El Chorro Gorge ANTEQUERA
This famous area, with it’s tiny quaint village, is only a 45 minute drive from Antequera. Click here to get directions.
It is a much valued beauty spot within the province.
The gorge itself is three kilometres long, and in some of the sections is less than 10 meters wide and 400 meters in height.
It is of course renowned for being the location of the much visited and walked Caminito del Rey (see below).
A main feature of the area, apart from the spectacular gorge, is the awesome La Garganta water power station, situated at the end of the Garganta Gorge (garganta means throat) below El Chorro village.
(As an aside, the locals sometimes refer to the gorge as Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, which simply translates as the Gaitanes Gorge. The reason for this has not yet been discovered for this page!).
Visiting El Chorro
The area can be visited by train from Antequera, as well as by car. The railway arrives in El Chorro at a charming little station opposite the old railway hotel: La Garganta.
The train emerges from a small tunnel through the imposing rockface. This site is famed for it’s use in the filming of Von Ryans Express starring Frank Sinatra, in the 1960’s.
La Garganta is these days a ’boutique’ hotel, with stylised rooms, swimming pool, and restaurant. There are fabulous views from the hotel terrace. You can visit by clicking here.
El Chorro also has a camp site, with chalets, swimming pool, and restaurant/café bar, in a picturesque setting. It is located just 3 minutes walk from the train station.
Besides visiting hikers and photographers, the gorge is often scaled by climbers attracted by it’s sheer walls.
The area, too, is rich in birdlife, including chough, kingfisher, swift, owl, and tawny vulture. There are also wildcat and cabra hispanica (hispanic goat).
El Chorro village has a little supermarket for it’s small population and local campers. There is also a charming chapel.
The railway station has a terrace café, in addition to the nearby facilities of the Garganta hotel.
Organised hikes in the area are available with local guides, if you prefer not to go it alone.
Hang Gliding
To the west of El Chorro, in Valle de Abdalajais, there is a hang-gliding school for those wishing for an ariel view of this beautiful area.
Combined Visit
El Chorro is well worth a day visit in itself from Antequera. However, one might consider a combination with the village of nearby Ardales. Check out our page about Ardales, by clicking here.
El Caminito del Rey
In the narrowest part of the gorge is an old and slender service road which runs at a height of some 100 meters on the gorge face. It is known as the Caminito del Rey (the small road of the king), and was constructed between 1901 and 1905 by Rafael Benjumea, and opened by King Alfonso XIII (hence the name).
This road is a series of pathways, tunnels, and hanging bridges: a joy to hike.
To see more information about the Caminito del Rey click here.