A bit of history about the Caminito del Rey
“El Caminito del Rey”, in English, “The King’s little pathway”, was initially built as an access route. It enabled workers at the hydroelectric power plants of El Chorro Gorge and Gaitanes Gorge with an easier way to transport materials, maintain and inspect the workings of the two power plants.
Construction of the “walkway” began in 1901 and was finished in 1905 and in 1921 King Alfonso XIII visited and walked along the path for the inauguration of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam and since that time it became known as the “Kings path”
The original walkway was just 1 metre (3.3 ft) wide and in places more than 100 metres (330 ft) above the river below. From one end to the other is about 3KM.
Disrepair and a climbing mecca
The path was constructed with concrete resting on steel rails supported by stanchions at around 45 degrees driven into the rock face. For many years the path was in a highly deteriorated state. Numerous sections had collapsed and large open air gaps bridged only by the narrow steel rails.
Very few of the original handrails existed but a safety-wire placed by climbers ran the length of the path.
The area became a mecca for climbers and the Caminito del Rey known as one of the most impressive and dangerous mountain trails in the world (as the many videos on you tube certainly demonstrate.) But, after several people lost their lives on the walkway (in 1999 and 2000) both access points were demolished by local authorities and access prohibited.
Repairs and opened to the public in 2015
In June 2011 the regional government of Andalusia and the local government of Málaga agreed to share the costs of a restoration project (including car parking and a museum) but even with a budget of €9 million euros,the project took approximately three years to start and only in March 2014 the restauration work began.
In its new upgraded and repaired state the Camino del Rey has wooden and concrete flooring, glass-bottomed viewing and safety rails along the whole length.
The official opening ceremony took place in February 2015 and the Caminito del Rey is currently one of the most visited destinations in Andalucía.
Find out how to reserve your tickets for the Caminito del Rey here: https://caminodelrey.es/the-booking-portal-for-the-caminito-del-rey-how-to-buy-an-entrance-ticket/
Nomination for the UNESCO world heritage list
Nomination of El Caminito del Rey Path (the King’s Little Pathway) and its surroundings for the inclusion on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
The proposal is based on several monuments within 20 kilometres. Of these elements of the surroundings, four stand out: the Natural Beauty Spot Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, the Palaeolithic Cave in Ardales, las Aguilillas Necropolis and the Bobastro Mozarabic cave church.
Nearest hotel Accommodation to the Caminito del Rey
El Chorro – “La Garganta” hotel and tourist complex
Guadalhorce – The Posada del Conde Boutique Hotel
Frequently Asked Questions: El Caminito del Rey – The King’s Path at El Chorro
El Caminito del Rey, or “The King’s Little Path,” was constructed between 1901 and 1905 to allow workers to access and maintain hydroelectric plants in El Chorro Gorge. King Alfonso XIII crossed the path in 1921, giving it its current name.
The original path became dangerously deteriorated, with missing sections, no handrails, and fatal accidents in 1999 and 2000. Authorities demolished access points and closed it until it could be restored safely.
A full restoration began in 2014 and reopened in 2015. The new path includes reinforced wooden walkways, safety rails, helmets for visitors, and even a glass-bottomed viewing section. It’s now one of Spain’s safest and most scenic hikes.
The entire experience takes 3 to 5 hours, including the walk, transport, and entry logistics. The trail itself is about 7.7 km long and typically takes 2 to 3 hours to complete.
Yes, it is open most of the year except major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. It’s usually closed on Mondays for maintenance and may also close during high winds or extreme weather.
Tickets are available via the official website and tend to sell out quickly, especially on weekends and holidays. Booking weeks in advance is advised. Some local hotels may also help arrange tickets.
Visitors can arrive by car, bus, or train. Shuttle buses connect the trail’s entry and exit points. While train travel from nearby towns like Ronda is possible, a car offers more flexibility due to limited public transport schedules.
Children must be at least 8 years old to enter. All visitors must wear helmets and follow safety instructions. The trail is not recommended for individuals with a fear of heights or limited mobility. See more Rules and regulations for the Caminito del Rey here.
