Visit the Caminito del Rey

The internationally acclaimed hiking trail through the spectacular El Chorro gorge is now available on Google Street View. The trail joins other natural areas and monuments in Street View. You can now safely visit the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Acropolis, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the White House, among other places, from the comfort of your own home.

The enormous number of images that make Street View possible were taken during the filming of an episode of the Spanish TV series “Volando Voy”, which aired on the Cuatro channel. Guide Fali from the Valle de Abdalajís area walked the trail with the 18-kilogram backpack equipped with 15 cameras that take 300 images per minute in all directions.

The trail’s name, “Caminito del Rey,” means “Little Path of the King,” and comes from when the Spanish King, Alfonso XIII, walked the trail in 1921 to inaugurate a water tunnel being built between two dams. The original path was built in the 20th century for workers inspecting dams and structures, and was very dangerous and narrow, often with falling pieces of concrete and open ravines.

For many years, the trail was closed due to its dangerous nature, but after extensive renovation and safety measures, Caminito del Rey reopened for hiking in March 2015. Today, it is a popular tourist destination, and the hike offers stunning views of the dramatic rock formation, the gorge, and the river flowing below.

The walk is around 3-4 hours long and varies in difficulty, but it is now safe, with footbridges, railings and stable platforms. There are also guided tours for those who want a more informative experience. The Caminito del Rey has become a symbol of adventure and natural beauty, while also being celebrated for its historical significance.