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Djebel Ressas Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Djebel Ressas

Damous Rabta 0

Derrière le col 0

Initiation 0

Kef Lasmer 2

Régions des blocs 0

Sous les yeux de Malika 4

Vase de Ressas 0

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Elevation:	2,367 ft	721 m
GPS:	36.61509, 10.33986 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	1,371 total · 26/month
Shared By:	Nate Singleton on Feb 3, 2021 · Updates
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Description

Djebel Ressas features stunning, prominent cliffs of Jurassic limestone situated on the horizon southeast of Tunis, Tunisia. The name, Arabic for 'the mountain of lead,' comes from its history as a lead mine. Competing in the foreground, the familiar profile of Djebel Boukornine may appear taller, but at 795 metres Ressas is the dominant peak. Most of the climbing is on the smaller Petit Ressas, to the north of the main peak.

Just 30 minutes away from downtown Tunis, Djebel Ressas is an excellent climbing destination for sport climbers of all levels, with good bouldering as well and a lot of potential. At present, routes range from 4 - ?7c / ~5.6 - 5.12+, with most climbs on the lower end of that range. Of note, some lines are quite long and require the use of an 80m rope; make sure to check the guidebook, bring plenty of quickdraws, and tie knots. The rock quality is generally good but some routes need traffic to clean up. Make sure to wear a helmet as you are a long way from a rescue were something to go wrong and there is not a dedicated mountain rescue service. That said, if you do have an accident your best bet is to contact the Garde nationale at 193 (Morneg station: 71 360 345).

Officially, Djebel Ressas is a nationally-registered forestry zone ("Zone forestiere"), entering which requires the permission of the Garde nationale station in the nearby town of Morneg. This requirement is not always enforced. If you don't speak French or Arabic, it may be difficult to obtain the necessary permission; on the other hand, if you don't speak either language, it will also be difficult to explain what you are doing should someone stop or question you. The site itself (as with many natural areas in Tunisia) does not see as much foot traffic or have the developed infrastructure of equivalent national parks in Europe or the US. If you have any doubts about the process of climbing at Djebel Ressas, your best bet is to ask around at Climb'IN in Tunis and/or to go with a local. All of that said, it is a stunning, quiet location with amazing climbing and panoramic views. A must-visit for any climbers in Tunisia.

Getting There

Djebel Ressas is about a 30 km drive from Tunis in the direction of Mornag, all on decent roads. To get there:

Travel southeast on A1 for about 15 km, following signs to Hammamet and Sousse.
Take the “Mornag” exit, just before the tollbooths. Turn right at the top of the exit ramp, then down and left at the first stop sign you’ll see.
Keep to the road for 0.5 km and take the first right you come to, now following signs to Mornag.
Drive about 2 km straight into Mornag proper, crossing the first intersection you reach and making a left turn at the second intersection. (A right turn at this intersection would put you immediately at the last gas station en route.)
Now you’re in the middle of town and traveling southeast on C35 (although the road is unmarked) toward Djebel Ressas. On most days you’ll probably notice a bustling open market along the right side of the road.
Stay on the road for about 7 km, following signs for Bouficha until you see a signpost on the left with markings for Fonderie and Jebel Ressas.
Turn left at the signpost and follow the rural road for nearly 2 km, past orchards and farmhouses, until you see a small, unsigned lane branching off to the left. Follow this winding lane for 1.5 km to its end, the village of Birou. You’ll know you’re there when you’ve reached an empty lot (GPS: 36.618728, 10.335799) adjacent to a sleepy farming settlement and a mosque; park here.
From the parking lot, head uphill on the right side of the village until you see a green sign designating the area as a Zone forestiere with a building with a blue door to its left. Follow the climber's trail(s) uphill from here, trending left for Kef Lasmer, Damous Rabta, and the main bouldering or right for the rest of the sectors.