My recent trip to Malaga wasn’t only about catching some winter sun. There was also some thrill seeking agenda attached to it! I wanted to finally walk the Caminito del Rey, also known in English as the King’s Little Path. It’s a suspended hiking trail along a high and spectacular gorge. The Gaitanes Gorge is a canyon, carved by the river Guadalhorce.
The Story Behind It
In the past this 3 kilometer hike was considered as the most dangerous in Spain. That was mainly due to its poor maintenance. The terrifying pathway alongside a steep cliff was built over 100 years ago in order to connect the two hydroelectric plants in the town nearby. Since it was first opened by King Alfonso XIII it was named as the King’s Little Path.
Over the years the construction deteriorated. It basically crumbled away. Some of my friends explored it when it was still closed to the public and relished the thrill of edging across the drops with nothing below their feet.
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Caminito del Rey -
Caminito del Rey -
Caminito del Rey -
Caminito del Rey
Although it’s much safer following a serious renovation project it’s still a great hike for adventure and nature lovers. At the end of the day you are still walking very high up by the cliffside surrounded by stunning views. It was an incredible experience. I really loved it!
Plan Ahead!
El Caminito a major attraction in that part of Andalusia. Reserving tickets in advance is certainly required. This can be done easily online. In fact, Spanish railways offer some special deals. They are combining the entrance and train tickets into good value packages. Once you arrive by train at El Chorro (which is the end of the trail) and shuttle bus will drop you off at the entrance.
For me buying train tickets on a day didn’t really go to plan. Luckily train and bus stations in Malaga are really close to each other. I was able to come up with an alternative of a bus and taxi ride to the entrance of the trail. Good prep equipping me with food and water supplies really paid off! It’s important since you can’t buy there anything. Meeting nice people to share my taxi with from Ardales also saved the day.
Take care of train tickets in advance though. If you don’t speak Spanish and are not used to problem solving while traveling it could be really problematic to make it.
