(Spanish: El Caminito del Rey) is a structure made of concrete, crutches and railroad tracks driven into the rock. The trail is located between the Chorro and Gaitanejo waterfalls in the El Chorro Gorge near Alora in Malaga, Spain.

The road is located at a very large distance from the ground, its length is 3 kilometers, the width is only 1 meter. Due to its dilapidation, its condition is now rather poor. The handrails were destroyed almost everywhere, and the structure itself was destroyed in many places. Therefore, for safety reasons for tourists, this path is officially closed.

At an altitude of 300 meters above the river on a sheer wall, El Caminito del Rey was founded in 1901 (1905 - the date of discovery) as an auxiliary route for workers employed in the construction of a hydraulic structure (dam), from one wall of the canyon to another, and as a place, from which you can observe natural beauty. By the way, the path itself got its royal name due to the fact that in 1921 King Alfonso XIII personally walked along it, proceeding to the opening of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam, and the path was called "El Caminito del Rey" - King's Path

Pictures are clickable*

Crossing the King's Trail with the railway line

Royal path. View from the ground

At present, in the absence of maintenance and restoration, the trail is quite badly destroyed, in some places there are no whole compartments. Numerous cases of death of tourists are known.

Despite the fact that officially the Royal Trail is closed to the public, many people who are not afraid of heights still pass it using safety equipment in the form of a halyard with a carabiner, which is fastened to steel safety cables that are specially stretched along the most dangerous places of the path, where no more handrails. They made a lot of their films and put them on the internet on YouTube, Flixxy.com. Watching these films is also a good "tickle nerves", but completely safe.

Some trope-inspired programmer even did toy, which accurately reflects reality.

Another plot:

In 2006, the Andalusian government was developing a project to renovate this road in order to subsequently reopen it as an official tourist route. The project budget was 7 million euros.

One spring day, Lena and I decided to go to mysterious place- in the El Chorro gorge on the King's trail. Before that, on the Internet on youtube, we had seen enough shocking videos of climbers and just extreme people walking along a narrow path attached to a rock on high altitude. Moreover, it is also partially destroyed.

We leave the car in one of the parking lots. We left . If you do not want to pay money, then there are several places with free parking around.

Cross the road and dive into a dark, dark tunnel. We use flashlights on the phone.

After the tunnel, there is still a short walk to the checkpoint. We're just following the people. The route is allowed strictly according to the schedule. We waited for our time for about 15 minutes. Go to the toilet. There will be no further opportunity.

We examine the destroyed section of the original road.

I am enclosing a route map for Caminito del Rey

The most interesting begins - a walk along the royal path.

The new route is laid directly on a sheer cliff. At the entrance, helmets are issued so that nothing flies into the head.

The landscapes are amazing. A river flows along the gorge.

We were at the end of March. The sun was hot, but the air in the gorge and the wind were strong. Dress warmly in spring.

The railroad runs parallel to the path. She dives and emerges from the tunnels. I saw a group of young people coming out of the tunnel. It must be a dangerous illegal route.

The road abruptly enters the green valley of Valle del Hoyo.

If you brought a snack with you, then it's time to sit on a bench and enjoy the view.

There are many birds of prey flying in the valley. I didn't see any other animals.

The last part of the road was a little disappointing. Instead of an exciting path along steep cliffs, we walked for 10 minutes through a boring tunnel. Perhaps that part was not yet ready, or perhaps it was closed due to bad weather.

At the end of the road we had a little fun. We crossed the gorge on a hanging bridge. The wind was blowing off my feet. It was scary.

At the end of the journey, don't forget to take some epic photos of the road.

On this bus we will return back to the parking lot. Let me remind you that the movement along the route occurs only in one direction from north to south.

If there are forces left, then we climb onto the observation deck to the cross. From above you can see the Embalse Tajo de la Encantada reservoir.

There is also parking on the south side. If you leave your car here, then take the bus and go to the north entrance. And after the route, the car will be waiting for you.

Bus schedule from the southern stop and from the railway station. Departures every 30 minutes. .

I invite you to dine at Restaurante La Garganta.

I tasted the local goat meat.

I am enclosing a menu from the La Garganta restaurant:

We take the bus back to the parking lot. We don’t reach the final one, we exit in front of the tunnel:

How to get to El Chorro and the Royal Trail?

In the village next to the gorge there is a railway station. That's what it's called -
El Chorro. You can get here by train from Malaga.

