Caminito Del Rey And Ardales Guided Tour From Costa Del Sol

I can’t give a review on the tour because the tour guide never picked us up and the tour company (Julia Tours) never answered the phone nor responded to my messages. We were waiting at the pick up point at 6:30 am and waited an hour. I am trying to get a refund now. Do not use this tour company. The Marriott in Marbella also has stopped using this tour company because of poor service. We were very disappointed since we were looking forward to this tour.

The location provided for maps took me behind the bank, which was the meeting spot. I messaged the tour guide stating that I had difficulty finding the spot. When I found the spot 2 minutes later, the tour had departed. Julia Tours refused to refund me the money for the tour. The meeting spot should be better defined, there should be a sign, and if you have the ability to message the tour operator, they should be able to see the message. I would not recommend to anyone Julia Tours nor Viator and I will not be booking through Viator again.

It was spectacular. But be prepared with water, snacks, etc. It is a full experience. It is also hotter than the coast. I would not want to run out of water.

Beautiful place with magnificent view, the only bad thing is that we had rain all day. But everything was very well organized.

Excellent trip and the guide were very informative

Our tour guide, Pablo, was fantastic in every way. Unfortunately, the instructions given for the collection point lacked clarity- it would have helped to know which side of the road the collection was. Google maps was little help with the information provided.

It was brilliant, enjoyed every minute! Would recommend to a friend saying it's very safe with a friendly guide all the way through who is very safety conscious!!👍 Definitly recommend comfy but proper walking shoes plus sunglasses as sun can be quite dazzling in places obscuring the view!!👍 Again it was an excellent experience and would highly recommend it to a friend with the proviso of course that they didn't mind heights!!👍 Many thanks for the experience!! 👍🥰❤

Our bus driver never showed up so obviously we did not get to go on our tour. We were at the correct designated pickup points 10 minutes early and made numerous attempts to contact them. Communication has been very poor with Viator. I contacted Viator who then contacted the tour company for a refund but have been told that will not be happening. I have followed up with them, providing even more proof of what happened, and should they change their mind, I will write a new positive review. In the meantime, I would never recommend using Viator and will certainly not use it again myself.

The Caminito is amazing, a 5. I gave the 3 solely because of our experience with the tour operator. There were pre designated pick up points when we booked and we picked one and then the day of the tour lo and behold there were a whole bunch more stops not listed for onesies and twosies, several out of the way, that added a fair amount of wasted driving time. The Caminto entrances and exits are crowded and there are many large groups mixed in with each other, no stickers or good standard processes which you would expect to minimize confusion or ease of identifying the guides in the crowds. Several of us experienced this and finally were also confused by location for bus pick up point at end of Caminito, not told time or location before the walk but luckily bumped into guide. Asked begore, but Still waiting to hear if there is a toilet on the bus. Don’t want to make a big deal over petty grievances, but this operator doesn’t have it together. Go to Caminito, but pay a little extra for a small group tour.

Disorganised from the beginning. Booked this tour through our resort. Pick up was to be 6:45am. Nearly gave up waiting but was finally picked up at 7:40am. We then Continued to drive around picking up passengers until 9:45am. The bus was struggling badly until it was finally replaced at Malaga at 10am. Free time in the village (Ardales) was cancelled so that the bus could stick to its scheduled group entry time into the canyon. The walk didn’t require a lot of fitness and I found it easy. Was safe. My wife couldn’t attempt the trail as she requires walking poles for balance and they are not allowed on the walkway. The views were spectacular. Our guide was informative, enthusiastic and friendly with very good English. It was a very long day as we didn’t get dropped off again at my resort until 5:30pm.

Visit was a amazing. Great guide. Only issue was bus was 30 minutes late. I tried calling from the hotel at 7:15. No answer

Amazing trip with wonderful group the guide and the driver was I day to remember on my whole life thank u so much for your great information an knowledge make making sure everyone on the ground is happy

This is almost a must do if you’re in the Costa del Sol area. Beautiful views. Pablo was an excellent tour guide, talking about all aspects of the area from nature to history.

