Caminito del Rey Tickets
Spain's most spectacular cliffside walkway in the Gaitanes Gorge near Malaga. Compare prices and book with free cancellation on GetYourGuide.
BUY TICKETSThe Caminito del Rey is a 7.7-kilometre walkway pinned to the vertical cliffs of the Gaitanes Gorge, between the municipalities of Ardales, Álora and Antequera in the province of Málaga. The trail hangs up to 105 metres above the Guadalhorce River and crosses canyons, suspension bridges and glass-floor viewpoints.
The route is one-way only and always begins at the north access, located in the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Natural Reserve, 6 km from the Ardales junction, next to the Visitor Reception Centre at Puerto de las Atalayas. Since its 2015 reopening, the walkway has welcomed roughly 300,000 visitors per year and ranks among the most sought-after hiking experiences in Andalusia. Booking Caminito del Rey tickets in advance is mandatory: the daily quota is limited and slots sell out days or even weeks ahead in high season.
This page brings together everything you need to plan your visit: the full price list, a comparison between the official website and the GetYourGuide and Tiqets platforms, and the cancellation policy of each channel.
You'll also find current opening hours, the twelve must-see points along the route from the north access to the south exit at El Chorro, and the practical information you need to reach the Visitor Reception Centre by car or train.
Ticket types and prices
The price of Caminito del Rey tickets depends on the type of access and how far in advance you book. The cheapest and most popular option is the general entrance without guide, ideal for hikers who want to set their own pace and read the information panels along the way.
Official guided tours with groups of up to 30 people cost slightly more but include full historical and geological commentary. Shuttle-bus packages from Málaga, Sevilla or the Costa del Sol are the most convenient choice for travellers without a car. For thrill-seekers, the via ferrata combines the Caminito del Rey with a technical cable-and-rung climb on the cliffs of El Chorro.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| General entrance without guide | from 18 € |
| Official guided tour (north access) | from 29 € |
| Guided tour with shuttle bus | from 39 € |
| Day trip from Málaga | from 66 € |
| Day trip from Seville or Granada | from 99 € |
| Caminito + via ferrata pack (3 h climbing) | from 70 € |
| Caminito + e-bike pack (2 h) | from 89 € |
| Children under 8 | access not allowed |
Children under 8 are not allowed on the Caminito del Rey for safety reasons — this is a strict operator rule with no exceptions. Visitors aged 8 and over must show a valid ID or passport at the access checkpoint to verify their age. The shuttle bus between the south and north accesses costs 2.50 € per trip, paid in cash to the driver; some packages already include it.
Can you visit the Caminito del Rey for free? No. All tickets are paid, even for residents of Andalusia. There are reduced fares for visitors with recognised disabilities and for school groups arranged through the Diputación de Málaga, but there is no free public access and no open-door days. Any "free Caminito del Rey tickets" offer on social media or unofficial websites should be considered fraudulent.
Where to buy Caminito del Rey tickets
Buying Caminito del Rey tickets online is practically the only viable option: the Visitor Reception Centre no longer sells same-day tickets, and the north-access kiosk only releases standalone slots when available, which is rare on weekends. There are three main channels: the official website caminitodelrey.info, the GetYourGuide marketplace and the Tiqets aggregator. The biggest difference between them lies in cancellation policy, package variety and included services.
GetYourGuide - Online tickets
Rating 4.7/5 · over 88,000 verified reviews
GetYourGuide is the recommended choice for its flexibility and breadth of offering. It carries the largest selection of guided tours, transport packages and combos with via ferrata, climbing or e-bike. Key advantages:
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the visit, with full refund
- Instant confirmation by email within seconds of booking
- Customer support 24/7 in English by chat and phone
- Mobile voucher readable directly at the access checkpoint, no printing required
- Verified reviews from over 88,000 visitors
Tiqets - Discounted tickets
Rating 4.7/5 · 2,399 verified reviews
Tiqets is the alternative for combo packages with other Málaga attractions (Picasso Museum, Bioparc Fuengirola, Benalmádena Cable Car) with discounts of up to 5%. Its advantages:
- Combo Caminito del Rey + Picasso Museum from 49.40 €
- Combo Caminito del Rey + Benalmádena Cable Car from 57.86 €
- Guided day trip from Sevilla from 99 €
- Mobile app with intuitive interface in English
Opening hours and best time to visit
The Caminito del Rey opens Tuesday to Sunday year-round, except 1 January and 24, 25 and 31 December, when it remains closed. Mondays are always the weekly maintenance day. Hours change with the season: from 1 April to 24 October, the walkway operates from 10:00 to 17:00; from 25 October to 27 March, hours are reduced to 10:00–14:00 due to available daylight.
