Caminito del Rey

About Caminito del Rey

The Desfiladero de los Gaitanes is a limestone gorge cut by the Guadalhorce river below the reservoirs north of El Chorro, with walls up to about 300 m high. The path was built in the early 1900s to serve a canal and hydroelectric works; King Alfonso XIII crossed it in 1921, giving it its name. Long derelict, it reopened on 28 March 2015 with new walkways above the old ones.

Walkers collect a helmet at the Gaitanejo dam and follow boardwalks through the Gaitanejo gorge and the Tajo de las Palomas, past the Puente del Rey. After the open Valle del Hoyo, the final walkways hang more than 100 m above the river, ending with a glass balcony and a 35 m suspension bridge with a grated floor. Griffon vultures nest on the cliffs.

Timed tickets cost €10, or €18 with an official guide. From the visitor reception at Puerto de las Atalayas, in Ardales, access paths of 2.7 km or 1.5 km lead to the start; the route ends at El Chorro, in Álora, where a shuttle bus (€2.50, cash) returns to the car parks. Allow 3–4 hours. Under-8s are not admitted, pets, poles and crutches are banned, and the steps and slopes rule it out for reduced mobility.

Spring brings flowers and nesting birds; in summer book an early slot. It opens Tuesday to Sunday and closes in strong wind, so check notices before driving, and wear shoes with grip.

Caminito del Rey in pictures

What you’ll find

• Car parkPaid parking (€2)Buy
• Gorge walkwayWalkway visit (€10, from 09:00)Ticket
• Guided walkGuided walk (€18)Book
• Visitor centreVisitor information (08:00–14:30)Free

Nearby places to visit

Close to the walkway, Bobastro Church and Ruins (3 km) keeps the remains of Umar ibn Hafsun's rebel stronghold and a Mozarabic church carved out of the sandstone before 917. The Cueva de Ardales (5 km) holds more than a thousand painted and engraved figures, some attributed to Neanderthals, shown on small guided visits. Down the Guadalhorce valley, the Pizarra Municipal Museum (21 km) grew from the collection of the American painter Gino Hollander. To the north-east, golfers will find Campo de Golf Antequera (22 km), and the karst rocks of El Torcal de Antequera (24 km) make a good pairing on the same trip.