Latest batch of tickets for Malaga's famous El Caminito del Rey suspended gorge walk go on sale this week

El Caminito del Rey is one of the great tourist attractions of Malaga province of Malaga and certainly one of the most impressive inland places to visit in the whole of the Andalucía region. It is a spectacular pathway - once described as the most dangerous in the world - that clings, in places, high above the gorge. It was reformed in 2015 to enable walkers to enjoy the pathways and the incredible views in complete safety.

To visit the Caministo del Rey you have to book tickets in advance and it is not always easy to get them for certain dates, due to the great demand, both from individuals, groups and tour companies. This Thursday, 1 February, tickets go on sale for the period from 1 April to 30 September 2024, so it is advisable to book now to reserve the dates that may be of interest.

Tickets will be available, both for individuals and agencies, and can be purchased at www.caminitodelrey.info for the price of 10 euros for general tickets and 18 euros for guided tours. This is the only official website where tickets can be purchased and it is not recommended purchasing tickets through other channels. Buying tickets from unauthorised outlets is a risk, as there is no guarantee of authenticity. To purchase tickets, you must register and select a specific day and time. Each user can purchase a maximum of 10 tickets.

Although it may seem that the Caminito del Rey is a distance away from the tourist areas of the Costa del Sol, the reality is that it is easy to reach and there are several options. The pathway starts in the municipality of Ardales, crosses the municipality of Antequera, and ends in El Chorro (Álora). If you don't want to go by private car, the best way is to take the Cercanías C2 commuter line train, which can be caught from Malaga city centre, at either the María Zambrano or Málaga Centro stations. The C1 line along the western strip of the Costa del Sol ends at these stations, so there is also a connection from Torremolinos or Fuengirola.

By car, the Caminito del Rey has a visitor reception centre located in the municipality of Ardales, which has parking with capacity for 240 vehicles. Visitors can park for two euros per day, which can also be booked when purchasing tickets to visit the walk on the website. It is recommended to arrive at least one hour in advance.

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There are shuttle buses (not managed by the Caminito del Rey) to and from the car park and the path. Tickets can be purchased either in advance when you buy your ticket or in cash on site. The bus service runs from 7.40am to 8pm. The journey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to the stop near the Kiosko Restaurant.

The Caminito is the first path in Spain and one of the first in Europe to be accredited as a cardio-safe area, as it has seven defibrillators along its route and staff trained in their use and first aid. An integrated system for health and safety is also being created to deal with geological, forest fire, biotic, natural and climatic risks, although it should be remembered that El Caminito del Rey is a rehabilitated infrastructure for active tourism in a natural environment, which involves some risks and requires a certain degree of physical effort or dexterity from its visitors.

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El Caminito is three kilometres long and barely one metre wide. One of the best known parts of the route is a hanging walkway suspended some 105 metres above the floor of the gorge and a suspension bridge that spans the two sides. Taking into account the paths leading to the access and the shuttle bus, the estimated time to complete the whole trip is between 3 and 4 hours.

You don't need to be an expert hiker to do the route, but you do need to have good mobility and not have physical problems to access the climbs, footbridges or stairs that are common on the route. Due to the height of some of the sections, it is also not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo. As for age, the Caminito del Rey does not allow children under 8 years of age to enter for safety reasons. Pets, crutches and walking sticks (including hiking sticks) are also not allowed.