Six of the world’s best rock climbing destinations
Rock climbing is a perfect combination between travel and sport and it allows you to see and be part of some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on our planet. Follow us as we take you on a journey around some of the world’s best rock climbing destinations.
Yosemite National Park, USA
Yosemite National Park, located in the state of California, is one of America’s great wildernesses and one of its most beautiful landscapes. The area has long been popular with climbers of all abilities and has many climbing routes. The most famous rock climbing site though, is El Capitan, a sheer vertical rock formation rising 2,307m. This rock can be tough for even the world’s best rock climbers and one of its greatest challenges is to climb up its sheer granite face.
Cochamó Valley, Chile
The Cochamó Valley lies in the beautiful Chilean Lake District, in a U-shaped valley lined with 1000m granite walls and peaks. The area is covered with fertile plants, lush rainforests and is dotted with more waterfalls than you can count. The area is now a world class rock climbing destination and offers big walls, cragging and bouldering over more than 160 different routes.
Canmore, Canada
Canmore, in the Canadian province of Alberta offers some of the best rock climbing in the country and some of its most difficult too. The area’s limestone peaks are located just 10 minutes from the town, making it one of the world’s most easily accessible rock climbing areas too. The area mostly features single pitch climbs, but there are a few multi-pitch ones too, including Ha Ling Peak, which at 25 pitches is Canada’s longest sport route.
Meteora, Greece
Meteora, meaning ‘suspended rocks’, provides some of the most spectacular rock climbing routes in Greece. This valley of the Gods is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of sandstone rock pillars topped with ancient monasteries. If you’re after spectacular views as you climb, then this place has to be one of the best.
Red Rock Canyon, USA
The Aztec sandstone cliffs of Las Vegas’ Red Rock Canyon in the state of Nevada provide a rock climbing playground, featuring trad climbs, bouldering and multi-pitch climbs. Single pitch areas include Brass Wall and Necromancer Wall, while multi-pitch areas include Eagle Wall, Aeolian Wall, Mescalito, and Solar Slab Wall. Here, you will find long easy routes suitable for beginners, as well as those more challenging climbs for the experts.
Rai Leh and Ton Sai, Thailand
Rai Leh and Ton Sai, located in the beautiful Krabi province of Thailand provide some of the best rock climbing areas in the whole of South East Asia. Climbers from all over the world come here to enjoy the superb limestone cliff climbing and lush jade green scenery. Climbing here is graded on the French scale and most routes are steep and challenging, even for the more experienced.