But the most convenient way is to take a ride in a car. is quite inexpensive. A few people will be cheaper than the train.

How to buy a ticket for Caminito del Rey online?

I describe step by step how to buy a ticket. To get started, go to caminitodelrey.info. Tickets sell out quickly. We bought a month and a half ago.

Ticket price

Tickets cost €10, be sure to buy in advance!

A bus ticket costs €1.55.

Hotels in El Chorro

The village is very small. Station, a couple of houses, a cafe and several hotels and hostels. Mountaineers usually stay in these hotels. I found only one place on the Internet where you can book and spend the night - the hotel is called Complejo Turístico La Garganta:

The Royal Path (El Caminito del Rey) is a mystical place. Why was it built, how, why? Now I will try to tell you. This is the most dangerous pedestrian road in the world (was before the repair). People die there from time to time. And yet it attracts thrill-seekers.

You can judge its condition from this photo. These are just iron sleepers that are driven into the rock, and reinforced concrete slabs lie on them. In places they are not. A rope for climbers is stretched along the road. The photo was taken 5 years ago, before the renovation.

There are 3 reservoirs in the vicinity. The trail itself runs between the Gaitanejo and Chorro waterfalls in the El Chorro gorge at an altitude of 100-200 m. The length is 3 km, and the width is not more than a meter!

Why was the death path built?

This path was made for workers who carried building materials for the dam. There are now 3 reservoirs in the vicinity. I got the impression that the Spaniards blocked every river in every gorge. They have a lot of green reservoirs.

Why is it called the royal path?

Everything is very simple. When the dams were built, King Alfonso XIII of Spain came to see the results of many years of work. I walked along this path, and it was immediately called royal - El Caminito del Rey.

A turtle was crawling along the road. Seeing the danger, she hid in her shell. I decided to save her from an accidental car accident. Stopped in the wrong place. Got out of the car. Faster grabbed the turtle to carry it out of the way. And then a car with flashing lights comes around the corner.

But why, when I'm forced to break the rules, the police come!?

The last time the GPS took us to some town where repairs are underway, and I ran into a brick. The road is narrow, it is difficult to turn around, and behind the brick through a couple of houses you can see the gap. The streets are empty, there are no cars. Without thinking twice, I decided to sneak in! AND…

And ran into a police car! In Europe, after all, the fines are large, and maybe even deprivation of rights! He pointed menacingly: “Turn around!” He got out of the car, directed them to make a U-turn in a narrow street and told them to leave. We left and stopped at the nearest parking lot. But to our happiness, the policeman drove by and did not even issue a fine!

So, back to the turtle. That car with flashing lights turned out to be the car of the park rangers, or whatever they are called. They stopped. Came out in a stylish brown uniform with berets. They asked me: “Why did I pick up a turtle?” And at that moment I just grabbed it. I said I'm saving her.

The Rangers smiled, the tension immediately gone. Gestures showed me that it should be taken to the bushes. When they found out that we were from Russia, they became quite kinder and began to have conversations. They exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.

This is how another day passed in magical Andalusia. Don't be afraid to go off the well-worn hiking trails. Trust chance and intuition. Onward to adventure!

Mikhail Schwartz and Elena were with you. Looking forward to your comments and stories below.

How do I save on hotels?

Everything is very simple - look not only on booking.com. I prefer the RoomGuru search engine. He searches for discounts simultaneously on Booking and 70 other booking sites.

King's Path or "Road of Death"

Don't let the noble name "King's Path" fool you. (Spanish Caminito del Rey), which gives rise to associations with a well-groomed path, carpeted path, framed by fragrant gardens and flower beds, with guards in sparkling armor. Today we will talk about a completely different path, along which, until recently, they made their way not with a crown on their heads, but in a climber's helmet, hung with climbing carbines, ropes and other safety devices.

Royal path. Photo: © shutterstock.com

Extreme lovers are constantly looking for new places, both natural and artificial, where you can get another dose of adrenaline. One of these unusual human creations is an auxiliary passage erected for workers during the construction of the Conde del Guadalorce hydroelectric dam in the Spanish province of Malaga in Andalusia at the beginning of the last century.

