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Kalymnos Climbing Retreat


KALYMNOS, GREECE | OCTOBER 25-31, 2023 | ALL GENDERS WELCOME


"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." 

– Epictetus


 

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We doubt old Epictetus was thinking of climbing when he said it, but we also know you won't want for anything in Kalymnos, except maybe a couple more days and another plate of calamari. 


Undoubtedly one of the best and most beloved sport climbing areas in the world, Kalymnos deserves its reputation. With unforgettable views in every direction and blue sky and sea all around, Kalymnos really is a special place. It also probably has one of the most impressive concentrations of climbs anywhere, with over 3000 routes packed into an island less than 15 miles long. The wealthiest of the Dodecanese islands, Kalymnos has been a treasure since ancient times. And while its historic architecture and sponge-diving trades are cool enough, it's the food, beaches and rocks that keep bringing us back.  


This will be our second retreat in Kalymnos, and we could not be more excited! 


CLIMBING IN KALYMNOS

A virtual paradise for climbers of all abilities, the crags of Kalymnos offer some of the most classic sport climbs in the Mediterranean. We know everyone (including us) loves taking pictures of folks dangling in big caves, but don't worry - the climbing isn't all insanely steep or difficult. Sure the steep lines are amazing, but so is everything else! 


The climbing is actually quite diverse, so while three-dimensional tufa climbing is a big part of what's made Kalymnos famous, you'll find the place a little like an outdoor version of the climbing gym, with all kinds of climbs available. Add to that the fact that the entire island is tiny and every drive is short, plus it's hard to find a crag without a fantastic view and it gets even better. 


Like all of our climbing retreats, this trip is perfect for climbers of any  skill level, and is a great place to push your limits, work on your lead  game, or just enjoy the ride. If you feel comfortable climbing 5.8-5.10 in the gym, this trip is going to be perfect for you. Unlike the cracks of Yosemite or the tiny holds of Smith Rock, Mediterranean limestone tends to be a little - well, either more fun, more straightforward, or both.


Each day we’ll head out in small groups and make sure you’re paired with climbers and climbs that match your ability so you don’t have to worry about being held back or pushed too far. Our expert guides will help you through it all both on the ground and on route. 

FOOD & ACCOMMODATIONS

Unless you hate beautiful beaches, nice hotels and great food, you're going to like it in Kalymnos. We'll be staying at the lovely Carian Hotel in Massouri, a perfect home base for the week. Perched just above the sea and moments from the beach, the Carian is ideally located. Walking distance from many of the climbs, shops, supermarkets and restaurants, it's easy to get out and enjoy everything that Kalymnos has to offer. 


For breakfast, the hotel offers a scrumptious buffet full of Greek delights from yogurts and local cheeses to breads, eggs, fruits and more. With fresh coffee and juices and a dining room and terrace overlooking the sea, it's a tough place to start the day grumpy. It also has a pool and full-service bar to help you relax in the evenings as well. 


For lunch and snacks, a variety of options from traditional spinach pies to sandwiches and a whole host of snacks and baked goods are available at the many cafes and markets that line the streets just a short walk from your doorstep. 


For dinner, we'll start and end the trip at some of our favorites, including the Aegean Tavern and the pan-Meditteranean Prego. You'll be on your own to explore the rest of the evenings, and with everything from pizza to souvlaki within reach, we think you'll be just fine. 


We like to try hard, but we also like to relax and live well, so we’ve picked our favorite hotels, restaurants, bakeries and snacks to give you a taste of it all. 

DETAILS


Retreat dates: October 25-31, 2022

Cost: $3,450 to $3,950 depending on room selection


Here is a link to our cancellation policy. We strongly suggest purchasing trip protection to protect your investment. 


WE REQUIRE THAT ALL RETREAT PARTICIPANTS BE FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 PRIOR TO THE RETREAT START DATE. 


 

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WHAT'S INCLUDED: 

  • Low-ratio, personalized guiding from fantastic guides with local expertise
  • Transfers to and from the Carian hotel upon arrival and departure
  • Transportation to and from the climbing 
  • Six nights’ accommodation in the Carian Hotel 
  • Daily breakfasts at the hotel
  • Fantastic welcome and farewell dinners of our favorite local foods
  • Gratuities for hotel and restaurant services 
  • All group climbing gear (ropes, anchors, etc.)


WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED: 

  • Travel Protection
  • Airfare 
  • Ferries (see the FAQ section for details about getting there)
  • Personal climbing equipment (we will send a list of what's required)
  • Dinners in Kalymnos in between arrival and departure
  • Lunches and snacks
  • Gratuities for your guides
  • Any additional COVID requirements that may come up, such as testing on arrival or departure from Greece (although we will organize and communicate any additional requirements)




PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

  • Ability to hike three miles over varied terrain while carrying a 15 lb backpack
  • Ability to do 20 squats 
  • Ability to top rope 5.9 in the gym without taking or falling 
  • Must know how to top rope belay
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • *Please note that it is mandatory for all participants to be fully vaccinated prior to attending this trip. 


ROOM SELECTION & PRICING: 

  • Private room $3,950
  • Bed in shared room $3,450
  • Booking a private room and don't mind sharing the bed with a friend or partner? You can add an additional person to a private room for $2,950. 
  • If you want to share a room with a friend but you each want your own bed, please book "bed in shared room" and note who you would like to room with in the "special instructions" section at checkout. Two of the shared rooms have three beds and four have two beds. As long as there are two spots available to sign up, we will be able to put you in the same room. 
  • Men are perfectly welcome to join, but unless you're coming with a friend or partner, we'll ask that you only book a private room. Sorry guys! 






The Schedule

Day 1: Welcome to Kalymnos!

You get yourself to Kalymnos and we'll have a ride ready for you. The Carian Hotel will  also have a cozy room and a nice bed waiting for you, and you’ll be free for the day to dip your toes into the sea or your finger into the world of Kalymnian food on your own at one of Massouri's many delightful restaurants. As folks will be getting in by air and sea and at all different times, we'll officially start the trip with breakfast the following day. 

Day 2: Climbing Day #1 & Welcome Dinner

We’ll start the day with breakfast at the hotel, getting the whole team together and getting to know each other before we head out to climb. We’ll break into small groups and head to a variety of destinations depending on everybody's goals and abilities. Some crags will be a short drive, while others are just a walk from the hotel. Wherever we go, we'll start the day with a quick review of belay skills, and we'll go through lead tests for those interested in leading throughout the week. After that we'll spend the day on the rock and come back to town in time for a welcome dinner and some local specialities at one of our favorite restaurants.

Day 3: Climbing Day #2

We’ll repeat our routine again with breakfast at the hotel before heading out to climb. We may reshuffle our groups and guides depending on skill levels and goals, and we’ll pick our objectives based on what type and difficulty of climbing folks are after, and whether we’re looking for sun or shade. After another day on the rock, we’ll come back to town again and you'll be on your own for the evening. 

Day 4: Rest Day or Climbing Day #3

Our guides will be ready to go for those who want to keep on climbing. For folks who'd like to relax a little and give their bodies a rest, there's a ton of fun to be had that's not climbing too. We recommend renting a scooter from one of the many vendors in Massouri to explore a little and discover the island's secluded beaches, ancient temples and the charming harbor at Pothia. Alternately, you could take a boat ride to the nearby island of Telendos (in the photos below), or go out for a day of sailing or diving, or even just relax by the pool. Whatever you do, it's hard to go wrong. 

Day 5: Climbing Day #4

You guessed it: we’ll start the day again with breakfast and once more head out to climb. We'll try our best to make sure everyone gets a chance to climb as many routes as they want, and to take advantage of our guides to help work on any skills or movement coaching you may be interested in. 

Day 6: Climbing Day #5

We’ll once again start with breakfast and this will be our last climbing day of the trip. It will also be our last night together, so we'll make it a special one with a farewell dinner and drinks.

Day 7: Heading Home

All good things must come to an end, though it will really just be the beginning of your journey home. Either way we'll part with you after breakfast and you'll be free to head home. 

 

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Multipitch Add-On

October 31


In addition to all of the amazing single-pitch routes we'll be climbing throughout the retreat, Kalymnos is also home to some incredible longer routes. If you've got more time to climb and would like to join us for an extra day of multi-pitch climbing, our guides will be available immediately following the retreat. Each guide can accommodate one or two people per day, and multipitch guiding is available for booking on a first-come, first-served basis.  


Prices are $525/day for one person and $600/day (total) for two, plus an extra night in the hotel (which varies according to your booking). Contact us for details and we can get you setup.

MEET YOUR GUIDES (*we're still staffing 2023, so standby!)

