If you love to interact with the nature, but are not looking for requiring professional skills challenges, this activity is for you! 🙂 7,7 km of El Caminito del Rey path means more than 3 hours of amazing walking on the walkway attached to the steep walls of the El Chorro gorge, located in the province of Malaga, southern Spain.
It has everything to make it amazing experience – outstanding views, interesting history, unique character and last but not least – safety!
It was built at the turn of the 20th century to give workers access to two hydroelectric plants located on the other side of the gorge. The path was closed in 2000 after a number of fatal cases during attempting to cross it, making it the world’s scariest hike. But don’t be afraid. This is a closed chapter in the history of this gorge.
The Spanish authorities, seeing the huge tourist potential of the place, renovated it and reopened to the public on 28th March 2015 after a 2,7m € refurbishment. Nowadays we can enjoy secured wooden walkways, stony paths and glass-floored sections hang over the cliff, giving walkers a clear view of the gorge.
And believe me, it’s spectacular.
To make your visit more unique, I truly recommend you to choose a tour with a Spanish or English speaking guide. This will enrich your walk with a lot of interesting information not only from the latest history of the gorge, but even the fossil epoch.
The route is not demanding and there are no climbing moments. You don’t need any special preparation or athlete’s condition. I can say it’s just a very pleasant walk. The only important thing is all the logistic before the visit. For that, read my important notes below.
When people think of Andalusia, they think of the sun and beaches (which is good, because they are the most beautiful there 😉 ), but El Caminito del Rey is something totally different.
Being around one day, don’t hesitate to visit!
IMPORTANT NOTES
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- Tickets: The tickets you can buy only online, only in advance, because the interest of visiting this place is rising rapidly and they are sold very quickly while available. Groups of 50 people are allowed to enter the walkway every half an hour and the organizers expect to see 600 people walking the path each day. To buy the tickets, visit this website: tickets for El Caminito del Rey
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- Equipment: Take the bottle of water with you and some snacks, because on the walkway you will not find any shop. Dress easily and choose comfortable shoes (may be sporty). Don’t forget your camera! The views are outstanding.
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- Going there: Don’t use Google Maps to find the entrance! Information given there are not precise and you can be easily lost. Remember that you will take winding mountain roads. Book well enough time to arrive on time.
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- Entrance: It’s not easy to find a starting point. We approach the walkway from the town of Ardales. First you have to arrive there and park your car. It’s not easy to recognize where you should leave your car and it’s not easy to find a free parking there. To make it easier, follow my tips: in Ardales look for the restaurant El Kiosko, try to find a parking place there (if not, paid parking is a walking distance) and search for a small rocky gate with also small trail sign (see photo above). Entrance to the El Caminito del Rey, where you pick up your ticket and you meet with your guide, is located 15 min walking distance from this rocky gate.
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- Timing: I advise you to plan to arrive on the parking in Ardales at least 30 min before the scheduled entry. Parking, finding entry and getting to the starting point will take a while. Being early enough, you will stay calm.
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- Guide: Book the tour with the guide, it really pays off!
INFO CORNER:
Time: August 2017
Type: Activity
Web: http://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/#1
FB: https://www.facebook.com/caminitodelreyoficial/
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