How to get to El Caminito Del Rey, Malaga – Everything you need to know

Planning on visiting El Caminito Del Rey in Malaga, Spain? Then, this blog post is for you! Before you go, I highly suggest reading up on how to get there. Speaking from experience, it is very easy to get lost and miss the allotted entrance time. Raul and I attempted to wing this trip (as per usual) the first time, and it did not go in our favor. We had the hardest time finding the entrance and parking 😥. We ended up missing our entry time and had to turn around and drive straight back home. The second time, we did it right and I am here to spill the tea. On this blog, I will be covering everything you need to know from tips on how to get there to what the hike is actually like.

If you are interested in the what, where, and how, keep on reading!

If you haven’t heard of El Caminito Del Rey, I got you! This famous hike/walkway is located in the providence of Malaga, Spain. The walkway is nestled between huge mountains and canyons; with part of the walkway suspended on the mountains. The walkway offers unforgettable views of the Guadalhorce River! El Caminito Del Rey was once deemed the “Word’s most dangerous path” because of its narrow paths and state of deterioration. However, it was actually shut down for a few years for a complete renovation that took about 4 years. It reopened back up in 2015 and since then, the hike is pretty safe and sturdy with wider pathways. El Caminito Del Rey continues to be a very popular tourist attraction amongst vacationers in Malaga. However, it is also visited by people all over the world, all year round!

How to get to El Caminito Del Rey

From Rota, Spain it takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes without any pit stops. It’s a pretty easy and straightforward drive and you can get there without tolls. 

Where to buy entry tickets for El Caminito Del Rey

Make sure to buy your entry tickets to El Caminito ahead of time as they frequently sell out! You can get tickets on the official website, here. General admission is 10 euro, and guided is 18 euro per person.

If you choose to get a private tour guide, I recommend this one this one, tickets are 29 euro and include an entry ticket, an official guide, and bus tickets.

Where to park

To hike El Caminito Del Rey, make sure you park at the END of the trail, by Hotel La Garganta. I know, it sounds backwards but trust me, the hike is linear, so it only goes in one direction. Once you enter, you’ll walk to the end of the path and you will not be allowed to turn around and walk back to your vehicle on the same path.

Parking at the end of the trail means you will need to take the bus to the entrance of the hike. You can find the bus stop next to the Hotel La Garganta. The cost per passenger is 2 euro and you can pay in cash or card but I would suggest bringing cash in case their systems go down. As of September 2022, it’s also required to wear a mask on the bus so make sure you bring one!

Linked below is the Google map to Hotel La Garganta 👇🏽. The closest parking to the bus stop is street parking behind the hotel. However, if that’s full, there will be a huge parking lot the left right before you reach the hotel. Parking there is FREE!

Parking at the entrance of El Caminito Del Rey

If you decide to park at the ENTRANCE of El Caminito Del Rey, I suggest parking at Parking Ardeles. This parking is right in front of the tunnel entrance of El Caminito; you cannot get closer parking than this. From here you will have to walk around 5 mins to get to the tunnel entrance of El Caminito. The cost per vehicle is 2 euros but it’s worth it because this parking is a lot closer than the official El Caminito Del Rey parking lot.

Remember that if you park at the entrance of the hike, you’ll have to walk back to the top of the mountain to get to your car or you’ll have to catch a bus departing from Hotel La Garganta. However, depending on the season, catching a bus might take a while. More on this below. 

Linked below is the map to Parking Ardeles. Remember to bring cash to pay!

Tunnel entrance to El Caminito Del Rey

Remember that no matter where you decide to park, you will need to get to and walk through this tunnel to get to the entry point of El Caminito Del Rey.

Tips for taking the bus

1. Take into account that the bus only runs every 30 minutes. During high season, you might be stuck waiting up to an hour if the lines are long.
2. It’s a 15-20 minute bus ride to get to the tunnel entrance of El Caminito Del Rey from the bus stop (by The bus Hotel La Garganta). Make sure you take this into account when planning for your allotted entrance time. 

What El Caminito Del Rey is like

If I am being completely honest, getting to the entrance of El Caminito Del Rey is a hike and adventure on its own. You will start your journey by walking through a long tunnel. After this, you will have to walk 10-15 mins to the actual park entrance where you will be given a helmet and instructions on the Do’s and Don’ts of El Caminito. Once you’re on the official pathway, it will take roughly 2 hours from start to finish.  El Caminito Del Rey is so beautiful and the views from the path are spectacular! You will walk through suspended walkways hanging off the mountains, pass through canyons, and walk through a suspension bridge! You’ll also be able to see wildlife such as mountain goats and vultures! El Caminito truly offers so many views that will leave you breathless!

As I mentioned earlier on this blog, El Caminito Del Rey is pretty safe. In my opinion, all the suspended pathways including the suspension bridge, were very sturdy. I did not feel any swaying on any of the suspended pathways or bridges. It’s also mandatory to wear a helmet as an additional safety measure! 

I would say, the hike/walk is a pretty easy one. You do not need special hiking boots or any fancy equipment. I wore my favorite comfy Converse but saw plenty of ladies with open-toe shoes. Flip flops, however, are not allowed as the path has small slits and can easily become a tripping hazard. 

Afterthoughts/ Advice

My advice to you:

1. For fewer crowds – go either before or after summer/high season.
2. Get there early! The earliest entrance is 9 AM, you will see fewer crowds and get better lighting if you’re into photography! (Thank me later!)
3. Make sure you bring a water bottle to take sips along the way and a snack or two
4. Know that there are no bathrooms throughout the path. 
5. Make sure you bring cash or card with you as there are little shops and food/snack stands at the end, they offer vegan options as well! 
6. Lastly, I would 100% recommend booking a tour. I was against doing so but we ended up using a guide, and really simplified our trip so much!! We didn’t have to stress over coordinating bus rides, or wait in long lines and hope for the best. Everything was coordinated for us, so all we had to do was show up ✨
7. We used this company and recommend it! It’s 29 euro per person for an entry ticket, tour guide, and bus ticket to get to the entrance of El Caminito. If you are looking for an all-day trip from Malaga to El Caminito Del Rey, I recommend this 7-hr tour with tapas and drinks included!

I hope you enjoyed this read and hope you found this blog post informative! If you have any questions feel free to drop them in the comment section and I’ll do my best to get back to you ASAP!

Happy exploring✨!!