South African Climbing Wiki

Welcome to the largest & most comprehensive online database of Southern African climbing information.

Rock Climbing in South Africa

South Africa offers some of the best climbing in the world. There are many different rock formations all with different features. Oudtshoorn crags are limestone with hanging stalactites and tufas. The Cederberg is compact sandstone with ledges that offer solid gear placements. There is great sport climbing in Montagu, a small Klein Karoo town, where it is almost always dry (except for when it floods). Waterval Boven is probably the most developed sport climbing area in the county with over 1000 routes in a most beautiful setting. In the Free State, Mt Everest and Swinburne offer sport and trad climbing and awesome bouldering. The famous Wave Cave at Shongweni is just outside of Durban and has hard overhanging sport routes. You can do seaside cliff climbing at Morgan Bay. There is world class bouldering at Rocklands in the Cederberg, remote multi-pitch trad climbing in the Magaliesberg and Drakensberg Mountains. Ok, I could go on, but you get the point. The settings are beautiful and uncrowded by hoards of people. The small towns have a really nice laid-back country feel. The people are friendly and genuine. And the food, wine and atmosphere is always great!

Access Considerations

A lot of climbing areas are on private land, so please be courteous to anybody you meet while in the area (it might be the landowner). Please don't litter. Only go to the toilet far away from the crag. Keep on the paths.

South Africa Climbing Areas by Province

• Eastern Cape

• Free State

• Gauteng

• KwaZulu Natal

• Limpopo Province (Northern Province)

• Mpumalanga

• Northwest Province

• Western Cape

Other Climbing Areas Outside of South Africa

• Botswana
• Lesotho
• Namibia
• Zimbabwe
• Kenya

Map of Climbing Areas

Loading map...