Silvia Loreggian

Silvia Loreggian

Silvia Loreggian

IFMGA Mountain Guide Aspirant


Silvia was born in Padova, near Italy’s  Dolomites, to a family in love with the mountains. She too fell in love early, and has spent most of her life pursuing her two passions: the mountains and travelling. Silvia lives and works these days in the heart  of the Dolomites, and has chased her vertical dreams th

IFMGA Mountain Guide Aspirant


Silvia was born in Padova, near Italy’s  Dolomites, to a family in love with the mountains. She too fell in love early, and has spent most of her life pursuing her two passions: the mountains and travelling. Silvia lives and works these days in the heart  of the Dolomites, and has chased her vertical dreams through the Dolomites and the Alps, and to  Patagonia, Nepal, and in many other  corners of the world that offer beautiful walls to climb. Passionate  about climbing in all its forms, from the crag, to training, to big  walls, Silvia does it all. She is one exam away from completing her certification, and we hope she’ll be joining us in 2023 as a full IFMGA Mountain Guide ! 

Maiza Lima

Silvia Loreggian

Silvia Loreggian

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor / Professional Rock Climber  


Maiza grew up in the Brazilian Amazon before coming to the US as a teenager, and since finding climbing she’s charged quickly through the grades and onto the cover of Climbing magazine. When she’s not busy crushing routes, she’s often hard at work developing new ones near her home in Montana.

Brian Campbell

Silvia Loreggian

Brian Campbell

IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide / AMGA Certified Rock Guide 


Brian grew up in Park City, Utah skiing and recreating throughout the Western United States. He has a personal resume including ski descents in the Western United States, British Columbia, Alaska, and Europe, as well as rock and alpine climbing ascents in many locations around the worl

IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide / AMGA Certified Rock Guide 


Brian grew up in Park City, Utah skiing and recreating throughout the Western United States. He has a personal resume including ski descents in the Western United States, British Columbia, Alaska, and Europe, as well as rock and alpine climbing ascents in many locations around the world, including Greece. In his free time Brian can usually be found climbing and skiing, visiting friends and family, or traveling around the world.

 

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS COME BY THEMSELVES?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

About half of our of climbers come to our retreats alone. Often we do have groups of friends who sign up together, and we have couples pretty often, but we also have a lot of people just come by themselves looking  to meet people and make new friends. If you are hesitating to join  because you would be coming solo, please know that we expect a lot of our participants to be joining by themselves.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

We generally have a wide range of ages at our retreats. The average tends to fall  between the ages of 30 to 45. But we have had quite a few climbers in their 60's join as well. It really is up to the attitude and physical ability of the participant.

I'VE NEVER CLIMBED BEFORE. CAN I STILL ATTEND?

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF CLIMBERS WHO ATTEND?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

You do not need to be an experienced climber to attend, but we recommend some climbing experience before signing up for a week of climbing. We recommend that everyone attending is able to top-rope a 5.9 in a climbing gym without taking or falling. While climbing 5.9 in a climbing gym is different than climbing a 5.9 outside, having the ability to climb 5.9 in the gym will set you up to have a great time in Kalymnos. 

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

 If the trip fills, we'll have 20-25 climbers and 5 guides. Our daily groups will consist of 4-5 climbers per guide, letting us have our ropes on 2-3 routes at a time. 


Also our trips are 90% women. Men are perfectly welcome, but they tend to be outnumbered.

WHAT IF I HAVE DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

WHAT IF I HAVE DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?

The food scene in Kalymnos is international enough that you shouldn't have any trouble. You'll also be on your own for most of your lunches and dinners, so you'll be able to make choices as to where you eat on most occasions. We'll have a breakfast buffet at the hotel in the mornings and be at nice restaurants for the few nights we eat out together too, so you'll always have options. Traditional Greek food does involves a lot of meat, seafood and dairy, but we've had celiacs and vegetarians come to Greece in the past and they did just fine. Vegetarian options are widely available, and vegans may just find navigating the Greek love of meat and dairy to take a little extra effort. 

WILL I GET TO LEAD?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ON THE TRIP, AND IS IT MORE MEN OR WOMEN?

WHAT IF I HAVE DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?

Probably! Lead climbing is certainly not a requirement for anybody on the trip, but we're happy to let you lead as long as you can pass a belay test similar to those found in most gyms (minus the falling). Our main goal is to keep everyone safe, so on our first day out together we’ll just want to see that everyone is able to manage the rope, communicate, lead and belay safely before being cleared to do it throughout the week. If you haven't led yet but you'd like to work on lead skills throughout the week, we'll try our best to help but our priority to is to make sure everyone gets to climb as much as they want. If you don’t plan on leading, we’ll just ask you to go through a quick belay test to make sure you’re good to go belaying those who are. 

HOW DO I GET THERE?

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

ARE PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE?

You've got a few options.