Nearby attractions include the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge, Ardales Paleolithic Cave, Bobastro cave church, and the Necropolis of Aguilillas. Accommodations include Hotel La Garganta and Posada del Conde, with many options offering ticket support.
The trail is one-way (north to south), helmets are mandatory, and proper footwear is required. Visitors should arrive early, carry water, and check weather conditions before departure. See more Rules and regulations for the Caminito del Rey here.
I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain. My articles contain affiliate links that will help you reserve a hotel, bus, train or activity in the area. You don’t pay more, but by using them you do support this website. Thankyou!
Is the walk open all year long? I am thinking of going in November. Also, if I stay at a nearby hotel, am I guarenteed a ticket to the walk? Thanks for your help.
Hi Rebecca, yes the Caminito del Rey is open all year apart from the obvious holidays such as christmas day and new years day etc…. It is closed on Mondays for essential maintainence work….Sometimes it closes because of bad weather (when it is very windy for example.) Most local hotels can arrange the entry ticket for you… Make sure that you message them when you make a hotel booking that the reason you are staying in their hotel is becuase you want to walk the Caminito de Rey…. At the top of the homepage on this site are three images of local hotels… (I have stayed in them and found them to be very good) The Garganta and Posada de Conde are nearest to the Caminito, Magdalena you would need a car to get to the Caminito…. You can reserve hotels via the links on this website and we get a small amount of commission. (You don’t pay more) and that helps us keep this site running and up to date.
Have a great trip!
H guys, I am wondering if there is a way to do a day trip to the Caminito Del Rey from Ronda as a day trip without a car? I looked into the train timetables, and there are only 2 trains, the morning one has a 6 hour stopover in Bobadilla which isn’t very helpful, and the other one leaves Ronda at 4.50pm! This will necessitate overnight stay in El Chorro, which wasn’t on our plans . Also, the train back to Ronda leaves in the middle of the day, so that isn’t helpful either- means another night in El Chorto. I understand that one only needs half a day for the Caminito.
I migh just need to book a car from Ronda, but I wasn’t that keen to drive. All the organised day trips seem to go from Malaga, and we are not planning to go there at all.
Any other ideas? Thanks so much!
Hi Suzanne… You are correct that the train from Ronda is not really an option…. Car is better. The ford garage on the industrial estate in Ronda do car hire or better ask at your hotel for some help with that…
Hi
Can anyone tell me how I can get tickets for the Caminito? I have looked on the website but it only has dats until the end of May 2015 and these are all booked.
Thanks
Hi Nikki…. Yes you are correct…. All of April and May is full and there are no places left.. The booking website says that the reservation system for June will open soon. It is a question of checking every day to see if its taking bookings.
Will someone please point me to a website with walks descriptions in the area? I should like to incorporate the Caminito del Rey in a 10 to 20 km hike if possible in mid May.
Hi Colin, I don’t think that there is anything really published in English about walks in the area of the Caminito del Rey. One option would be to start in El Chorro and walk the path. At the other end walk along the Gaitanes (with the lake to your right) and go up to the reservoir viewpoint and then back down to the Caminito along the forest road and return along the Caminito to El Chorro. That would be about the distance that you want and is a very beautiful walk. Of course this will depend if the people running the Caminito will allow “return” trips along the Caminito del Rey… Right now only talk of one way and then buses to get you back to whichever end you started from…. I will be publishing walks here in the near future so if you “like” my facebook page… you’ll see when I publish. Best regards, Clive (or just keep an eye on this website 🙂 )
Is there any further news regarding when the Caminito del Rey will open? We belong to an informal group of hikers in Nerja and want to schedule a date to hike the Caminito del Rey after it is opened. Thank you, Ron Adam
Hi Ron….. Lots of rumors and mis-information floating about right now… It does seem that the Caminito del rey will open in February but the actual date has not been released yet.
There will be a web based reservation system in place but the domain and system has not been published yet.
Other Rumores to be confirmed…The first 6 months, entrance is said to be free and after that a charge will be made… Children under 10 will not be allowed to walk the Caminito….. helmets will be compulsory….
As soon as I have any official news I will of course publish it here…
Regards
Clive