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.
Viator Caminito de Rey Tickets
An alternative to the official website is to book a ticket for the Caminito del Rey at the Viator website here.
Get Your Guide Caminito de Rey Tickets
Unlike the official Caminito del Rey site, this ticket includes a full refund option — giving you flexibility and peace of mind
Explore the breathtaking Caminito del Rey in El Chorro, once famed as one of the most dangerous hiking paths in the world, with this convenient entry ticket. Enjoy peace of mind with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and keep your travel plans flexible by reserving now and paying later. Your ticket is valid for one day, so you can choose the perfect time for your adventure — simply check availability to find your ideal starting slot. Get your entry ticket here.
Listen to the podcast
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!
Hello clive, we‘ve visited caminito del rey today thanks to your wonderful guide. Initially, we hesitated to go since tickets were sold out. But thanks to you we went anyways. We arrived at 8:30 on this wednesday when approx 50 people had queued up already. At 9:10 they started selling tickets. We went in with the second group of people without tickets at 9:30. So it was pretty smooth. People behind us where also still allowed in so we‘re pretty sure they sell more than 50 tickets but unfortunately we didn‘t aks how many. The trip was definitely worth the wait. After taking the bus back to el kiosk we saw a man at the tunell around 12:10 that appeared to be selling tickets. But again we forgot to aks him and are not sure if those were valid or with guide or whatever. Thanks again for the tips.
Thanks for the kind comments and glad it worked out for you…. A man selling tickets at Kiosko bar? There are companies that do this but make sure they are not someone trying to scam people. (Like they do in the car queus getting in to Gibraltar charging an “entry fee”)
Hi Clive,
I was one of many that went online to book only to find I was like a month late 🙂
We were hoping to do the Caminito del rey on the 6th October, we will have a rented car because we are planning on exploring onwards after the hike anyway (if we are lucky enough to get tickets). Our schedule only allows us for Saturday or Sunday.
Could you tell me:
-Can we buy combo bus/train tickets at the train station and just drive there and use the ticket for entrance? I know its a waste but its still cheaper than a guided tour which seem to be sold out for our day anyway.
-Otherwise if we try to buy tickets at the gate, I’ve seen that weekends are busier than weekdays, what time do you suggest we get there?
-I’ve heard they have 50 or 100 tickets at the gate but one or two people on this thread said that there were no tickets at all when they arrived? If we arrive early enough and weather is fine are we going to be able to get tickets?
Much appreciated!
I have heard that some people by the tickets at the train station and then drive up but I haven’t had any real feedback about how it works out….. Remember that the tickets are only valid for the same day! Let me know how you get on. 🙂
Hi,
How does the combined ticket from Malaga train station work exactly? If we buy it a few days before we go, would we be able to chose the entry time taking into consideration the train timetable? It would be a wednesday on the 23rd of October and we could buy it 3 days before.
Hi Timea…. As far as I am aware You can only buy tickets on the same day you are going. The ticket machine is open from 6am to 09:15 every day except Monday (when the Caminito del Rey is closed)
There are 100 tickets available each day with 30 allocated for guided tours and 70 for self guided tours. Prices are 23 euros sin guía (without a guide) and 31 euros con guía (with a guide)
We are wanting to go on either the 8th or 9th but both are sold out. What time would you suggest that we arrive to try and wait for tickets? Or if we buy the combined ticket at a train station could we just buy them and drive to the hike and use the tickets there? Thank you
I would think that buying the tickets at the station if they are available is the best option…. But why not get the train as well and enjoy the journey….
6 of us were looking to buy self guided tickets Tues 15 Oct or Fri 19 Oct but online is sold out.
Should we pay a little more for guided tour or could our resort in Malaga possibly help us secure tickets?
Hi Tom, Ask your hotel to see if they can help, they may have access to tickest as many hotels in the area do. The guided tours are well worth the small extra cost as you learn so much more about the walkway and it’s history/wildlife