Rock climbing in Peloponnese
The Peloponnese area is the most southerly region of mainland Greece, and includes the cities of Tripoli, Nafplio, and Kalamata. This is an up and coming rock climbing area that has been developed in recent years in a beautiful part of Greece. The main rock climbing areas are shown on the map below.
| No | Crag | Type of Climbing | No. of Routes | Best time to climb | Type of Rock | Popular Grades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nafplio | Sport | 120 | Winter | Limestone | F4b to F7b |
| 2 | Leonidio | Sport | 2,000 | Autumn to Winter | Limestone | F5a to F9a |
| 3 | Kyparissi | Sport | 360 | Spring and Autumn | Limestone | F7a to F8a |
| 4 | Zobolo | Sport | 150 | Winter | Limestone | F5a to F7a |
| 5 | Lagada | Sport | 80 | Summer | Limestone | F6b to F8b |
| 6 | Nedousa | Sport | 100 | All Year | Limestone | F5c to F8a+ |
| 7 | Kardamyli | Sport | 31 | Spring and Autumn | Limestone | F5c to F6b |
Leonidio is the largest rock climbing area with 2,000 routes spread across over 80 separate crags. Leonidio has a wide variety of climbing across a wide range of routes from F4 to F9a. The vast majority of the routes are single pitch though there are a number of well bolted multi-pitch routes up to 250m long. Leonidio is a great place to go climbing in the winter months, with the climbing season being from October through to April.
Nafplio is in the Argolis district of Greece where there are over 12 rock climbing areas. The best of these rock climbing areas are the seaside crags near Nafplio. Neraki is a red limestone wall next to the sea with 120 routes mostly in the F4b to F7b grade range.
Map of the rock climbing areas in the Peloponnese regions of Greece
Kyparissi is a beautiful village set in a stunning coastal location surrounded by limestone of outstanding quality. Across 9 different crags, it has over 360 well protected routes across a wide range of grades (F5a to F9a), though almost half of the established routes graded F7b and above. The crown jewel among them is Babala, a world class crag featuring hard tufa routes.
Zobolo is situated at the tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. The rock climbing here consists of 150 well bolted routes that are mainly single pitch. Most of these routes are in the F5a to F7a grade range, though there are a few harder lines.
Lagada is situated at an altitude of around 1,000m near the town of Sparta. Here there are 4 sectors with the majority of the routes on vertical or slightly overhanging rock, plus there is a large cave with plenty of tufas. There are around 80 routes in total with grades from F5b to F8b.
Nedousa is a beautiful limestone valley that is situated close to the city of Kalamata. The steep limestone rock is red with many tufas. There are around 100 routes with grades from F5c to F8+, though the potential to establish new routes is huge here.
Walking and hiking in the Peloponnese
The highest mountain in the Peloponnese is the peak of Prophet Elias (Prophitis Ilias) that is a perfect limestone pyramid peak standing at 2,407m high, in the Taygetos Massif near the city of Sparta. The Taygetos Massif area is a hiker’s paradise with 130 peaks higher than 1,000m. Many of these are shown in the Taygetos Walking Map and Guidebook that is available to buy from our shop.
The 2nd highest mountain in the Peloponnese is Mount Ziria at 2,374m high. Ziria is a famous hiking destination that offers stunning views, diverse and beautiful landscapes, and a rich history. There are rocky peaks, lush forests, alpine meadows, Lakes, and dramatic gorges like the Flampouritsa Gorge. Ziria offers a large network of well-marked trails catering to different levels of experience, from leisurely strolls to challenging hikes. These are shown on the Mount Ziria Hiking Map that is available to buy from our shop.