As our group got off the bus to go on the El Caminito Del Rey hike, the sun beat down hard on me. It wasn’t a good idea to start a hike in the middle of the day. But they gave us helmets and talked to us about staying safe and on the main path before we started our trip. There were many of groups of people with tour guides there. In our big group, I liked that our tour guide let each person go at their own pace. However, Everyone walked at a reasonable speed on the high bridges and trails that hung off the side of the mountain. This article has a lot of tips and useful information that you can use on your way to the El Caminito del Rey hike.
What to Expect at El Caminito del Rey Hike
A worker gives everyone a safety talk and a helmet at the start of the trail. Besides that, they check your shoes to make sure you’re wearing the right gear. Also, they say that everyone must stay on the marked trail and don’t take the old, broken-down paths. Even if you’re curious! Those were blocked off because they were dangerous. Some were very small and had pieces of stones missing from them. So, I noticed as I walked that a lot of this pathway hangs off the side of a mountain. This isn’t the best for people who are afraid of heights. In that sense, I had to swallow my fear several times and keep going. But I’m stubborn, and I try to get past my fears all the time.
Old Trail
What Does the Name Mean?
“El Caminito del Rey” (also written as “el caminito”) is the name of the trail. It means “the king’s little path” because the king walked on it once upon a time. If you’re curious where it’s located, then you can find this suspended trail in Málaga, Spain, and it hangs over 100 meters (328 ft) off of a rock. Go to El Chorro, which is close to Ardales and this road goes through a narrow gorge. Before it was fixed up and reopened in 2015, the Caminito del Rey hike was thought to be one of the world’s most dangerous trails. Now, many people feel safer going on this hike.
Begin El Caminito del Rey Hike
At the beginning of the trail, there’s a meeting place with a restaurant and a number of parking spots. You can also find the last shuttle bus stop there. Besides that, the shuttle bus makes stops all along the road. Which is good to know since after hiking the path, you can take the shuttle back to your car. At the beginning there are two footpaths. One goes to the control house, where you’ll be given a helmet, and the other to the Gaitanejo dam. The Gaitanejo dam is also where the El Caminito del Rey hike starts.
You can now take a longer path that starts at Sillón del Rey and goes for 2.7 km (1.7 mi). This path has stone benches, a table, and a chair that the king used. Or you can walk through the tunnel next to the restaurant. The other trail is only 1.5 km (1 mi) long and starts 200 meters (218 yards) before the restaurant with a small cave that you should walk through.
The Unforgettable Suspension Bridge
You can enjoy the beauty of the Sierra Parda cave once you get to the Gaitanejo dam. This cave used to be home to the people who worked at the hydropower plant, which is interesting! As you go further along the road, you’ll reach the Gaitanejo gorge. Next is the bridge that hangs in the air and makes you gasp for air every time you walk on it. It’s called Puente del Rey, and on both sides there are tall mountains with a long drop to the ground. It feels strange to be surrounded by nature and walk on this bridge. This is the famous bridge that will make you most interested in taking on this hike!
Passing over the suspension bridge, the path goes through the Los Gaitanes valley. There, the paths hang 100 meters (109 yards) above the ground. This beautiful hike still has a lot to see. In every direction, nature thrives and gives you a peaceful feeling. While you venture around, check out the 100-year-old juniper tree that’s surrounded by rocks. Or enjoy the “fossil beach” which has fossils from the Jurassic period. Plus, don’t forget to walk on the glass balcony that splits off the main path. Now, after experiencing all that, it’s time to return the helmets and walk the last 2.1 km (1.3 mi) down a hill to the El Chorro train stop.
History About El Caminito del Rey Hike
For people who work at the hydroelectric power plants, this path was built so they could get to Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls. Having this let them move things between the two and be on top of upkeep. The huge project started in 1901 and was finished in 1905. In 1921, when the dam was opened, Conde del Guadalhorce brought King Alfonso XIII across the trail to be there. After that hike by the king the path was given the name it has to this day, El Caminito de Rey.
How Hard is the Trail?
Some people thought that the El Caminito del Rey hike was one of the most dangerous paths. However, this 7.7 km (4.8 mi) trail is much better now that it has been fully fixed up. But, some people have trouble with the length and the height. That means it might be harder for some people more than others. Howver, it’s good to know that the road is mostly flat, and the one-way trail goes down most of the way, which is nice. But I don’t think you should do it in the middle of the day like we did.
