Spotlight: Once known as "one of the world's most dangerous hikes," the Caminito del Rey is now safe as well as adventurous. The 7.7 km hike is made via a wooden walkway 100 meters above the Guadalhorce River, along a sheer cliff face, offering magnificent views of the canyon and surrounding countryside. The walls of the canyon rise as much as 700 meters above the canyon floor. The canyon is home to various species of vultures, golden eagles, Spanish ibex and wild boar. The aerial walkway was built in the early 20th century, between the waterfalls of Gaitanejo and El Chorro, to allow access by maintenance workers for the local hydroelectric dam. The hike got its name due to a visit by King Alfonso XIII, who visited the site in 1921, officially opening the engineering project.
 |
| Hydroelectric dam |
 |
| View of the canyon |
 |
| View of the old path below the new one |
The path through the canyon is one-way (north to south) and encompasses a combination of mountain trails and suspended boardwalks. At one point, there is a glass balcony which juts out from the walkway, allowing unobstructed vertical views of the canyon below. Guided tours of El Caminito del Rey start at the Visitors' Reception Centre at Puerto de las Atalayas (57.7 km northwest of Malaga or 51 km west of Antequera).
 |
| Suspended boardwalk |
 |
| Suspended bridge |
 |
| glass balcony |
 |
| View of the boardwalk hugging the cliff |
Location: El Caminito del Rey, 29550 Ardales
- VISITORS' Reception Centre coordinates: X: 36.914411 / Y: -4.806910
Cost: General admission: 10 euros; Guided tours: 18 euros
Time: Guided hikes of Caminito del Rey begin from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. The hike takes between 3-4 hours.
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Things You Should Know:
- You can reserve and purchase your ticket online (https://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/) or directly at the northern access of the Caminito, at the ticket office.
- Parking at the Visitors' Reception Centre is 2 euros/day. Plan on arriving one hour before your hike time to allow for pre-hike preparations, including shuttle time from the Visitors' Centre to the starting point of the hike.
- The shuttle that you take from the Visitors' Centre to the Caminito del Rey is not owned by the tour company, but the shuttle stop is next to the Visitors' Centre parking, and 300 meters from the ending point for the return trip. A single ticket is needed to travel back and forth on the shuttle. The ticket can be purchased ahead of time (online) or with cash (2.50 euros), but cannot be purchased by credit/debit card at the shuttle stop. The shuttle service runs from 7:40 am to 7:00 pm and is about 15-20 minutes.
- If you desire to do the hike on your own, there are parking lots in the town of Ardales where the hike begins. You can then take the shuttle bus from the trail's end back to Ardales.
Nearby: Ardales Cave (10 km SW of Caminito del Rey); Neocropolis de las Aguilillas (6.3 km NW of Caminito del Rey); The Rock Church of Bobastro (9.3 km south of Caminito del Rey); Malaga (60 km SE of Caminito del Rey).
No comments:
Post a Comment