El Chorro Rock Climbing

Located approximately 45 minutes from Málaga, El Chorro is one of the largest and most popular climbing destinations in Andalucía. Sport climbing tends to be the most popular, although long, multipitch, traditional lines exist. El Chorro is also home to the very popular el Camino del Rey which is used to access some of the climbing areas. youtube.com/watch?v=ZmDhRvv…

The rock is very pocketed limestone that is not always of the most confidence-inspiring quality. That is to say, most routes are well-traveled and quite clean, although one is bound to knock on a few hollow flakes. The limestone faces are typically vertical to off-vertical, but very steep routes do exist at a few of the crags. Like much of Spain, bolts are abundant and routes rarely feel runout.

Camping is possible, but hostels and bed & breakfasts are nearly the same price. There are a variety of options in the village of El Chorro, and other accommodations very near to the town. For more info about lodging check out the classifieds on UK Climbing .

There is a small grocery store in El Chorro, but if you need to stock up drive to Álora or buy before you leave Málaga.

El Chorro is a great Fall/Winter/Spring destination, as summers are very hot and shade is often difficult to find. Climbing in summer is doable, but expect temperatures to be in the 90's or greater and bring suntan lotion.

There are two quality guidebooks for the area. The first is "Málaga Rock Climbs - El Chorro", a spiral bound book that is written by a local climber. It is pretty good and available at the gear shop in El Chorro, but it would be helpful to know some Spanish. The other is from RockFax and is available from both their website and at the gear shop. However, take each with a grain of salt, as they both contain errors or a lack of information.