The busiest months are April, May, September and October, when weather is most pleasant and slots sell out two to three weeks in advance. July and August see fewer visitors due to extreme heat in the gorge, where temperatures can exceed 35 °C at midday. The best balance of pleasant weather and lower crowds falls in March and November, with availability often open even a few days before the desired date.
Cancellation and refund policy
The Caminito del Rey ticket cancellation policy varies significantly by sales channel. GetYourGuide applies the most customer-friendly rule: tickets can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the visit, with full refund within 5–10 business days to the original card. Most Tiqets offers also feature flexible cancellation, but it's worth reviewing the specific conditions of each product before confirming, since some combos have restrictions.
The official website applies a stricter policy: once the purchase is confirmed, no refunds or date changes are accepted except in cases of trail closure for safety reasons. In force majeure events — closure due to high winds, heavy rain or rockfall — the operator reschedules the visit for free or issues a voucher for a new date. For incident handling: getyourguide.com/contact for GetYourGuide and support.tiqets.com for Tiqets.
Tips to prepare your visit
Five essential rules before booking
- Book at least 7 days ahead in low season (January, February, July, August) and 14–21 days in high season (April, May, September, October, bank holidays).
- Arrive at the north access one hour before your ticket time: from the Visitor Reception Centre car park you must walk 1.5 km along a forest path to reach the checkpoint.
- Choose GetYourGuide for bookings more than 7 days ahead: free cancellation justifies any small price difference vs the official site.
- Wear closed hiking shoes, hat, water and sun protection even in winter: the gorge is exposed and there is no shade along the route.
- The route is one-way only — it begins at the north access (Ardales) and ends at the south access (El Chorro). To return to the start, use the shuttle bus (2.50 €) or the Cercanías train to Málaga.
What to see along the Caminito del Rey
The Caminito del Rey is divided into three distinct sections with different landscapes and technical difficulty. The selection below covers the twelve must-see points of the full route, from the north entrance to the descent into the village of El Chorro:
North Access (Ardales)
Checkpoint and helmet distribution. Official starting point after a 1.5 km forest path.
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes
Vertical-walled canyon up to 400 m high, declared Natural Reserve in 1989.
Tajo de las Palomas
First spectacular narrowing of the gorge, with just 10 m between cliff walls.
Original 1905 Walkway
Original concrete section preserved beneath the new walkway, visible at several points.
Glass Viewpoint (Balconcillo)
Glass-floor platform with views into the void, one of the iconic Caminito images.
Gaitán Suspension Bridge
30-metre suspension bridge over the river, 105 m above ground level.
Gaitán Narrows
Section where the gorge narrows to just 1 m between vertical cliff walls.
Hoyo Valley
Open section between the two canyons, with Mediterranean forest and griffon vultures.
El Chorro Hydroelectric Drops
Early 20th-century infrastructure that gave rise to the Caminito's construction.
El Chorro Via Ferrata
Cable-and-rung route on vertical cliffs, complementary option to the Caminito.
El Chorro Station
Cercanías Málaga–Caminito del Rey train station, direct connection to the city.
Ardales Cave
Palaeolithic site with rock paintings, 6 km from the north access (optional visit).
Practical information
The Caminito del Rey is located in the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Natural Reserve, in the centre of Málaga province. The Visitor Reception Centre sits at Puerto de las Atalayas, 57.7 km from the city of Málaga, 51 km from Antequera and 6 km from the Ardales junction. The most convenient way to arrive is by private car or by Cercanías train to El Chorro–Caminito del Rey station, connected to Málaga capital by Renfe line C-2 (45–60 minutes).