General Info

The Vertical-Life climbing app contains sportclimbing and bouldering areas, multipitch-routes and now also climbing gyms from all over the world. The application offers detailed information on climbing areas, crags and full-color topos. Information developed in collaboration with climbing book authors, local developers and partner publishing houses. User can connect with fellow climbers and follow their achievements and adventures. 

For the first time, the Kalymnos Climbing Festival is hosting the Smart Climbing Festival. With the welcome package at the Open Climbing Days Event, climbers receive a free code to unlock the Kalymnos Festival App Guide out of the official Kalymnos guidebook by Aris Theodoropoulos. Participants can mark their sent routes in the Vertical-Life app (https://x.zlag.it/vertical-life-app) with a Zlag and track other climbers’ ascents in the real time Zlagfeed.

Getting started

• Download the app for iOS or Android: https://x.zlag.it/vertical-life-app
• Register as a user. 
• To unlock the guide, enter the free code you get with your Vertical-Life flyer in the welcome package.
• Go to App Guides > Events > Kalymnos > Kalymnos 2016. 

Navigation

• Download the Kalymnos Festival Guide topos for offline access. 
• Find your way with the access maps. 
• Find the topos for each crag. 
• Mark your ascents with a Zlag. 

When offline, your Zlags are saved to your device. For the automatic synchronization you have to connect to the Internet.

The schedule of events for Kalymnos Climbing Festival 2016 has been updated on August 8th, 2016. New activities, new presenters! For more details, click here!

This year's festival will have a special guest, Urko Carmona, giving a unique presentation. Check out his short video below!

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/urko.carmonabarandiaran 

This year's Kalymnos Climbing Festival has a new logo. Hope you like it!

Short History

Kalymnos Rescue Team was formed in 2013, by people who live on the island in order to cover, voluntarily, as better as they can, every climbing accident that can occur on the island.

The team’s main purpose is to aid in any accident concerning climbing or other activities that take place on land and in rough areas that medical care cannot reach easily, as in trekking paths around the island. 

The team consists of 23 people, climbers and non climbers, Kalymnian and foreigners who live on the island for a long time now. The team has trained members to operate on the ground, as well as above it, in any height a climbing accident can occur. The first training was performed by an instructor of the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering & Climbing and a second one was from Lyon Equipment, UK, both in rope rescue techniques.

Kalymnos rescue team was formed by the initiative of local businesses, Alternet tourist services and Wildsports climbing shop, and supported by the Petzl foundation and the Municipality of Kalymnos. Now, the team’s basic funds come from peoples’ support and donation. Our top priority is to keep training, in rescue techniques and first aid, and to have all the necessary material for rescue.

Where and how to find us

 Until the team’s official home is ready, we are hosted by one of our sponsors, the Alternet tourist services office, in Oasis hotel in Masouri. 

The best way for somebody to find us in case of emergency, is to call 112, the european emergency number, without charge, and ask to be connected to the Hospital of Kalymnos. The hospital calls directly us and we get to the place of the accident.

It is extremely important for everyone to know that it makes it much easier and quicker for us to get to the point, if when you call for help you specify the place, the climbing sector, the situation eg. hanging or not, in a cave or not, the injury and generally any information that can help us prepare correctly for the rescue.

Other useful numbers are: 

Emergency office, Kalymnos hospital: +30 22433 61931 

Police station: +30 22430 22100

If you just want to contact us, you can write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ways to help us 

Donate! In Kalymnos we have fixed official donation boxes in key points, bars, bike rentals, shops, and soon we will have our own bank account to accept donations from whoever will want to contribute to our work. Also, if you wish to buy the Alternet card, which offers discounts in various businesses and activities, you give a small amount to the Rescue team.

We can use your expertise! If you are a mountain rescuer or a paramedic and you plan to come to Kalymnos for holidays, please contact us or come to find us in our office and let us know you are here and available for a possible rescue. We are a voluntary team and extra hands or knowledge is always needed!

Here are  some photos of Kalymnos Rescue Team in action!

View some of the videos of Kalymnos Climbing Festival!

Here you can see some statistics from 2012 to 2015.