Caminito del Rey (the King's Path)

Caminito del Rey (the King's Path): what you need to know

• the route is one-way, from the north entrance to the south one: Caminito del Rey. North Access is the starting point, Caminito del Rey - South Exit is the finish.
• the path is paid: booked 1-2 months ahead it costs 10 euros per person, a couple of days ahead 18 euros per person
• website for buying Caminito del Rey tickets online - caminitodelrey.info
• the walkway is 5.5 km long, but you also have to walk 1.5 km from the road to the north entrance and 1.5 km from its south end to the bus stop with the shuttles.
• Shuttle buses run between all the car parks and both entrances, north and south. The fare is 2.5 euros one way.
• Any paid car park costs 2 euros a day. But there are plenty of free spaces along the road for those who want to save money.
• when it comes to parking, do not buy a parking reservation! There are lots of paid and free parking spaces, and through the website you can reserve only one car park, which is not that convenient.
• the path is very windy at any time of year! The temperature is 5 degrees lower than on the seafront at the same time. In November and December you can walk along the seafront without a hat and sometimes even without a jacket. On the path you need a hat, a jacket and even gloves!
• you can get there from Málaga by train to the Central hidroeléctrica Nuevo Chorro station. It takes about 40 minutes, or you can drive from Málaga itself or from Marbella in about 1 hour.

Caminito del Rey route and car parks

The map below shows the main locations and the route. The first map shows the nearest car park, at 2 euros, though there are also a few free spaces right there. From the car park you need to walk 100 m to the tunnel entrance. From the start of the tunnel to the start of the King's Path it is 1.5 km, which takes 20-30 minutes. So arrive at the car park an hour before the time stated on your ticket. Entry to the path is organised in groups, after a safety briefing. Whichever ticket you have, the general one for 10 euros or the guided one for 18 euros, you can move completely on your own. There is not much to listen to there, and shuffling along a narrow walkway in a crowd is not comfortable... So once you have passed the safety briefing with the group, you then go on by yourself. The 18 euros is essentially not an extra charge for a guide, but for buying the ticket a couple of days before the visit. The whole route follows the walkway, so it is impossible to go off course, and there is nowhere to get lost. It is better to use the toilet at the entrance, because it will be hard to dash into the bushes with so many people on the path, and the walk takes about 1-1.5 hours. Dress as warmly as you can, and do not forget a hat against the wind! At the north entrance you will be given a helmet, which you can put on over your hat and which you hand back at the south exit.

For a better understanding, the map below shows the detailed route:

• red squares mark the parking places: 2 in the north, 1 in the south and an intermediate car park in the middle.
• short blue arrows show the 1.5 km you have to walk to the north entrance and from the south exit to the car parks.
• long blue arrows show the walkway itself, 5.5 km.
• red arrows show the route of the shuttle bus between the car parks and the entrances.
• the car park near the south entrance is also a stop for the train from Málaga.

The best way to get around the King's Path area:

Arrive at the car park closer to the north entrance (map no. 1), 1 hour before the time on your ticket, and pay 2 euros for the day. Walk from the car park through the tunnel to the north entrance, 1.5 km. At the north entrance you show your electronic ticket, go through the briefing and wait until you are let onto the path. Put on the helmet and follow the 5.5 km route for about 1 hour. After the south exit you need to walk another 500 m to the shuttle bus, handing in your helmet on the way. You buy a shuttle bus ticket for 2.5 euros. The bus runs every 15-30 minutes. Take the bus back to your car park. The whole outing takes 2-2.5 hours. The path is perfectly comfortable and easy, but it is hardly suitable for small children.