ROAD ON THE ROCK

The surrounding mountains are considered one of the most beautiful natural places in Malaga. Not far from the village of El Chorro, the Guadalorce River carved a three-kilometer-long narrow gorge in the limestone-dolomite rocks, called Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, reaching in some places a width of 10 and a depth of 700 meters. Such a very difficult terrain, where they set out to build an advanced hydraulic structure for those times, set the builders the task of facilitating the movement of workers to the construction site, transporting materials and monitoring the backfilling of the dam. Therefore, it was decided to lay a hinged path along the walls of the gorge, stretching from one side to the other.

Gorge Desfiladero de los Gaitanes. Photo: © angellico11 / flickr.com

In 1901, as they say, the first crutch was driven up the mountain, and after 4 years the construction of the trail was completed. By its design, it consisted of rails attached to metal supports with concrete slabs laid on top. The length of the path was almost 3 kilometers, and the width of the canvas in some places was only 1 meter, and the distance to the ground in the very high point The trail was about 100 meters. Needless to say, the trail was equipped with fences and railings, so it was possible to move along it with relative safety.

Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Gorge before construction of the King's Trail began, on a postcard from the late 19th century. Source: caminitodelrey.info

Construction of the King's Path begins. Photo from the collection of Pedro Cantalejo Duarte. Source: caminitodelrey.info

But how did the proud name "Royal Path" get attached to this purely utilitarian-technical structure? At the time of its construction, the Spanish king Alfonso XIII was only 15 years old, and he hardly had anything to do with both the trail and the hydraulic structure as a whole. But twenty years later, in 1921, when the solemn laying of the last stone block of the dam took place, the monarch honored this event with her presence and even expressed a desire to make a promenade along the dizzy height route, admiring the river raging at the foot of the rocks and opening picturesque landscapes. From that moment on, the trail received the royal “title”, by which it is called to this day.

Arrival of King Alfonso XIII of Spain at the Conde del Guadalorce Dam in 1921. Photo courtesy of the Sevillan-Endes Foundation. Source: caminitodelrey.info

The Conde del Guadalorce dam on a postcard from the first half of the 20th century. Source: caminitodelrey.info

"TALES FROM THE CRYPT"

The royal path over the years of its existence could not help but acquire all sorts of legends and conjectures. The most important story is that the road was built by prisoners sentenced to death in exchange for the annulment of a cruel sentence. I will inform those who are not in the know - the only way of execution in Spain in those days was the garrote. This "legitimate" tool for killing criminals was a metal hoop worn around the neck of the convict, which the executioner tightened from behind with a screw, gradually strangling the victim tied to the pole. No hope for a quick and easy death. Therefore, the "suicide bombers" allegedly willingly signed up as the builders of the hinged path, hoping to avoid such a medieval execution. Those who fell down from a height of 100 meters received a swift deliverance from worldly fuss, spending the last seconds of their lives in free flight. And now their ghosts roam the gorge, howling and frightening tourists.

But I will have to disappoint fans of the supernatural and the paranormal. During the construction of the hanging path, not a single builder died. And there were no prisoners and sentenced there. The high-rise construction involved retired military sailors from Malaga, who served on sailing ships. “The wind of height ruffled our curls, and the clouds kissed lightly” - this is also about them. Constant work on the top of the ship's masts taught them to condescendingly spit from above on the "oil oil", in which the fear of heights causes dizziness, trembling in the knees and weakness in the stomach.

View of the gorge from the height of the Royal trail. Photo: © Manuel Puentes Rojas / flickr.com

By the way, after the construction of the dam was completed, the Royal Path served faithfully for a long time to the inhabitants of El Chorro and other nearby villages. From now on, children could get to school much faster, women to grocery stores, and men, of course, to their favorite bars. Movement along the trail did not stop day or night, and not only on foot, but also on bicycles and even horses.

Apparently, this is why another legend has arisen that the guides are trying to hang on the ears of gullible tourists. This is a tale about a certain beautiful Englishwoman who, being married to one of the local seniors, could not stand the hardships and deprivations of married life in the Spanish outback and, riding a horse at full gallop, threw herself down the path. “In general, everyone died ...”

After the completion of the HPP locals actively used the King's trail. 30s of XX century. Photo from the collection of Pedro Cantalejo Duarte. Source: caminitodelrey.info

“TO THE MADNESS OF THE BRAVE WE SING A SONG…”

As the saying goes, nothing lasts forever under the sun. Here is the Royal Path, which no one else has ever repaired since the end of construction, gradually dilapidated and fell into disrepair. For the owners of the hydroelectric power plant, it lost its purpose, but the local administration, as is usually the case, cared little for the needs and aspirations of its own electorate.

