If you have not been to Kyparissi yet, this is your chance: the extraordinary cliffs, exemplary hospitality, and intimate beauty of this little gem of a village in the southeast Peloponnese are ready to be experienced—or re-experienced—during its 2nd climbing festival over the weekend of May 10-12th, 2019.

Even though Kyparissi is surrounded by beautiful cliffs, it didn’t break into the climbing scene until fairly recently. Some routes had been bolted previously at sector Watermill, but methodical equipping of well-bolted routes and crags started in 2015, thanks to the Climb Kyparissi project under the supervision of our own Aris Theodoropoulos.

Soon thereafter, the 1st Kyparissi Climbing Festival—featuring the inimitable Angela Eiter, the first unofficial ambassador of Kyparissi—helped introduce it to the global climbing community. A host of other well-known climbers now make regular climbing/bolting pilgrimages, mostly to sector Babala, including (but not limited to) Charlotte Durif, Josh Larson, Yann Ghesquiers, and an outstanding French team of climbers and equippers from French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing, to name a few. (Charlotte Durif and Yann Ghesquiers will be this festival’s special guests.) Meanwhile, the Climb Kyparissi bolting project is still underway, adding select new well-bolted routes and crags around Kyparissi.

The best seasons for climbing in Kyparissi are spring and autumn, so the festival is perfectly timed in early May. Flights to Athens are still at below-peak prices, and Kyparissi is a scenic four-hour drive to the south.

Charlotte Durif
Charlotte Durif is an eleven-time winner of the French Climbing Championship, one-time winner of the European Climbing Championship, and five-time winner of the IFSC World Championships. She has also climbed hundreds of grade 8 routes, including one 8c onsight and twenty-four 8c redpoints. Her hardest climb to date is “PPP” 9a in Verdon. Kyparissi was a coup de foudre for Charlotte, who has bolted and climbed new routes in sectors Babala and Watermill. See Charlotte and her partner Josh Larson in the short film Exploring Kyparissi with Charlotte Durif & Josh Larson below.

Yann Ghesquiers
Yann Ghesquiers is a French Mountain Guide and one of the most prolific climbers from his country, with five 9as under his belt, a plethora of grade 8 climbs, and the equipping of numerous new routes. Yann who as committed to mountain rescue as he is to sport route setting, was one of the first big Kyparissi fans, and he has added several amazing hard routes at sector Babala.

Festival Registration
Online registration has opened, and we encourage you to register early to secure your festival t-shirt. Find the registration forms here. The festival’s registration desk and info point will be at the hospitable seafront terrace of Cavo Kortia hotel at the north edge of the village.

Festival Schedule
Day One: Friday, May 10th
Cavo Kortia Hotel, 17:00—22:00
– Festival registration
– Festival topo and Climbing Marathon info handouts
– Festival t-shirts
Day Two: Saturday, May 11th
– 09:00—17:00: Free climbing; Climbing Marathon
– 19:00: Gathering at Cavo Kortia
– Climbing Marathon results and awards
– Presentations by special guests Charlotte Durif and Yann Ghesquiers
– Local authorities’ welcome address
– Fantastic free buffet dinner!
Day Three: Sunday, May 12th
– Free climbing, or come see Charlotte Durif and Yann Ghesquiers trying to send some incredibly difficult projects!

Climbing Marathon
The Climbing Marathon will be on Saturday, May 11th, from 09:00 until 17:00. Each climbing party participating will choose one of two categories:
– Category 1: Routes up to (and including) 6c+.
– Category 2: Routes from 7a and up.
Each route climbed freely earns a designated number of points depending on grade. For example, a 6a route earns 1000 points for each climber; a 7a earns 2000 points; and so on. The climbing parties to climb the most routes and/or earn the highest number of points will be awarded unique prizes courtesy of the festival’s sponsors and local businesses.
Routes
Kyparissi has about 300 sport routes to date among 10 beautiful crags; some have morning shade, others afternoon shade.
Festival Topo
A free list of all routes will be handed out to all participants during the festival and will include all routes, even last-minute additions.

Hiking
For your non-climbing friends or partners or for your own rest day, know that Kyparissi has very pretty marked trails on Mt Hionovouni with incredible deep blue views of the Myrtoan Sea.

Accommodation

Kyparissi has many accommodation options for all budgets, starting at about €30 per day. Because the village is small, though, the sooner you book the better.
Alkyoni
Atalanti
Avra
Cavo Kortia
Helioti
Iliolousta
Kyfanta
Kyparissi rooms
Paraliako
Mouragio
Myrtoo
Ploes

Houses for rent
Kyparissi
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/24350385
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/31608624?s=51
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/19582766?s=51
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/29482500?s=51
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/29645451?s=51
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/10209014?s=51
https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/15247284?s=51

Richea

https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/21353577?s=51

https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/19937484?s=51

Charakas

https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/16566452?s=51

Ag. Dimitrios

https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/19166062?s=51

Kremasti

https://www.airbnb.gr/rooms/687487?s=51

Getting to Kyparissi
You can read all the details here, but in a nutshell:
– GPS coordinates: 36.972558, 22.990644
– Distance from Athens: 300 km
– Driving time from Athens: About four hours
The quickest way to drive is: Athens >> Sparti (or Sparta) >> Geraki >> Aghios Dimitrios >> Harakas >> Kyparissi.

This year’s festival brought to you by:
The Municipality of Monemvasia
The Local Community of Zarakas
The Bodossaki Foundation
The G. Kellis Legacy Fund
climbgreece.com