The Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Natural Park lies not far from Málaga, between Álora, Antequera and Ardales. Walking the Caminito del Rey is an experience suspended somewhere between adrenaline and beauty — one you don’t forget. My own walk on the Caminito del Rey from Málaga was no exception; it twisted my head and scrambled my senses in all the right ways.
Caminito del Rey: The Trail, the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes and Some Safety Notes
A trip to the Caminito del Rey. That day, Andalusia decided to test my nerves. Even the name sounds like something dreamed up by an old king with too much free time and a soft spot for adrenaline. I went in expecting a relaxing day in the mountains. Reality? A passage that reorganises both your thoughts and your knees.
The trail cuts through the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes canyon, where the walls rise up to 700 meters and the walkways hang a good 100 meters above the Guadalhorce River. Today it’s safe, renovated and friendly — once upon a time it was supposedly one of the most dangerous paths in the world. Romantic, right?
How to Start? Tickets, Parking at Embalse del Guadalhorce and a Helmet
To walk the Caminito del Rey, the first thing you have to walk through is… the reservation system. Tickets are sold out weeks in advance. The Andalusians take this seriously: “Want to see the canyon? Prove it.”
We arrive at the Embalse del Guadalhorce lake — grand, calm, almost like the prelude to a movie where you just know the calm won’t last. Reception, parking lot, the first breath of Spanish heat and a safety helmet that immediately reminds me no one came here for a casual stroll.
“Don’t worry, amigo, no wind today,” the guide winks.
“Supposedly,” mutters the one behind him.
First Breakthrough: The Gaitanejo Gorge — History, Fossils and Hanging Walkways
The walk to the start of the trail is about 2.5 kilometres. A tunnel, forest, soft shade, the kind of silence that happens right before a storm. And then it arrives — the first hanging walkways of the Gaitanejo gorge, where you catch yourself pretending height doesn’t exist. “Is this really held up by just a few bolts?” my brain asks. Andalusia stays silent. And I keep walking.
The guide points out a century-old juniper tree and sandstone fossils. Honestly, without him I’d have mistaken the fossils for dirt and the juniper for something waiting to scratch me.
The chapter continues through Tajo de las Palomas — a section where the walkway winds along the rock as if someone wanted us to truly appreciate solid ground.
The Hoyo Valley and the Railway Bridge: Panoramas, Vultures and Photographs
The landscape switches to wide-angle mode. More trees, fewer cliffs, and Egyptian vultures drawing arcs above your head so wide you start wondering if they’re still birds or tiny gliders.
In the distance I spot a railway bridge. The Spanish proudly claim it’s the most expensive railway line in the country. And I believe them — if as much material fell there as I drop when taking photos with my phone, it must have cost a fortune.
And then it all starts to sink in. I stop, lean against the railing and look down into the gorge. What are we doing? Why bury everything under concrete, apartments and attractions? Why pretend we’re the masters of creation when one gust of wind makes us humble as a monastery?
I felt tiny. And at the same time exactly where I needed to be.
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes: The Final Stretch and the Iconic Hanging Bridge
And then comes the finale — the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes. The proud, iconic part of the Caminito. The walls rise so high that if you shouted, the echo might reach Málaga.
Above us is a tunnel where two climbers joke around. They look as if they inherited every courage gene available. I held onto the railing instead. Well… I tried. “Don’t hold that,” the guide yells. “Makes it worse.” Wonderful.
Below us is the old path, the original version of the Caminito — cracked, missing chunks, broken in places. One look explains why it used to be called suicidal tourism.
The El Chorro Suspension Bridge: The Wind Tunnel and How to Survive the Height
A lesson in courage for anyone convinced they don’t need one. The canyon’s wind tunnel saves its last act for this moment. The suspension bridge. Hanging, swaying, pretending everything’s fine. People don’t always pretend as well.
I see a woman stuck in the middle. Shaking, refusing to move, tears, panic. The guide walks out to her:
“Señora, close your eyes. Hold me tight. Don’t look down.”
And he carries her. Literally. Like a dance she didn’t choose.
Only once she’s on the other side does she exhale deeply. And then again, just in case.
End of the Route at El Chorro: The Viaduct, Shuttle Bus and Return to Málaga
The final metres lead above El Chorro and into a gentle descent toward the shuttle bus. The stone railway viaduct looks majestic, almost Slovak — Telgárt even comes to mind. Andalusia just hides it in a far more dramatic backdrop.
The first drops of rain fall as we reach the bus. The weather was kind to us. And I feel this day left me something. Maybe new humility or old joy. Maybe just a good excuse to open a Rioja in the evening.
Practical Tips for Caminito del Rey
- Good shoes and a jacket are essential.
aminito means movement. Terrain, wind, height. Forget fashion.
- Park at Embalse del Guadalhorce.
It’s the most practical — and the most beautiful — starting point. You’ll return by shuttle bus.
- Watch the weather.
If wind or rain picks up, the trail closes. And reservations won’t save you.
- Explore the surroundings.
The Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Natural Park offers many other trails, with peaks over 1,180 meters.
And we’ll definitely be back.
