April 12th - 18th, 2026
Wake up to the sound of waves on the Gulf of Orosei, sip espresso on a seaside terrace, and spend your days climbing world-class limestone above bright blue sea.
On this 6-night She Moves Mountains retreat, you’ll be based in Cala Gonone, a small seaside town on Sardinia’s rugged east coast. The crags rise straight out of the forested hills behind town, and the beaches and boat docks are just a short walk from our hotel. It’s the perfect base for a week of single-pitch sport climbing, a wild coastal via ferrata, and the option to stay for an additional day to climb a multi-pitch—with plenty of time for swims, gelato, and local wine.
We’ll stay at Hotel La Favorita, a sea-front hotel right on the Palmasera waterfront—steps from the beach and an easy walk to cafés, gelaterias, and the harbor. Throughout the week, you’ll climb in small groups with our local guide, wander shepherd trails and sea cliffs, cruise the coastline by boat, and connect with a community of women who are here to try hard, laugh a lot, and soak up Sardinia’s rugged beauty.
Sardinia Climbing Retreat
- Regular price
- $4,195.00 USD
- Sale price
- $4,195.00 USD
- Regular price
What's Included & Not Included
What's Included & Not Included
Included:
- Low-ratio, personalized guiding from fantastic guides with local expertise, including a full via ferrata + boat day (weather dependent).
- Transportation to and from climbing.
- Six nights’ accommodation at the Hotel La Favorita.
- Daily breakfasts at the hotel.
- Fantastic welcome and farewell dinners filled with our favorite local foods.
- Gratuities for hotel and restaurant services.
- All group climbing gear (ropes, anchors, etc).
Not Included:
- Trip insurance.
- Airfare.
- Airport transfers
- Personal climbing equipment (we will send a list of what's required).
- Meals outside of our opening and closing group dinners
- Gratuities for your guides. We recommend $300-500 depending on your experience.
Room Selection
Room Selection
If you want to share a room with a friend but you each want your own bed, please book "bed in shared room" and send us an email. As long as there are two spots available to sign up, we will be able to put you in the same room.
Cancellation & Trip Protection
Cancellation & Trip Protection
We have a very strict cancellation policy. We recommend purchasing trip protection to protect your investment.
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Climbing
Each day we’ll head out from Cala Gonone in a small, supportive group and spend full days on the rock together. With 3–8 guests total and a 1:4 guide ratio, our guides will be right there with you on the ground and on route—coaching movement, talking through systems, and making sure you’re never pushed beyond what feels safe and fun. Because we aren’t always able to split into two separate groups or chase every grade band at a crag, the focus of this retreat is on enjoyable, confidence-building climbing days, not necessarily sending your absolute hardest projects. For that reason, everyone on this trip must already be comfortable belaying.
Our Sardinia climbing retreat is ideal if you’re excited to get lots of mileage on real rock, push your comfort zone a bit, and enjoy beautiful days outside with a small crew. If you feel comfortable climbing around 5.8–5.10 in the gym and confidently top-rope belaying, you’ll be in a great spot for this trip.
Via Ferrata
Our big adventure day in Sardinia is a full-on coastline and via ferrata experience. We’ll leave Cala Gonone at dawn by private boat, heading south along the Gulf of Orosei as the cliffs light up in the first sun. After a beach drop-off at Cala Sisine, we’ll spend 5–6 hours on the Punta Plumare via ferrata—moving along exposed coastal walls, following shepherd paths, and finishing with a series of long, wild abseils (up to ~55 meters) back toward the sea. We’ll return to the beach for a swim and some downtime before our skipper picks us up again for a mini-cruise along the coast, with snacks and drinks on board as we motor past hidden coves and towering limestone.
You don’t need previous via ferrata experience—we’ll teach you how to use the gear—but you do need solid fitness, comfort with heights, and a willingness to be out all day in the sun. Because this day is weather- and sea-condition dependent, we may occasionally swap it for a full cragging day if wind or waves make the boat trip unsafe.
Accommodations
In Sardinia, our home base is Hotel La Favorita in Cala Gonone, a family-run, sea-front 3-star hotel right on the Palmasera waterfront. It’s just steps from the beach and an easy walk to cafés, gelato, small markets, and the harbor where we’ll meet our boat for the via ferrata day. Rooms are simple and on the smaller side—not luxury—but clean, air-conditioned, and comfortable, and the hotel’s restaurant terrace looks straight out over the sea, which is a pretty dreamy place to start the day with coffee or end it with a glass of Cannonau. The town is compact and walkable, and the crags are a short drive away, making La Favorita a relaxed, convenient base for our week of climbing—more “cozy seaside hotel” than resort.
