Pearson recommends Zaghouan in Tunisia

James Pearson has been on a exploring trip to Zaghouan in North Eastern Tunisia. - Up until now, the climbing has been mostly developed by visiting Europeans, but after learning the ropes, the young and motivated local outdoor community have taken over the reigns, and development is continuing at a fast pace. The first guidebook is almost ready to be produced, and will include almost 200 routes split over several crags. The crags themselves are a very varied bunch, from steep tufa covered caves, to long, technical multi-pitch slabs. Walk-ins range from 5 to 45 minutes, with several of the cliffs even accessible by walking right out of the town. There is a lot of potential for bolting on the existing crags, and even finding whole new ones. Right now the majority of the routes are in the 6's and low end 7's. There are a few harder routes, mostly equipped by the petzl team, right up to 8c/+ but I don't know if they have all been climbed or just bolted? The rock seemed quite similar to that of Antalya, in that it is a little bit soft and dusty at first, but cleans up great with traffic. Accommodation can range from very cheap hostel style rooms, to luxurious themed hotels. The climbing tourism there is in the very early staged of development, so don't expect anything like Kalymnos of Antalya, but of those looking for a little more adventure, or just somewhere a little quieter, it would make for a fun little trip. More info