I have it on very good authority that Hampi, India, has some of the BEST bouldering in the world. Stay tuned for rock climbing in Afghanistan...
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Rock Climbing Sites

Within a radius of 60 Kilometres from Bangalore, there is possibly the biggest concentration of granite in the country. The rocks range from two kilometre long boulder fields to rock domes rising 300 metres. There are smaller towers 60 metres to 100 metres. Savandurga is the biggest dome near Bangalore, which has been developed. The main dome is 300 metres high and has eight routes on it. The most exciting classic climb is "Bangalore Bill" which sports a 90-metre crux pitch on thin protection.

Bangalore is in the centre of a number of rock climbing destinations like Ramanagaram (the setting for the Hindi blockbuster Sholay), Savandurga, Thuralli, Kabbal, Raogodhu and others.

Badami, a five-hour drive from Bangalore, is also a good place for rock climbing.

Kambakkam, around 100 kms from Chennai, provides good climbing in many grades.

Hampi in Karnataka has some of the best granite rocks in India providing the climbers ample opportunities to test their skills. Also known as the "City of Rocks" 350 kilometres north of Bangalore is another very interesting place. There are an endless number of boulders strewn ranging from four metres to 60 metres as far as the eye can see. One can spend days exploring this labyrinth of rocks. There is an endless potential for new routes at all grades.

In a 300 kms radius adjoining Kolkata, there are some climbing destinations such as Purulia, Matha Bura, Jai C Chandi and Susunia hills. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute offers courses in mountaineering at Gobu and Tenzing Norgay Rocks.

There are several good rock climbing destinations near Mumbai like Kanheri, Mumbra Boulders, Manori Rocks Karnala and Matheran.

In Gujarat Pavagadh is a favourite rock-climbing destination.

In Haryana, Dhauj (50 KM south west of Delhi) is the Mecca of Rock Climbing in India with some of the best rock faces with various grades of Difficulties graded and marked by the Indian Mountaineering Federation. This is perhaps the only place on Rock Climbing with a book written about it (nearly 400 rock faces with sketches and diagrams) by a Delhi based climber Mohit Oberoi. Many agencies from Delhi conduct daylong rock climbing courses and also programmes of longer duration. It is a favourite destination with schools in Delhi and adjoining area for overnight camping and rock climbing programmes.

In Delhi the areas around Lado Serai and Anand Parbat offer some good options.

In Uttaranchal the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering utilises the sites around Uttarkashi to impart training on the sport. Recently the Asia Climbing championships were held at Uttarkashi generating much interest in the local media about the sport. Areas around Nainital also offer many options for the serious rock-climbing enthusiast. Mukteshwar is particularly a favoured spot with the local climbers.

Gangotri Gorge 400 km. north of Delhi has immense possibilities of big wall climbing on walls ranging from 200 metres to 1,000 metres in a mountain environment.

www.rockclimbing.com

Mt. Abu (Rajasthan)
Pachmarhi in Central India.
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Sport Climbing

For people who like to climb but do not have the time to travel to the nearest sites sport climbing on Artificial Walls, emerged as a sport in England and spread rapidly across the globe and today has a cult following. As with natural climbing sport climbing is not weather dependent as it is mostly indoors, is not time dependent and is flexible on the grade of climbing to be selected by the climber by placing the holds at the desired places to choose one's own level of difficulty. Today there are more than 60 artificial walls in the country owned privately and by the government institutes and are rapidly contributing to growth of the sport in the country. The latest star attraction in the country happens to be the Ice Wall erected at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering for the Asian Rock Climbing Championships and is one of its kind in the country. Some other places with artificial walls are the Ramjas Sports and Mountaineering Institute in Delhi, HMI Darjeeling and the Indian Mountaineering Federation, Legend Inn and the Yamuna Sports Complex at New Delhi.