We went to the Camino del Rey with Julia travel and Victoria as our guide in the bus. It didn't start well. Our pick-up time in Fuengirola was 7am, and 20 minutes later I had to call the travel agent and wake him up, because there was no sign of the bus. He made some calls and told me that the bus would be there in about ten minutes. A good half hour late it arrived! The guide said the delay was due to traffic. This could not be the case before 7am, as there were only a few cars on the road. Victoria "spoke" 4 languages, although her German was some kind of mix with Swedish/Danish. She seemed tired and wasn't very interested in her guests. In Ardales we made a 1,5 h stop, but when it was time to leave, the guide was 15 min. late! We were lucky to be in the local guide Letitia's group on the camino itself. She was very knowledgeable and fun, and she told us a lot about history as well as about local flora and fauna. The caminito was amazing! All my points go to Letitia and the camino. The driver from Julia travels was very skilled. I do not believe, the delay in the morning was due to him.

Caminito felt Rey was great. We were separated by language and pace was good. I walk slow plus I pause to take in the views and I didn’t have a problem keeping up. Only downside was the bus trip, the bus picks up people from Marbella to Malaga so the bus ride is very long. Our guide on the bus was fantastic- gives directions and highlights in 4 different languages.

Absolutely amaizing trip and congratulation to th tour guide Michelle and Lucinda who bring a lot of information kindness and fun for all!

We did this trip with Julia travel. When booking we were advised it would be a long day with a lot of pick ups. But it was worth it. We got an hour and half in a small village on the way up. Just enough time to grab something to eat and a drink. Then onto the gauge. I don't like heights so this was to challenge myself and so glad I did. You're given a safety briefing ,hard hat and radio and earphones so your guide can tell you the history of the place. This place is stunning with beautiful views. It is well worth the long drive out. Loved every second of it. If you can drop on Jose as your guide you will have a great experience. He was witty and a pleasure to be around. He also was very reassuring.

El Caminito del Rey was fantastic. Beautiful vistas and amazing walk. Andarles was ok. We got there early and not many places open.

The entire hike was exceptional. The stop in a small town was not at all interesting and was infact, frustrating as there was nothing of particular interest to see and we spent 2 hrs there. I'd recommend skipping this stop, or finding an interesting town.

We had an incredible trip to the Caminito del Rey! Our guide on the hike, Lucia, was so informative, patient, and well-organized. Not only did she take time to point out interesting features in the canyon (even spotted birds for us!) and tell us about all the history, she made a point to prepare us for every step of the hike and remind us to stay hydrated, plus took photos for us. In spite of the daunting heights, the views are totally worth it--it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our Julia travel guide on the bus (Cesar), was wonderful. He also made a point to prepare us for each step of the trip, down to recommending a lovely local breakfast stop in Ardales (beautiful white-washed village where we had the chance to eat and wander before the hike), and pointing out interesting sights on the ride home. If you plan to do this stunning hike, I can't recommend Julia enough--we learned so much that enhanced the experience, and our guides took such good care of us (we noticed other tour groups being rushed through the hike and on/off their buses).

Great day exploring the Caminito. Guy was very knowledgeable and organized. It was a long hike but very interesting…..I would do it again.

Coming from Norway we are quite used to spectacular nature and views, but Caminito del Rey is supercool! The canyon is narrow and it's cool to be walking high above along the mountain side. Looking up you will also see huge vultures soaring through the air. It's a fairly easy walk. Don't need any experience, but bring a good amount of water as it get's quite hot. The platform that you walk on is perfectly safe and stable, almost as walking on a road. You will not get an extreme sport feeling, but you can feast your eyes on beautiful nature. Julia Travel is trying to hard to be cost efficient with the arranged transport as the bus picks up people at way too many places. From Marbella the trip could take an hour, but it took 3 hours. Also the radios, more specifically the earbuds, are of too poor quality. We struggled understanding everything the guide talked about. Cred to the guide as she mentioned a lot of interesting stuff, but she also pushed the speed a little bit too much. So much that you can't really enjoy the trip as much as I'd liked (taking pictures, enjoying the views). Will absolutely recommend this trip, but it would have been even better if the radio and the transport issues had been better.

