The famous Monkey Rock of Gibraltar

There isn’t a vacationer in the Bay of Algecira who doesn’t want to see this place – the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar. Is it really worth it or is it just a lot of fuss about a rock?

Gibraltar is a peninsula on the north side of the Strait of Gibraltar. This is the closest point between Europe and Africa. At 6.5 km², the peninsula is not large and belongs to the British Overseas Territories. It consists of a flat area and on the eastern side a steep, spectacular limestone cliff rises up to a height of 426 meters. This is commonly known as the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar.

The Rock of Gibraltar, also known as the Upper Rock, is the real attraction of the peninsula. It is criss-crossed by numerous tunnels that once served as defenses and is the habitat of over 250 Barbary apes.

Since 1993, almost the entire mountain has been a designated nature reserve. Not only the monkeys are to be protected. The Monkey Rock of Gibraltar is also a resting place for numerous migratory birds and some plants grow there, such as the Iberis gibraltarica, which can only be found there.

How do you get to the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar?

Before you set off to discover the rock, you should decide how you want to get up there, how much time you have available and what you want to discover up there.

A large area of the rock is a nature reserve. If you want to go inside, you have to pay. It is possible to purchase an entrance ticket for the nature reserve only. With this ticket, it is also possible to visit the Great Siege Tunnel, the World War II Tunnel and St. Michaels Cave, for example. Many of the signposted hiking trails are also only accessible with an admission ticket.

Climbing the mountain on foot

Certainly the cheapest, but also the most strenuous way to discover the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar is to explore the mountain on foot. All you need is a ticket for the nature reserve.

A path winds steeply uphill from the urban area. Most of the time you walk on asphalt roads. However, there are also some unpaved paths that lead even steeper uphill.

We experienced some of the paths on our hike down into the valley and I have to admit, I wouldn’t have liked to walk up them. Even on our route, we sometimes had to climb back up the other side of sections that we had just walked downhill to reach the valley.

Traveling by car with a tour operator

As soon as you enter Gibraltar, after the border control, there are the first tour operators advertising a ride up the mountain. A tempting offer, especially if you don’t have much time. As soon as all the seats are taken, the minivans drive up and down the mountain on a set route. This saves you having to walk to the famous Cabel Car (cable car), queue at the cable car and walk up the mountain.

It’s actually a great idea. I think most visitors who choose this route also find it a good idea. However, what I see as a major disadvantage is that the tour operator does drive to the individual places and viewpoints, such as the caves and tunnels, and also makes a short photo stop. However, there is no time to explore the places in more detail. We saw some visitors who had booked the tour but didn’t see/understand/know this aspect and then got off and continued on foot.

This type of tour would certainly be very interesting for us if we wanted to get an overview in as short a time as possible or if it was simply not possible to explore the mountain or even just parts of it on foot.

Taking the cable car up to the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar

The third option was exactly the right choice for us. We took the cable car (Cabel Car) up the mountain.

We thought long and hard about whether we should buy the tickets in advance. We were in Gibraltar in November and, unlike in summer, there were very few visitors. So we decided to get there as early as possible when the cable car opened in the morning and hope that we wouldn’t have to queue for ages. We were lucky, no queue at the ticket office and no queue at the cable car.

There are 3 different ticket options:

• Ascent and descent:
  You can only visit the restaurant in the mountain station and the viewing platform next to it. In addition, you can walk a few meters into the nature reserve on paved paths, see some monkeys at a feeding station before a ticket check for the nature reserve takes place.
• Ascent and descent including nature reserve:
  With this option, the visitor can visit the entire nature reserve and the additional sightseeing locations, such as the tunnels of Gibraltar or St Michael’s Cave. The ticket also includes the ascent and descent on the cable car.
• Ascent and nature reserve:
  For us, this ticket was the ideal choice. After the trip up the Monkey Rock, we were able to explore the nature reserve. As the sightseeing points are located in such a way that you can easily reach all of them by walking downhill, you would have had to climb back up the mountain to be able to use the descent. So we were able to walk the last few meters down to the valley in comfort

The prices for the tickets vary. We have listed them in our visitor information.

Ride on the cable car

The lower station is located next to the Alameda Gardens at the southern end of Main Street. The cable car takes us to the top station on the Rock of Gibraltar in 6 minutes.

You stand in the cabins of the cable car and to be honest, it can get quite cramped. The operators naturally try to transport as many people as possible at once. We were lucky enough to be one of the first passengers to enter the cable car cabin. This allowed us to stand right next to one of the open windows and take photos. Anyone standing in the middle can only hope to catch a glimpse.

The view of the bay of Algecira was simply stunning this morning! The fog was still hanging over the water and some of the ships anchored there were barely visible. As we sailed higher and higher, the entire bay gradually became visible and we were also able to admire parts of Gibraltar from above.

Then the ride slowed down and the mountain station came into view. I was still so busy taking photos that I only reacted after a warning. The first monkey of the day was sitting right at the mountain station and skilfully jumped onto the cable car cabin. If I hadn’t had the presence of mind to take the camera away from the open window, the monkey would have photographed the tourists in future. I was now forewarned and much more careful from then on.

Viewing platform and restaurant

The mountain station contains not only the arrival area of the cable car but also a fairly large restaurant. We were drawn to the viewing platform after reading up on the safety tips and rules of conduct for Barbary apes on a sign.

The viewing platform, which is divided into three terraces, is free to enter and offers a wonderful view over the region. Each terrace faces in a different direction and so it is possible to see Europe and Africa, Spain, Great Britain and Morocco and the Strait of Gibraltar. I found the view truly unique and unforgettable! It’s worth visiting Gibraltar for that alone.