The environment was scorching hot from the sun, and it would be terrible if you forgot to bring water. So, don’t forget to bring a water bottle! This path usually takes between 3 – 4 hours to walk. Plus, it’s good to know that it starts in the town of Ardales and ends in the village of Álora.
FYI: Kids younger than 8 are NOT allowed to hike this trail because it’s known to be dangerous. This restriction is to keep the little ones safe.
Best Time to Hike it
I would say that spring time would be the best in March- May. However, the weather is known to fluctuate during this time. So, it’s suggested to start early in the morning. Another good time to visit would be in the autumn during September to early November since the weather is nice and comfortable. Plus, it’s usually when the crowds are a lot less. It’s good to know that during the winter, El Caminito del Rey hike is closed due to stormy weather and strong winds.
I went on the Caminito del Rey hike, even though it was very hot during the day in June. Though, it would have been great to do it if we had begun earlier. Since that’s the case, I believe morning is the best time to go hiking. From starting in the morning, the sky would be well lit and it would’nt be too hot while you hiked the trail. But the fact that the earliest time they open is 9:00 am and they close at 2:00 pm might make it harder to make plans to be super early.
Start as Early as you Can!
I would try to start the trip as soon as they open if I were you. For safety reasons, they will close the trail if it rains or begins to get very windy. So, think about the weather when you plan your trip.Think about the weather when you plan your trip. Besides that, make sure you give this walk at least half a day or a full day. In this case, it makes it more fun when you don’t have to hurry.
Why Visit El Caminito del Rey Hike?
A huge reason to visit El Caminito del Rey hike is that the views are beautiful, and you really feel like you’re engulfed by nature. From the path, you can see a lot of different kinds of plants and trees, which can take away any stress. Take in the sound of the Guadalhorce River rushing by. Plus, the scary height of the trail might call to you if you’re an adventure seeker. Or, maybe you’ll get the chance to see some wildlife. There are wild boars, Iberian ibex, and many types of mountain birds, such as golden eagles and Egyptian vultures in this area.
Purchase the Tickets
You can buy tickets for the El Caminito del Rey hike on their website. From there, uou can either book a tour guide there and learn a lot more about the hike, like its history, wildlife, and scenery. Or, you can walk it at your own pace without a guide. Plan ahead for this walk ando don’t forget to get your ticket before you go. Personally, I like doing it on my own because guided trips are usually full of a lot of people. However, this time on this hike, I went on a tour. But it’s up to you to decide how you want to take on the path. Besides that, you can choose between English and Spanish trips on their website.
Book it here today!
How to get there
Driving a car to Caminito del Rey hike isn’t too hard. From Malaga, it takes about 50 minutes to get to Ardales and El Chorro and the train stop. It takes about an hour to get there from Ronda and 55 minutes to get there from Antequera. You can take the train to get here. This stop is on the line that goes from Málaga to Seville. This goes to other places as well. Check out their website for great tips on how to get to Caminito del Rey walk and what routes to take. You can see it on their main page here.
What to Prepare
If you do decide to leave your comfort zone and hike this trail, don’t forget to bring the things you’ll need. It’s best to bring snacks and water bottle because this walk takes 3–4 hours. On hot days, this is very important to have water. As a snack, I like nuts, dried fruit, and a small sandwich most of the time. But don’t forget the water! These snacks will make you thirsty. Plus, sunscreen is always a good idea. You can look around my shop and see what might help you. Along with these things, it’s a good idea to bring a good camera or your phone so you can take pictures of your time that you’ll remember.
As I hiked this path, I felt like I looked like a ripe tomato, which is usually true since the heat within me had to come out somehow. Being the redhead that I am, I had put on a lot of sunscreen. But light skin doesn’t hide anything, and everyone could see that walking the path made me turn into a bright red tomato. Oh well.
Hiking in Spain
If you plan on hiking in Spain, it’s good to have the essentials packed with you. Check out, The Ultimate Guide: What to Pack for Hiking Holidays in Spain.
Must Have Travel Insurance!
Now, there are a lot of unknowns when you’re traveling in another country. So, it’s best to have travel insurance that has your back and Safety Wing does just that. They’re an insurance company that thinks of nomads since it was created by nomads. Plus, they have specific insurance to meet your needs as you take on outdoor adventures or just want a safety mat in place. Learn more about them on their website!
