El Caminito del Rey (VIDEO)

Ilana Jesse,

Tucked in the outskirts of a quaint town in Southern Spain, El Caminito del Rey, lies nestled in a gorge 100 dizzying meters above a chalky blue river.  The walkway begins with a final partner check before you head out, walking along a narrow ledge, the ground rapidly falling away below you.  The original start to the trail is no longer passable, so to reach the pathway one must take a traversing pitch of climbing across old iron supports utilizing a rope and clipping bolts for protection.

Traversing the climbing pitch to gain access to El Caminito del Rey.
A view from the traverse on the climbing pitch used to gain access to the El Caminito del Rey.
Approaching El Caminito del Rey.

The traverse surpassed, the path heads up a broken corner, which rises upwards enabling you to join the original trail.  Beginning at the corner, there are fixed steel cables, which run the remainder of the pathway enabling via ferrata protection.

Past the traverse, heading up the broken corner.
Past the traverse, heading up the broken corner.

The path, constructed between 1901 and1905 is built of arched bricks, held together by cement, and suspended above the gorge resting on a steel framework bored directly into the limestone walls.  The path, a meter wide, traverses the gorge at a height of over 100 meters above the torrents below.   The original path had no handrails, though a few were subsequently added along its length.  Having joined the trail, the path now follows stairs upwards.

The path was built on the order of Spanish King Alfonso XIII.  It was constructed to facilitate workers movement through the canyon, to work on hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls.  Prior to the paths construction, the workers had to take a time consuming route around the mountains that pinch together and form the gorge.   In 1921, when the King crossed the completed pathway for the inauguration of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam, the trail became forever known as El Caminito del Rey, the King’s little pathway.

Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
Don't look down ;)
El Caminito del Rey

Now the pathway is well over 100 years old and is at varying stages of decay.  Several sections have fallen away entirely, leaving behind only the supporting iron bars.   It is important for walkers to maintain space as they travel along the pathway, distributing weight to lessen the likelihood of punching through or a section collapsing.  As the pathway is now well over 100 years old it has fallen into varying stages of decay.  Several sections have crumbled away entirely, leaving behind only the support beams.  In some cases these support beams are only held in place by guy wire.

Someone punched through.
A section that crumbled away entirely, leaving behind only the support beams.
The support beam is held together by guy wire.
The various stages of decay.
Remnants of someone punching through.
Remnants of someone punching through.

The pathway eventually stops climbing, reaching a bridge spanning the gorge carrying the channel utilized to generate hydro-electricity.  The channel now leaks; creating a waterfall that mists you as walk by.  The bridge now reached; there is only one way to go, across.  As you unclip the safety wire to traverse out into the void, the wind on the bridge will make you catch your breath.

The famous bridge of El Caminito del Rey.
The bridge!
The bridge!

The story of the pathway is not without tragedy.  Several people have lost their lives on the walkway in recent times and after two fatal accidents in 1999 and 2000 the local government closed both entrances to the pathway.

While formally closed, guides still provide unofficial tours of the pathway which has been featured in National Geographic and climbing magazines.  The regional government of Andalusia and the local government of Málaga have agreed to share the costs of restoring the pathway, to include construction of a car park and museum.  They allocated some 9 million Euros to the project in 2011 but as of 2014 work has not yet started.  Work is currently expected to begin at anytime, the budget now reduced to 3 million euros, with a projected completion date of February 2015.  The restoration work will aim to maintain the pathways original features while keeping as much as possible to the original designs and materials.

Once hydroelectric projects were completed, the path was still used for a period to inspect the water channels, and workers regularly traveled its length to operate a water wheel at its far side regulating channel flow.

The Wheel!

As technology and transportation improved, use of the pathway ceased, and it slowly fell into its current state of disrepair.  The pathway would have been totally forgotten if not for its discovery by thrill seekers wishing to experience for themselves the exhilarating heights of this three-kilometer trail, pinned to the walls of the El Chorro gorge.

Photo Album

Past the traverse, heading up the broken corner.
El Caminito del Rey
Don't look down ;)
Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
The bridge!
El Caminito del Rey.
El Caminito del Rey.
Remnants of someone punching through.
Walking along El Caminito del Rey.
The bridge!
Remnants of someone punching through.
Approaching El Caminito del Rey.
A view from the traverse on the climbing pitch used to gain access to the El Caminito del Rey.
Traversing the climbing pitch to gain access to El Caminito del Rey.
The El Caminito del Rey and views of the train tracks across the gorge.
The famous bridge of El Caminito del Rey.
Traversing the support beam.
Traversing the support beam.
The various stages of decay.
Traversing the support beam.
Approaching the support beam.
The Wheel!
The support beam is held together by guy wire.
A section that crumbled away entirely, leaving behind only the support beams.
Someone punched through.
Past the traverse, heading up the broken corner.
header-2

Quick Reference Guide

Location: El Chorro, Spain.

Getting There: Fly into Malaga, Spain.  Rent a car and drive to El Chorro, Spain is your first option.  Your second option is to travel by train from Malaga to either El Chorro Train Station on one of the two daily departures or to Alora on one of its hourly departures.  Alora is 12km from El Chorro and you can take a taxi to El Chorro for 20 EUR.

  • Train information: renfe.com
  • Taxi Alora:  +34 952 496 424

Best Time to Hike: Year round, though if combining with a climbing trip Spring and Fall offer the best sending temps.

Gear:

Accommodations:

Emergency Services:

  • Dial ‘112’ for emergency services

Climbing Spain