Camino Del Rey: The King's Walk in Spain
In February 2022 when we had no plans at all to purchase a flat in Spain but were on holiday in La Cala de Mijas, we heard from many people "Go hike the Caminito del Rey". This is a spectacular hike near Málaga.
Well, being a hiking fanatic, I didn't let myself say that twice.
Just some background information. El Camino del Rey, the King's Walk or El Caminito del Rey, the King's Path, is a hiking trail that runs from Álora, near Málaga to Campillos through the El Chorro Gorge. The footpath is three kilometres long and a maximum of one metre wide, and is 100 metres above the river 'El Chorro' against the cliffs.
In the early 1900s, people wanted to transport stuff between Choro and Gaitanejo falls for the construction and maintenance of hydraulic power plants on both sides of the falls. The path was opened in 1905. The name Camino del Rey came about because King Alfons XIII used the path to open the Conde del Guadalhorce dam. After that, the path was known as King's Path.
Over time, the path fell into disrepair, but restoration work started in 2014 and in March 2015, the path was reopened and is now a true tourist attraction.
The path has one-way traffic from the northern side (entrance) to the southern side (exit). We parked our car at the exit and were transported by bus to the northern side, the entrance. The total walk is about 5 kilometres.
It was difficult to purchase a "loose" ticket for the Camino del Rey.
We booked tickets online and went with a guide. This was surprisingly fun because you also hear a lot of background information from the guide.
It can be quite crowded at the entrance, which is why we parked the car near the exit. Don't queue for the ticket office if you have a ticket, ask where to collect if you already have a ticket. I must say, it was a bit "Spanish" messy at the entrance, however, it eventually settled down and we were allowed to put on a nice hairnet and helmet.
And it was no exaggeration, it is and always will be a beautiful hike.