It’s hard to imagine that tennis shoes, water, and a ticket booked far in advance, will suffice to walk what was once named the world’s most dangerous trail.

The “little king” Caminito del Rey 7.7 km trail hangs 100 feet up on sheer limestone cliffs cut through the El Chorro gorge along the Guadalhorce River gorge (or Gorge of the Gaitanes) in the Malaga Province of Andalusia, southern Spain.

We booked our hike through Pareja Tours for smooth entry to the national park and a 45-minute ride on a slick tour bus from Malaga.

For my rock climbing friends, here is a resource or two because it is an international climbing destination.

Along the trail, we spotted a family of mountain goats and birds of prey – peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and griffin vultures soaring the canyons and nesting in the rocks.

It’s a stunningly beautiful and worthwhile day trip from Malaga into a nearby national park. (I share another national park option near Malaga, in another post here.)