Be Conscious of your Phone
Now, on this trail you have to be careful with your camera or phone. I can’t say this enough! A lot of this path hangs in the air because it’s on the edge of a cliff. So, there’s a very good chance if you drop anything, you won’t get it back. So watch out what you do with your phone, camera, and other gear. At the beginning of my walk along this path, one side only had a very steep hill. Right as we were going to turn a corner, an older guy dropped his phone down the side.
He looked like he was going to crawl down the side. So, I yelled at him and told him I would do it. The only thing going through my mind at that time was that old person should be respected, and I knew my body was much more flexible than his. Once I was next to him, I quickly took off my pack and started walking down the mountainside to get to his phone. In about 5-10 minutes or so, I got the phone and got back on the road with some luck and help from the other people in our group. That side of the cliff was really steep, so I’m glad the phone didn’t fall any further. Anyways, don’t do what he did and keep your things close!
My Journey of Caminito Del Rey Hike
There was an offer for this trip when I went to the TBEX meeting which made me so happy that this was one of the trips. When I read about this trail and saw the pictures, my heart hammered with excitemnet! I was ready to go on this day trip and hike in Spain at this beautiful spot. From the TBEX event, everyone had to take a bus to get there. As I looked around on the bus, I was surprised there weren’t more people because the El Caminito del Rey hike was such an amazing place.
We got there after about an hour of driving and an unforseen thing happened. Our hike had to start later than planned. This turned it into a hike in the middle of the day, which isn’t ideal when it’s so hot outside. But we weren’t going to let that stop us. As we waited, there were long lines of people at the starting point to use the bathroom and to get to the control station.
Finally when it was our turn since only so many people are allowed on the trail at one time, we were given helmets while being told about the path. Our journey was going to start and my heart was beating fast. I felt both scared and excited all at the same time. I’ve never been good with heights, but I like to push myself.
Face the Fear of Heights
The path quickly turned into a trail that hung off of a cliff. This is where you realized how high you were. Since that was the case, I tried not to think about how high up I was. But my heart got stuck in my throat. I took it all in quickly and kept going. My new friend had trouble with being high up as well. Since I felt like I had to help her, I think my fear subsided. However, that wasn’t the same for her. While I forgot about my own fears and focused on making it fun for her. She was having difficulties. However, she did it!
We thought everything was going well until we saw the bridge in front of us. You could tell it was dangerous because it was so high. But we didn’t give up. At the start of the bridge, I waited for my friend, and she soon came. Slowly, I stepped out onto the bridge. I looked around and cleared my mind.
Once I thought it was all a dream, for some reason my fear went away. It was finally time to cross the bridge and wait for my friend on the other side. A older guy helped her by holding her arm while they crossed the bridge. As they walked slowly across the bridge, he told her what to do. When I saw how scared she looked, all that I could think of was how brave of a person she was.
My Friend on the Trail
End the Trail with Ease
After the bridge, the rest of the trail seemed easy. After walking on a path that hung off of a cliff, there was a nice flat path that went down a hill with a view of the river and beautiful plants. I could see birds flying off in the distance and the beautiful plants below. As soon as we finished the trail, I felt like I had accomplished something and a feeling of confidence with joy overtook me. I felt that it was worth the fear of heights and to see the beauty to hike this trail.
Travel Insurance in a Must!
For anyone traveling outside of their country, it’s always good to have insurance. We cannot forsee the future. So, why not have a safety net just in case something goes wrong? I highly suggest Safety Wing since it was created by Nomads for Nomads. So, they know what people will need covered and what kinds of difficulties someone can run into while traveling. Learn more about Safety Wing here.
Hiking in Sweden
Check out Hiking in Sweden if you like hiking as much as I do. I have some of the best trails for you to walk on. I’ve been to some of the most beautiful trails in Sweden since I’ve lived in this country for five years. Kebnekaise, the highest mountain, is one of my favorite trails. Here you can find out more about the hikes in Sweden, a land with an abundace of nature.
Travel
Want some help making plans for your next trip? Read my page on Travel to get more tips on how to get ready for your next trip. For any traveler, I list the most important things you need to do and get ready for your trip. Plus, there are lots of articles about other countries that can help you decide where to go for your next trip. Check out the Travel page.
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