Guide to hiking El Caminito del Rey (Tickets & Tours)

The Caminito del Rey walkway is suspended high above a spectacular narrow gorge. It is one of the most jaw-dropping trails in Spain. Here’s how to visit whether under your own steam, or on a tour.

The Caminito del Rey, or “King’s Little Pathway,” is one of the most dramatic walks in Spain.

Originally built in 1905, it was nicknamed the most dangerous walk in the world. But, after a complete rebuild in 2015, it’s now an easy, and very spectacular hike.

The highlight is a series of wooden walkways pinned to the walls of the 400-metre-high El Chorro Gorge, which in places, is only 10 metres wide.

The entire El Caminito del Rey walk is 7 kilometres long. It’s a diverse trail which, in spite of its precarious position, is achievable by almost anyone.

And, it’s a very beautiful walk.

This guide explains everything you need to know about hiking El Caminito del Rey including how to get there, where to park, how to book tickets and what to expect along the way.

WHAT IS THE EL CAMINITO DEL REY?

El Caminito del Rey is a walkway pinned along the walls of the El Chorro Gorge.

Cut by the Guadalhorce River, the gorge consists of three narrow canyons:

• Gaitanejo Gorge,
• El Tajo de las Palomas,
• Desfiladero de los Gaitanes.

The final gorge is the most striking, with walls 400 metres high and only 10 metres apart. The walkway clings to the vertical wall around 100 metres above the river.

The Caminito del Rey was built between 1901 and 1905 to transport materials and workers to two hydroelectric power plants.

The path was inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1923, hence the name El Caminito del Rey which means “the king’s little path.”

IS EL CAMINITO DEL REY SAFE?

El Caminito del Rey used to be one of the most dangerous walks in the world.

The original walkway of concrete and steel became so dilapidated that leaping over massive gaps in the concrete became a high-octane sport.

After 5 thrill-seekers died on the path between 1999 to 2000, the local government closed access to the public.

Yet, people still attempted the walk and in 2013, another 4 people died.

Fortunately, this is not the walkway that is there today. In 2015, a completely new walkway was built. It’s around 1 to 1.5 metres wide with a guard rail around 1.2 metres high.

Today, El Caminito del Rey feels very safe and is achievable for anyone with an average level of fitness.

HIKING THE CAMINITO DEL REY

Hiking the Caminito del Rey has three parts too it.

Stage 1 goes from the car park at El Kiosko to the Official Entrance Gate of the El Caminito del Rey walk. There are two options for this section. You can either follow a route along the river or cut through a dark dank tunnel.

Stage 2 is the official ticketed El Caminito del Rey hike and the most dramatic stage of the hike. It begins at the Official Entrance Gate and heads over suspended wooden walkways pinned along the gorge walls.

Stage 3 exits the official ticketed section of the hike and follows a gravel track to the village of El Chorro.

You are only permitted to walk Stage 2 of the El Caminito del Rey in one direction (north to south). So, it’s not possible to make the walk circular by going back the way you came.

A shuttle bus runs regularly between El Chorro (at the end of the hike), the Visitors Centre, and El Kiosko (at the beginning of the hike). It takes 20 minutes to complete the trip.

CAMINITO DEL REY WALK MAP

You can see each stage on the map below. We have also numbered the highlights so you can follow your progress and get the camera ready.

• Stage 1 via Gaitanejo Trail (brown) – 2.7 kilometres (50 minutes)
• Stage 1 via Pedestrian Tunnel (brown)– 1.5 kilometres (25 minutes)
• Stage 2 (red) – 3.4 kilometres (90 minutes to 1 hour)
• Stage 3 (purple) – 2.1 kilometres (40 minutes)

CAMINITO DEL REY TICKETS

Section 2 of the El Caminito del Rey walk requires timed tickets which must be booked in advance.

Caminito del Rey tickets are available Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 3.30 pm (closed on Mondays and some bank holidays)

There are two types of tickets: General Ticket or Official Guided Ticket.

GENERAL TICKET

The General Ticket allows you to complete the walk at your own pace. It is a timed entrance, so you must be at the Official Entrance Gate (at the beginning of Stage 2) for the time specified on your ticket.

Be sure to book a ticket that gives you enough time to walk from the El Kiosko to the Official Entrance Gate and checkin.

Once you are through the gate, there is no time limit for how long you can stay in the gorge.

General Ticket Price – €10

OFFICIAL GUIDED TICKET

The Guided Ticket includes a tour with a certified guide who will provide information about the gorge on the way through. Group size is limited to 30 people.

