To the north of Malaga is the Caminito del Rey, a pass built into the walls of the Gaitanes gorge suspended over a hundred meters high. over the river and known for its dangerousness, since the width of some sections of the pedestrian walkway are barely one meter wide. Because of all this, the Caminito del Rey has a black legend after several hikers have lost their lives trying to cross it.
The original construction of the pedestrian promenade dated from the early twentieth century, so the conditions in which it was found were not the best to cross it. However, In 2015, the Malaga Provincial Council began a rehabilitation process to build a new footbridge that would allow the Caminito del Rey to be reopened to the public.
At present you can make excursions through the Caminito del Rey by prior reservation. Those who like risk and adventure will find in the Caminito del Rey an unforgettable experience. Do you want to know more about this Malaga step?
History of the Caminito del Rey
The history of the Caminito del Rey dates back to the beginning of the XNUMXth century when the Sociedad Hidroeléctrica del Chorro (owner of Salto del Gaitanejo and Salto del Chorro) wanted to create a new access to facilitate the passage of maintenance workers, transport of materials and surveillance. So they decided to build a pedestrian crossing in the middle of the gorge.
The works began in 1901 and ended in 1905. The path began next to the railroad tracks and ran through the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes. It is said that in 1921 King Alfonso XIII went to the inauguration of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam crossing this road and for this reason it is known as “Caminito del Rey”.
The passage of time and the lack of maintenance took their toll on the tour. At the end of the last century it was in a sorry state, with the railing missing for most of its length and with numerous sections destroyed. Despite the danger involved in crossing it in these conditions and being closed to the public, many dared to try to cross the Caminito del Rey and its climbing area, one of the most important in Europe. This led to numerous accidents over the years, some of them fatal, and his black legend grew.
To avoid more accidents of this type, the Malaga Provincial Council decided to rehabilitate it to open it to the public with the greatest possible safety guarantees. The rehabilitated road opened in March 2015 and Lonely Planet chose it as one of the best places to visit that year.
What will we see during the Caminito del Rey?
The Caminito del Rey is located within a beautiful natural setting where you can contemplate beautiful landscapes from the walkways and the suspension bridge 105 meters high. It is a rehabilitated infrastructure to be able to enjoy active tourism that involves a certain risk factor, aspects accepted by visitors at the time they decide to do it.
Rules of use
To access the Caminito del Rey, prior knowledge and acceptance of the minimum rules of use will be required, without which the access ticket cannot be obtained. It must be taken into account that it is located in a natural environment to which a certain risk and degree of physical effort are inherent to travel
In addition, out of respect for the environment and other visitors, the most civic behavior possible should be maintained during the visit. Avoiding performing those actions that may be dangerous for the conservation of nature or other visitors.
Entrance to the Caminito del Rey
The entry must be processed through the telematics platform enabled for this purpose on the website of El Caminito del Rey and / or by any other means determined by the concessionaire. On the other hand, those who wish to climb will have free access to the El Caminito del Rey facility. To do this, they must prove when passing through the control booths that they have civil liability insurance and register and accept the rules of El Caminito to carry out said activity.
How far is the Caminito del Rey?
The total route of the Caminito del Rey is 7,7 km, of which 4,8 km. are accesses and 2,9 kms. from door to door of the catwalks (catwalk - Valle del Hoyo - catwalk). The estimated time to complete the entire journey is 3 or 4 hours.
Caminito del Rey hours
Normally every 15 or 30 minutes there is a new pass but the hours, opening dates and their modifications will be those established by the management company. All this can be seen on the website where you buy access tickets to the Caminito del Rey.
Recommendations to do the Caminito del Rey
The characteristics of the place mean that in certain sections mobility can be somewhat complicated, so it must be taken into account that doing the Caminito del Rey is not just taking a walk through the mountains. You don't have to be an athlete to do it, but Before going, it is advisable to read the recommendations on the Caminito website to avoid unexpected surprises once we are on the route.