Caminito del Rey promises a truly unique and breath-taking experience. As if walking along a walkway dangling up to 100 metres in the air through Desfiladero de los Gaitanes weren’t enough, parts of the route cling recklessly to the sheer rock face of the gorge. Caminito del Rey is an awe-inspiring experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It is also completely safe. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know before your visit to Caminito del Rey so you can really make the most of the experience.
Booking tickets for Caminito del Rey, Malaga
You can buy your tickets for the Caminito del Rey on the official website up to three months in advance. Given its popularity, we recommend booking your spot as soon as you know you want to visit. Particularly, if you want to join a guided tour or you’re planning your adventure on a weekend when the Caminito is usually much busier.
Although the website offers the option to buy last minute tickets, it’s unlikely you’ll find tickets for the day you want. To avoid the disappointment of not being able to live this impressive landscape, it’s a good idea to plan your excursion to Caminito del Rey plenty of time in advance.
How to get to Caminito del Rey
It’s an easy drive to Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, where Caminito del Rey is situated. Starting from Malaga, you should get on the A-357, which connects with the MA-5403 in Ardales, taking you to El Chorro.
If you’re starting in Ronda, take the A-367 and then continue along the MA-5403. And from Antequera, the best route is along the A-384 until Campillos, where you need to change to the A-357 and then the MA-451. All of these routes will take you through beautiful landscapes.
Another option is to take the train to El Chorro station in Álora. Whether you’re travelling by car or by train, the final stretch to Caminito del Rey is on foot. So make sure you leave plenty of time for your trip and wear appropriate footwear.
The route of Caminito del Rey: our tips
Caminito del Rey is a linear route that extends for almost 8 kilometres. The walkway is one-way, meaning that once you’ve reached the end, you need to either walk back or take the shuttle bus to where you have left your car. If you want to take the shuttle bus back, make sure you buy your ticket when you purchase your Caminito del Rey ticket. Given the distance, the best option is to take the shuttle which connects the two access points of the walkway: at Ardales to the north and at Álora to the south.
Don’t forget to bring plenty of water or sports drinks, sun cream (particularly in the summer) and a snack, such as energy bars or fruit. Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. And don’t forget: once you’re on the walkway of Caminito del Rey, there are no toilets or bins, so keep any rubbish on you until the end of the walk.
Caminito del Rey has benefitted from a new visitor centre for the past couple of years. Blending into the landscape, the centre includes an information point, customer service, car park, café and shop.
Look to the sky!
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes is home to incredible wildlife. Just some of the species you might see include griffon vultures, weighing 10kg and with a wingspan of 2.5m, and falcons, which feed from the pigeons that also live in the area. In the higher parts of the gorge you can often spot Iberian ibexes. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled and look to the sky during the experience to see some amazing animals.
Where to eat close to Caminito del Rey
Once you’ve completed your walk along Caminito del Rey, you’ll certainly have worked up an appetite. Fortunately, there are a selection of bars and restaurants nearby to get your strengths back. If you want to keep enjoying the views as you tuck into a delicious meal, hotel – restaurant La Garganta is a great option. At the northern access point to Caminito del Rey you’ll also find El Kiosko, a restaurant that also affords extraordinary views over Pantano Conde del Guadalhorce reservoir. In Ardales, El Mirador is a wonderful restaurant that, as its name suggests, offers breath-taking views and a tempting menu of homemade cookery.
And what can you order at these restaurants? Although each menu varies, you’ll always find dishes that are closely linked to the local gastronomic tradition. One such dish is porra antequerana, a cold soup made with tomatoes, bread, olive oil, salt, green pepper and garlic. It is served with tuna or diced serrano ham and boiled egg. You can also savour ajoblanco, gazpachuelo, migas or cardoon salad. Game is also often on the menu with dishes such as conejo a la cortijera, a rustic rabbit dish. And then of course there are the meat and fish dishes, in addition to chivo malagueño (goat) and locally caught escabeche fish.
A totally safe experience
Do you love the idea of visiting Caminito del Rey in the province of Malaga, but you’re afraid of suffering from vertigo? To make you feel a bit safer, know this. Since being restored in 2015, the walkways are safe for anybody aged 8 plus, regardless of your fitness levels. The walkway is flanked at all times by high protective handrails, which will minimise any vertigo you might be feeling. Remember that the walkway is absolutely safe and instead focus your attention on the incredible views! Once you’ve crossed the suspension bridge (the most hair-raising part of the route), you’ll be pumping with adrenaline and you won’t be able to wait to come back and do it all again.
Although Caminito del Rey is safe, the experience is not recommended for people who suffer from heart conditions, respiratory diseases and mobility problems. If this isn’t you, what are you waiting for?
