Caminito del Rey: park at the finish, walk it downhill

El Chorro, Ardales

1. 8 am1

   Park at El Chorro station and take the shuttle northEl Chorro

   Park at the finish, not the start. The shuttle runs El Chorro to the north entrance every half hour, costs 2.50 euros and is cash only - no cards, no notes over twenty. Doing it this way means the walk ends where the car is instead of with an hour of waiting.

   8 min by train or taxi · 3.9 km
2. 8:40 am2

   Tostada at El Kiosko before the gateArdales

   The last food, water and toilet before the boardwalk - nothing is sold on the walk itself. Leave 25 minutes after this for the access path and tunnel to the control point; your slot is timed at the gate, not the car park.

   13 min by train or taxi · 7.8 km
3. 9:15 am3

   Control point: named ticket and helmetArdales

   Ten euros general admission, eighteen with an official guide, booked on caminitodelrey.info. Tickets are personalised after purchase and the name has to match the passport you hand over - they do check. Helmets are issued here and worn the whole way.

   12 min by train or taxi · 7.5 km
4. 9:30 am4

   The boardwalks: Gaitanejo gorge to the hanging bridgeArdales

   7.7 km end to end including access paths, one-way north to south and downhill throughout. The glass floor panel and the suspension bridge are both in the last third, so nobody bails early. Wind closes this walk far more often than rain does - ring the visitor centre the morning of, not the night before.

   8 min by train or taxi · 2.9 km
5. 12:30 pm5

   Terrace lunch at La GargantaEl Chorro

   Beside the station at the south exit, with the gorge you just walked as the backdrop. Book it - every slot for two hours comes out of the same gate at the same time and the terrace fills in ten minutes.

   9 min by train or taxi · 5.3 km
6. 2 pm6

   Drive up to the Conde de Guadalhorce reservoirArdales

   Ten minutes north on the MA-5403. In February it is a view and a coffee; in July it is the swim that makes the whole day.