The monkey rock and its monkeys

What would a visit to a monkey rock be without seeing monkeys? So we set off to discover the Rock of Gibraltar and its animal visitors.

The tailless Barbary macaques live all over the rock. They are wild animals that are fed in some places. No matter how cute they look, you must not forget that they are not tame. Unfortunately, there are always visitors who want to take photos with the monkeys and forget to do so. The animals react very differently. Sometimes they play along and pose for the camera, sometimes they are visibly annoyed and then they put up a fight. We saw a monkey grab the cell phone of a very pushy tourist and throw it down the slope. I would say bad luck.

In general, however, the animals are very friendly. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. We were able to watch them playing in the trees, feeding and on the street. They left our baseball caps alone, our camera was of no interest – but we also kept our distance so that they never felt threatened. I really enjoyed watching the animals and sometimes I had the feeling that the monkeys were sitting in the trees and watching us just as enthusiastically.

What else can you see on the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar?

We went on a short hike through the nature reserve and visited some of the highlights that are included in the ticket price.

Skywalk

A place you’d rather not visit if you’re afraid of heights. The Skywalk is located around 340 meters above sea level. It was built on old walls from the Second World War. The floor and parapet are made of 4 layers of laminated glass (with a total thickness of approx. 4.2 cm). This not only allows an unrestricted view into the depths, but also a breathtaking view of the sea and the rocks.

The number of visitors is limited to 50 people at a time, although according to some sources on the internet, about 340 people can stand there at the same time. Admittedly, I was quite glad that we were all alone there. A glass floor is a bit scary, even if the view did distract me a little.

O’Hara’s Battery

At the highest point of the rock is one of the many defense stations built by the British Army. Today it is no longer in use and can be visited.

Here you can learn about the defense system in a small exhibition and visit some of the rooms that were carved into the rock. But don’t be claustrophobic. The corridors are really narrow.

There is still a huge cannon on the outside grounds, which can be viewed very closely.

The place is named after General Charles O’Hara, who was governor of Gibraltar from 1795 to 1802.

St. Michael’s Cave

St. Michael’s Cave is certainly one of the most impressive sights in Gibraltar. It can only be visited with a ticket for the nature reserve.

The cave is located around 300 meters above sea level and was formed by centuries of rainwater eroding the limestone. This has led to karstification of the rock, which has also resulted in the formation of numerous stalactite formations.

The existence of the cave has apparently been known for many centuries. For example, cave paintings dating back around 15-20 thousand years have been found. According to one legend, the cave was an entrance to the underworld for Hades and another legend even claims that the cave reaches as far as Morocco. The monkeys living on Gibraltar are said to have travelled to Europe this way.

Contrary to the legends, it is certain that the cave was already being used for parties, concerts and as a duelling ground in the 19th century. The first excavations took place in 1867, during which bone needles and pottery, for example, were found.

The cave has also been used for military purposes over the years. In 1704, for example, 500 Spanish soldiers hid there to carry out a surprise attack. During the Second World War, the plan was to set up a military hospital there. The soldiers created a second entrance to improve air circulation. Lower St Michael’s Cave was discovered during the blasting, but the hospital was never built.

If you visit St Michael’s Cave today, you will be guided along a well-developed visitor path. The stalactites are really huge and form the most interesting shapes. There are small signs with names such as Cathedral or Angel, which can also be recognised in the stone formation if you look very closely. I was particularly attracted by the beautiful lighting. The stalactites are illuminated by colourful lights that are constantly changing. I sometimes had the feeling that the shape of the stone changed with every colour change.

The largest chamber is known as the Cathedral Cave because of its special acoustics. Theatre performances and musical events for around 400 spectators take place here on certain occasions.

Queen’s Balcony

Following our hiking trail, we next reached a viewpoint known as Queen’s Balcony. Queen Elizabeth once stood here with her husband looking out over the bay.

Windsor Suspension Bridge on the Rock of Gibraltar

One of the somewhat newer tourist attractions on the Monkey Mountain of Gibraltar is a suspension bridge. This is 71 metres long and leads over a 50 metre deep gorge.

Fortunately, the bridge hardly wobbles and so we were able to cross to the other side in peace. If you prefer solid ground under your feet, you don’t have to turn round. There is a path that leads directly along the rock face around the small gorge.

The wall of Charles V

If you continue along the hiking trail, you will notice a large wall. Charles V’s wall was built around 1552 in the centre of Gibraltar. It led up to the mountain ridge. Some sections have been preserved to this day and for some years now it has even been possible to walk along the walls. For those in good physical condition, this is the most direct route up the mountain!

There is another monkey feeding point very close to the wall.

World War II Tunnel and Great Siege Tunnel

The two most famous tunnel systems in Gibraltar can be visited today. The Great Siege Tunnel is an old tunnel system, while the World War II Tunnel was built during the Second World War. Both tunnels are well worth a visit. If you would like to find out more, you should read our article “The tunnels of Gibraltar“.

Moorish Castle

Our last port of call during our hike on the Monkey Rock of Gibraltar was Moorish Castle. This is still within the nature reserve and admission is included in the ticket price for the nature reserve. The fortress was one of the defences built during the Moorish period. The first structure dates back to around 711, but has been destroyed and rebuilt over the years.

Here you can climb the Tower of Homage. The upper part of the tower contains former living quarters and a Moorish bath. A great view rounds off the hike.

Visitor information

Good to know