I’d like to give a special review to our , the local guide for English. He was very knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful

This was a great trip. A coach picked us up on time and then we had an English speaking guide when we got there who was very informative. Views were amazing and the walk round was very easy for any age. The only gripe I had was the lack of information regarding what time and place we were to be picked up. Most of us were very confused as to where to go so if you go make sure you find that out before you go off on the tour.

great day trip in Caminito del Rey. The stop in Ardales was useless since everything was closed except for a coffee shop. No time to visit the castle.

Our guide was nice, but it felt like the group was too big and a few people slowed us up so we had to wait. Our guide should have given the tour, not being pawned off to the guides at Alhambra, who were very nice and informative.

Amazing experience & something that should not be missed! Only bad part was the many hours on the bus as we were the first pick up & last drop off of the day! Loved going to the small authentic Spanish town too! Thank you for a very memorable day!

It was breathtaking the experience one I will remember if you like walking hike heights with views to take away you breath this is the trip for you I would highly recommend a visit the this canyon the guide the information was excellent DO IT

This tour was even better than I expected! Location was quite a long way from Toremelinos but worth it! David our guide was excellent and the team at the walk were v professional! Maria our guide for the 3hr mountain walk was so much fun!!

Fun and exciting experience with a knowledgeable tour guide and clean, comfortable air conditioned bus. The scenery and historical information were awesome

The hike itself was amazing! The town that we went to before going to the hike was very boring with not a lot to do. Seem to be a waste of time

From start to finish the service was excellent, from the bus driver to the guide both were a credit to both themselves and the tour company. The actual walk itself was easy going as long as you can handle heights. The guide was very informative , with a good bit of humour thrown in for free . There was plenty time to take memorable pictures and nothing was rushed . Very basic level of fitness required and suitable for all ages . No hills , just a few stairs at the end . The visit to the village before the walk was an excellent insight into local life . The highlight for myself was watching scores of vultures soaring above the canyon , just hoping someone didn't make it . Thankfully our full group of 30 made it back and all enriched for the experience. A big thanks to Rubert our guide for his excellent presentation.

The bus arrived on time and we left from a central location in Malaga, I think the location is so amazing, it must be visited, the majesticity of the cliffs and the valleys is amazing, also it's 100% safe with a guide who is an employee at the park and the helmets and all.

Great experience, the door really gives you the breadth Caminito del Rey and Ardales. The views were amazing, the walk was smooth and definitely got the steps in. One to be weary of if you don’t like heights, but always good to try get over your fears. César, who was our tour guide was impressive with his 4 languages and a really funny guy too, made the trip more interesting! Thanks for a good day out. Best, Lots hermanos.

Everything was smooth, drivers were on time, buses were comfortable, guide was cheerful and nice. Note that trip includes ~1h stop at a small town, for me that's a plus to get some food and coffee. The only downside of this trip is time - my pickup point was Marbella and it started 6:25AM, later bus goes to Malaga and from there to the gorge. Queue on the gorge was enormous and it took about 1-1.5h to get going. Got back to Marbella around 6PM. If you prioritize time efficiency then early booking on the hike & car rent is the best option.

We received an email stating that the time of the tour had changed, but the new time was not indicated. We contacted Viator to have more info. They never replied but sent us an email the day before the tour confirming the original tour time. The bus never showed up. Viator refuses to refund us. We will never use them again.

