The Camino Experience

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Episode 12 of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast has a lot of detailed information to assist you as you determine with whom you will walk the Camino. As promised, here are the lists of questions I shared . . .

First, here are the questions to answer for yourself before you start to contact tour companies to arrange your Camino trip:

• How much time do you have for your entire trip?
• How many days do you want to walk during the trip?
• How far can you and do you want to walk in a day?
• What is your overall budget?
• What class of accommodations do you require? Do you need / want private bathrooms, or are you okay to share the one down the hall with other guests?
• Do you want to have all of your accommodations booked in advance?
• Do you want any or all of your meals prearranged?
• Do you want a guide for the entire trip?
• Do you want a support vehicle available at all times?
• Do you want to be met at the airport or are you comfortable getting yourself to a starting point on your own?
• Are you comfortable being locked into a set itinerary?

Next, if you are planning to walk the Camino with a friend, partner, family member, or group of friends, here are the questions I shared that will guide you in getting to know each other and to craft your team Camino experience.

• What is your walking pace? How often do you need / want to stop for a break?
• How far can you walk in a day? How far do you want to walk each day? Is it the same for both people or everyone in the group?
• Do you need to be together on the trail at all times? Are you okay meeting at various stops throughout the day or at the end of the day? Or, are you okay splitting up for a day or more at a time?
• What are your needs in terms of where you sleep? Are you okay with shared, mixed-gender dorm rooms, or do you require private sleeping accommodations? Do you need private bathroom facilities, or are you okay sharing with others?
• If you are staying in shared dorm rooms, how often do you need / want an upgrade to a private room?
• What is your budget for accommodations?
• How much time do you have for the overall trip? If it’s not the same, can one of you join the walk in-progress? Or is it better to start together and one of you go home before finishing?
• If you plan to start and finish together and one person can’t or doesn’t want to finish, how will you handle that?
• What is your budget for food? Is anyone on a ‘picnic budget’, while another wants to eat exclusively in restaurants?
• Does anyone have any special dietary needs or restrictions?
• Do you have the same needs for and understanding of what a ‘rest day’ is?
• How will you handle injury or illness? Do you both stop walking? Does one person continue on while the injured or sick person stops for care?
• What if you are an introvert and your walking partner is an extrovert (or vice versa)? How will you balance and respect each person’s interaction-needs?
• Does anyone speak Spanish? If yes, is that person willing to be the translator for the team?

And finally, here are a few of my favorite resources for planning and preparing for the Camino:
Note: I am constantly updating this list, so do check back!

Ivar in Santiago’s English-language forum: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/-/list

Facebook groups:

There are many (many!) Facebook groups and pages related to the Camino de Santiago. A simple search will yield this list below plus many more.

CAMIGAS – originally started as a buddy system for women walking the Camino, but it has grown into a wonderful resource of women supporting women. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaminoBuddySystemForWomen

American Pilgrims: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanPilgrims

American Pilgrims, specifically for cyclists: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1613951108857050

General planning and Q & A: https://www.facebook.com/groups/elcaminodesantiago

Slow Strollers on the Camino, for those who want to walk short distances each day: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1747534628823550

Vegetarians and Vegans on the Camino: https://www.facebook.com/groups/202518663576649

Women of a Certain Age (WOACA) on the Camino: https://www.facebook.com/groups/woacathecamino

For the Camino Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/groups/952907124738781

Guidebooks:

Moon Guidebook “Camino de Santiago” by Beebe Bahrami
A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago, by John Brierley
Buen Camino: Tips from a Winter Pilgrim, by Anne Born

To purchase on of these guidebooks, click here.