Kayak and SUP at El Chorro and the Caminito del Rey

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Three lakes and a gorge

North of the village of El Chorro, the river Guadalhorce and its two tributaries, the Turón and the Guadalteba, have been dammed. There are six lakes in all. The three big ones are Embalse del Conde de Guadalhorce on the river Turón, Embalse del Guadalhorce and Embalse del Guadalteba. The water flows on to the small Gaitanejo lake and down through the gorge Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, where the Caminito del Rey clings to the rock face.

The oldest lake is Conde de Guadalhorce. Work began in 1914 under the engineer Rafael Benjumea, and King Alfonso XIII opened the dam on 21 May 1921. Benjumea was given the title Count of Guadalhorce, and the lake bears his name. Until 1953 it was called the pantano del Chorro, and many people still call it "the lake at El Chorro". The two other lakes followed in 1971 and 1973. When they were filled, the village of Peñarrubia disappeared under water.

The kayak trips take place on Conde de Guadalhorce. It is the only one of the lakes where we have found anyone hiring out. The hire company is at a small beach in Parque Ardales, an area with camping, a bathing beach and picnic spots under the pine trees. Spain's tourist portal calls the beach "Playa de Ardales" and the bathing area "La Isla" (the island). From here it is about 600 metres to the path to the Caminito del Rey.

What is allowed – and why?

This is important to know before you pack the car: you may not put your own kayak or inflatable SUP in the water here. According to the Junta de Andalucía's list of navigable lakes, boating on Conde de Guadalhorce, Guadalhorce and Guadalteba is "temporarily suspended". This is to stop the invasive zebra mussel (mejillón cebra), which spreads from lake to lake on boats and equipment. There is an information sign about exactly this by the lake.

The ban does not apply to boats that stay on the lake all the time. That is why the hire company can operate: their kayaks and boards never go anywhere else, and the boating permit is included in the price. In short: hire on the spot.

Guided kayak tour on the lake

The company Indian Sport is based in Parque Ardales and has run kayak tours on the lake for many years. The company is registered as a tourism business with the Junta de Andalucía (AT/MA/00025).

• The tour: A guide paddles with you around the lake and tells you about the plants, animals, geology and history. You get into small coves and past rocks and little cliffs that can only be reached from the water. Around the lake grows one of the largest forests of Aleppo pine and juniper in Málaga province.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Price: From 25 € (≈ 186 kr.) per person on the booking site Turismo Interior de Málaga (as of November 2026).
• Group: At least 6 people. If there are fewer of you, you can book a private tour by paying for the minimum.
• Included: Open, self-draining kayak (you sit on top of it, not inside it), paddle, backrest, life jacket, a waterproof drum for your phone and keys, guide, boating permit and liability insurance.
• Requirements: You must be able to swim. No experience needed. Indian Sport recommends the tour from age 9, children only with an adult.
• Language: The booking site only mentions Spanish. Ask if you would like English.
• Cancellation: Free up to 3 days before.

What will you see? Indian Sport mentions great crested grebes, little grebes, mallards and grey herons on the water, terrapins sunning themselves on the rocks by the shore, and fish such as carp, black bass and pike. High above, griffon vultures circle, and ibex sometimes come down to the shore to drink.

Hire: kayak and paddleboard

If you would rather paddle on your own, Indian Sport hires out kayaks and paddleboards from the beach. You get a short briefing and suggested routes before you set off – and are told where you may not go. The water is still, with no waves or currents, so it suits beginners well.

Both booking sites sell the same company's kayaks but give different "from" prices. Neither says whether the price is per person or per kayak, or what a double kayak costs. Ask when you book.

• Included in the price: Self-draining kayak, paddle, backrest, life jacket, waterproof drum, boating permit, insurance and access to Parque Ardales for the whole day (otherwise 2 € (≈ 14.92 kr.)).
• Departures: The booking sites suggest 11 or 16.
• Season: April to the end of October, weather permitting.
• Cancellation: Free up to 48 hours before.
• Weather: The trip may be cancelled in heavy rain, thick fog or strong wind.
• Dogs: According to La Garganta, your dog may come along in the kayak for a surcharge.
• Paddleboard: Indian Sport recommends SUP from age 8. Large groups can mix kayaks and boards and swap along the way. Indian Sport also has a giant board for a whole group.

Spain's tourist portal mentions that you can also hire pedal boats at La Isla. We have not been able to confirm this with a hire company.

Contact: Indian Sport, tel. +34 686 47 92 88. Booking via Turismo Interior de Málaga: tel. +34 634 31 99 99. La Garganta: tel. +34 613 41 86 27. Book in advance – Indian Sport itself writes "¡Reserva previamente!".

Suggested trip on your own

Two hours is enough for a relaxed trip: an hour out and an hour back. Follow the shore from the beach and look into the coves, where the pine trees grow right down to the water. Land on a small beach and have a dip – that is allowed, according to Indian Sport. Stay close to the shore and turn back in good time. The hire company will tell you which routes they recommend that day.

The Guadalhorce river in the gorge

Many people ask whether you can paddle through the gorge below the Caminito del Rey. The answer is no.

• The Junta de Andalucía's list of navigable rivers has only eight river stretches in the whole of Andalusia. The Guadalhorce is not one of them – and the two small lakes in the gorge, Gaitanejo and Tajo de la Encantada, are not on the list of lakes where boating is allowed either.
• The gorge has been protected as a Paraje Natural since 1989. The walls are over 400 metres high, and at its narrowest the gorge is only 10 metres wide.
• The water in the river is controlled by the dams. The Gaitanejo dam sends the water on to the power station down in El Chorro.