Meals
For breakfast, Hotel La Favorita serves up a classic Italian/Sardinian spread—think fresh breads and pastries, yogurts, local cheeses, fruit, eggs, and plenty of good coffee and juice. With the dining room and terrace just steps from the sea, it’s a pretty dreamy way to ease into a climbing day.
For lunch and snacks, Cala Gonone makes it easy. You’ll find cafés, bakeries, and small markets within a short walk of the hotel, where you can grab sandwiches, focaccia, pastries, fruit, and other quick bites between climbs or on your way to the crag.
For dinner, we’ll begin and end the trip with group meals at some of our favorite local spots in town, and we’re planning to include a wine tasting so you can try Sardinia’s famous Cannonau and other regional varieties. On the other evenings you’ll be free to explore—there’s everything from simple pizzerias to seafood restaurants along the waterfront.
Food-wise, this region is very much shepherds and sea: local cheeses, cured meats, roasted meats, seafood, and pastas. We can usually accommodate vegetarians and some other dietary needs with advance notice, but options can be limited in more traditional settings, and strict vegans will find this trip challenging food-wise. If you have specific restrictions, you’re welcome to reach out before booking so we can talk through what’s realistic.
Schedule
Day 1 | Welcome to Sardinia!
You get yourself to Cala Gonone and we’ll have a cozy room and a nice bed waiting for you at Hotel La Favorita. Once you’ve checked in, you’ll be free to wander the waterfront, dip your toes in the sea, grab gelato, or find a simple pizzeria for dinner. Because folks will be arriving at different times from Olbia and beyond, we’ll officially start the trip together over breakfast the following morning.
Day 2 | Climbing Day #1 & Welcome Dinner
We’ll start the day with breakfast at the hotel, gather the group, and then head out to one of the local crags above Cala Gonone—somewhere like La Poltrona or the “Flintstones” area, depending on conditions. We’ll review belay skills, talk through systems for the week, and ease into Sardinian limestone with plenty of mileage. In the evening, we’ll regroup in town for a welcome dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and toast the start of the week.
Day 3 | Climbing Day #2 & Beach / Wine Tasting
After breakfast, we’ll drive a short distance to Codula Fuili for our second climbing day. We’ll spend the day working routes that match the group’s general level, with options to push a bit harder or keep things mellow depending on how you’re feeling. We’ll wrap up with a swim at the beach before heading back to Cala Gonone. That evening, you’ll have time to clean up before we meet for a local wine tasting so you can try Sardinia’s Cannonau and other regional favorites.
Day 4 | Via Ferrata & Boat Day (or Climbing Day #3)
This is our big adventure day. At dawn we’ll board a private boat in Cala Gonone and cruise down the Gulf of Orosei to Cala Sisine, watching the cliffs light up as the sun comes up. From the beach, we’ll hike up to the Punta Plumare via ferrata for a 5–6 hour outing of airy traverses, rugged trail, and several long abseils back toward the sea. After returning to the beach, there’s time for a swim before our skipper picks us up again for a mini-cruise along the coast with snacks and drinks on board.
Because this day depends on sea and weather conditions, we may occasionally swap it for another full single-pitch climbing day if wind or waves make the boat trip unsafe.
Day 5 | Climbing Day #4 – Optional Rest Day
Today we’ll drive up into the hills above Cala Gonone on a rough “white” (unpaved) road to a more remote crag, such as Bucchi Arta. Expect beautiful views, a bit more rugged access, and the chance to try some slightly more challenging lines if you’re feeling ready.
Day 6 | Climbing Day #5 & Farewell Dinner
For our final climbing day, we’ll head a bit farther afield—perhaps into the Lanaitho valley or another Supramonte crag—choosing the destination based on weather and what the group is most excited about. This is a good day to revisit skills, try a last “just-one-more” route, or simply soak up the views. We’ll return to Cala Gonone in time to clean up and gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the week together.
Day 7 | Heading Home (Optional Multi-pitch Add-On)
After breakfast, we’ll say our goodbyes and you’ll be free to continue traveling or head home. For climbers who arrange it in advance and meet the experience and gear requirements, there may be an option to book a separate multi-pitch day with our local guide as an add-on—otherwise, this is your travel day and the official end of the retreat.
FAQs
What if the weather is bad?
We totally get this question—no one wants to spend their vacation staring at rain clouds. The good news is that in April in Cala Gonone, the weather is usually pretty kind to climbers: daytime highs tend to sit around 59–68°F / 15–20°C, with a mix of sunny and partly cloudy days and only moderate rainfall for the month.
