Es Salt des Freu waterfall walk in Mallorca

This is one of the easiest and most spectacular walks on the island. After all these years of running the website, it is still the route our readers look up most often.

The walk starts a short distance from the village of Orient. One way to get there is from Bunyola: after climbing through the mountains and descending again, you reach a country estate where you will often see cars parked beside the road.

The first challenge is finding somewhere to park, especially on busy days. There is no designated car park at the start of the walk. From here, look for a wooden sign reading “Santa Maria: 2 h 40 min”. Don’t let that put you off: Es Salt des Freu is only about 20–30 minutes from this sign, along a beautiful path beside the estate and an impressive meadow.

The path is stony in places, so we do not recommend bringing a pushchair. We also think a baby carrier can be awkward: you have to cross two fences using small stepped stiles, and parts of the path become slippery in rainy weather. The relatively short distance can make this a good option for children who already walk, although mud and wet stones make the route harder. This stretch is often muddy, so we recommend walking boots with a good grip.

At the end of the path, a small fence with steps brings you down to the stream. The amount of water varies with the season, and this determines how easy it is to cross. This is the children’s favourite part: hopping from stone to stone to keep their feet dry, with the risk of ending up in the water. If the flow is too strong to cross safely, do not attempt it.

Once you have crossed, you are almost there: the waterfall, or “Salt”, is just a short distance along a path leading downhill. You can see it from above, then gradually make your way down the slope for different views until you reach the bottom, the busiest area and the spot where some of the best photographs are taken. If you are lucky, you may see experienced canyoners abseiling down the waterfall.

All that remains is to find a pleasant spot for lunch, if you wish, while the children continue enjoying this spectacular setting.

We return along the same path we followed on the way out.

Walk details