This blog is part travel blog, part reflection on bravery.

The Caminito del Rey (the King’s Little Path) is a walkway hanging (in certain parts) 300ft above ground in El Chorro, Andalucia. It takes you through the Gaitanejo gorge, the Tajo de las Palomas canyon and over the Puente del Rey suspension bridge.

The first path was built in 1901 for the use of maintenance workers between the new aqueduct and dam. In 1921, King Alfonso XIII used the walkway to inaugurate the dam Conde del Guadalhorce, hence the name King’s Path. The path was also used by locals including school children to get to school. In 1999, after one too many fatalities, the path was closed. A new one was built and opened as a tourist attraction in 2015.

I read about the Caminito del Rey and have passed by it at least a couple of times on the train between Malaga and Seville. From the train, you can see the rocks of the gorges rising up. It looked spectacular, was recommended by a friend, and so walking the Caminito del Rey was added to my ‘to do in Andalucia’ list.

I invited my partner to join this adventure, but he’s not keen on heights and feared his Parkinson’s would make this high up climb somewhat hazardous. I am, of course, an independent woman but, wanted to share the experience with someone. With flamenco friends Vikki and Karen planning to be in Andalucia for us to attend the feria in Jerez together, I had some willing adventuring companions.   

There are many ways to get to the Caminito Del Rey but we chose the simplest one for us, a small group guided tour from Malaga. This was hassle free and ensured we arrived early before the crowds. The tour guide talked with us about the history of the path including the people who had died walking it, the diverse flora and fauna (we saw mainly vultures) and how teachers were under-respected in the UK as opposed to Spain. He also provided snacks!

Prior to the trip, I did quite a lot of reading trying to understand what we were going to experience and whether we had to ‘clip in’ to a harness (you don’t) and whether I would embarrass myself in some way. The key message I found out was that the hike was not for those scared of heights and not for the faint hearted.

I have never been scared of heights, although in recent years, I have noticed myself feeling a bit vertiginous (possibly a symptom of aging and menopausal hormones?) when I looked down from heights, most recently the Torre de Navegacion in Sevilla. However, one thing I did know about myself was that I am not faint hearted.

‘I am brave-hearted’ was the mantra I used whenever anxiety and nerves fluttered in the lead up to the walk and when I first stepped onto the platform.

In short, Vikki, Karen, Karen’s partner Rob and I, and the others in our small group from Malaga, had an amazing time walking the Caminito del Rey. The experience of being brave-hearted and walking high up in the most spectacular offerings of nature stirred the nervous system in the most juicy and joyous ways, literally and metaphorically a walking high. This video gives a taster of the experience.

I had never seen scenery like it, the photos we took don’t do it justice, but provide a flavour both of the beauty but also the height of the platforms on which you walk.

Here are some questions which were on my mind, prior to the walk and I share my reflections since to support others of you in this walk.

Q. Is it dangerous?

The Caminito Del Rey was once known as one of the world’s most dangerous hikes, but there have been no incidents since the building of the new path. The sturdy wooden platform felt very safe, it didn’t move. It was a smooth easy to walk on surface. We all walked in the same direction and there was a metal handrail before the drop. In places, see below, it was possible to see the remnants of the old path and I found that somewhat reassuring – I don’t know if that was because there was something immediately beneath us or because at least we weren’t walking on this terrifying tiny path with significant gaps in it.

There was a glass-bottomed viewing platform or photo spot, as shown above, which required walking out over the drop on a clear surface, that caused an activation of the nervous system. The walk over the suspension bridge pictured caused the most flutters as there was some movement and drops both sides. A friend, with vertigo, who has previously done the walk says he walked the bridge with his eyes closed. For the one person in our tour group who did say he was scared of heights he struggled round a section where the path was narrower and got round the jutting out rock by clinging onto it.

The walk is closed in high winds due to the risk of rocks falling from on high. Hard hats are required (with or without an attractive hair net) throughout the walk in case of any rock fall even on a still day, but we didn’t see any fall. I did feel safe throughout.

The tour guide made no mention of the height aspects of the walk and the assumption is clearly made it seems that people who do the walk are not scared of heights. Walking at a height lasts for several hours and so if you are scared of heights it’s a question of how well you can manage that.

Q. Is it a hard walk, will I be fit enough?

I was concerned that the walk may include some very steep climbs up the gorge – it didn’t! The walk is described as easy to moderate and that seemed a fair description. Children over 8 are welcomed and my uncle who is over 80 has it on his bucket list to walk and I know could do it. The walk is mainly on flat platforms through the gorge and canyon. It is described as being 7.7km in length in total. We walked slowly – particularly around the platforms, taking in the spectacular views, taking photos and listening to our guide.