Ruined span of the King's Path. Photo: © Matthew Karsten / expertvagabond.com

Over time, the piles and rails that form the basis of the trail began to rust, loosen and lose their strength. Concrete slabs crumbled, falling in pieces. The flooring gaped with huge holes, and the metal railings and fences collapsed and were simply absent. Walking the King's Path became deadly and it seemed that it ceased to exist.

Dilapidated concrete slabs of the King's Path. Photo: © David Domingo / flickr.com

However, it was in this state that the trail became widely known among thrill-seekers, “reborn” from non-existence. Professional seekers of adrenaline bliss from all over the world began to conquer the risky route with enthusiasm. Behind them, other crazy amateurs inevitably followed, looking forward to the opportunity to take cool selfies over the abyss. The Royal Path is up and running again! In the unofficial ranking of the most dangerous places in Spain, she firmly took the top step of the podium, and some gave her the first place in the world!

Conquerors of the King's Trail. Photo: © Eivind Andås / flickr.com

Conquerors of the King's Trail. Photo: © Gabi / flickr.com

With such a rush of interest in conquering the King's Trail, the likelihood of an accident was a matter of time. And so it happened. In 1999, the first fatal tragedy occurred. The following year, four unfortunate extreme sportsmen made their own contribution to the annals of the new "black" legend of the Royal Trail. And you think that someone stopped it? Schaz! The aura of the real danger of the route only splashed "kerosene" into the fire of the unhealthy hobby of adrenaline fans, who from now on began to call the trail nothing more than "Road of Death".

"Whatever you do, don't look down!" - advice from experienced extreme Matthew Karsten, who conquered the King's Trail in slates on his bare feet. Photo: © Matthew Karsten / expertvagabond.com

The administration of the province of Malaga, rightly deciding that five deaths on the Royal Route is already too much, banned its visit under pain of a fine of 600 euros. However, this is not yet the largest amount. Railway tunnels and aqueducts pass very close to the trail. high-speed trains. So, if you are found somewhere on or near them, absolutely wild sanctions will await you there - from 6˙000 to, get ready, 30˙000 euros! In addition, several spans of the trail on both sides of the route were artificially destroyed in order to stop dangerous walks. But, as you probably already guessed, these measures did not stop the pilgrimage of extreme people to the "Road of Death", but they cut off a significant contingent of "amateurs". Now it was possible to get on the King's Trail only with climbing equipment and a little bit of rock climbing skills. And from that moment, it must be said, there were no more fatal accidents on the trail.

Climbers prepare to overcome the ruined section of the King's Trail. Photo: © Rod Kirkpatrick / flickr.com

Photo for 30 thousand euros. The photographer could pay such a fine if he was caught in the railroad security zone near the King's Trail. Photo: © Eiker86 / flickr.com

In the wake of the general interest in the King's Trail, some travel companies turned to the authorities with a request to allow official climbing tours along this dangerous route. They were ready at their own expense to organize a professionally prepared track with points of insurance, with steel cables stretched along the entire length, but they received a constant refusal. Therefore, the entire tourism business on the King's Trail existed (and it existed!) in the "shadow". There were more than enough proposals for organizing extreme tours. " The perfect place for the traveler who wants to discover one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the province of Malaga and experience an epic and safe adventure!” - such ads lured tourists on the Internet. The key word here is "safe". Another sentence was: "All you need is water, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen and a good sense of humor! Not a word about dead climbers, not a word about bans and fines. Firms provided full equipment, and groups were led by experienced climbing instructors. And neither the Civil Guard nor the local police could completely stop this flow of people who wanted to put their lives on the line.

Royal path. Photo: © littlecow77 / flickr.com

NEW LIFE OF THE KING'S TRAIL

2006 was a turning point for the King's Trail. Apparently realizing that the flow of those wishing to “check in” on the Road of Death will never dry up, the Andalusian authorities decided to begin work on the restoration of the religious building. In 2009, a competition for projects for the restoration of the trail was held. It was decided to leave the old dilapidated cableway in the form in which it has survived to this day, and build a completely new path on top of her. Thus, the old path has forever remained a monument to the technical skills of previous generations for the edification, so to speak, of descendants.

