItalyMar–NovEasyVeronaOptional5–30 min$$Excellent — many gear shops in Arco town, rentals + guidebooks
Verdon GorgeFranceMay–OctHardNice / MarseilleYesAbseil in$$bring your own rack
CorsicaFranceMay–OctModerateAjaccio / Bastia airport / ferryYes10–40 min$$Limited; shops in Ajaccio & Bastia; bring your own
TenerifeSpainOct–AprEasyTenerife South airportYes5–20 min$$Basecamp Arico rents gear; shops in the south of the island
Krabi/TonsaiThailandNov–AprEasyKrabi airport + longtail boatNo5–15 min$Some rental & shops in Tonsai, Railay & Ao Nang but recommended to bring your own
ThakhekLaosNov–FebHardThakhek town + tuk-tukNo5–20 min$Green Climbers Home rents full kit + on-site shop but better to bring your own
ElbsandsteinGermanyApr–OctModerateDresdenOptional10–30 min$$Specialist gear (knotted slings); shops in Dresden
LöbejünGermanyApr–OctEasyHalle + train + bus / carYes5 min$None on-site; shops in Halle & Leipzig; bring your own
MitakeJapanMar–Jun, Sep–NovEasyMitake Station (train from Tokyo)NoRiverside 5–15 min$Crashpad rental (~¥1500) by the river; bring shoes & chalk

Climbing

destinationrockstylecrag typeroutesgrade range
KalymnosLimestoneSportMostly single + a few multi-pitch4200+All levels
GeyikbayırıLimestone (tufas)SportSingle-pitch1000+All levels
El ChorroLimestoneSportSingle + multi-pitch2000+All levels
BuouxLimestone (pockets)Sport (technical)Single-pitch1000+Intermediate - Hard
FrankenjuraLimestone (pockets)SportSingle-pitch (short, steep)10000+All levels
ArcoLimestoneSportSingle + multi-pitch5000+All levels
Verdon GorgeLimestoneSport / trad multi-pitchMulti-pitch (big walls)1500+4–8b
CorsicaGraniteSport / tradSingle + multi-pitch2500+All levels
TenerifeBasalt (volcanic)+SportSingle-pitch1300+All levels
Krabi/TonsaiLimestone (tufas)Sport + deep-water soloSingle-pitch + DWS700+All levels though easier routes are polished
ThakhekLimestoneSportSingle-pitch400+All levels
ElbsandsteinSandstoneSport/Trad (Saxon rules)Single-pitch towers1000+I–XIc (UIAA)
LöbejünPorphyry (quarry)Sport / tradSingle-pitch quarry200+All levels
MitakeRiver boulders (granite/gneiss)BoulderingBoulders (riverside)400+ problemsV0–V10+

Atmosphere

destinationsolo-friendlyfind partnersvibeaccommodation
KalymnosYesEasy (Whatsapp groups)Holiday / socialAirbnbs, hotels
GeyikbayırıYesEasyCamp / socialClimber camps (JoSiTo, Flying goat), bungalows
El ChorroYesOKVillage / mixedClimbing homes (Olive Branch, Finca La Campana), refuges, apartments
BuouxOKHard (most came in groups)Historic / quietGîtes (Auberge des Seguins), camping
FrankenjuraOKOKCountryside / localGuesthouses, campsites (Oma Eichler)
ArcoOKOKResort / lakeHotels, campsites (Camping Arco)
Verdon GorgeNoHard (Maybe if you hang around in the parking lot?)Adventure / committingcamping
CorsicaOKNot sureMountain / adventureGîtes, camping
TenerifeYesEasyWinter sun / mixedApartments, climber basecamp (Basecamp Arico)
Krabi/TonsaiYesEasyBeach / backpackerBungalows, resorts
ThakhekYesEasyJungle camp / backpackerGreen Climbers Home bungalows
ElbsandsteinNoHardTraditional / strict ethicsCampsites, Dresden city
LöbejünOKOKLocal crag / quietDay trip from Halle/Leipzig
MitakeYesOKDay trip / scenicDay trip / ryokan

Destination DNA

Each axis runs 1–5 (●●●●●). More dots means further toward the second pole.

destinationsport → alpinesocial → quietbeginner → expertcomfort → dirtbag
Kalymnos●○○○○●○○○○●○○○○●○○○○
Geyikbayırı●○○○○●○○○○●●○○○●●○○○
El Chorro●●○○○●●○○○●○○○○●●○○○
Buoux●○○○○●●●○○●●●●○●○○○○
Frankenjura●○○○○●●●○○●●○○○●●○○○
Arco●●○○○●●○○○●●●○○●○○○○
Verdon Gorge●●●○○●●●●○●●●●○●●●○○
Corsica●●●○○●●●○○●●●○○●●●○○
Tenerife●○○○○●●○○○●●●○○●●○○○
Krabi/Tonsai●○○○○●○○○○●●○○○●●●○○
Thakhek●○○○○●●○○○●●○○○●●●●○
Elbsandstein●●○○○●●●●○●●●●○●●○○○
Löbejün●○○○○●●●●○●●●○○●●○○○
Mitake●○○○○●●●○○●●●○○●○○○○

You'll love this if…

Kalymnos you want a sunny island with thousands of sport routes and a climber community.
Geyikbayırı you want cheap winter sun, tufa pockets, and a climber-camp community.
El Chorro you want sunny multi-pitch limestone and a quiet Andalusian village base.
Buoux you appreciate climbing history and precise, technical pocket-pulling.
Frankenjura you love steep pocket pulling and the birthplace of the modern redpoint.
Arco you want lakeside limestone with everything from slabs to alpine multi-pitch.
Verdon Gorge you want to rappel into a limestone canyon and commit to long exposed pitches.
Corsica you want to mix climbing with other outdoor adventures in a wild Mediterranean island.
Tenerife you want winter-sun volcanic rock with a volcano hike on your rest day.
Krabi/Tonsai you want to climb overhanging tufas above the sea and swim between burns, mix it with a backpacking trip.
Thakhek you want climbing to be part of a jungle backpacking adventure.
Elbsandstein you want to climb on Sandstone around Berlin.
Löbejün you want a quiet old quarry for a beginner-friendly local day out.
Mitake you want a scenic riverside bouldering day trip from Tokyo.