Overview
Length: 6.8km
Type: Point-to-point trail
Time: 2hrs
Introduction
January has been our busiest month ever for our sauna installation business—our best yet!
We’ve been getting requests from all over Spain. As you’ve seen (if you follow the blog) we’ve been up to Girona, to Tarragona, and this time we went south.
Back in November we had a call from a solar energy company in Marbella. The project was for a stunning new-build house in Nueva Andalucía, where client wanted solar panels to power a battery and heat pump for underfloor heating, as well as a custom Nordic-style sauna and a plunge pool.
It was one of those dream projects that reminded us how much we love what we do.
The guys at Marblanc were top professionals…the kind we love to work with. They were going above and beyond to get the client what they wanted, and had to request some costly modifications to the client.
Anyway, if you’re looking to install solar panels in Marbella then check out Marblanc Solar!
While we were in Marbella, Markus and I started looking for trails to run in the area. That’s when we came across the Caminito del Rey.
It’s not a trail run—far from it.
With a daily visitor limit, tickets, and mandatory hard hats, it’s more of a guided experience than a free-spirited trail. Still, the idea of walking along narrow pathways clinging to cliffs above a gorge sounded too adventurous to pass up.
I couldn’t resist sharing this incredible adventure with you!
About the Caminito del Rey
The Caminito del Rey, or “King’s Little Pathway,” was built between 1901 and 1905 to help workers transport materials between hydroelectric power plants at El Chorro.
It got its name in 1921 when King Alfonso XIII walked the route during the dam’s inauguration.
Back then, it was a narrow, precarious walkway made of concrete and steel, hanging high above the gorge, with little protection—just imagining the workers dangling from ropes during its construction gives me chills!
Over time, the pathway fell into the gorge and became known as one of the “world’s most dangerous hikes”.
(That bit is what sold Markus on this route!)
Adventurers ignored the warnings, and tragically, several accidents occurred, leading to its closure in 2000. Thankfully, a massive renovation project transformed the Caminito into the safe and accessible trail it is today, reopening in 2015.
The current route features a sturdy new walkway over the original path (you can still spot remnants of the old one), reinforced railings, and a visitor limit of 1,100 people per day.
Markus and I joined a guided tour because the general tickets were already sold out when we checked. We were really keen to linger and explore at my our pace, but the guided visit turned out to be a great experience.
For anyone planning to visit, tickets sell out quickly, so book early via the official website.
The Hiking Route
The guided tour began at the parking lot near El Kiosko restaurant, where we had two options to reach the official entrance gate.
- You can take the pedestrian tunnel (200 meters up the road), which takes about 20 minutes to walk (1.5 km).
- Or you can take the Gaitanejo trail, right next to the restaurant, which takes closer to 50 minutes (2.7 km).
Both routes merge near the entrance gate.
We arrived early (recommended) and joined a group of fellow walkers, splitting into two groups: Spanish speakers and English speakers.
After taking our Spanish classes in Barcelona a couple of months ago we felt brave enough to join the Spanish group. We were very out of our depth!
We received our helmets (gray for guided groups, blue for general admission), hairnets, radios, and earphones, our guide ensured we were set up and ready to go.
A quick safety briefing later (of which we understood 40%) and we were off!
The initial part of the walk passed the old hydroelectric substation and dam. It was a really different feel to eastern Spain: rivers with water, dramatic cliffs, and even vultures circling overhead!
But soon, we reached the first section of the boardwalk, pinned high above the Gaitanejo gorge. The path is secured with steel rods and a sturdy mesh fence, but I still held tightly to the handrail.
It was then we could see the crumbling original path below—a reminder of how treacherous this route once was.
Along the way, we crossed the Puente del Rey, named after King Alfonso XIII, who inaugurated the Caminito del Rey.
The guide shared fascinating details about the flora, fauna, and the area’s history, nd even pointing some Iberian ibex grazing near the Sapito Pintojo pond.
Later, high winds meant we had to take the tunnel behind the cliffs, a newer addition that keeps the path open when weather makes the boardwalk unsafe. Though I missed the chance to walk the iconic Gaitanes gorge boardwalk or step onto the glass balcony, it gave me a perfect excuse to return one day!
The final stretch of the trail was a relaxed walk past the Los Albercones viaduct, with informational boards about the Caminito’s construction.
We ended at the El Chorro exit, where we returned our helmets and found kiosks selling snacks, along with picnic areas to relax.
TIP: When booking your tickets online, add parking and the bus pass. This way, you won’t need cash for the shuttle bus (they don’t take cards), saving you a last-minute scramble for euros!

The Puente del Rey.

The new path, and the crumbling path beneath it!

Stunning views.