Updated King's Path. Photo: © albertoadpm / flickr.com

Experienced extreme sportsmen, of course, met this news without enthusiasm. “A shameful decision,” one of them put it. - The reconstruction of the King's Path can be compared to castration. She will be deprived of the most valuable thing - the ability to cause unique thrills. And I'm sure that they will also make us pay so that we can walk along it! By the way, he turned out to be right in the latter, but one can argue with the rest of the argument. What used to be the property of a handful of daredevils can now be used by everyone, even grandparents, and without any risk to life.

Crowds of tourists walk along the new King's Path without risk to their lives. Photo: © Ricardo Fernandez / flickr.com

On March 28, 2015, after four years of reconstruction, the grand opening of the new King's Trail took place. When the organizers of the "attraction" launched an online booking for those wishing to visit the once deadly dangerous place, then in a few minutes from the start of the service, it was simultaneously visited by about 10 thousand people. The server, it's not hard to guess, immediately "fell". Over the first six months, more than 300 thousand newly-minted "alpinists" walked along the strong wooden flooring of the new roadway, as expected - in helmets, they are not allowed on the trail without them! Local authorities are rubbing their hands and counting the revenues (measured in several tens of millions of euros) from the new tourist destination. At the same time, the popularity of the route continues to gain momentum. And famous all over the world travel guide Lonely Planet named the King's Trail one of the most interesting sights to emerge in 2015.

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On one of the spring days, Lena and I decided to go to a mysterious place - in the El Chorro gorge on the Royal Path. Before that, on the Internet on youtube, we had seen enough shocking videos of climbers and just extreme people walking along a narrow path attached to a rock at a high altitude. Moreover, it is also partially destroyed.

We leave the car in one of the parking lots. We left . If you do not want to pay money, then there are several places with free parking around.

Cross the road and dive into a dark, dark tunnel. We use flashlights on the phone.

After the tunnel, there is still a short walk to the checkpoint. We're just following the people. The route is allowed strictly according to the schedule. We waited for our time for about 15 minutes. Go to the toilet. There will be no further opportunity.

We examine the destroyed section of the original road.

I am enclosing a route map for Caminito del Rey

The most interesting begins - a walk along the royal path.

The new route is laid directly on a sheer cliff. At the entrance, helmets are issued so that nothing flies into the head.

The landscapes are amazing. A river flows along the gorge.

We were at the end of March. The sun was hot, but the air in the gorge and the wind were strong. Dress warmly in spring.

The railroad runs parallel to the path. She dives and emerges from the tunnels. I saw a group of young people coming out of the tunnel. It must be a dangerous illegal route.

The road abruptly enters the green valley of Valle del Hoyo.

If you brought a snack with you, then it's time to sit on a bench and enjoy the view.

There are many birds of prey flying in the valley. I didn't see any other animals.

The last part of the road was a little disappointing. Instead of an exciting path along steep cliffs, we walked for 10 minutes through a boring tunnel. Perhaps that part was not yet ready, or perhaps it was closed due to bad weather.

At the end of the road we had a little fun. We crossed the gorge on a hanging bridge. The wind was blowing off my feet. It was scary.

At the end of the journey, don't forget to take some epic photos of the road.

On this bus we will return back to the parking lot. Let me remind you that the movement along the route occurs only in one direction from north to south.

If there are forces left, then we climb onto the observation deck to the cross. From above you can see the Embalse Tajo de la Encantada reservoir.

There is also parking on the south side. If you leave your car here, then take the bus and go to the north entrance. And after the route, the car will be waiting for you.

Bus schedule from the southern stop and from the railway station. Departures every 30 minutes. .

I invite you to dine at Restaurante La Garganta.

I tasted the local goat meat.

I am enclosing a menu from the La Garganta restaurant:

We take the bus back to the parking lot. We don’t reach the final one, we exit in front of the tunnel:

How to get to El Chorro and the Royal Trail?

In the village next to the gorge there is a railway station. That's what it's called -
El Chorro. You can get here by train from Malaga.

But the most convenient way is to take a ride in a car. is quite inexpensive. A few people will be cheaper than the train.

How to buy a ticket for Caminito del Rey online?

I describe step by step how to buy a ticket. To get started, go to caminitodelrey.info. Tickets sell out quickly. We bought a month and a half ago.

Ticket price

Tickets cost €10, be sure to buy in advance!

A bus ticket costs €1.55.

