El Chorro & the Guadalhorce valley
The gentlest profile of the long loops. You head out through west Málaga into the farmland of the Guadalhorce valley and follow the river upstream through Cártama and Álora to El Chorro — home of the famous Caminito del Rey and dramatic limestone gorges. The ride is about distance and rhythm, not steepness: ideal for a good endurance day, rewarded with one of the most photogenic backdrops in Andalusia. The C-2 train from El Chorro is a convenient bail-out if your legs run out.
Who it suits
Riders who want a longer day without extreme ramps — the flattest of the long loops, valley riding against a backdrop of limestone crags.
Traffic on the route
Water and refuelling
- 25 km · Cártama — supermarkets
- 55 km · Álora — bars in town
- 70 km · El Chorro — cafés by the Caminito del Rey
Cafés and stops
- Cafés by the Caminito del Rey (El Chorro) — touristy, but coffee and food guaranteed
When your legs give out (bail-out)
- 70 km Cercanías C-2 (El Chorro (Álora)) — the C-2 Málaga–Álora line serves El Chorro; bikes under Cercanías rules
Wind, season and kit
Wind: Watch out for the terral — a föhn-type northerly wind from the sierra, extremely hot and dry. It hits Málaga and the Guadalhorce valley, but often doesn't reach Rincón (10 km east). Terral in the forecast = ride east, or go high and early.
When to set off: Morning — the Guadalhorce valley is hot at midday and takes the full force of the terral.
Season: Best in March–May and September–November. In September the share of muggy days drops from 43% (1 Sept) to 16% (30 Sept) — the end of the month is noticeably more pleasant. Summer is too hot for the inland climbs.
Gearing: 34×30 is enough — this one is more about distance than gradient.
Tyres: 28 mm.
Watch out for
- ⚠Getting out of west Málaga is tricky — the airport cuts off the coast, so you have to go round via Campanillas.
- ⚠The A-7078 is better ridden uphill than down.
Your bike is waiting in Málaga
You ride this route on your own bike, straight from the door — we bring your bike over and store it, you fly in with just a backpack. We'll tell you where to ride for your form, and if something goes wrong, you call and we come and pick you up.
Metrics are calculated from the GPS track. The route has been planned with a routing engine so far — we'll ride it and check it on site (water, surface, traffic), then add the real GPX and photos here. Sources: bike2malaga RB-02.