Montagu is a town of immeasurable beauty and character, situated about 180 km from Cape Town, on the border of the Breede River Valley and the Klein Karoo, surrounded by impressive mountains.
It is the crucible of sport climbing in the Western Cape and one of the premier climbing areas in the country. It also boasts a huge amount of excellent and varied trad climbs, from single pitch to long multi-pitch routes up to eight pitches long.
Just recently, in the last few years, Montagu climbing went through a renaissance of sorts, after a new kloof was discovered at Guano Caves Resort a few kilometres out of town. Since 2023, Rock n Roll Kloof (as it has been called), has seen an inordinate amount of development by several active bolters, resulting in well over 100 sport route been opened and also 30 to 40 trad routes. The rock and the climbing is of an excellent quality and the fact that the crags and buttresses face in all directions, makes it climbable at any time of day and any time of year. In fact RnR (as it has become known), has become arguably the most popular climbing venue in the Western Cape (if not the country) over the last few years. Most weekends you will find 30 to 40 climbers enjoying the wonderful climbing on offer there.
Besides all the new shenanigans going on in Rock n Roll Kloof, over the past four years other areas and crags have also had some new developments. And these have also been included in this PDF guide.
Why a PDF guide? Well, new route development is still unfolding at an alarming rate and although I realised that an updated guide was sorely necessary, I also knew that as soon as it was printed, it would be out of date. With the PDF version, I can keep the guide up to date with new developments, and all you need to do is download the updates PDF from time to time.
To help me keep the guide current at all times, please send in your new route info (preferably with a topo pic with line drawn on) to tony@samountain.co.za
Please note: This updated guidebook does NOT replace the original Montagu Rock guidebook published in 2022, but is rather an update. A guide to all the new stuff. In fact you will still need the current guidebook for all relevant information and to navigate around the crags and climbing areas of Montagu.
Besides the climbing and lekker vibe, the town boasts a range of incredible coffee shops, eateries, art galleries, museums, gardens and even its own Odeon movie house. And of course, there is an abundance of beautiful wine farms scattered right across the famous and scenic Route 62 on all sides of Montagu, ready and waiting, with delicious lunch menus and award winning wines.
Either way, if you are looking for a place with great climbing, excellent country-town living, scrumptious food, outstanding wines, friendly people and beautiful vistas in every direction, then you simply have to put Montagu on your destination list. And do not plan a one or two day stay! You will be sorely disappointed. Plan for a week or longer. You will not regret it.
But be warned, Montagu loves to take prisoners. It can capture your heart very easily and quite often never lets go. Many people have come to Montagu for a holiday and have ended up living there. I know, my wife and I are two such inmates. And we are definitely not planning on escaping . . . ever!