Hotels in El Chorro

The village is very small. Station, a couple of houses, a cafe and several hotels and hostels. Mountaineers usually stay in these hotels. I found only one place on the Internet where you can book and spend the night - the hotel is called Complejo Turístico La Garganta:

The Royal Path (El Caminito del Rey) is a mystical place. Why was it built, how, why? Now I will try to tell you. This is the most dangerous pedestrian road in the world (was before the repair). People die there from time to time. And yet it attracts thrill-seekers.

You can judge its condition from this photo. These are just iron sleepers that are driven into the rock, and reinforced concrete slabs lie on them. In places they are not. A rope for climbers is stretched along the road. The photo was taken 5 years ago, before the renovation.

There are 3 reservoirs in the vicinity. The trail itself runs between the Gaitanejo and Chorro waterfalls in the El Chorro gorge at an altitude of 100-200 m. The length is 3 km, and the width is not more than a meter!

Why was the death path built?

This path was made for workers who carried building materials for the dam. There are now 3 reservoirs in the vicinity. I got the impression that the Spaniards blocked every river in every gorge. They have a lot of green reservoirs.

Why is it called the royal path?

Everything is very simple. When the dams were built, King Alfonso XIII of Spain came to see the results of many years of work. I walked along this path, and it was immediately called royal - El Caminito del Rey.

A turtle was crawling along the road. Seeing the danger, she hid in her shell. I decided to save her from an accidental car accident. Stopped in the wrong place. Got out of the car. Faster grabbed the turtle to carry it out of the way. And then a car with flashing lights comes around the corner.

But why, when I'm forced to break the rules, the police come!?

The last time the GPS took us to some town where repairs are underway, and I ran into a brick. The road is narrow, it is difficult to turn around, and behind the brick through a couple of houses you can see the gap. The streets are empty, there are no cars. Without thinking twice, I decided to sneak in! AND…

And ran into a police car! In Europe, after all, the fines are large, and maybe even deprivation of rights! He pointed menacingly: “Turn around!” He got out of the car, directed them to make a U-turn in a narrow street and told them to leave. We left and stopped at the nearest parking lot. But to our happiness, the policeman drove by and did not even issue a fine!

So, back to the turtle. That car with flashing lights turned out to be the car of the park rangers, or whatever they are called. They stopped. Came out in a stylish brown uniform with berets. They asked me: “Why did I pick up a turtle?” And at that moment I just grabbed it. I said I'm saving her.

The Rangers smiled, the tension immediately gone. Gestures showed me that it should be taken to the bushes. When they found out that we were from Russia, they became quite kinder and began to have conversations. They exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.

This is how another day passed in magical Andalusia. Don't be afraid to go off the well-worn hiking trails. Trust chance and intuition. Onward to adventure!

Mikhail Schwartz and Elena were with you. Looking forward to your comments and stories below.

How do I save on hotels?

Everything is very simple - look not only on booking.com. I prefer the RoomGuru search engine. He searches for discounts simultaneously on Booking and 70 other booking sites.

Spain's royal trail known as El Caminito del Rey is one of the most mystical places Andalusia and the top extreme attraction of the world. Here, in the city, hundreds of thousands of tourists come every year to tickle their nerves, test willpower, and get rid of fears. And there is something to be afraid of, because the path is a narrow path made of wooden boards, which are mounted on piles and rails nailed to a rocky base and this structure hangs over the formidable and deep mountain gorge of El Chorro (La Garganta del Chorro).

The Royal Path or "Caminita" as the Spaniards like to call it, was not originally built as an extreme attraction for intrepid tourists, it was a necessity that arose to transport building materials during the construction of two power plants and the Conde del Guadalorce dam. Power plants were built on both sides of the El Chorro gorge, and a dam was also built there, this happened in the period from 1901 to 1905.

Chorro Gorge is a gigantic abyss that stretches for three kilometers in length and has a depth of four hundred meters, along the bottom of which a river flows. The alpine path was commissioned to be built by sailors who are accustomed to climbing at height on masts. These brave men, deftly maneuvering over a deep abyss, were helped by prisoners sentenced to death in Spanish prisons, although there is no official data on this, except for the memories of the relatives of the first builders of the Caminito. The convicts were assigned the most dangerous and almost hopeless tasks. The trail was built from sand and cement, and the emphasis was on metal brackets and rails.