That said, climbing and via ferrata are always weather-dependent, especially when boats and sea cliffs are involved. Wind, rain, heat, and sea conditions can all affect which crags we visit, whether we can safely run the via ferrata + boat day, and how each day looks in practice.
Because of this, the schedule is a sample itinerary, not a guarantee. If the forecast shifts, we’ll adapt:
- Choose more sheltered or cooler crags
- Swap days around to chase the best windows
- Replace the via ferrata + boat day with a full cragging day if sea or weather conditions make that plan unsafe
- Go hiking
Our priority is always safety and giving you the best possible experience with the conditions we have, not forcing a specific plan to happen.
We can’t cancel a retreat or offer refunds solely because the weather isn’t ideal or because we need to change the itinerary. Once a trip is running, we’re committed to paying guides, hotels, boats, and other local partners whether the weather is perfect or mixed. If we ever have to cancel the trip entirely (for example, due to a situation that makes it impossible or unsafe to run the program at all), we’ll follow our standard international cancellation policy.
If you know that you’d only want to attend if conditions look close to perfect—or you just want maximum flexibility on your end—we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance, and specifically looking into “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) coverage. CFAR is an add-on available on some policies that can allow you to cancel for reasons that aren’t covered under standard insurance (including simply deciding you no longer want to go because of the forecast or other personal factors) and still receive a partial refund, subject to the insurer’s terms.
Age & Physical Requirements
- Ability to hike three miles over varied terrain while carrying a 15lb backpack at a speed of 2mph.
- Ability to do 20 squats.
- Ability to top rope 5.8 in the gym without taking or falling.
- Must know how to top rope belay.
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
Travel Information
Fly into Olbia (OLB) + private transfer to Cala Gonone
The easiest way to get to our base is to fly into Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) on Sardinia. From there, it’s about 1.5–2 hours by car to Cala Gonone. There is some public transport, but it’s limited and can be a bit clunky with climbing bags, so we strongly recommend pre-booking a transfer or sharing a taxi/van with other guests. Before the trip we’ll connect you with a trusted local driver and help coordinate ride shares so you can split costs and travel together.
Fly into another European city + connect to Olbia
If you’re coming from farther away, the most straightforward route is usually to fly into a major European hub (like Rome, Milan, Barcelona, etc.) and then take a short hop to Olbia. In high season there are lots of seasonal flights; in shoulder season there are fewer options, so you may have to be a bit flexible with timing or airlines. Once you’re in Olbia, you’ll still use the car/van transfer to Cala Gonone.
How many participants come by themselves?
The majority 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.
I've never climbed before. Can I still attend?
You do not need to be an experienced climber to attend, but we require at least gym climbing experience before signing up for this retreat. We recommend that everyone attending is able to top-rope a 5.8 in a climbing gym without taking or falling. While climbing 5.8 in a climbing gym is different than climbing a 5.8 outside, having the ability to climb 5.9 in the gym will set you up for our retreat.
I'm an advanced climber. Will I be able to lead climb?
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 have prior experience as a leader and 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 don’t plan on leading, we’ll just want to go through a quick belay test to make sure you’re good to go belaying those who are.
For those aspiring to lead, we will try our best to coach you through the process throughout the week with the aim of you learning to do so safely.
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 anywhere between the ages of 29 to 45. But we have had quite a few women in their 60's join as well. It really is up to the attitude and physical ability of the participant.
How many people will be on the trip, and is it mostly men or women?
If the trip fills, we'll have 8 climbers and 2 guides. Our daily groups will consist of 3-5 climbers per guide, letting us have our ropes on 2-3 routes at a time.
This trip is specifically for women (cis,trans) and gender minorities who feel comfortable in a space that centers women.
What if I have dietary restrictions?
Food-wise, this region is very much shepherds and sea: local cheeses, cured meats, roasted meats, seafood, and pastas. We can usually accommodate vegetarians and some other dietary needs with advance notice, but options can be limited in more traditional settings, and strict vegans will find this trip challenging food-wise. If you have specific restrictions, you’re welcome to reach out before booking so we can talk through what’s realistic.
I'm plus sized. Am I able to climb?
Absolutely! CLIMBING IS FOR YOU!
You must be able to:
- Ability to hike three miles over varied terrain while carrying a 15lb backpack at a speed of 2mph.
- Ability to do 20 squats.
- Ability to top rope 5.8 in the gym without taking or falling.
- Must know how to top rope belay.
Can I bring my pet?
We know you love your fur babies but unfortunately, we cannot allow pets on any of our group trips or clinics.
Are payment plans available?
Yes we have two types of payment options. Please visit our Payment Plan page for more information.
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