{"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"800px","height":"500px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":false,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Montagu\" title=\"Montagu\"\u003EMontagu\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Montagu\n","link":"","lat":-33.784854000000003,"lon":20.116596000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Oudtshoorn\" title=\"Oudtshoorn\"\u003EOudtshoorn\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Oudtshoorn\n","link":"","lat":-33.371198,"lon":22.176535000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Rocklands\" title=\"Rocklands\"\u003ERocklands\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Rocklands\n","link":"","lat":-32.145240000000001,"lon":19.033785000000002,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Harrismith\" title=\"Harrismith\"\u003EHarrismith\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Harrismith\n","link":"","lat":-28.165111,"lon":29.182279999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Waterval_Boven\" title=\"Waterval Boven\"\u003EWaterval_Boven\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Waterval_Boven\n","link":"","lat":-25.633013999999999,"lon":30.333323,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Bronkies\" title=\"Bronkies\"\u003EBronkies\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Bronkies\n","link":"","lat":-25.882284899999998,"lon":28.7262469,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Umgeni_Valley\" title=\"Umgeni Valley\"\u003EUmgeni_Valley\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Umgeni_Valley\n","link":"","lat":-29.480103,"lon":30.233830999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Spitzkoppe_%26_Pontoks\" title=\"Spitzkoppe \u0026amp; Pontoks\"\u003ESpitzkoppe_\u0026amp;_Pontoks\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Spitzkoppe_\u0026amp;_Pontoks\n","link":"","lat":-21.835528,"lon":15.195966,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Cape_Town\" title=\"Cape Town\"\u003ECape Town\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Cape Town\n","link":"","lat":-33.943359999999998,"lon":18.438949999999998,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Tafelberg\" title=\"Tafelberg\"\u003ETafelberg\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Tafelberg\n","link":"","lat":-32.414167999999997,"lon":19.207090999999998,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Wolfberg\" title=\"Wolfberg\"\u003EWolfberg\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Wolfberg\n","link":"","lat":-32.473745000000001,"lon":19.275119,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Paarl\" title=\"Paarl\"\u003EPaarl\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Paarl\n","link":"","lat":-33.744683000000002,"lon":18.942139000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Hellfire\" title=\"Hellfire\"\u003EHellfire\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Hellfire\n","link":"","lat":-33.730683999999997,"lon":19.172481999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/w/index.php?title=Yellowood_Amphitheatre\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" class=\"new\" title=\"Yellowood Amphitheatre (page does not exist)\"\u003EYellowood Amphitheatre\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Yellowood Amphitheatre\n","link":"","lat":-33.726731000000001,"lon":19.208043,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Kleinmond\" title=\"Kleinmond\"\u003EKleinmond\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kleinmond\n","link":"","lat":-34.332309000000002,"lon":18.996580999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Zimbabwe\" title=\"Zimbabwe\"\u003EZimbabwe\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Zimbabwe\n","link":"","lat":-17.816032,"lon":31.051369000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Kgale_Hill\" title=\"Kgale Hill\"\u003EKgale Hill\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kgale Hill\n","link":"","lat":-24.689738999999999,"lon":25.874300000000002,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Mmopane_Hill\" title=\"Mmopane Hill\"\u003EMmopane Hill\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Mmopane Hill\n","link":"","lat":-24.557099999999998,"lon":25.88034,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Mogonye\" title=\"Mogonye\"\u003EMogonye\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Mogonye\n","link":"","lat":-24.838819999999998,"lon":25.66291,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Kanye\" title=\"Kanye\"\u003EKanye\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kanye\n","link":"","lat":-24.952781999999999,"lon":25.335712000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Moshupa_and_Thamaga\" title=\"Moshupa and Thamaga\"\u003EMoshupa and Thamaga\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Moshupa and Thamaga\n","link":"","lat":-24.775164,"lon":25.422507,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Kobokwe_Gorge\" title=\"Kobokwe Gorge\"\u003EKobokwe Gorge\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kobokwe Gorge\n","link":"","lat":-24.431377000000001,"lon":25.533018999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Motlhabaneng\" title=\"Motlhabaneng\"\u003EMotlhabaneng\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Motlhabaneng\n","link":"","lat":-22.203213000000002,"lon":28.849641999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Tonquani\" title=\"Tonquani\"\u003ETonquani\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Tonquani\n","link":"","lat":-25.849955000000001,"lon":27.499466000000002,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEaster Kloof\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Easter Kloof\n","link":"","lat":-25.837904000000002,"lon":27.523841999999998,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHamerkop\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Hamerkop\n","link":"","lat":-25.850418000000001,"lon":27.417411999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGrootkloof\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Grootkloof\n","link":"","lat":-25.848564,"lon":27.403851,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMhlabatini\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Mhlabatini\n","link":"","lat":-25.810245999999999,"lon":27.318192,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFernkloof\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Fernkloof\n","link":"","lat":-25.804682,"lon":27.310037999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKranskloof\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kranskloof\n","link":"","lat":-25.752434999999998,"lon":27.711124000000002,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrident\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Trident\n","link":"","lat":-25.779274360424239,"lon":27.657821096552421,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDome\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Dome\n","link":"","lat":-25.82211783572647,"lon":27.549675966943042,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELikkewaan\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Likkewaan\n","link":"","lat":-25.816515685937318,"lon":27.55628207221466,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChosspile\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Chosspile\n","link":"","lat":-25.721430999999999,"lon":27.849162,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Kloof_Gorge\" title=\"Kloof Gorge\"\u003EKloof Gorge\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Kloof Gorge\n","link":"","lat":-29.761844,"lon":30.834281000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Winston_Park\" title=\"Winston Park\"\u003EWinston Park\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Winston Park\n","link":"","lat":-29.819721000000001,"lon":30.800747000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Shongweni_Dam\" title=\"Shongweni Dam\"\u003EShongweni Dam\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Shongweni Dam\n","link":"","lat":-29.863237000000002,"lon":30.723817,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/w/index.php?title=Howick_Falls\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" class=\"new\" title=\"Howick Falls (page does not exist)\"\u003EHowick Falls\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Howick Falls\n","link":"","lat":-29.486602999999999,"lon":30.238419,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Umgeni_Valley\" title=\"Umgeni Valley\"\u003EUmgeni Valley\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Umgeni Valley\n","link":"","lat":-29.476516,"lon":30.269551,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Monteseel\" title=\"Monteseel\"\u003EMonteseel\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Monteseel\n","link":"","lat":-29.735092000000002,"lon":30.680240000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Blouberg\" title=\"Blouberg\"\u003EBlouberg\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Blouberg\n","link":"","lat":-23.081468999999998,"lon":29.038661000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Wellingtons_Dome\" title=\"Wellingtons Dome\"\u003EWellingtons Dome\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Wellingtons Dome\n","link":"","lat":-23.943830999999999,"lon":28.913900000000002,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Ngopane_(gaMashashane)\" title=\"Ngopane (gaMashashane)\"\u003ENgopane (gaMashashane)\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Ngopane (gaMashashane)\n","link":"","lat":-23.931936,"lon":29.125271000000001,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}

General Information

• MCSA (search and rescue, permits and access)
• Bolting information

Route Hit List

• Trad Hit List
• Sport Hit List

Journal and Guidebook Archive

• UCT MSC Journals
• MCSA Journal Indexes
• Out of print guidebooks