El Chorro and Ardales are the two small villages that bookend the Caminito del Rey walkway, and which one you treat as your base genuinely changes how your whole day plays out. El Chorro sits at the southern exit, with the train station and reservoir views. Ardales sits closer to the main Visitor Center at the northern access, with easier road connections for drivers.
Here’s what I’d actually do: figure out whether you’re arriving by car or by train first, since that single detail decides which village makes more sense as your starting point for the day.
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Rock climbing, a scenic reservoir, and the southern exit of the Caminito del Rey walkway. El Chorro has long attracted climbers to the limestone cliffs around the Guadalhorce reservoir, independent of the walkway’s own fame, and that climbing culture gives the village a slightly different character from a typical tourist stop. The train station here also makes it a realistic arrival or departure point if you’re not driving.
I think El Chorro’s reservoir views are underrated by visitors who only come for the walkway and leave immediately after. If you finish the trail with any energy left, I’d take ten minutes to look out over the water before heading back toward Malaga.
What Is Ardales Known For?
A proper old town and the main road access to the Caminito del Rey Visitor Center. Ardales is the larger of the two villages, with its own historic core worth a short wander if you arrive early or have time after your slot. It’s also where most drivers coming from Malaga or Seville will end up parking before the shuttle bus to the trailhead.
My honest take is that Ardales feels more like a real town you could spend an hour in, while El Chorro feels more like a destination built around the reservoir and the climbing scene specifically. Neither is wrong, they just serve different kinds of visits.
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Ardales, in most cases, since the Visitor Center parking lot sits closer to this end and the road access from Malaga is more direct. I’d park here, take the shuttle to the trailhead, and treat Ardales itself as your pre-walk or post-shuttle stop rather than El Chorro.
I wouldn’t assume you’ll end up back at your car automatically, though. Remember that the walkway is one way, so finishing in El Chorro means you still need the return shuttle back to the Ardales parking lot before you can drive anywhere.
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Either works, honestly, since both villages have their own stations connecting back toward Malaga. I’d lean toward starting your day at whichever station gets you to the trailhead with less waiting, then let the one-way walk carry you to the other end naturally.
My recommendation here is specific: check the train schedule for your actual travel date before committing to a direction, since service frequency can shift the practical answer more than the villages’ relative merits do.
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A little, though neither is a full day’s destination on its own. El Chorro’s reservoir is worth a short look, and the surrounding cliffs are a genuine draw for climbers with their own gear and plans. Ardales has a compact old town that rewards a slow walk if you have spare time before or after your slot.
I’d treat both villages as pleasant extras rather than reasons to extend your trip specifically. If you want a fuller nearby experience, the Bobastro caves and ruins or a Ronda day trip are better uses of extra time than lingering in either village itself.
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Yes, and this is the detail I’d think through before booking your slot. If you’re based near Ardales, starting there and finishing in El Chorro means your return trip involves the shuttle back to your car. If you’re based near El Chorro or arriving by train there, starting from that end and finishing near Ardales flips the same logistics around.
My honest advice: most travelers don’t choose their walking direction at all, since tickets are typically sold for the standard north-to-south route. What you can control is which village you treat as your pre-walk base, and I’d match that to wherever your transport actually starts.
Can You Eat in Either Village?
To a limited extent. Neither village has a large number of restaurants, and options can be thin, especially right around when a full shuttle load of hikers finishes the walkway at the same time. I wouldn’t count on finding an open table without some flexibility on timing.
I’ve gone into more detail on realistic food options and whether to base in Malaga city instead in my guide to where to eat and stay near Caminito del Rey, and I’d read it before assuming either village will feed you easily.
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Serious, by Andalusian standards, and mostly separate from anyone visiting purely for the walkway. The limestone cliffs around the reservoir draw climbers with their own gear and routes year round, independent of the Caminito del Rey crowds passing through on a ticketed slot. It’s a genuinely different crowd from the one walking the boardwalk.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to seek out the climbing scene unless you’re already a climber with your own plans, but I think it’s worth knowing it exists if you’re curious why El Chorro feels a bit different from a typical tourist village built purely around one attraction.
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Not deliberately, in most cases, since the one-way walkway already takes you from one to the other as part of the normal route. I wouldn’t plan a separate trip between El Chorro and Ardales beyond what the trail itself provides, since the road connection between them isn’t especially quick or scenic on its own.
My honest take: let the walkway do the work of connecting the two villages for you. If you want a longer look at either one specifically, I’d build that into your pre-walk or post-walk time rather than treating a village-to-village trip as its own activity.
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Early, well before your booked slot, regardless of which village you’re using as a base. I’d give myself at least an hour of buffer before the walkway opening to deal with parking, the shuttle queue, or a train that runs a few minutes behind schedule, since none of those delays are something you can control on the day.
My honest take from comparing arrival patterns: the villages themselves are quiet enough early in the morning that a slightly early arrival rarely feels wasted. I’d rather sit with a coffee in Ardales for twenty extra minutes than rush the final stretch to the Control Booth and start the walk already stressed.
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If you’re driving, I’d base your pre-walk stop in Ardales and treat El Chorro as a brief reward stop at the finish line, maybe ten minutes by the reservoir before the return shuttle. If you’re arriving by train, I’d pick whichever station connects better to your actual travel plans and not overthink the village choice beyond that.
My honest closing take: neither village is a reason on its own to add an extra day to your trip, but both are worth a short, unhurried look if your walkway slot leaves you any spare time at either end. Treat them as pleasant bookends to the main event, and plan your energy and your schedule around the walkway itself first.
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Which village is closer to the Caminito del Rey Visitor Center? Ardales, which sits closer to the main parking lot and northern access point most drivers use.
Can I take a train to El Chorro or Ardales? Yes, both villages have train stations connecting back toward Malaga, making either a workable arrival point if you’re not driving.
Is El Chorro worth visiting beyond the walkway? A little. The reservoir and the surrounding climbing scene give it its own character, though it’s not a full day’s destination on its own.
Where should I eat after finishing the walk? Options in both villages are limited. I’d check my full food and lodging guide before assuming you’ll find an easy meal.
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