Walk Spain's steep and spectacular footpath
Karla Cripps, CNN • Updated 13th March 2015
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(CNN) — Closed for over a decade, a trail that's been described as "the world's most dangerous path" is no longer off limits to the public thanks to a massive reconstruction project.
Reopened on March 28, 2017, stunning Caminito del Rey in Spain features a cliff face boardwalk that hangs 100 meters above the Guadalhorce River.
The trail, which begins in the village of El Chorro in southern Malaga province, has been around since the early 1900s, originally built to provide access to two waterfalls for hydroelectric workers.
Over the years, the boardwalk deteriorated and, following a string of fatal accidents in 1999 and 2000, the government demolished the access points to the walkway.
According to the Spanish daily El Pais, the provincial government allocated 5.5 million euros ($5.8 million) to the project.
The entire route is 7.7 kilometers long, with boardwalks covering 2.9 kilometers of the trail. The most famous section includes the Balconcillo de los Gaitanes bridge, which spans the Gaitanes Gorge.
Tourism officials say it takes between four and five hours to walk the entire route, which includes some steep slopes.
Visiting hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. from April 1 to October 31, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. from November 1 to March 31.
Those who want to visit need to book a spot on the official website, Caminitodelrey.info.
