Rock climbing in Palestine and The West Bank

Rock climbing in the West Bank of Palestine offers the chance to have an adventure climbing holiday with a difference. Visitors to Palestine will find incredible rock climbing in idyllic landscapes, and a growing community of enthusiastic and welcoming local climbers. 


The climbing is mainly on good quality limestone rock, with the vast majority of the routes being single pitch. Whilst most of the routes are sport, there are also some mixed routes and well as some purely trad routes. In total there are over 340 routes spread across a wide range of grades in 9 different climbing areas

Miranda Oakley climbing Crusade, F8a+ at Nablus crag

The photograph shows Miranda Oakley climbing Crusade, F8a+ at Nablus crag.

Map of the rock climbing areas in the West Bank of Palestine

Map of the rock climbing areas in the West Bank of Palestine
Rock climbing areas in the West Bank of Palestine
NoCragTotal No of routesUp to F5c+F6a to F6b+F6c to F7b+F7c and aboveMax Height
1Yabrud56132116620m
2Ein Yabrud24858325m
3Ein Qiniya3471412125m
4New Ein Qiniya216122122m
5Al Bireh17754114m
6Ein Fara1361850531535m
7Battir261752210m
8Wadi Tamer11254055m
9Nablus18770432m

1) Yabrud – The best rock in Palestine! Yabrud is a quick trip from Ramallah and offers varied climbing on bulletproof rock.

2) Ein Yabrud – In this beautiful lush valley there is unique climbing on limestone that is unlike anywhere else in the West Bank.

3) Ein Qiniya – One of the first crags in the West Bank to be bolted with easy access from Ramallah.

4) New Ein Qiniya – A 15-minute walk from the original Ein Qiniya brings a different climbing style and some interesting bouldering.

5) Al Bireh – Only 3km for the centre of Ramallah is the short north facing crag.
6) Ein Fara – The crown jewel of Palestinian rock climbing. It is the tallest and largest crag in the area, with over 130 routes and some bouldering.
7) Battir – Climbing around the picturesque village of Battir that is ideal for those looking for easier grades.
8) Wadi Tamer – One of the only places to trad climb in the West Bank. The rock here can be loose and sandy but is the only place to climb over the Dead Sea.
9) Nablus – Provides long and beautiful routes overlooking one of the oldest cities in the World.

Climbing Palestine is the definitive guidebook to rock climbing in the West Bank detailing the 9 areas described above. It has been written by an American and three German climbers, who run the climbing wall in Ramallah; they are responsible for developing many of the routes along with local climbers. The guidebook details over 340 routes across a wide range of grades, with the majority of them between F5c and F7a. Buy Climbing Palestine from our shop.  Read an article about the sport climbing in Palestine by the guidebook author.

When is the best time to rock climb in Palestine? The best time to rock climb the West Bank of Palestine is during the spring and autumn when the weather is more stable and cooler. The crags face a variety of orientations so it is always possible to find the sun or shade. It is possible to climb throughout the year but climbing is limited to a few areas in the summer because of the heat and in the winter it can rain a lot.
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