Estate agents on the Costa del Sol
A day trip to El Chorro
Climbing enthusiasts will be most acquainted with El Chorro, a village in the province of Malaga, around an hour or so north of the eponymous capital city. With world-renowned climbing walls as well as one of the most famous (and up until recently, dangerous) hikes in the world, it is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
You will approach El Chorro from Ardales or Alora, both routes are scenic although the Alora route slightly more so, so if you are not stuck for time I would recommend going down these windy roads and seeing the little villages along the way.
One of the main attractions of El Chorro are its bright turquoise blue lakes - or the Embalse de Guadalhorce - where people picnic and swim. You can park at one of the carparks that surround the lakes, through which you will gain access to the flatter areas adjacent to the lake. There are other, unofficial, unsteady routes down, so I recommend you pay for parking and take the stairs, without risking breaking your neck!
There are various restaurants and snack bars where you will be able to find refreshments, such as El Mirador and El Kiosko.
The other big tourist pull to El Chorro is the Caminito del Rey (the King’s Walk). It was built in the early 20th century to provide transportation links for the hydroelectric dam workers that worked on the other side of the dam from the lakes and was used by King Alfonso XIII 1921, thus gaining its name. However, it fell into disrepair over the years. Despite this, people continued to attempt to complete it, resulting in numerous deaths that pushed the government to restore it. Last year it reopened and has been incredibly popular ever since, and is now a 2-3 hour walk across walkways that still hug the sides of the gorge.
You must buy your ticket in advance, but once there it is clearly signposted, and your ticket will also provide you with a bus ride back to the lake area where you may have parked your car. However, you may find the dam side to your liking too, with the famous climbing walls and campsites if you were thinking of making a weekend trip. There are also a few lovely restaurants as you drive back to Ardales, La Ermita (where you can have a dip in their pool if you buy lunch) and a mysterious restaurant that advertises free paella on Sundays… Not sure what that’s all about but you should go and find out!
This is a fantastic place to explore a beautiful natural landscape. A perfect day-trip if you can’t bear to be away from the coast any longer, or a weekend or even potential holiday if you enjoy camping and the great outdoors!
Image: El Chorro Entrance to Gaitaines Gorge, Source: Ingo Mehling