Caminito del Rey – The Complete Route Description
Step by Step Through the Most Spectacular Gorge in Europe
Stand on the wooden walkways of the Caminito del Rey – 400 metres of air beneath your feet, sheer limestone walls rising on either side, the Guadalhorce river a silver ribbon far below – and one thing becomes clear immediately: this is not an ordinary hike. This is Andalusia at its most dramatic, most beautiful, most wild.
The Caminito del Rey runs through the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, one of the deepest and narrowest gorges on the Iberian Peninsula. 7.7 kilometres in total, around 3 kilometres of which follow wooden walkways bolted directly into the cliff face. Linear, no turning back, from Ardales to Álora – or the reverse. No detours. No retreating. Just the trail.
Since its full restoration in 2015, the former “most dangerous footpath in the world” is open to everyone. Safe, clearly marked, with a mandatory helmet at the entrance. And yet – the magic remains entirely intact.
Key facts at a glance
| Length | approx. 7.7 km (linear) |
|---|---|
| Walkway section | approx. 3 km |
| Elevation change | approx. 30–50 m (very gentle) |
| Gorge depth | up to 400 m |
| Gorge width | as narrow as 10 m |
| Walking time | 3–5 hours including stops |
| Difficulty | Easy to moderate |
| Start points | Ardales (north) or Álora (south) |
| Protected area | Paraje Natural Desfiladero de los Gaitanes |
The route: Ardales to Álora
The classic starting point is the Ardales visitor centre in the north. From there, a roughly 1.5 km access path leads through a pedestrian tunnel to the northern entrance – alternatively via the Sendero del Gaitanejo (2.7 km, more scenic).
Section 1: Northern access to the first gorge (km 0–2.5)
The start is gentle. The path leads through pine and holm oak forest, the landscape opening gradually. First glimpses of the Embalse del Guadalhorce hint at what lies ahead. If the reason for travelling all this way still isn’t clear here, it will be the moment the first walkway begins.
The first wooden walkway starts without ceremony. Suddenly the ground is gone, and one walks on wooden planks driven directly into the rock. Below: nothing. The gorge cuts 300 metres deep into the limestone here. Far below, the river glints.
Section 2: Heart of the gorge – the narrowest passages (km 2.5–5)
This is the centrepiece of the Caminito del Rey. The gorge narrows to less than 10 metres in places. The cliff walls stand vertical, the sky reduced to a thin ribbon above. The light falls at steep angles, the atmosphere almost otherworldly.
Here one passes the historic railway bridge, once used by the workers of the hydroelectric plants. Industrial history in the middle of the wilderness. Stop and listen: only the echo of footsteps, the sound of water, and perhaps – with luck – the cry of a griffon vulture riding thermals high above.
“It is not the height that takes your breath away. It is the silence that suddenly drowns out everything else.”
Section 3: Southern exit towards El Chorro (km 5–7.7)
The gorge opens again. The path widens, the light returns. One crosses the suspension bridge over the Guadalhorce – one of the most photographed moments of the entire route – before reaching the southern exit near El Chorro. From there, a shuttle or train returns to Ardales or onwards to Málaga.
Nature conservation: the trail is wilderness
The Caminito del Rey runs entirely through the Paraje Natural Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, one of the most significant protected areas in the province of Málaga (2,016 ha, ZEPA since 2002). This means:
With luck, griffon vultures, golden eagles and Egyptian vultures circle in the thermals overhead. Ibex and wild boar roam the forests of the gorge. Holm oaks, oleander and rosemary line the path.
Safety: what to know before going
Buying Tickets
Tickets can be purchased via the official website at caminitodelrey.info or through tour operators such as GetYourGuide.com – advance booking is strongly recommended, especially from March to October. Daily places are limited.
The bottom line
The Caminito del Rey is not a hiking trail – it is an experience. One of those places where it becomes clear why some journeys change everything. The gorge, the silence, the walkways: they stay with you.