LOST WORLD – THE REVIVAL | A Festival of Trad

Montagu Outdoor Adventures, in partnership with SA Mountain Magazine and Black Diamond SA, welcomes you the 2022 edition of the Lost World Revival Trad Festival, at one of South Africa’s iconic trad climbing venues.

The whole of Lost World is comprised mostly of the very best quatzitic sandstone – beautiful orange and brown walls soaring up into the ever-blue skies. The rock is made for trad climbing – multiple, long aesthetic crack lines cleave the walls offering perfect opportunities for climbing and protection.

The main wall boasts a plethora of fine crack climbs up to 4 and 5 pitches long, like the excellent Jaywalker, the first ever route at Lost World, Remain in Light and Titanium Trip. The smaller crags scattered around the kloof also offer superb single and 2-pitch routes, like Find the Cost of Freedom, put up solo by AdK and graded 16 at the time – now upgraded to 19, and still demanding for that grade. Other short classics include Heart of Gold, Improbabilty Drive, A Sea of Existential Teddy Bears, and Stone Magic, and the absolute uber classic of the crag, Nuclear Waste, an exquisite 25-metre jam fest. Opened at grade 19, it has been raised to 20, but be prepared for solid climbing at that grade, and if you can’t jam, well . . .

But the main event in Lost World is the incomparable Wall of Darkness, a stunning dark and brooding wall 30 metres in height, and curving outward as you near the top, making sure the pump remains right up until you clip the anchors. The absolute classic of the wall and also regarded as one of the most revered test pieces in South Africa, is the outstanding Technicolour Darkness. A line which takes an elegant and unrelenting curving crack for the full 30 metres of the wall. There are seven routes up the wall, all hard, some scary and all put up by AdK in his teens.

So come prepared!

Most of the strategic anchors have been replaced with new double bolt anchors, and there is a new dedicated guidebook especially produced for the Lost World Revival Festival. And soon there will also be the new comprehensive Montagu Rock guidebook, which will include all the trad in Montagu, including Lost World.

How it works now

Lost World is NOT open to casual climbing in any shape or form, not even if you book to stay there in their luxury accommodation.

Climbing is ONLY permitted at Lost World during an organised event or meet, where a number of rooms are booked out and then only the people staying at Galenia (Lost World) and participating in the event are allowed access to climb (with a few exceptions, like sponsors, etc). Concessions for locals are also available

Please DO NOT attempt to climb at Lost World outside of these specific arrangements, as this will seriously jeopardise future access, and will probably mean the permanent closure of one of the countries most hallowed trad venues.

When is the Lost World Revival Festival

Friday 19 to Sunday 21 August.
Arrive anytime from 11am Friday and leave Sunday evening by 6.30pm latest.

The climbing

Climbing is permitted during this entire period.
Friday: 11am to 6.30pm
Saturday: First light to 6.30pm
Sunday: First light to 6.30 pm

Please make 100% sure that you are back at the lodge before dark in the evening!

This is very important!

The Accommodation

Galenia, which is basically at the entrance to Lost World, is a 5 star luxury resort. It comprises of 10 luxury rooms with ensuite and private veranda – each room with a double bed (two of the rooms have two single beds). This means the resort can sleep 20 people. There is also a huge main house, where there is a bar and lounge and dining facilities. And a huge outside veranda for chilling.

Food, drink and dining, etc

Saturday and Sunday Breakfast: Five star buffet breakfast, etc at the main house from 6.30am onwards. Included in the room price. For residents only!

Evening Meals: This is for your account. You can eat at Galenia (you need to book your meal), or you can eat at one of the restaurants in town (booking advisable).

Lunch at the crags: Everybody caters for themselves.

Please note that the chalets at Galenia are NOT self catering and no meals or food of any description can be prepared on the premises.

There is a full bar in the Main House, for your account, and mini fridges in the individual rooms, also for your account.

There is a R50 corkage per bottle for any wine brought and consumed on the premises.

The Cost

The luxury rooms normally go for R3220 per night (including a very sumptuous 5-star style breakfast).
For this event, the resort has discounted this to R2000 per night (including the same breakfast).
This means essentially that it will cost R1000 per person per night (B&B).

For R2000 you will get:
• As much climbing in Lost World from 11am on Friday to 6.30pm on Sunday
• 5-star luxury accommodation
• Full use of the beautiful main house for relaxation, dining and for event proceedings
• Full buffet and hot breakfast to order
• A goody bag

Booking, Indemnities and Payment

This works on a first come first served basis

Please go to the booking page and fill out the registration and indemnity forms and make payment by EFT. 50% deposit secures your booking. No deposit, no booking. The balance to be paid by latest 15 July. Please send confirmation of payment to tony@samountain.co.za

NOTE: Galenia can only sleep 20 people, so unfortunately numbers are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment.

NB. No animals allowed.