El Caminito del Rey | An exciting walk in Malaga

You may have already heard of the King's Path? It is a well-known walking route in the Málaga region, Spain. Yet it is not just a walking route. It is located 100 meters above the river El Chorro. In this blog we give you more information and tips. Would you also want and dare to walk it?

History

Between 1901 and 1905, the trail was built as part of an electricity project. The path was necessary for workers to carry out maintenance and to deliver materials. In 1921 the constructed path was given a name, 'Het Koningspad' or 'Het Koningspad' El Caminito del Rey', thanks to King Alfonso XIII.

In the years that followed, the path was still used for workers, but at some point tourism also started. However, the trail was never built with the intention of attracting tourists. Yet there were tourists who also wanted to walk the route and this generated income.

The government closed the trail in 1992. The path was no longer needed for what it was originally built for. Parts of the path and handrails broke off, making it too dangerous to walk on the path. In the following years there have been a number of daredevils who have walked the route and unfortunately a number of people have died.

In 2015 el Caminito del Rey reopened after a major renovation. The entire renovation, including a number of parking spaces and a bus connection, cost around 7 million euros.

Access

Parking

There are a number of parking spaces that can be found via google maps near el Caminto del Rey. For most parking spaces you pay €2 on the spot. From the parking lot, the route can be reached on foot or by shuttle bus. A ticket for the bus costs €2,50 per person and can be purchased from the bus driver. Or you buy a ticket in combination with an entrance ticket for the walk.  

Tickets

To access the walk you must buy a ticket. You can try to buy a ticket on the spot at the box office, but then you run the risk that all tickets for that day are sold out. It is a very popular attraction and so it is advisable to order the tickets online some time in advance, especially during the high season. You have the option for the walk together with a guide.

We arrived early at the entrance. Although we had tickets to walk the walk with a group (of a maximum of 30 people) and a guide, we were still given the choice to walk the route ourselves. If you choose the guided tour, it will be in Spanish and/or English.

Access Rules

To walk el Caminito del Rey, you must be at least 8 years old. Slippers and open shoes are prohibited, so wear closed (walking) shoes. At the entrance you will be given a helmet with a hairnet. It is mandatory to wear the helmet during the entire hike. Even if you take a break, the helmet may not be removed. Bringing a camera and taking pictures is no problem. However, you are not allowed to use a long selfie stick, umbrella and/or drone. A short selfie stick was allowed.

FACILITIES

Toilets can be found at the entrance. During the entire route, no sanitary stop can be made, because there are no toilets on the route. You can take food and drinks with you and consume them on the way. There is nothing for sale on the route. There are several benches, but there are no trash cans, so take your trash with you!

Weather

El Caminto del Rey is closed in bad weather, strong wind and rain, keep the website and / or Instagram page for this.

Travel Route

The entire route is 7.7 kilometers long. To get to the start of el Caminito del Rey from the main road, you start with a walk from a tunnel. This part is a 1.5 kilometer walk. The official route of the Caminito del Rey is about 5 kilometers. You cover the remaining meters to the shuttle bus that takes you back to the parking lot or boarding point.

You can buy a ticket from the bus driver for €2.50. The shuttle bus runs every half hour. It is not possible to walk back to the starting point via the route. You walk the route from north to south.

The route takes about two to three hours. You walk 100 meters above the river, on the path that is largely built with wood against the cliffs. The path is often no wider than 1 meter. Along the way you will occasionally encounter an employee and cameras that keep a close eye on everything.

If you look closely you will come across parts of the old path along the way. They left this under the newly built walking path. It's bizarre to see! Don't forget to look around during the walk anyway, because it really is a beautiful area!

Camping

If, like us, you are going to walk el Caminito del Rey during a camping trip, it is an option to spend the night at Campsite Parque Ardales. It is a three kilometer walk from the campsite to the ticket office of el Caminto del Rey. The bus driver was kind enough to drop us off at the campsite on the way back. The campsite has reserved a part for campers. It is a wooded area, it is located on a beautiful lake, has many picnic tables in the woods and after the walk you can take a nice, hot shower! Well deserved, right?

Tip: Parque Ardales also has apartments available. Click for prices and availability here.

Closing comments

Hopefully we have made you enthusiastic to go hiking el Caminto del Rey and your hiking boots are ready. Don't forget your camera and a bottle of water. Have fun and especially enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the special hiking trail!