The official opening of the dam and power plants was held in the twenties of the last century, the Spanish king Alfonso the Thirteenth was invited to the ceremony, who, in order to get into the territory, had to overcome a path along which fearless builders moved daily, carrying building materials and tools. The monarch bravely overcame a three-kilometer path along a narrow path that huddled along the bends of the cliff, admiring the bewitching views of the natural beauties of Andalusia that open from here. Since then, it has been decided to call this dangerous road over the abyss "El Caminito del Rey", that is, "The Path of the King".

This terrible path, encircling the rocky spurs of El Chorro, a few months after its opening, aroused great interest among many tourists, especially after the recognition of Caminito as the most dangerous place in the world. People died here, not only during construction, but also after the opening of the path, even though the path has a mesh fence. As a reminder of the victims of the King's Trail, there is a marble commemorative plaque with their names. There are many terrible legends about this place, and there are a lot of mystical reviews on the Internet, but this does not at all reduce the influx of tourists thirsting for extreme sports.

Several decades passed, and the trail fell into disrepair: several spans failed, the boards rotted in places, and accidents of death of people became more frequent. And in 2000, Caminito was closed to the public for the purpose of a global reconstruction. The city of Malaga has allocated several million euros for the implementation of these ideas, and part of the money went to the construction of another seven-kilometer trail "New Caminito" nearby. The tourist infrastructure of the area has been improved, parking lots have been built, good roads have been laid. The official opening of the renovated and reconstructed Royal Route of Malaga took place in the summer of 2015. Within six months after that, in order to attract visitors who could walk along the extreme King's Trail and admire the beauties of the canyon, along the bottom of which a swift river flows, it was possible for free. During these months, Caminito has again become one of the most popular extreme attractions in Andalusia and Spain.

It is worth knowing that any tourist who is going to walk along the most dangerous path of El Camino del Rey must definitely buy a set of cables and carabiners for insurance, and he will also be given a helmet. Without such equipment, you cannot be allowed on the trail by the administration. From myself, I can advise you to put on comfortable, stable shoes, take a bottle of water with you and something to eat, because the path is long and difficult, it takes several hours in time, and also, at a rather windy altitude, you should take a windbreaker. When the wind gusts reach thirty-five kilometers per hour, the trail is closed to the public. The hike along the route is carried out according to the schedule. By the way, for tourists who decide to come with children, it is worth saying that they are allowed in accompanied by adults from the age of eight.

The path runs parallel railway on the other side of the cliff, then it passes through the beautiful valley of Valle del Hoyo, overgrown with trees. There are shops here for tourists, where they can leisurely have a snack, admire wonderful views, and take memorable photos. Part of the path passes through a dark tunnel, so take a small flashlight with you.

Tickets for visiting the Royal Route of Malaga should be purchased in advance, this can be done online through the official website of Caminito del Rey. The ticket price is ten euros. At the same time, no more than four hundred people are allowed on the trail, each group of fifty people is launched at an interval of half an hour.

Opening hours of the King's Trail:
In the period from April 1 to October 30 - from ten in the morning to five in the evening; from the first of November to the thirty-first of March from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon. The King's Path is closed: twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, thirty-first of December, first of January.

How to get to Caminito?
The Royal Path of Spain is located fifteen kilometers from the resort of Malaga, in the vicinity of the towns of Ardales and Alora, in the village of Chorro, located on the edge of the gorge.

By train:
In the village of El Chorro there is a railway station "El Chorro‎ - Caminito del Rey" to which a train arrives from Malaga. The train is beneficial if you are traveling with a group or family. There are two trains from Malaga every day, departing from the Malaga station "Maria Zambrano" to El Chorro: at 10.05 to Ronda and at 16.48 to Sevilla Santa Justa. The journey will take forty minutes, the ticket costs six euros. You can take three trains back to Malaga from El Chorro: at 9.33; 15.03; 18.03. Spanish time.

By car:
You can drive from Malaga in a rented car, the path goes through the city of Alora and through Ardales, through the latter to go to El Chorro faster in time, the main thing is not to miss the sharp turn on it. Landscapes of unearthly beauty will open before you: the Guadalhorce reservoir with bright turquoise water, wonderful forests, mountains, then the El Chorro reservoir and partly Caminito.

By bus:
The trail is linear, it starts on one side and ends on the other. The local bus runs every half an hour from the entrance to the exit, a ticket for it will cost one euro fifty-five cents.

The bus from El Chorro goes to railway station. The bus from Ardales goes to the sight "El Sillon del Rey" - "King's Chair" - a stone table and chair.