During the two months anchoring myself in Málaga, one thrilling excursion I took was the Caminito del Rey trail. For the first time, I tapped into the Spanish wilderness. Its century-long history was also gripping.
The walkway along the Gaitanes Gorge was originally built in the early 20th century for workers to maintain the hydroelectric power station. King Alfonso XIII crossed the bridge for the inauguration in 1921. The name “el Caminito del Rey (the King’s Little Path)” has stuck with it since then. Over time, the concrete path deteriorated beyond repair and was partially closed. Rock climbers and thrill-seekers were allured to the site for adrenaline rushes. Fatal incidents got it the infamous nickname “the world’s most dangerous walkway”. It was closed for major reconstruction and reopened in 2015 for the general public as a hiking trail with safety measures.
I joined a half-day tour for convenience and the guide’s insights. The tour coach dropped us off at the northern access. We strolled past a couple of tunnels and woods to the Visitors’ booth, where they provided us with safety helmets and earphones. An officer met us there and led us along the boardwalks. The new elevated path started after the old power station. The unusual rainfall poured a huge volume of water into the Gorge. The stream roared through the canyon until it diverted to the rest area and back to another boardwalk. The most thrilling part was the canyon wall leading to the new hanging bridge. But before we reached it, the tour guide alerted me about the phone charging cable. So, I paused shooting videos and photos while crossing the bridge. At the end of the boardwalk, we were allowed to take off the helmets. From there, we leisurely walked by the reservoir to the end of the trail and returned their equipment. Spain’s official tourism website has an excellent interactive map of the trail.
Crossing the hanging bridge was exhilarating, but not to the level of its pre-restoration. Some archives of explorers before the reconstruction are still online—for example, https://youtu.be/ZmDhRvvs5Xw?si=n9j9WjelmAL80hl9. Its nickname “the world’s most dangerous walkway” is now overhyped, as the officer implied to us. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot any wildlife along the trail, probably due to the weather, and heard only birds chirping in the woods. Nonetheless, the views of the valley in the overcast sky were spectacular.