Fantastic hike. This was my second time going up El Cielo. Started at 1:30pm (which was late) however I stocked up with 5litres if water. Although heavy, it was much needed in the heat.Ascent took 4 hours with several 1 minute rests. The last 200 m are tough and there is some scrambling required.Descent took 2 and 1/2 hours. Note of caution in descending from the peak - I confused a goat track with the trial and wondered quite a bit off the path requiring me to go back up. Word of advice - keep an eye out for the trees and use them as landmarks in case you do wander off the trail.Views are amazing and is your reward.

Nice views from the top of the mountain!Its a hard climb up of 4 hours if you start in Maro. But worth it!

Its a big climb well worth doing

A must do thing. Quite long tho. 23km total, 7 hours if you take it slow. Come with proper shoes, food, water and a beer to drink on the top

Tired

Teriffic hike well marked. Goes through tremendous countryside with great views. The last 300 meters are tough. 8 hour round trip

Great hike and stunning views

Amazing views, mountain goats, lovely scenery. Good exercise.

Very nice but tough route because it is a constant climb, there are no flat sections.

Five star trail. Starting from the pine forest next to the door of the Nerja cave, a five-kilometer track begins that leads to the path, very easy to follow. It passes through a fabulous viewpoint where on clear days you can see the Granada and Malaga coast and Africa in the background. Once the path has been continued until reaching the peak of Heaven, the views expand, being able to see Sierra Nevada and a wide area of ​​the Tejera, Almijara and Alhama mountains. At the beginning of the descent, you have to be careful to return to the path you have reached, since it is easy to deviate through others that go to the left. Once on the descent path, it is just as easy to get to the starting point. Its positive slope of almost 1400 m. and the total distance to travel make it a route not suitable for beginners.

(ES / EN) TOP RouteThe route is very cool, it is a bit long considering the climb from the parking lot. If you go up from the El Pinarillo Recreational Area, it is much shorter because you save 5 kilometers (2.5 one way and 2.5 back). There are impressive views from which you can see the entire coast from Fuengirola to Motril, we had a fantastic day and the views were excellent.We go down the hill of the crescent, it is very steep, if you go down there you have to be very careful. If you have experience it is of normal difficulty.-------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------The route is very cool, it is a bit long considering the climb from the parking lot. If you go up from the El Pinarillo Recreational Area, it is much shorter because you save 5 kilometers (2.5 one way and 2.5 back). There are impressive views from which you can see the entire coast from Fuengirola to Motril, we had a fantastic day and the views were excellent.We go down the hill of the crescent, it is very steep, if you go down there you have to be very careful. If you have experience it is of normal difficulty.

