With children
The Caminito del Rey with children: the age rule, and what the walk asks
There is one hard rule and it catches families out at the gate: nobody under eight is admitted. Above that age the walk is genuinely good with children — it is level, it is safe, and it is exciting in a way that no cathedral is. What it asks is different.
Quick answer
Children under eight are not admitted. This is a rule of the route, enforced at the entrance, and no operator can make an exception. Above eight it works well: the walkway is solid, railed and almost level, the walk is under four hours, and it is one of the few monuments that children find more exciting than adults do.
With children, at a glance
- Minimum age
- Eighta rule of the route, enforced at the gate
- Total distance
- 7.7 kmin three to four hours
- Ascent
- Very littlethe walkway is close to level
- Helmet
- Issued and compulsoryfor children too
- Pushchairs
- Not possiblesteps and narrow sections
- Escape routes
- Noneonce you start, you finish
- Toilets
- At both ends onlyand nothing in between
- Water
- Bring itnowhere to buy any on the route
- Best season
- Spring or autumnno shade anywhere in summer
- Cancellation
- Free on all eighteenuseful with children
The age rule, and why it exists
Eight, and there is no discussion
Under eight is refused at the gate. There is no exception.
Children under eight are not admitted to the Caminito del Rey. It is set by the route itself, it is checked at the northern access alongside the ticket, and staff turn families away every week.
The reason is the same as the reason for the helmet and the one-way system: the walkway is about a metre wide, it is a hundred metres above the river, there are no escape points, and the route takes about four hours. A child who decides after forty minutes that they have had enough cannot be taken back, and cannot be carried past anybody on a walkway that narrow.
Eight is the line. If you are travelling with a seven-year-old, no ticket, tour or conversation gets round it, and the free cancellation on every listing here exists partly for families who discover this after booking.
Why it works well above that age
Three things children like about it more than adults do
Safe but exhilarating, with a helmet and a glass floor. Children love it.
It feels dangerous and is not. That is a rare and valuable combination. The walkway is solid, railed and anchored into rock; the sense of exposure is entirely real and entirely safe. Children who would be bored in a museum are not bored here.
The grille sections and the glass panel. Looking straight down through the deck is the single most memorable thing on the route for anybody under twelve, and the glass panel in the middle of the suspension bridge is a small event.
The helmet. Ridiculous but true: being issued a helmet at the start makes the whole thing feel like a proper expedition rather than a walk.
What it asks in return is four hours of walking without complaining, no shade in summer, and the ability to keep going once started. For a reasonably outdoorsy nine-year-old that is nothing. For a reluctant one it is a long afternoon.
Every trip, current fare
Every listing, and which suit a family
The small-group listing and the day tours with a picnic are the easier family bookings. The two-hour entry tickets move briskly.
| Tour | Length | Price | Return from the exit | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caminito del Rey: Entry Ticket and Guided TourEntry and a guide, the lowest price here | 2 h | $32 | Not included | $16.00 | 4.6 · 10,325 |
| Caminito del Rey: Guided Tour and Entry TicketThe most-reviewed listing in this niche | 2 h | $33 | Not included | $16.50 | 4.6 · 15,431 |
| Caminito del Rey: Guided Visit with AdmissionA three-hour guided visit | 3 h | $34 | Not included | $11.33 | 4.6 · 921 |
| Caminito del Rey: Entry Ticket & Guided TourEntry and a guide, taken slower | 3 h | $35 | Not included | $11.67 | 4.6 · 904 |
| Caminito del Rey: Tickets, Guided Tour, Shuttle & WaterEntry with the shuttle back included | 4–7 h | $43 | Included | $7.82 | 4.7 · 9,107 |
| From Málaga: Caminito del Rey Guided Day TripThe cheapest full day from Málaga | 6.5–7 h | $64 | Included | $9.48 | 4.8 · 1,057 |
| Caminito del Rey Guided Tour & Welcome Pack from MálagaThe best-rated day tour here, 18,658 reviews | 6.5–7 h | $69 | Included | $10.22 | 4.9 · 18,658 |
| Caminito del Rey Guided Day Trip from Málaga & White VillageThe walk plus a white village | 7 h | $71 | Included | $10.14 | 4.8 · 100 |
| From Málaga: Caminito del Rey Day Trip & Guided TourA full day with everything included | 7.5 h | $72 | Included | $9.60 | 4.8 · 5,824 |
| From Málaga & Costa del Sol: Caminito del Rey Guided TourA full day from Málaga, our top pick | 6–8 h | $75 | Included | $10.71 | 4.8 · 9,605 |
| From Malaga: Caminito del Rey all includedTransport, entry, guide and helmet | 7.5 h | $80 | Included | $10.67 | 4.8 · 3,908 |
| From Málaga: Caminito del Rey Full-Day TourA seven-hour day at a slower pace | 7 h | $86 | Included | $12.29 | 4.8 · 1,585 |
| From Costa del Sol: Caminito del Rey Day TripPickup along the Costa del Sol | 6–9 h | $93 | Included | $12.40 | 4.5 · 901 |
| From Málaga: Caminito del Rey Small-Group Tour with PicnicA small group with a picnic | 6 h | $97 | Included | $16.17 | 4.9 · 200 |
| From Seville: Caminito del Rey Hike Day TripTen hours out of Seville | 10 h | $108 | Included | $10.80 | 4.5 · 1,533 |
| Caminito del Rey from Málaga, small group up to 7 peopleA capped group of seven | 7 h | $139 | Included | $19.86 | 4.7 · 25 |
| From Malaga: Caminito del Rey Guided Tour with TicketsA guided day with everything bundled | 7 h | $164 | Included | $23.43 | 4.7 · 32 |
| From Seville: Caminito del Rey Guided Day TripA guided day from Seville, dearest here | 7 h | $191 | Included | $27.29 | 4.8 · 35 |
There are no toilets between the two ends, and no water for sale. Four hours is a long time for a nine-year-old to discover that.
What to wear and bring→Making it work
Six things that decide a family day
All six are within your control.
- Check the age before you book, not after
Under-eight is refused at the gate. Free cancellation helps, but a disappointed child in a car park does not.
- Take a spring or autumn date
No shade anywhere on the route. A July afternoon with children is the version of this day that goes wrong.
- Book an early slot
Cooler, quieter, and everybody is in a better mood at ten than at three.
- Use the toilets at the start
There are none for four hours. This is the single most useful sentence on this page for anyone travelling with children.
- Carry more water than you think
Nowhere sells any on the route, and children drink more than adults on a hot day.
- Consider the small group or a picnic tour
Both move at a gentler pace than the two-hour entry tickets, which are timed tightly.
Common questions
The Caminito del Rey with children, answered
What is the minimum age for the Caminito del Rey?
Eight. It is a rule of the route, checked at the northern access, and no operator can make an exception.
Is the Caminito del Rey suitable for children?
Above the age of eight, very. It is level, solid and railed, it takes under four hours, and the sense of exposure is exciting rather than dangerous.
Can you take a pushchair on the Caminito del Rey?
No. There are steps and narrow sections and the route is not accessible to wheels of any kind.
Are there toilets on the route?
At both ends only, with nothing in between for about four hours. Use them before you start.
Do children need a helmet?
Yes. Helmets are issued at the northern access and are compulsory for everybody on the route.
Which tour is best with children?
A small-group listing or one of the day tours with a picnic, both of which move at a gentler pace than the tightly timed two-hour entry tickets.
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