1. The easiest way to get to Kalymnos is with a connecting flight from Athens right to the island. The airport is about 20 minutes away from our hotel, and we'll be there to pick you up. The catch is that flight options are limited, and can be unreliable as they often get cancelled by high winds.

2. Your second and more reliable option is to fly to the nearby (and much larger) island of Kos and take a ferry to Kalymnos. There are more flights to Kos than Kalymnos making it easier to schedule, and the ferry takes about 30 minutes .We'll be there to get you in Kalymnos when you arrive at the town of Pothia, about a 15 minute drive from our hotel.

3. Your third option is to take a ferry all the way from Athens (the port is called Piraeus), which is an overnight adventure, but could be fun if you're feeling up for a sea voyage. 


However you choose to do it, if you're on a really tight schedule Kalymnos might not be the best fit for you. Nailing a four-flight and two-ferry sequence all in one go doesn't always go according to plan, and since a delayed flight could spell disaster, we strongly recommend building in some room for error by planning to spend a night in Athens or Kos before continuing on to Kalymnos,

ARE PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE?

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

ARE PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE?

We have two types of payment plans available. 


Payment Plan 1 (Two Payments): This plan requires a 50% deposit, of which 10% of the total cost of the trip is non-refundable. Apply the discount code "retreatdeposit" at checkout. Full payment will be required three   months prior to the retreat start date. 


Payment Plan 2 (Monthly Payments): 

This option is only available if the retreat is 5 or more months away. This plan requires a 10% deposit, of which 10% of the total cost of the trip  is non-refundable. Apply the discount code "paymentplan" at checkout to  take advantage of this option. We will split the remaining payment into subsequent monthly payments. Full payment will be required two months prior to the retreat start date. We charge $50 to utilize this option as it requires much more work for our team to manage. 

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

We have a very strict cancellation policy. Please review it before committing to this retreat. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing trip protection as we will not modify our cancellation policy under any circumstances. 

HOW IS THIS THIS TRIP DIFFERENT FROM THE LEONIDIO RETREAT?

Good question. Let's start with the similarities. Both are world-class climbing destinations, and with very similar styles of rock and movement. They both cater to climbers of all abilities, and are both in staggeringly beautiful settings that are hard to compare. They're also both dreamy, and of course they're both in Greece. 


The three main differences are probably in the feel of the towns, the food, and the ease of getting there. 


Leonidio is gaining popularity as a climbing destination, but is still a small, quiet village and really feels like an authentic experience of being in Greece. Most cafes and shops are filled with locals, and it's not uncommon to feel like you're getting a very undiluted taste of Greek life. Kalymnos, on the other hand (and more specifically the village of Massouri, where we'll be staying), is an international climber's hub that's been a thing for a long time. As a result, it feels a little more touristy, and as Massouri is mostly a climber's town, you won't likely find yourself the only visitor in any setting. You'll still get a taste of Greece in either and you'll still find plenty of climbers in both, they're just different. 


The food is also a bit different in each place. Like a lot of countries in Europe, a lot of dishes are highly regional, so there are certainly some things you'll find in one and not the other. More important though, is the effect that tourism has had on shaping the food in each place. In Leonidio, the food tends to be pretty simple and very little of it isn't Greek. It's delicious too, with some of the best eggplant dishes we've ever had, as well as incredible olives, oranges, cheeses, seafood and local produce. The bakery outside our hotel is also outstanding. What it doesn't have is a lot of fancy restaurants. The breakfasts are amazing and we'll plan on going out together most nights for some really nice meals, some of which will be quite elegant, but a lot are pretty rustic in their charm. Kalymnos, once again, is a little more cosmopolitan in its food offerings. The seafood and Greek food are still incredible, the local Kalymnian Mermezeli salad is to die for, and the locals are magicians when it comes to octopus and squid. Upscale dining options abound there though, and as a result food and drink prices can also vary a lot more than in Leonidio. That's why we've decided only to include welcome and farewell dinners in Kalymnos, and to let you decide whether you'd like to dine on a budget the rest of the time or go big and splurge. In that sense Leonidio is a little more "all-inclusive" as well. 


Lastly, there's the matter of getting there. Leonidio is, we have to admit, a lot easier. On the Leonidio retreat we'll have your travel sorted from the moment you land until you take off again, and you won't have to plan a thing. Kalymnos is a little different. Since there are so many options for how to get there (see the FAQ above for details), we're going to let you make that choice for yourself. You get yourself to the island and we'll be there to get you; the rest is up to you. 


And because nobody is going to be able to resist asking which is better, the answer is neither - they're both incredible!

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