At almost 780km long the Camino Frances can be split into stages, we offer the route in 5 (week long) sections. You can walk each of the stages individually over a period of months or years or combine them to walk the entire route in one push for the complete Camino experience.
STAGE 1— ST JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT TO LOGRONO
Your journey starts in St Jean Pied de Port, which straddles the French and Spanish border, crossing the Pyrenees your first day will undoubably be the toughest day of the whole Camino. The steep climb up to Roncesvalles is demanding but will be graced with stunning views all around. Leaving Roncesvalles you cross mountain passes through beech and oak woods alongside the River Arga. The high mountains and deep valleys of the Pyrenees soon give way to the undulating plain that surrounds the fortress town of Pamplona.
As you approach Pamplona the landscape changes and becomes urban but upon leaving you will notice the change in flora and fauna. The route to Estella passes through olive trees and small towns, and from Villamayor de Monjardin to Los Arcos you will walk 12km without passing a town or village. As you approach Logrono, the regional capital, you cross into the well know wine growing region of the Rioja. Logrono is a large town today of 120,000 but owes it's development to the camino and the old town is laid out along the line of the Camino.
STAGE 2—LOGRONO TO BURGOS
The first part of this stage is relatively easy and the landscape is dominated by vinyards, as you head towards Santa Domingo country roads dominate and you pass mountain ranges to the north and south. The camino then takes you through crop fields with small brooks and oak woods until you reach the Oca Mountains. As you reach Burgos you make your way down into the valley of the Pico river and then you reach the town.
STAGE 3—BURGOS TO LEON
Crop field dominate the landscape on the first part of this stage and there are not many trees in view. The river Pisuerga brings you in to Palencia and into the Tierra de Campos with the immense plains. As you head on to Carrion de los Condos you follow the path alongside the road and is very open all around you. Heading into the countryside of Leon you pass the valley of the river Esla, as you reach Portillo Hill you will be able to make out the stunning city of Leon.
STAGE 4—LEON TO O’CEBREIRO
As you leave the plateau of Leon you will see the Leon mountains up ahead as you head to Astorga. This part of the countryside is characterised by broom, heather, oak trees and conifer plantations. You continue your acent towards Mount Irago before making your way down to the wealthy area of Bierzo. The final stage is challenging and involves a steep climb to O Cebreiro in the course of only a few Km.
STAGE 5—O’CEBREIRO/SARRIA TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
This final stage passes through the sierra of Ranadoiro and descends into the valley to Triacastela. You pass through many hamlets dotted along cultivated land in the direction of the great river Mino to Portomarin. Pine groves and Eucalyptus trees can be seen as you enter the farming region of Ulloa. As you enter the province of A Coruna the landscape changes as the woodlands begin to disappear and you will soon see the spires of the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in front of you.
CAMINO DE SANTIAGO—THE ENTIRE WALK
If you are feeling up for a challenge and have time to spare then why not combine all the sections and walk the whole Camino in 35 days. This walk will provide you with an immense sense of achievement and the places and people you meet will keep you talking about it for years to come.
Walking non-stop for 35 days can be a bit much for some people so we have included 2 extra rest days aloing the way and an extra night in Santiago at the end.
Time of Year
The Camino is best enjoyed from March to October but you can walk at any time of year. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans and you will find up to date availability on our website.
Additional Nights
There is so much to see and do along the route that many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk either as a rest day or simply to do some extra sightseeing. If you are walking the whole route solo try not to add too many extra nights along the way as you will lose touch with those you have met.
Fewer Nights
It is possible to walk the Camino in less time but we would not recommend this.
Accommodation
The accommodation in Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon and Santiago de Compostela will be in 3 star hotels, the rest will be a mixture of rural hotels and hostels all with private rooms and en-suite. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially in high season. Below you will find a list of the accommodation we regularly use which will give you a good idea of the standard of accommodation: View Accommodation Details
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
The Camino is available to solo walkers at a single supplement.
Compostela/Pilgrims Passport
The pilgrims passport is issued by the church of St James, you can obtain one at the start of your walk in the pilgrims office or the local church in town. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants and hotels along the way. At the end of the walk in Santiago you can obtain your Compostela Certificate (only if you have walked the last 100km). For the other sections of the trail, the passport is used as a souvenir with all the colourful stamps you will receive.
Meals
A local continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options. Every place you stop will have evening meals available, you can get a pilgrims menu for about 10 euros which includes 3 couses, wine and water!
Baggage Transfer (Optional)
We can arrange for your bags to be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. This is an additional cost and is an option as part of the booking process.
Clothing & Equipment
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothes, waterproofs and a day pack.