Office Guided Ticket Price – €18

CAMINITO DEL REY TOURS

If tickets are sold out on the official website, you may still be able to visit Caminito del Rey on a guided tour.

This is also a great option if you don’t want to mess around with shuttle buses and public transport.

We have provided an indicative price for these tours because they will be presented in your home currency.

VIATOR TOURS

Group Tour & Entry Ticket (around €40) – This group tour starts at El Chorro (the end of the walk) where you’ll meet your guide and take the shuttle bus to the start of the walk.

Tour from Málaga by Private Bus (around €60) – This tour starts at Málaga Town Hall and includes bus transport to Caminito del Rey, entry tickets and a guide.

GET YOUR GUIDE TOURS

Guided tour & Entry Ticket (around €30)- This tour is a little cheaper than Viator but you need to park at the Visitor Centre and then get the shuttle bus to the start of the walk to meet the guides.

Tour from Málaga by Train (around €60) – This tour includes the train return train journey from Málaga, the entry ticket and a guided tour. The guides meet you at Málaga train station in the morning.

HOW TO GET TO EL CAMINITO DEL REY

There are three ways to get to the El Caminito del Rey Walk. You can drive yourself, catch the train or take an organised tour.

PARKING AT CAMINITO DEL REY

El Caminito del Rey is about a 1-hour drive from Málaga, Ronda or Antequera. There are three possible places to park for the walk, all marked on the map above:

• P1 – Restaurant El Kiosko at the start of Stage 1.
• P2 – El Chorro at the end of the walk.
• Visitors Centre – The visitors centre in Ardales – halfway between the two.

Parking at any of the Caminito del Rey locations costs €2 per day. You can pay on arrival (cash only), but it’s more convenient to reserve a specific car park and pay in advance when you book your tickets. Remember to also include the shuttle bus.

PARKING AT P1 – EL KIOSKO

The easiest option is to park at P1 near El Kiosko, complete the walk, and then get the shuttle bus back to the car. This is what we did.

Aim to arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour before your timed ticket entry depending on whether you walk Stage 1 via the Pedestrian Tunnel or Gaitanejo Trail to reach the Official Entrance Gate.

Ideally don’t book the last few timed entrances because you don’t want to be rushing to get the last shuttle bus (6.30pm in summer, 5.30pm in winter).

There are a café and toilets at El Kiosko.

PARKING AT P2 – EL CHORRO

If you park at P2 in El Chorro (at the end of the walk) you need to get the shuttle bus to the beginning of the walk at El Kiosko, then complete the walk, ending back at your car.

The first shuttle bus departs at 8.30am, you then have a to walk Stage 1 to get to the Official Entrance Gate, so don’t book your timed entry too early.

There are toilets and a food van at El Chorro.

PARKING AT THE CAMINITO DEL REY VISITOR CENTRE

A new Visitor Centre opened in October 2022 with parking for 240 vehicles. It’s worth checking out the new complex which was sustainably built and blends into the environment with sweeping views.

However, it is the least convenient option for completing the Caminito del Rey hike. It’s located in the middle of the shuttle bus route, so you’ll need to get the bus both at the beginning and at the end of the walk.

There is however more information and facilities on site.

CAMINITO DEL REY BY TRAIN

Trains from Málaga – María Zambrano train station to El Chorro train station take 40 minutes, but there are only a small number of services each day.

While getting there in the morning is not a problem, getting back can be more inconvenient.

At the time of writing (October 2024), there are trains from El Chorro and Málaga at 2 pm, 4:50 pm and 9 pm.

Check the latest Málaga to El Chorro route information on Trainline.

CAMINITO DEL REY SHUTTLE BUS

The shuttle bus runs regularly between El Chorro, the Visitors Centre, and El Kiosko. It takes 20 minutes to complete the trip.

The bus does not run when the Caminito del Rey walk is closed.

Summer Hours – In summer, the bus runs from 8:30 am to 6 pm with departures every 30 minutes (on the hour and the half hour).

Winter Hours – In winter, the bus runs from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, every hour on the hour.

Cost – €2.50 which you pay to the bus driver (cash only). Alternatively, you can include the shuttle bus ticket in advance when you buy your Caminito del Rey ticket online.

CAMINITO DEL REY HIKE INSTRUCTIONS

The 7-kilometre Caminito del Rey hike is split into 3 distinct sections:

• Stage 1 – The mountain trail walk to get to the start of El Caminito del Rey.
• Stage 2 – The official Caminito del Rey trail over the suspended walkways (a timed ticket is required for this section)
• Stage 3 – Exit from the suspended walkways to El Chorro village.  

