El Chorro Gorge and the Caminito del Rey

Although, strictly speaking, the Natural Reserve only included the Gaitanejo River Dam, we would be unable to understand the dynamics and complexity of the open area without the river dams that surround it which are the Conde de Guadalhorce, Guadalteba, Guadalhorce y Tajo de La Encantada), that make up, as a whole, one of the most important hydraulic complexes in Andalucia.

El Chorro Gorge and the Caminito del Rey, an impressive gorge formed by river erosion through the limestone mountain. In Spanish it is called El Desfiladero de los Gaitanes and is a well known natural attraction as the towering cliffs are around 200m high while only 10m wide at some points. The river below has been dammed, the Embalse Gaitanejo is one of the smaller reservoirs of five in this area. Alongside this reservoir sits the small village of El Chorro, built in the shadow of the mountain around the railway station.

Read more