Hotel Jakue - Puente la Reina
The Hotel Jakue has spacious, bright and comfortable rooms. Equipped with air conditioning and plasma screen makes this hotel a relaxing stop on the camino
Husa Arlanzon - Burgos
This hotel is centrally located and very close to the beautiful cathedral in Burgos. It offers clean and modern facilities with a relaxed atmosphere.
Hostal Boccalino - Leon
The Hostal Boccalino provides comfortable and cosy rooms all with en-suite shower rooms, ideal for a stop on the Camino.
La Posada de Gaspar - Rabanal del Camino
La Posada de Gaspar is a rural Hotel in Rabanal del Camino, it dates back to the 17th century and was originally a pilgrims hostel. It offers a peaceful overnight location after walking.
Pension Teodora - Arzua
The Casa Teodora is centrally located in the small village of Arzua on the Camino. There are restaurnats nearby for a pilgrims feast after a hard days walking.
Hotel MV Algalia - Santiago de Compostala
Nestled in the heart of the medieval city, this hotel creates a wonderful and relaxed end to the pilgrimage. It is within easy reach of the cathedral.
Getting to/from Northern Spain/France
Ryanair now fly to a few destinations in Northern Spain and South West France. They fly from Stanstead to Santiago de Compostela.
Leon are cities all with small airports mainly connecting through Madrid and Barcelona Airports. There are also good links by train and bus.
In all cases we will provide you with detailed information on travel to the start of your walk.
We have put together a blog on our website that has more indepth travel information for the Camino de Santiago. Please click on the
following link to access this information Camino de Santiago Travel Blog
Commiting to the Camino (especially in one go) is a big commitment and you will undoubtably have a huge number of questions and queries.
I hope the answers below will go some way to answering your queries, alternatively I would strongly suggest you visit the Camino Forum or Camino de Santiago website which have a wealth of information on the Camino.
How fit do I need to be?
The average daily distance of our Camino tours are between 20 and 25 kilometers and you can expect to walk for between five and eight hours each day. You should do as much walking as possible prior to your walk as this will simply add to your enjoyment. That said if you are not at peak fitness you will find you will soon walk yourself fit.
What type of trails does the Camino follow?
A mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There will always be other walkers around incase you are looking for help.
How far in advance do I need to book?
We suggest you book as far in advance as possible as the Camino is extremely popular especially in Holy Years (when 25 July is on a Sunday - 2010) when numbers rise by up to 100 000 people. We will always try and accommodate late bookings but realistically you need to book at least 6 weeks prior to departure.
Why is baggage transfer optional?
Only a small number of walkers utilise our baggage transfer service on the Camino. As you are staying in hotels, rural hotels and hostels if you look carefully at what you need you will find you can cut down your pack to about 10kg and this is perfectly comfortable to wear when walking. You will of course have to wash clothes etc occasionally to keep comfortable. If you would prefer a lighter load and a range of clothes our baggage transfer service is a great option and cuts down on the washing.
When is the best time of year?
I would recommend April/May when the spring flowers are at there best and September/October when the colours are just lovely. June, July and August can be very hot if you are not used to walking in the heat while the temperatures can fall sharply in the winter with some accommodation closing down for the end of season.
What happens if I can’t walk a stage?
Public transport and taxis are available, if you are need of support our local partner in Spain will be more that happy to help.
Can I change my itinerary once I start walking?
Unfortunately we are unable to change your accommodation bookings and itinerary once you start walking as alternative accommodation is generally not available at such short notice.
The Camino de Santiago is available all year round and recommended in the months coloured green. To make a provisional reservation select "Book" for the section you are interested in. Option prices will be displayed as part of the booking process.
Because every Camino we book is unique availability changes from day to day and our booking process works as follows:
- You provisionally book the tour/s you are interested in on your preferred dates and pay a 20% deposit online or by phone.
- We confirm availability and book all your accommodation and options and send final confirmation as soon as everything is confirmed (max 5 working days).
- If we are unable to accommodate you on your confirmed dates/tour or an alternative of your choice your deposit is fully refunded.
Available
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Code |
Tour Name |
Duration |
Grade |
From |
Book |
| WSPSCDSfull |
Full Camino - St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago |
40 Days & 39 Nights |
|
£2185 |
Book |
Included:
- Accommodation in small rural hotels and hostels, twin/double rooms with en-suite W/C.
- A detailed information pack for the group leader including route notes, maps and local information.
- Camino guide book.
- Emergency support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem.
Excluded:
- Return travel to France/Spain.
- Lunches, snacks or drinks.
- Travel Insurance.
- Personal Equipment.
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.
Options:
- Daily door to door baggage transfer.
- Additional nights accommodation along the way.
- Single supplements.