On June 5, 2018. The vehicle access fence was already closed and I had to start the route in the caves of Nerja. The total route was 21 km. About 3 km. of track from the caves to the beginning of the signposted path. The stretch of trail was 15 km. (+ 6 km. To / from the car park).I started at 8.22 a.m. in the morning and finished at 4:08 p.m. Excluding all the time spent taking photos and admiring landscapes ... the effective walking time was 5.32h. at an average speed of 3.8 km / h.The advantage of starting early was avoiding the main heats on the way up, which was a good idea because once the sky was clear ... the sun was very hot on the way. And in the final section there is not a shadow of a shadow. It is advisable to choose a cloudy day in the morning and one that clears around noon. It allows you to take your photos and saves you sweat.The first part is more monotonous. Until you reach the Tajo de los Bueyes, where you can enjoy excellent views and take beautiful photos.From this point on, the climbing effort intensifies more and more. The vegetation changes progressively, the trees (and the shade) disappear and give way to the most common mountain bushes and blooms.The last couple of kilometers to the summit are arduous because the path is completely broken and you have to pay close attention not to stumble.The last meters require some help from your hands to climb, depending on which route you have chosen from the many possible ones.The summit occupies a large space with a cross and a geodesic vertex mark and allows formidable views of the coast to the south, of the Maroma mass to the west and of the Navachica summit to the north. If the day is clear you can get a good collection of photos and videos to immortalize your summit.You usually go back the same way, but I used a lesser known but very interesting variant. It consists of going down to what is known as Cuesta de la Media Luna. It is a section that measures about 600 m. straight ahead, but it gets pretty rough. There are signs (the typical stone piles) but they are very hidden because of the stony terrain that looks the same to the eyes. So there are very attentive and head towards a rocky wall that can be seen halfway between the summit and the slope. Upon reaching this wall, we follow it to the left and at the end we find a path that goes down. If we take as a reference a couple of tall pines that stand out in the background, it will be easier for us to complete the last section of this complicated but beautiful descent.From the Cuesta de la Media luna we take a left in a downward direction and we arm ourselves with patience and resistance. Because the downhill path is a real knee-breaker (and ankles), but of great scenic beauty.The path ends at the Las Higueras ravine where we turn left and continue until we reach the Coladilla ravine. We also follow this one to the left until a track. Here we take the opportunity to turn right and go up to the Esparto spring and cool off thoroughly in its good water.We continue along this track that leads to Frigiliana and after about 500 meters we take a detour to the left (signposted path) and cross the Barranco de la Coladilla and the recreational area of ​​Los Pinarillos.Now we continue descending the track and after about 2 km. We return to see the beginning of the trail that we take in the morning to climb the peak. Now we only have to travel the 3 km. back to the caves of Nerja.It is a good walk because physical fatigue is more than compensated for by the natural beauty of the places we cross. It is 100% worth it.

Unique views of the coast, much unevenness in such a short distance.

Very gentle climb up the lane at first and then stronger but worth the effort for the views.

Spectacular views from this location, the climb is one of the hardest I have ever done, but when you are at the top it is worth the effort.

Good climb to spend a great day in nature with friends

Quite challenging but probably so worthwhile. In my experience it is easier to find the way if you go counterclockwise, so start in the riverbed. The car can be parked in front of the Área Recreativa, at the starting point of the hike, directly on the gravel road. So at the end of the descent, you do not have to run uphill again or even to Maro. Provided of course the barrier to the nature park is not closed. Thus, it is then about 3 1/2 high and between 2-3 hours down again.

A super cool site! If you are in Nerja you have to visit it.

Several trails to get there, very beautiful and with different difficulties.

Recommended 100x100

Very good panorama can be seen from the top of the whole, as a curiosity at the top there is a geodesic vertex. The route is quite complicated.

Gorgeous views from above. Demanding climb, you have to be moderately physically prepared or dont even try. From the caves there are more than 1000 m of unevenness. Very stony and sloping terrain in the final section. Do not go up in summer because there is not even a shadow

Climbed by the hard slope of the sky but well signposted. Down the path of the Fuente del Esparto a true legbreaker. The views are distressing.

Beautiful landscapes!Rise from Nerkha caves 4.5 hours, descent3.5 years - without rest, average pace.I advise!

For walkers who want to enjoy the magnificent scenery.It is also very impressive to see from the same point Sierra Nevada and the Strait of Gibraltar

The views, the pure air and nature, I recommend it.

An impressive route, with magnificent views.

Very nice but very hard the way

Very hard for beginners XD

A magnificent peak, 1000 meters of unevenness. Good views of the sea and mountains

Very uncomfortable peak to climb, due to the loose sand that it has on its steep slope in the final section. But it offers magnificent views of the longitudinal profile of the Tejeda and Almijara mountains, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and the western or eastern coastal section.

Great effort that is worth it.

Hard but worth it

Beautiful hill with stealing nature

Hard climb, but spectacular views. Highly recommended

Beautiful route

A good place to walk

All the Tropical Coast of Granada ... from the peak of the Sky in Nerja ... Spain ...

Magnificent views, its worth the direct climb

The end is very deteriorated and to descend is dangerous

It has spectacular views of the coast

Spectacular views

Incredible