If you like hiking and climbing; Spain is a paradise! Whenever you are looking for a place not too far away, with bolted routes and possibility for some proper hikes; el Chorro is a good place to go to! It’s just 50KMs north of Malaga, so easy to get to. I (Sas) rented a campervan with two friends so that we had the freedom of sleeping wherever we wanted (wild camping is allowed in Spain) and having our own transportation.
Rock climbing
There’s over 2000 climbing routes in El Chorro scattered in different climbing areas. We would strongly recommend buying the topo before you go. Most routes are bolted and they range from short single pitch to 300m multi pitch routes. We went to a few different climbing areas from which our favorite were Escalera Árabe and Las Frontales. It’s both on the South side so drenched in sun and the views from there are amazing, we felt like we were in Sri Lanka haha. As most climbing routes in the area are quite sunny, it’s best to go in between October and May since the summer months are very hot.
Another special place to go climbing is at Caminito del Rey. The climbing area is called … . You can get there by climbing over a fence and walking alongside a train track. Be careful; the train track is still operating so a few trains a day pass by. It’s wide enough to let a train pass without being hit, but be cautious. After following the track for about 15 minutes you’ll find the first climbing area on the right. It’s a beautiful walk from where you have a view in the amazing gorge and onto the famous Caminito del Rey path, where yearly tens of thousands of visitors walk, with the difference that you’re walking there alone. Although it feels a bit illegal and there’s not that many other people doing it, it was recommended to us by the Caminito del Rey visitor centre as a way to reach the climbing areas.
Hiking
If you’re not a climber or just want to have a resting day in between climbing; there’s plenty of hiking routes! The most famous of them all is Caminito del Rey, although we wouldn’t really call it a hike since you need to buy a ticket, it’s just 1,5 hours over a wooden walkway and you’re usually queuing up with the many other visitors. Even though we usually don’t like too touristy places, this one is really really beautiful. Originally built to provide access to hydroelectric plants, it’s now a popular tourist attraction. The views are absolutely jaw-dropping. The wooden planks cling to the cliff of the gorge hovering above the emerald waters below. Tip : the online tickets (€10) are usually sold out months prior but what most people don’t know is that you can get a guided tour ticket (€18) on the spot at the entrance. You don’t have to walk with a guide.
Another great place to hike is Torcal de Antequera. It’s an hour drive from El Chorro and a super interesting place with unique limestone rock formations. The landscape feels like something out of a fantasy world—massive, weathered stones stacked like pancakes, winding paths through rocky corridors, and panoramic views that stretch across the region. There’s two routes that are signposted but they are only 3 and 1,5KM. This 15KM-route on Komoot is quite nice and just wandering around is also a very nice thing to do.



The famous GR7 leads through El Chorro so it’s possible to do part of this long distance trail. Did you know it’s also part of Europes longest path (E4) which travels for nearly 9000km from Tarifa (the Southernmost tip of Spain), through El Chorro, up through Spain, France, Andorra, back into France, then on through Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and into Greece.
Via Ferrata
There’s one very pretty Via Ferrata around, it’s called El Chorro and takes about 2,5 hours to finish. Take about 3,5 hours if you Include the walk in and out. This route can be found on Ferrata Guide app, and can be reached from the town of El Chorro. The Via Ferrata is not too difficult (grade C) but you do need a pulley for the zip wire you’ll pass at the beginning of the route.
Sleeping
Wildcamping is allowed in Spain, making it the perfect area to go to in a camper. We slept at a few beautiful spots that we usually found via the app camp4night. Right next to the Caminito del Rey visitor centre there’s an amazing (and windy) spot from where you have a view over a beautiful lake. Good thing is that you can use the toilets of the visitor centre (they stay open all night). See the camp4night spot here.
Campsite Olive Branch



If you prefer a hot shower and some more luxury, there’s plenty of guesthouses and campsites around too. Three out of our 9 nights we slept at Campsite Olive Branch. Partly because the nice party they organized in their swimmingpool, but it was also time for a hot shower haha. It’s a lovely campsite with beautiful views and morning sun where you can either park your van (no tents allowed) or rent an accommodation. It’s a climbers hostel/camping so 90% of the visitors are there for climbing. It’s an easy place to meet fellow climbers; every night, you can join the family diner and from the Olive Branch you can walk straight into the climbing areas of Escalera en Frontales.
A more family centred campsite is Finca La Campana, they have space for vans, tents and rent out rooms. It’s also the place where you can rent pulleys or Via Ferrata sets for a day. You’ll need it for the El Chorro Via Ferrata.
Long story short; El Chorro is a super area if you like to be active. It’s easily accessible by flying into Malaga or just getting there by car. There’s hikes, lovely little towns (hijas), lot’s of climbing routes and if you just want to plunge into the sea, it’s also just an hour away! If you like cities, it’s also perfect to combine with a visit to Malaga or Granada. Tarifa, the kitesurfing paradise, is also just a few hours away.
Want to know more about climbing around Barcelona? Read our Barcelona climbing blog!
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