Imagine walking along a wall of the most beautiful gorge south of the peninsula, but almost flying 100 meters above the course of the river that created it.
So stop imagining...
Meet the Caminito del Rey.
The new Caminito del Rey
The new one?
Yes, because of the original aerial path, only a few traces remain under the current footbridge or many meters above your head. It is hard to believe that some sections were built so high.
Do you want to play 'Looking for Wally' with the King's Little Way?
In this post there are two photographs where isolated sections of the old route appear at an incredible height. If you find out what they are, tell me in the comments. But keep it a secret so others can keep playing 😉.
It was created at the beginning of the 20th century, between 1901 and 1905, to connect two waterfalls, the Gaitanejo and the Chorro, belonging to the same hydroelectric plant.
And then, why is it called Caminito del Rey?
Its name was coined in 1921, when, on the occasion of its inauguration, King Alfonso XIII walked the walkway. It's that simple.
With the passage of time, the path suffered great damage. And it is that 100 years, do not pass in vain...
However, its fame did not stop growing, especially for its climbing. Until, at the beginning of the 21st century, it was closed to the public after the death of several climbers.
Fortunately, several years later, restoration work began and, since 2015, the Caminito del Rey has been open again, safer than ever.
How to buy your ticket
To buy your ticket, you just have to enter the official website of the Caminito del Rey ( I leave the link in the section Useful Links).
You can book a general admission ticket (10€) with or without guided tour (+8€) and bus pass (+1,55€).
If you want to visit on weekends, holidays or during the summer months, book well in advance, because places sell out quickly.
On the other hand, it is easy to get a pass if you want to tour it in winter on a weekday.
Depending on the time of year, they issue entrance tickets between 9:30 am and 3:00 pm or 5:30 pm, every 30 minutes. They are closed on Mondays, as are the museums 🙂 🙂
Keep an eye on schedules: Organize your visit
The entire excursion will take you between 3 and 5 hours, depending on which alternative you choose and your pace through the gorge.
Remember that, in this case, it is not the one who arrives first who wins. The prize is the ride.
Please note that the time indicated on your ticket is the time you must be at the control booth (I have marked it in red on the map at the bottom of this page).
Therefore, you must calculate well the time it will take you to get there:
The different sections of the itinerary
- The bus that connects the train station of El Chorro with the entrance to the Caminito del Rey, leaves every 30 minutes (at half past e o'clock), and takes 20-25 minutes to reach the Kiosko.
- From the bus stop, there are 20 to 50 minutes walk to the control booth.depending on which path you choose.
- The typical 2.7 km route starts at the 'big' tunnel next to the Kiosco restaurant. This route is longer but with better panoramic views (this was the one we did).
- Alternatively, there is a 1.5 km access from the 'small' tunnel, located about 200 meters before the bus stop.
- Once past the checkpoint, there are 2.9 km of trail, divided between footbridges and forest trails. Taking your time and enjoying the scenery, it will take you between 2 and 3 hours.
- When the walkway ends, it is still about 15 minutes (1.3 km) to the starting point.
- And from there, to the train station, you have another 15 minutes (1.1 km).
Directions
You already know the steps of the route. However, the order of the steps will depend on your mode of transportation.
Train
El Chorro station receives direct trains from Malaga (45-50 minutes) and Seville (2 hours).
This is the method of transportation recommended by the organization of the Caminito del Rey, since the number of parking spaces is very limited compared to the number of visitors.
I leave you the schedules below.
Car
If you travel by car, you have several possibilities:
- Park next to the exit booth. It is the smallest parking lot and the first to fill up.
- Leave the vehicle in the access area to the start tunnels. Here the number of parking spaces is greater, although in high season they also fill up.
Depending on which one you choose (or find available), you will have to take the bus before or after touring the Caminito del Rey.
Personally, I prefer the south parking lot, for two reasons (and I'm not the only one):
- When you finish, you will find your car waiting for you.
- The road leading from El Chorro to the north entrance is narrow and full of curves and buses.
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes, no flip-flops or heels. My recommendation: sneakers or hiking boots.
- Enough water and some food. We took the opportunity to have lunch on a wide forest trail, while enjoying the sun and the views.
- Clothing according to the season. If it is layered, the better.
Other tips
- Do not leave any kind of garbage along the route. Next to the two control booths you will find containers.
- It is forbidden to bring children under 8 years old, strollers or wheelchairs.
- Wear the mandatory protective helmet provided at the entrance.
- Entering the Caminito del Rey in a group does not mean that you have to go at the same pace as everyone else. In fact, it is advisable to spread out, so that the weight is not concentrated at any point of the structure. There are even areas where the recommended separation distance between people is 1.5 meters.
- For your safety, do not leave the marked areas.
- You will find public restrooms at the control booths at the entrance and exit of the trail, as well as at the train station and El Kiosko bar, but not along the trail.
- Although the new structure is completely safe, if you suffer from strong attacks of vertigo, you may want to think twice about your visit. It is possible to walk most of the way along the wall without noticing the height too much. However, the lattice floor of the final suspension bridge can trigger a bit of leg tremor (my vertigo is very mild... or so I think).
When to go
Whenever you can.
If you are able to avoid weekends or holidays, you will be able to make the route more relaxed.
We visited the Caminito del Rey on a Wednesday, in mid-December 2017, just before the Christmas holidays started.
Due to the drought, the water level of the river was very low, as you can see in the photos. Although this did not affect the beauty of the gorge at all.
So, I reiterate:
When to go? Whenever you can.
By the way... have you located the two photos of the post with forgotten and isolated footbridges in the heights of the Caminito del Rey?
Where to stay
Here are some nearby options (I haven't tried them).
Useful Links
- History of the Caminito del Rey.
- Buy your ticket here.
- Bus schedules.
- Train schedules.
- Hotels in the vicinity (Ardales and El Chorro).
- Flights to Malaga: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo and Vueling.