In the past, several people have died on this path due to crumbling beams and railings, which is why it was completely closed in 2001. However, this did not discourage adrenaline enthusiasts, on the contrary, it added to the exclusivity of the place. A complete reconstruction followed and you can see the result today with your own eyes. First of all, let me reassure you, there is certainly nothing to be afraid of. The brand new trail was inaugurated in 2015 and now all the footbridges, bridges and walkways are stable again. There are even CCTV cameras installed on some sections. The original beams and traverses can still be seen in the canyon, so at least you get an idea of what it looked like before... definitely not safe :)
And what was this trail originally for? It was built in 1901-1905, when there was a need to make the canyon accessible to employees of the nearby hydroelectric power plants on the Guadalhorca River. After King Alfonso XIII walked along it in 1921, it became known as the Royal Route => Caminito del Rey.
A single ticket will cost €10 (or €18 with a guide) by 2025, with a bus it's €11.50. On the spot you will be interested in the north access, in the town of Ardales, where you leave your car (it can be free if you are lucky). After that, you will have a 1,5 or 2,7 km walk around the Gaitanejo reservoir directly to the entrance. It's up to you which route you choose, but plan ahead and allow plenty of time so you're not late. At the gate, you'll show your tickets along with your passport or ID, get a quick briefing, and get your helmets (with net). These must be worn at all times. You don't need any other special equipment, just comfortable shoes, possibly a snack and a drink, as you can't buy anything on the way.
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| bottom right, the rest of the footbridge |
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| cooking pots |
And here we go, destination El Chorro! The whole route, including the section before the official entrance, is just under 8km long and runs almost entirely on flat ground, so nothing extremely challenging. We pass by the Gaitanejo hydroelectric power station and we can already see a narrow fissure between two huge rock massifs ahead. Wow! A huge block of rock, a narrow space, great height and rolling water below us, we are in awe of it all and it takes a while before we dare to look over the railings. The water from the river here helps erosion, so the canyon is formed in places by variously sized holes, cavities or so-called cooking pots or marmitas. In these places you can also see the remains of the original path used by the workers to build the power station. After a short walk, the canyon opens up and we can see the tunnel and part of the railway line that currently connects Malaga with Cordoba, which is 325 km long.
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The imaginary second part, which does not lead along the hanging paths, is the path through the Hoyo valley. It is a perfectly relaxing "on the ground" path with spectacular views of the river and the surrounding rocks where vultures nest. You may also be lucky enough to see eagles, various species of lizards and snakes or mountain goats. The Hoyo Valley reminds us very much of the rock formations in the American Zion National Park. Huge, red in colour... those who know them will understand... or refresh your memory with this article :)
But now we are looking forward to the final stage leading through another canyon - the Gaitanes Gorge, which offers the most magnificent views. In these places the footbridges are narrower and at the same time they are also fixed a little higher than at the beginning. And also a little higher than originally, because we can still see bits of concrete and iron traverses underfoot. On the other hand, the modern innovation here is a small glass balcony where one feels as if one is suspended in the air. If you feel dizzy, don't try it. From here we can easily see the aqueduct and the suspension bridge that takes us to the other side of the canyon.
The bridge is fixed at a height of 105 meters and has a metal grating as a "floor", which is just a warning that you will see through. Okay, okay, breathe in breathe out... as I like to tell my clients in my fitness classes :) But rather than looking underneath me, I prefer to look at the rock formations, which are unique in their vertical layers, in which the river has carved many caves and caverns over the years. Monumental sandstone blocks composed of these vertical layers line the entrance to the canyon from the other side (from El Chorro)... and there is definitely something to see here!
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After crossing the bridge, we have only the last few dozen metres on the wooden walkway before we step on solid, safe ground again. In the photo below you can see that the trail goes over the railway tunnel. Now the village of El Chorro is within easy reach and there is nowhere to get lost. It's about a 20 minute walk along a gravel road. We return our helmets and let the bus take us back to Ardales, where we pick up our yellow car and continue riding some more :) The Caminito del Rey is a super thing to do and we definitely recommend it. However, if you have a choice, plan this trip more in the off-peak season when you can enjoy this walk without the flowing crowds.
It is also called the trail of death, as it winds through the deep canyon of the Gaitanes Gorge and the trails are literally glued to huge rock walls up to 300 meters high. The Guadalhorce River flows through the trail and will follow you for most of the way. Its presence will be hard to ignore, especially when you walk along a wooden footbridge suspended 100 metres high and the water rushes right under your feet. 
Byli jsme vloni s dětmi a byla to paráda! A měli jsme to stejně - kdysi jsem viděla fotky, pak byla soutěska dlouho zavřená, pak jsme čekali až bude mladší dceři 8 let, protože mladší děti tam nemohou a vloni jsme se konečně dočkali :-) Podnikli jsme poznávací cestu na západ od Málagy a bylo to úžasné! Letos jsme podnikli cestu od Málagy přes Cordobu a Granadu na východ, ale závěr nám překazila Corona, kdy jsme kvůli zrušeným letům museli cestu předčasně ukončit :-( Přesto doufáme, že se tam ještě někdy vrátíme a poznáme další nádherná místa!
OdpovědětVymazatletošní rok bohužel cestování moc nepřál, ale lepší něco, než-li nic :) tahle část Španělska je opravdu skvělá, na "každém rohu" je něco, takže touhu po návratu naprosto chápu!! :)
VymazatMohu se zeptat s jak starými dětmi? Slyšela jsem, že mohou osoby až od 15 let...
OdpovědětVymazatna stránkách mají uvedeno od 8 let...jde o to, že tam nepouští s kočárkem, ani nosítkem, ani se nesmí děti poponášet, zvedat atd., prostě to musí být schopni ujít sami :)
VymazatDobrý den, díky za skvělý popis… zítra vyrazime a caminito máme v plánu v pátek:) jen tedy jsem sehrála jen 3lustky a je nás 7… někde jsem četla, ze se dostali i když lístky předem neměli… nevíte kde se pak kupuji na místě? Na stránkách je jen možnost koupit předem:( díky za jakoukoliv radu:) Andra
OdpovědětVymazatDobrý den, také jsem slyšela o tom, že lze koupit i na místě. Našla jsem jen toto info, podle kterého se zdá, že ráno v 7:30 tam maj k dispozici 50 volných vstupenek... snad vám to klapne! :)
Vymazathttps://www.caminodelrey.es/no-tickets-for-the-caminito-left-online-no-problem-hopefully/