This tour was very well organized. Our first stop, Ardales, gave us a chance to see the typical life in a smaller Spanish village. We had ample time to wander around and see the town. Caminito del Rey was incredible. The hike was not grueling but definitely not a walk in the park. Our guide Amanda was great. She told us about the natural history of the canyon. She maintained a pace that made it enjoyable for everyone. I would love to go back again and spend more time in the area. Most of our tours were private tours. This one was not. However, this was the perfect tour to do as a group. The park breaks the large tours in to groups of 20 and provides head sets. You are able to hear and see everything just like being in a small group. Well worth it.

This is an option to get on the trail if you can’t buy tickets just for the trail enymore. Guide services are not really needed here.

Everything was excellent, the guide Miguel was excellent with his four languages and the driver Diego was excellent too. One suggestion, the pickup point was stated that we were to meet out the front of the San Cristobal Hotel, in fact the bus arrived across the road. If we had not seen other passengers across the road we would have missed the bus. part from that we really enjoyed the tour, thank you to all involved. Regards, Rosalie and Robert Pearson Australia

- The bus has a lot of stops but it’s ok - The guide friendly and professional - The instructions very clear

Caminito del Rey was a great experience for me and my 15 years old daughter. It was high, hot and memorable. The travel back and forth was very comfortable and well organized. The guide was interesting and entertaining and spoke fluently st least 4 languages! We got back to our hotel tired and happy. We would do it again tomorrow! Cecilia

Julia Travels with Alicia as the guide give group a perfect day. Clear and interesting information during the day. Alicia give the info in 4 !!! different language. Perfect

A wonderful experience! Our trail guide was helpful and informative. The bus guide was also very helpful (speaking 4 different languages was impressive). The trip was very organized. The views from the trail were so very beautiful!

Very early pickup from Marbella (7:25 am), about 40 min rounds to pick up co-travellers from all hotels in Terremolino and Malaga. Bring more water than you would think you need! Freeze it the night before. The hike can be strenuous and the sun is relentless. Overall however, it's more than worth the trip!

Not satisfied. Had a sudden, and not informed, stop at Ardales for 2.5 hours for no reason. We had no idea about this, and were confused as to why we had to spend such a long time at this small village. When we finally went to Caminito del rey, the trip was ok and the guide was friendly and well-informed. Also, it was estimed a 8 hour trip, but it took 12 hours in total.

at Caminito Del Ray we had such un amazing experience , incredible views , also great tour’s guide and bus driver . If u never done it ? Don’t think twice ! U won’t regret!

It wasn’t explained well that you have 2 hours in Ardales prior to arriving at the Caminito Del Rey and there is a lot of waiting around; this made for a very long day which could have been shorter. The walk itself was beautiful and definitely worth it, both of us travelling have minor mobility issues and my partner has asthma and didn’t find it too strenuous. The guide, Marcelo, on the walk was excellent and the trail was really well looked after. Make sure you go to the kiosk at the end of the trail for any snacks and drinks as it is much cheaper than the first kiosks that you will see! Remember to bring lots of water! The toilets are very limited and there is none on the trail which is 5km long.

The bus was very late to pick us up, over an hour late, this was a very negative start to the trip, however the visit to the Caminito del Rey was brillant, it has breathtaking views. The walk took over 2 and half hours to complete with a short break half way. Wear comfortable shoes, bring some water and use the toilet beforehand.

We Booked a trip to Marbella especialy for Camanito del Rey. The bus picked us up at 7:30. We had a 3 hour bustour because they had to pick up all the other people who joined the trip. We didn't go to camanito del Rey, but first to a place Ardales. Here you had free time (?) We did not know it was part of the trip. When We finally arrived at Camanito del Rey the trip was cacelled because of hard wind. We spent the intire day (of 4 day trip) in a bus. Ofcouse the company can not change the weather, but We didn't know We had to spent a few hours in a place called Ardales, when they went to Camanito del Rey directly We could have walked it..... They said We wolde get a refund. I hope that is true