To get to the entrance to the walk there is 1km of down hill walk and then as you come off the platform a 2km uphill walk back to the bus. The walk is one way and so there’s a shuttle bus that returns folk to where they are parked.

The part I found hardest or requiring most concentration were some steps down off the end of the platform, the steps were quite narrow such that I had to walk with my feet sideways if you know what I mean? It was fine though I just felt slow and tentative. There are steps throughout the walk that would be a barrier to access for some.

We went in May on a glorious and very warm day, probably the temperature was in the high 20s or early 30s by the time we finished. This is a reason to go early in the day and possibly not in the height of Andalucian summer…

Q. What should I wear?

One of the safety rules is no flip flops or sandals and you will be turned away from the walk in open toe shoes. Any trainer, walking shoe or boot would be fine on the walk.

We wore a mix of various length shorts and trousers. Anything that’s suitable for the weather and won’t rub if it’s hot and sweaty. I took a cotton scarf – great accessory for keeping the sun off and to wrap around when it is chilly in the early morning.

Q. Will I need snacks?

We met our mini-bus at 8.30 and didn’t get back to Malaga for lunch until about 1.30pm. We took nuts and nut bars with us. Our tour guide produced bananas, fresh bread, Manchego cheese and chorizo for us halfway round which was delicious and much needed. (Although no chorizo for me!) Of course, the answer to a snacks question is always yes! There is nowhere to buy food until the end of the walk.

It is also really important to take water because again this can’t be accessed anywhere along the trail – but see the next question.

Q. What about toilets?

Not having quick and easy access to a toilet is something that causes me anxiety. There were toilets at the start of the trail but then no toilets until the café and bus stop. Open air options were also not really possible (certainly not on the platform) or even really on the small section between platforms where we were back on the ground and had our snack. There was very little tree or bush cover and a bit of a sense that using this place of beauty as a toilet would be frowned upon. As always, I expect it would be easier for someone with a penis.

I took care not to drink too much so that what I did drink was sweated out and in the end the lack of a toilet was not a problem for me, so I succeeded in achieving the tricky balance between dehydration and needing a toilet.

Q. Will I drop my phone?

Something I have realised is that taking photos at height makes me more vertiginous. Perhaps the combination of the fear of falling and the fear of my phone falling is a heady mix? So, I didn’t take too many photos, choosing instead to just look at the scenery. Every time I did get out my phone though Vikki said ‘Don’t drop your phone’ as much I am sure for her benefit as mine, but as I pointed out at the time telling someone not to do something can be dangerous. A bit like that time I went on a silent nightingale walk and I kept feeling the desire to make noise…Anyway my tip is to not get your phone out, wear it round your neck or at least don’t give advice to others not to drop their phones!

Q. Do I need to be brave-hearted?

For me, yes I did. As my questions reveal, I had all sorts of uncertainty about this adventure and I really didn’t know how my body would respond to being at such height for so long, doing the walk in the heat or how badly I would need a toilet. What made it safer uncertainty for me was that was I was with friends, including friends that I could say ‘I’m scared’ to and they would hold my hand or reassure or in the case of one friend give emergency health care! I also wanted the experience, I wanted to see those incredible sights such that when I couldn’t sleep the night before I was able to think maybe I was more excited than anxious. Maybe the mantra helped too. Certainly can’t harm.

It was also brave for Dave to say he didn’t want to do the walk as he loves me and knew I would be disappointed. For other people who perhaps had no fear of the high up walk they may have had to brave a memory of someone who would have loved the walk, but isn’t with them anymore or brave a social challenge such as being in a minibus with people they didn’t know.

We never know when someone else is having to dig deep and be brave, unless they tell us. To make it easier for others to share their hard things I guess we share ours and catch ourselves before we judge someone for finding hard something we find easy. And when we have done that hard thing, we need to honour ourselves, literally pat ourselves on our back and give thanks to our bodies, our souls or minds or whichever part has been called up to do that hard thing. So then, our nervous system can come to calm and quiet again before the next thing. Sometimes, I think, it is also ok to say no to the hard thing, to listen to the scared part and to curl up with it in a safe place, knowing that you have been brave so many times in this brutal and beautiful world and will be again. In a world that values action and doing, that is perhaps the bravest of all.

Thank you to my brave-hearted part, and deep gratitude that I had the resources and Vikki, Karen and Rob with which to travel the heights of the King’s Path. Photo credits to Vikki, Karen and Rob.

Other logistics

Tickets need to be brought to access this walk and there is a daily limit. You can get there in various ways including self-driving, on the train and in an organised tour. Here are some useful links for that and more information.

Caminito del Rey - Getting there - Kings Footpath | El Chorro | Andalucia.com

Plataforma Oficial de reservas Caminito del Rey

More on the history of the path including photos:

Caminito del Rey (King's Path) in El Chorro, Malaga (malagaweb.com)