STAGE 1 – EL KIOSKO TO CAMINITO DEL REY OFFICIAL ENTRANCE GATE

This section of the walk goes from the parking and bus stops near Restaurant El Kiosko (just north of the village of Ardales) to the Official Entrance Gate (sometimes called the Control Cabin) of El Caminito del Rey.

There are two possible routes to reach the official Entrance Gate. One is the Gaitanejo Trail the other is the Pedestrian Tunnel.

GAITANEJO TRAIL

This route starts on the righthand side of Restaurant El Kiosko and follows the right bank of the river.

The rocky earthen path is lined with Aleppo pines as it continues towards the Official Entrance Gate at the beginning of the gorge.

This route is 2.7 kilometres long and takes about 50 minutes. This is the route we took the last time we did the Caminito del Rey.

PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL

This route starts alongside the road about 200 metres south of the Restaurant El Kiosko and goes through two 150-metre-long pedestrian tunnels.

The tunnels are quite narrow and dark, so bring a torch. This route is 1.5 kilometres and takes about 25 minutes.

STAGE 2 – CAMINITO DEL REY

This is the official section of the El Caminito del Rey hike.

The trail heads through the narrow section of the gorge on suspended walkways. It requires tickets which need to be booked in advance.

All tickets have a timed entry, to regulate the flow of visitors. The timed ticket refers to the time you must be at the Official Entrance Gate at the beginning of Stage 2, so you need to allow 25 to 50 minutes depending on which route you take.

At the Official Entrance Gate, you’ll receive a helmet and hear a short safety briefing.

This section is 3.4 kilometres long and takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours. There are six great places to stop which we have explained further down in this guide and marked on the map below.

STAGE 3 – EXIT TO EL CHORRO

Once you exit the official walk through a metal gate, you then need to walk to El Chorro where you’ll find the shuttle bus stops and the train station.

This part of the walk is 2.1 kilometres long and takes about 40 minutes on an easy gradually descending trail.

Just as you reach the bottom of the valley, there is a large box to return your helmet.

There is a snack van and toilets at the exit from the official walk, and you’ll see signs pointing to the shuttle bus stop.

EL CAMINITO DEL REY HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some of the highlights to keep an eye out for on the hike.

GAITANEJO GORGE

This is the first time the walkway heads through a narrow section of gorge. Keep an eye out for the old path below the new one and imagine what walking on it must have been like. It ends at a lovely blue-green pool called El Soto.

BUTTER STEPS

Sometimes called the chocolate or zigzag steps, the trail here winds through a wonderful section of rock that looks like waves on the sea.

KING’S BRIDGE

This is the bridge King Alfonso crossed over to inaugurate the dam.

Today it straddles the gorge and offers wonderful views up and down the valley. Just afterwards, the path returns to wooden boardwalks again and enters a second canyon called El Tajo de las Palomas.

HOYO VALLEY

The El Caminito del Rey exits the second canyon into a wide valley. This is a gentle and easy stroll through a leafy valley but be careful on hot days as it has little shade.

Keep an eye out for the train line on the other side, vultures soaring high on the thermals above, and bat caves in the cliff face.

GAITANES GORGE

The third and final canyon is the most dramatic. The walkway hangs 100 metres above the river, clinging to vertical walls. There are lots of great viewpoints, but Mirador de Cristal is possibly the best.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE & SOUTH WALL

Just before you reach the exit of the Official El Caminito del Rey walk, you cross over a dramatic suspension bridge.

The trail then climbs up a set of steps and traverses along the massive South Wall. Once you reach the other side look back to see how tiny the path looks against the gigantic wall of rock.

TIPS FOR VISITING EL CAMINITO DEL REY

• Book tickets online well in advance. It can get very busy in summer.
• Add parking and the shuttle bus when purchasing your tickets online. Otherwise, make sure you have coins and small notes to pay for them in cash.
• There are no refreshments on the walk, so take water and snacks with you.
• Wear sunscreen and take a hat as there is little shade for the last section of the walk.
• When you book tickets, you’ll get an email saying backpacks are not allowed, however they mean large backpacks. Small day packs for water, snacks, phone and camera are permitted.  
• It’s a 7-kilometre walk so comfortable footwear is helpful, although the path is mostly flat and not difficult.
• No pets are allowed on the Kings Pathway section of the walk.
• Toilets are available at El Kiosko (at the beginning of the walk), the Visitor’s Centre, and El Chorro (at the end of the walk), but not along the walk itself.
• There are restaurants, snack bars, & food vans at El Kiosko and El Chorro.
• Children under the age of 8 years are not permitted on the walk.

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