Andalucia, Spain logistics

I see trains on the Renfe website between El Chorro and Malaga, most taking less than an hour. They aren't super-frequent, but they may allow you to avoid paying for a private transfer for the second leg you've highlighted. Renfe doesn't like to show convoluted routes, so I don't know whether your only choice would be to return to Malaga before heading to Seville. (Maybe you need to look at an earlier date than you were researching?)

When you're in El Chorro, you're a lot closer to Ronda than you are to Seville, so I wonder about possibly changing the order of your itinerary. Although you might well decide you need a private transfer between El Chorro and Ronda, I think heading that way next would significantly simplify the rest of the trip from the standpoint of logistics. I think there may be infrequent trains to Seville, though (per Rome2Rio--see below).

Between Granada and Ronda I think your only choice is a bus. Edit: I was wrong about this. See post from CD in DC below.

I think there are buses and trains between Ronda and Malaga, but the train may well require a detour to and a change in Antequera.

I really dislike using Rome2Rio.com, because it so often coughs up asinine and/or incorrect information. However, Ronda alone is something of a challenge by public transportation, and when you want to include El Chorro, it becomes more difficult still. In this case Rome2Rio may help by allowing you to drill down to the names of bus companies serving the routes you're interested in. Just ignore what Rome2Rio says about fares, travel times and frequencies.

I am not trusting the results I am getting on Renfe right now--maybe they are updating or something. Hopefully one of the regulars will come along because I know there are bus routes if nothing else for some of these, but I am having trouble pinpointing schedules and I've researched this a lot, so I think something is up.
I think regardless, you will need to splash out for the transfer on arrival. I know after 30 hours of travel, that is definitely what I would do! In my household, we have a saying, "that's what money is for" and you have every reason to make this arrival easier on yourselves.

Ronda to Malaga should be a bus, and I'd have no worries about this. Sorry I could not find a better website, but here is one indication of this route: https://www.grupopacopepe.com/horarios/

Malaga airport to El Chorro is just over an hour by car. To me, and just my opinion, this is a case where having a rental car would make life easier since you wouldn’t need to depend on sporadic transportation schedules. Getting from your lodging in El Chorro to the Caminito walk is 6 miles. With a car you could go straight from the walk to Sevilla or Ronda without having to backtrack to some places with a train or bus station.

Yes, you would need to pay for parking at most places, but that would be offset by the time saved not having to transfer between buses and trains, and sitting around bus and train stations.

Could you get there a day earlier? lol If you only had time to shake off that jet lag, I agree driving would make parts of your trip easier BUT... driving after 30 hours of travel is not something I could sign off on. I'd have trouble even navigating a bus station at that point.
If we can find the last bit, Granada to Ronda, then that might leave you with just El Chorro to Sevilla to negotiate, and a driver after hiking all morning might be nice.
It looks to be Alsa for Granada buses:
https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/destination/granada

ETA Now we need someone who can figure out how to get that search to work where you don't have to pass through Malaga from Granada to Ronda, the other route looks easier.

We have used SunTransfers several times in Spain for private transfers, including from Malaga airport. We have found them to be very reliable and professional, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Putting in a random date in February, a private transfer for 2 people for AGP=>El Chorro comes in around 98 euro.

Agree with @jaimeelsabio that a car is the way to go, and with @acraven that it makes more sense to go to Ronda directly after you hike the El Caminito del Rey. Ronda was a miss for us, though — very crowded, touristy and unwelcoming. Instead, we found Malaga to be lovely.

Renfe shows trains from Granada to Ronda at 6:36 am 13:30 pm and 19:25 pm. Trainline shows some additional ones but with much longer connection times.

You should be seeing direct trains from El Chorro to Seville at 1003, arrive 1234, 1417 arrive 1643 and 1801, arrive 2029 (all direct) and 1639 arrive 2022. (via and change at Malaga).

Also Granada to Ronda at 0656 (that one has a very long connection at Antequera), 1320 arrive 1620, and 1925 arrive 2207. Those have a 49 and 38 minute connection respectively at Antequera Santa Ana.

Ronda to Malaga trains are at 0747, arrive 1000, 1215 arrive 1456 and 1753 arrive 1952, all with sensible connections at Antequera Santa Ana.
From Malaga Maria Zambrano take the frequent RENFE Cercanias (local commuter) train to the Airport.

The trains may not yet be for sale, 2 months out, but that is what the trains will be.

There is also supposed to be a bus from El Chorro to the Camanito del Rey every 30 minutes- https://www.caminodelrey.es/bus-services-for-the-caminito-del-rey/

So apart from the Airport to El Chorro legs the other 3 parts work well to me.

PS- The way I travel I would want to see the most scenic part of the Ronda rail line, so thus take the 1120 train from Ronda to Algeciras (arrive 1319) or 1214 (arrive 1354) then the Avanza bus direct from Algeciras to Malaga Airport at 1445 direct to Malaga Airport- arriving at 1720. This is one case when to me speed isn't everything.

For #3, it seemed to me that buses with a connection in Malaga was
the most direct way to get from Ronda to Granada.

For #4, there are direct buses (obviously, if you read between the lines
re #3) between Ronda and Malaga if time is the priority.

Thank you all for your suggestions! Still not sure what exactly we will do. We may rent a car from Granada to Ronda and then on to Malaga. That solves LP 3&4. I’m pretty sure we will use a private transfer for LP1. Hoping we can get a train from EL Chorro to Seville.

Tammy,

Following up on your ticketing I see that RENFE are now open to February 22- opening on a daily basis two months out so at least El Chorro to Seville is now available.

Here's a link to information regarding the trains from Malaga to El Chorro. Recently, the frequency has increased with the addition of some commuter (C2) lines.

https://www.renfe.com/es/en/travel/prepare-your-trip/trains-mid-distance-avant/servicios-proximidad#:~:text=Malaga%2DEl%20Chorro%2DCaminito%20del%20Rey

I know that there are trains between El Chorro and Seville. The train we took from Malaga to El Chorro continued onto Seville. El Chorro was just one of it's stops. I don't think the trains are frequent, but they exist. They will be your MD (Mid-Distance) trains.

I used the Omio site to search on available trains and then booked with Renfe. I found Omio easier to see what was available, more user friendly.