So, you have been to the official website to book your tickets for the Caminito del Rey and to your dismay the dates you want are full and all the tickets are sold out. (agotado!). No tickets for the Caminito left online? No problem (hopefully)…..Not to worry as there are a few other ways that you can get your ticket.
An alternative to the official website is to book a ticket for the Caminito del Rey at the Viator website here.
Or, if you prefer the Get Your Guide platform then get your entry ticket here.
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Missed out on online tickets for the Caminito del Rey? Don’t panic—there are still ways to get in! In this episode, we break down Clive Muir’s expert tips on securing last-minute access. From booking through third-party platforms like Viator and Get Your Guide to leveraging hotel connections or arriving early for limited on-site tickets, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we explore other helpful resources, including Ronda Today and Visiting Cadiz, for more travel insights. Tune in for practical advice on navigating Andalucia’s top attractions!
Get your Guide for the Caminito del Rey
If the reservation system is full and you don’t want to use the suggestions further down this page, have a look at these links for guided visits to the Caminito del Rey from Get Your Guide. This is an excellent option especially for larger groups. There are lots of trips are organised from many areas along the Costa Del Sol and other main cities.
Hotels can help with your Entry ticket for the Caminito del Rey
Firstly, stay in a local hotel such as the Posada del Conde or the Garganta Complex. These are the two hotels nearest to the walk that can get the tickets for you. (When you make the booking, make sure that you add a message to say that you are specifically booking because you want to walk the Caminito del Rey.) If the hotels are full then other hotels found on booking.com can help as well such as the fantastic Hotel Magdalena closer to Antequera.
Turning up at the gate
Secondly, Just turn up and buy your ticket at the gate. (10 euros each and you can pay by card as well as cash). THIS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK BUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO PAY AT THE GATE.
Latest comments are that there are just 50 tickets available at the gate and people are turning up to queue as early as 07:00 am!
This is because there are a percentage of tickets (6% of the 1100 people allowed in daily.) When you can enter depends on how many people turn up for each allocated time slot. The maximum amount of people that enter every half an hour is 60 people so if you are there to buy your ticket at 11am and there are only 45 people checking in then you will be allowed to go along with that group… If there are 60 people you will have to wait for the next group in 30 minutes time.
Speaking with the manager there she told me that very rarely do people have to wait for more than an hour and on this day she had sold over 60 entries at the gate and the people went in almost straight away but, she did say…”Try to get here as early as possible for the morning entries and weekends or holidays can be more complicated sometimes meaning people get turned away”
Even if you do have to wait a while, it really isn’t a hardship to sit and admire tha amazing scenery at the entrance to the Caminito del Rey!
Remember that the entrance for the Caminito del Rey is at the reservoirs/kings chair/el kiosko side... The north entrance. You cannot start the walk from the El Chorro (south) side…
If you are staying in malaga go to a train station and see if you can get the combined ticket…. Click here to read more about the combined ticket! This is now discontinued.
So, there you go. No tickets for the Caminito left online? No problem (hopefully)
Frequently Asked Questions: What to Do If Caminito del Rey Tickets Are Sold Out
Yes! While the official website might show no availability, many travelers still manage to secure entry through alternative methods like tour platforms, hotels, and limited on-site tickets.
Tour Companies: Reputable platforms like Viator and GetYourGuide often hold blocks of tickets, even when the official site is full. These typically include guided tours and transport options.
Local Hotels: Accommodations near the trail — especially Posada del Conde and Complejo Turístico La Garganta — often reserve tickets for guests. Mention your interest in walking the Caminito when booking.
On-Site Tickets: About 50 same-day tickets are released at the gate daily (€10). Arrive early — people start queuing as early as 07:00 AM, especially on weekends.
To improve your chances, arrive by 07:00–07:30 AM. The ticket booth opens around 08:45 AM, but the queue often forms much earlier. Tickets may sell out by 09:00 AM, particularly on weekends or holidays.
General Entry lets you explore the path on your own.
Guided Tours include a licensed guide and are often more available than standard tickets. Tours move at a slower pace, but provide great context about the trail’s history, geology, and wildlife.
Expect 2–4 hours for a self-guided walk. Guided tours may last slightly longer due to stops for commentary.
No toilets are located on the path itself. Restrooms are available only at the north entrance and south exit. For snacks and drinks, you’ll find bars at the north trailhead (El Kiosko) and near the south exit.
The trail may close during high winds or storms due to safety concerns like rockfalls. Refunds vary depending on your booking source — some platforms are better about issuing them than others. Even if closed, nearby spots like El Chorro or the reservoir area offer scenic alternatives.
Bring water, snacks, sun protection (hat, sunscreen), and sturdy shoes. UV levels can be intense, and there are no shaded rest points or vending facilities on the path. Don’t forget your camera!
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!
Just completed the walk (16 April 2024 Tuesday) and thought I will leave this review for people who didn’t managed to get a ticket online (aka me). Took the first train from Malaga 8:58am that arrive to El chorro at 9:39am, not very early. A toilet stop, purchase of water, shuttle bus ride and a long walk from the bus stop, I finally arrive at the entrance at 10:50am. The staff direct me to the ticket office and there’s only a short queue of 5 people in front. Got the guided tour ticket at €18 (€10 tickets were sold out). The first staff told me they only take cash but I seen people paid with card too. I also saw full family of 5 pax getting in and haven’t seen anyone being rejected.
There’s English tour at 11am (which was full) but I managed to join the other English tour at 11:30am.
There were only about 30 of us (I think the full tour has about 50-60 pax) so they can easily accommodate a lot more people even if you don’t already have tickets. The whole tour took about 2 hours and the guide was ok. I took my own pace and walked at the end of the group. Wonderful visit, highly recommended! Amazing to walk amongst the nature!
Bring plenty of water and some snacks. It’s so hot (high UV index). There’s toilets (clean) and kiosks at the end of the walk. Drinks go around €2 each. If you walk further up to where the shuttle bus stop, drinks are cheaper at €1.50 each.
Hope this help anyone who doesn’t have tickets and are still hesitating, just go!
Thank you Li, we did the same route as you. Train is the best choice, drive back was at 16:39
There were only guide tickets available, but that was ok.
Longer walk was from the end of tour to the train station, or we were just tired…
If it wasn’t for the information on this page I would have no idea how to book a ticket! The official website had all the dates booked and when we did find a date the site crashed! In the end we used the advice from this article and booked a guided tour through Get Your Guide. Three clicks and done! Thankyou
Hello, Is it still possible to go to the gate, without tickets and try to buy them over there? We want to go on 20 or 21 september with 2 persones. Thanks
You can try but its not guaranteed. Get there as early as you can though. Latest comments are that there are just 50 tickets available at the gate and people are turning up to queue as early as 07:30 am!
Please let us know how you get on?
Thank you very much. We took your advice. Today we went from Malaga to El Chorro by train, then a shuttelbus to the Camino. We went to the ticket office and were allowed to buy two guided tour tickets. There was no need to wait. We were immediately able to join the group. Definitely try if you can’t get tickets online.
Thats fantastic! Thank you so much for the feedback.
hi Clive ! we want to visit Caminito del Rey on the 6th of May. of course i reached the official website to late and all tickets are already sold out. do you think we have a chance to find some tickets at gate if we arrive there at 9.30 ? i’ve seen your comment “Latest comments are that there are just 50 tickets available at the gate and people are turning up to queue as early as 07:30 am! ” is this still up to date ? hope note 🙁 Also we will be arriving by car, understood that there is a parking lot next to the entrance. are there any indicators that can guide us to the actual entrance ?