Nor have we found any operator offering trips on the river here. If you want to see the river, walk the Caminito del Rey: from the walkways you see the water rushing through the narrow gorge 100 metres below you.

Combine with the Caminito del Rey

The Caminito del Rey is a set of walkways on the rock face through the gorge – read more under Excursions. The car park at the northern entrance is a few minutes' drive from the kayak beach, so it makes sense to do both on the same day.

The route only goes one way, from Ardales in the north to El Chorro in the south. There are no toilets along the way, only at the entrance and exit. Walking sticks, umbrellas and flip-flops are not allowed. The official website advises against the walk if you suffer from vertigo or have heart or lung problems. The Caminito may be closed in rain and strong wind.

How to fit both in: The booking sites suggest either kayaking at 11 and the Caminito from 14, or the Caminito before 11 and kayaking at 16. Triángulo Activo sells a package with a guided Caminito (39 € (≈ 291 kr.)) and kayak hire (20 € (≈ 149 kr.)), in total from 59 € (≈ 440 kr.) (as of November 2026). With two hours' drive each way it makes for a long day. Consider staying overnight – Camping Parque Ardales has apartments by the lake.

The lakes seen from land

On Guadalhorce and Guadalteba we have not found anyone hiring out. They are best seen from the viewpoints along the MA-5403 road:

• Sillón del Rey by the dam on Conde de Guadalhorce: the stone chair and table where Alfonso XIII signed in 1921.
• Mirador de los Tres Embalses north of the dam, with a view over the lakes.
• Restaurant El Mirador sits high above Conde de Guadalhorce with a view out over the islands.

Safety and weather

• Check the weather. See AEMET's forecast for Ardales. Inland it gets hotter than on the coast in summer. Strong wind makes the lake choppy and can close both the kayak hire and the Caminito.
• Wear your life jacket. It is included in the hire.
• You must be able to swim. It is a requirement on the guided tour.
• Sun and water. There is no shade on the lake. Bring sun cream, a cap and a bottle of water.
• Phone in the waterproof drum. The emergency number is 112.
• Stay close to the shore, and turn back in good time – two hours pass quickly.
• Do not take your own equipment into the water – not even fishing tackle or inflatables you have used in other lakes. It spreads the zebra mussel.

Who is it for? Kayaking on the lake is one of the easiest kayak trips in the series: no waves, no current, and the open kayaks are hard to tip over. Most people can join in, including the over-60s, if you can get into a kayak from the beach and can swim. The hard part is the drive – allow four hours in the car that day.

How to get there

Car: Drive west on the A-7 towards Málaga, continue on the MA-20 ring road and on the A-357 inland towards Cártama and Ardales. At the junction for Ardales take the MA-5403 towards the lakes and the Caminito del Rey. It is about 140 km, and the drive takes about 2 hours. Parque Ardales is on the MA-5403 – the hire company gives the address "Carretera de los Embalses, km 7". The buttons below the map open the route from Playa Tropical directly in Google Maps.

Parking:

• Parque Ardales: Access to the area costs 2 € (≈ 14.92 kr.) (included if you have booked a kayak in advance). Ask at reception where the hire company is.
• Car park P1 at Ardales: Municipal car park, 2 € (≈ 14.92 kr.), for the Caminito del Rey. From here it is 1.5 km through a lit tunnel to the entrance.
• The Caminito visitor centre: 2 € (≈ 14.92 kr.) per day. Park at least an hour before your entry time. The bus stops here.

Public transport: It makes for a very long day. Take the bus to Málaga (see the buses), the train to El Chorro-Caminito del Rey station and the shuttle bus to the El Kiosko restaurant at the northern entrance (15–20 minutes). You will need to check the timetables with Renfe yourself.

Toilets and food

Toilets: Parque Ardales has toilets, changing rooms and showers – Indian Sport says its customers can change there. At the Caminito's northern entrance, at the visitor centre and at the station in El Chorro there are free public toilets (according to OpenStreetMap).

Food: In Parque Ardales there are tables, benches, drinking water and a barbecue area under the pine trees, and a supermarket that is open from Easter to 15 October. We have not tried the restaurants here – the names are from the Caminito's official website and OpenStreetMap:

• El Kiosko at the northern entrance to the Caminito del Rey, by the lake.
• El Mirador by the road above the lake, with a view.
• La Cantina by the dam.
• La Garganta (hotel and restaurant) and Bar El Pilar down in El Chorro, by the Caminito's southern exit. Bar El Pilar is closed on Mondays.

Bring: swimwear, a towel, shoes that can get wet, a change of clothes, sun cream, a cap, water, a packed lunch, ID and cash for the bus. If you are also walking the Caminito, bring walking boots.

Maps and routes

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Good advice

• Book everything in advance. Both the kayak and the Caminito del Rey – tickets for the Caminito often sell out.
• Take the 11 o'clock kayak. Then you are on the water before the midday heat and have the afternoon for the Caminito.
• Set off early. It is two hours each way. Allow plenty of time for both parking and entry.
• Leave your own kayak and SUP at home. You may not use them on the lakes.
• Choose a double kayak if there are two of you. It is the most stable, and you can take turns paddling.
• Cash for the bus. The shuttle bus does not take cards.
• Stay overnight if you want to do it all. Kayaking, the Caminito and four hours' driving is a lot for one day.

More trips in the series: Kayaking on the lakes nearby (Rules, Béznar and La Viñuela), Kayaking at Almuñécar and La Herradura, Sea kayaking at Maro, Kayaking at Calahonda and Boats without a skipper's licence. See also the excursions, active holidays, canyoning in the Río Verde and the seasons.

Krone amounts are converted at 1 € ≈ 7.46 kr. and rounded.