Hiking Day Trip To Caminito Del Rey From Cádiz

“Caminito del Rey” or King’s pathway is a walkway, situated along the steep walls of a narrow gorge near Ardales (Málaga). The walkway was partially closed for over a decade because it bad quality and its low security. After four years of repairs and extensive renovations, the walkway re-opened this year! It has been known in the past as the “world’s most dangerous walkway” but now it is much more safe. This pathway has a length of almost 8 km, divided into 4.8 km long access ways and 2.9 km long boardwalks. As for the boardwalks, the most famous part of the trail, 2.9 km of their length between the entrance to them and the exit point, comprises 1.5 km long boardwalks, and 1.4 km long paths or forest walkways. Estimated time for the full length of the route is between four and five hours.

The walkway was built to provide workers at the hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls with a means to cross between them, to provide for transport of materials, and to help facilitate inspection and maintenance of the channel. The construction began in 1901 and was finished in 1905. King Alfonso XIII crossed the walkway in 1921 for the inauguration of the dam Conde del Guadalhorce and it became known by its present name. The walkway is 1 metre (3 ft) in width, and rises over 100 metres (330 ft) above the river below.

The original path was constructed of concrete and rested on steel rails supported by stanchions built at around 45 degrees into the rock face. It deteriorated over the years and there were numerous sections where part or all of the concrete top had collapsed. The result was large open-air gaps bridged only by narrow steel beams or other supports. Few of the original handrails existed although a safety wire ran the length of the path.