El Chorro Gorge and The Guadalhorce River Basin.   Total length: 175km.

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El Chorro is famous for "El Caminito Del Rey Alfonso XIII" a suspended concrete walkway that winds through its impressive limestone gorge. Plans are finally underway for its restoration. The ruins of Bobastro with it's church dating back to the 9th century AD are attracting the interest of more and more archaeologists whilst nearby in Ardales you can find the cave of "Trinidad Grund" known for the quality of its cave paintings some believed to date back as far as 25.000 years. (The cave can be visited by appointment only due to preservation reasons).

The road from Alora forks on the outskirts of the town, but both branches lead to the same place: El Chorro gorge and Bobastro. The difference between them is considerable. The left hand way (the longer: 31km. as far as Bobastro and a little more to El Chorro) passes through lonely countryside before reaching Carratracaz;  the right hand way is the more logical way if one does not mind omitting that lovely mountain village. The best solution is probably to go on one and return on the other.

The three reservoirs belonging to Ardales Natural Park provide a variety of beauty spots. Under half an hour's drive away you will find the delightful town of Alora with its Arab fortress and a little further away Antequera, relatively undiscovered despite its rich historical heritage and wide selection of good restaurants. From Antequera the major cities of Andalucia, Malaga, Cordoba, Seville and Granada can all be reached in between 1 and 2 hours. Alora (40km. from Malaga) lies on a rugged projection on the left of the road.

A visit to Alora, which, by the way, consists of a series of very steep slopes, is well worth it for many reasons. The village spreads over a neighbouring hill, on which an old Moorish castle stands. The whitewashed streets are sometimes lined with lemon trees and converge on a square in the lowest part, where a church towers. The power of this building is the backbone of the city. From there it is possible - on foot or by car - to climb to the castle where the cemetery of Alora is and from where there is a splendid panorama of the Guadalhorce river basin. Among the tombs there is a small Gothic chapel.

El desfilader (ravine) de los Gaitanes lies at a distance of 20km. from Alora. There, the Guadalhorce river begins its journey towards the sea between two breathtaking rock walls which are 40m. high at some points. Half way up one of the walls, there is a kind of footbridge called Camino del Rey -The Kings Walk-, but it is not sure whether it is safe to sue. The way continues towards the Guadalhorce reservoir. After less than a kilometre, there are signposts for El Chorro and for Bobastro, an interesting Mozarab church hewn out of the rock.

Skirting the reservoir from there for a short time (the reservoir should always be on the right), Ardales is reached shortly afterwards. This is a small village surrounded by corn fields and olive groves.

Carratraca lies at a distance of 7km. It's most outstanding feature is the old spa dating from 1847 and occupying a Neo-Classical building. The glazed tile patio with a pavilion in the centre still preserves, unchanged all the 19 century charm of this kind of establishment. It's only open in the summer. Near the spa there is the Town Hall occupying a Neo-Caliphal building with a more fantastic than historicist decoration.