Helicopters and zip lines used to build Spain's longest suspension bridge in Malaga

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The 110-metre structure at Caminito del Rey is nearing completion, offering a new thrill for the iconic trail’s 10th anniversary

Antonio M. Romero

Málaga

Friday, 6 March 2026, 15:59

The Caminito del Rey is set to reinforce its status as a global adventure destination with the installation of a new 110-metre-long suspension bridge.

Once completed, it will be the largest pedestrian suspension bridge in Spain, hanging 50 metres above the ground near the El Chorro tunnel and the historic iron railway bridge in Álora.

A feat of vertical engineering

Due to the inaccessible terrain of the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge, the construction process is exceptionally complex:

• Airborne logistics: Heavy lifting is managed via helicopters, which transport sections of the 38-tonne structure to the site.

• Vertical work: Specialised workers from the firm Sando utilise zip lines and climbing gear to install the bridge's 17 tonnes of steel and wood components.

• Smart infrastructure: The project includes 300 metres of new paths, fibre optics, high-definition surveillance cameras, and a new control centre.

Malaga-based company Sando is responsible for the installation, worth 1.5 million euros. The budget comes from the Caminito's own revenue, thanks to the three million visitors that hace walked it since the path's reopening in 2015.

Although there is still no opening date for the new bridge, work is progressing. The terrain presents certain complications, such as naturally occurring fractures in the rock.

The new suspension bridge also involves the creation of 300 metres of new path, railings, fibre optics, surveillance cameras, a control hut, silvicultural treatment, planting and irrigation.

The total structure will weigh 38 tonnes, of which 17 tonnes will be the new bridge. With such figures, it is no surprise that the assembly and installation require the use of helicopters.

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Head of the provincial authority Francisco Salado says that the modifications of the Caminito respect "the natural site", with safety being a "priority".

Salado also highlights the tourist impact of the Caminito del Rey. Thanks to it, the number of accommodation establishments in the area has quadrupled in the last decade. In addition, the site has created 658 jobs and it generates an economic impact of 64 million euros.