Camino Stage 1 & 2 St Jean-Pied-de-Port to Burgos
- Begin at the official start point of the Camino Frances, St Jean Pied de Port in France
- Cross over the Pyrenees and the French/Spanish border on foot into the town of Roncesvalles
- Overnight in Pamplona and Burgos - two of Northern Spain's most historic heritage cities
- Meeting fellow pilgrims, hearing their stories and travel tips along the way
- Enjoy the wine and vineyards Logroño - the capital of the Rioja wine region
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in St. Jean Pied de Port and overnightYour journey starts in St Jean Pied de Port, which straddles the French and Spanish border.
This comfortable Hotel is located very centrally in St Jean Pied De Port at the start of the Pilgrimage route to Santiago. It provides clean and comfortable accommodation for walkers before they begin their journey.
The toughest section stage 1, with a steep climb to the Roncesvalles. Then pass across the Pyrenees on a route called Ruta Imperial (Imperial Route). You will be rewarded with wonderful panoramic mountain views and a great sense of achievement. An alternative route is available along the valley for those who prefer a more gentle option.
This Hostal is recommended in the Michelin Guide. It is a 16th century mansion which has been completely renovated to accommodate pilgrims on their walk. The restaurant provides local Basque cuisine and can sit up to 130 people.
From Roncesvalles, you will cross two further mountain passes before continuing through beech and oak woods alongside the River Arga to the small village of Akerreta
Hotel Akerreta is a small family run bed and breakfast. The stone walled house still has many of its original features with its bread ovens and enormous wooden oak beams.
At first following the River Arga along shaded paths, today’s walk then starts to get slightly busier as you head towards Pamplona as you follow busy main roads into the city.
Pamplona is a beautiful city lined with medieval streets and famous for the running of the bulls festival which takes place one a year where daring men and women tear through the streets chased by bulls. Be prepared to enter a hustling and bustling city, quite the opposite to the Camino.
Hotel Eslava is a large hotel with 15 double rooms and 13 single rooms, all with bathrooms and many have great views over the city.
After the first 5km along suburban roads, you are soon back in the countryside. From Cizur Menor, a climb takes you through a field of wind turbines, with wonderful views back over Pamplona. The Arga valley then opens up ahead as you descend down to Puente la Reina.
This delightfully restored house offers comfortable accommodation for walkers. Its rustic charm is very appealing.
Walking through rolling farmland and vineyards will bring you to Estella, please be aware that there are few trees along this path and therefore nowhere to seek shelter from the sun.
There are also a few examples of Roman roadway on this section from Cirauqui to Lorca, especially where the majority of the track is along such roman roadways. The first section will have three steep climbs up to hilltop villages before you descend into Estella.
A friendly, family run hotel on the outskirts of Estella.
The majority of your walk today will take you along beautiful natural paths, starting with the first section up to Monjardin. You will have magnificent views southward of the alternative route and Luquin, both route options join for the last section to Los Arcos.
The Hostal Suetxe is a small hotel which offers rustic charm and clean, comfortable accommodation.
Wander along natural paths leading you through arable farmland, please be aware that there is little shade along this stretch and make sure you adequately protected against the sun. Today's day is a long one and contains some short but steep sections into the rio Linares and Cornava river valleys.
Just before entering Logrono you will pass through the region of La Rioja which is renowned for the wine it produces, make sure you try a glass with your dinner!
The Hotel Gran Vía is located in the main street of the capital of La Rioja in one of the many retail and leisure areas, just a few minutes from the old quarters and the famous street Calle del Laurel.
Walking out of Logrono you will be walking along fast-moving traffic via Parque S. Miguel on asphalted paths. There have been ongoing roadworks which can cause adjustments to the route taking you out of the city, please stay alert and follow the shells.
On your way, you will pass the alberges in Navarrete and Ventosa before reaching Najera as you continue your walk on the red soil of La Rioja.
It is a small hotel and has recently been renovated and refurbished with great taste.
Follow wide country roads through gently undulating farmland as you embark on a gradual ascent from Najera to Ciruena, stop in Azofra before you start the climb.
Once you have reached Ciruena there is a gentle 5km descent into Santa Domingo de la Calzada. The historic town of Santa Domingo is lined with medieval streets and grand buildings, including the 12th century Romanesque and Gothic cathedral.
The Mill Hostel Floren is a former watermill, restored and carefully decorated.
Be prepared to spend most of your day walking along the busy N-120 and the A-12, two busy roads which will have an effect on your enjoyment of walking. The alternative path still offers an alternative if you wish to try and avoid some of the road walking.
Despite the roads, you will have an opportunity to wander through small villages along the way and admire the local history which can be traced back to Roman times.
This B&B is very comfortable with lots of rustic charm. Many of the rooms have wooden beams and stone walls and there is an outside terrace.
Leave the Belorado via its suburbs on a path running parallel to the N-120. The countryside opens up as you make your way in the direction of Atapuerca.
Halfway along this stage, you will 'climb' the mountains of Villafranca Montes de Oca along a path shaded by oak and pine trees before descending into the remote pilgrim village of St John the Nettle.
This place offers clean, comfortable accommodation on the route of the Camino.
Walk into the city of Burgos, there are various routes you can take and therefore familiarise yourself with your options from the information pack.
After spending time on the Camino big city life can come as a shock and you will be walking along roads to get into the city. Burgos is a stunning city and when you arrive you will be able to appreciate the city's buildings and their artefacts. Burgos is an architectural jewel, filled with monuments worthy of exploring.
A modern and quiet hotel, located in the traditional neighbourhood of San Agustin, close to the cathedral of Burgos, the Museum of Human Evolution and the historic old city.
After breakfast, your walking holiday will come to an end. See the Travel Info section for some useful details for your onward travel.
This trip has a carbon score of 10kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our greenest trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 10kg is equivalent to 18 lattes. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?The Camino attracts a wide range of people from around the world who walk for many different reasons. This itinerary is perfect for those who do not have the time to complete the full Camino but wish to merge the first two stages to get started. The 12 days of walking are beautiful - with lots of heritage towns and churches to visit if you please!
Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 12 Years
This itinerary is graded moderate-strenuous overall and includes 12 days walking of around 16-28 km per day. Follow a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths. Section 1 from St Jean Pied de Port is the most strenuous part of the walk with some steep inclines/declines as you travel through the Pyrenees.
Our Camino Tours include small rural hotels and hostels close to the route of the Camino. You will always have a private room and en-suite (attached) bathroom. When staying in Leon, Pamplona, Sarria and Santiago, you will stay in 3* hotels, the other nights will be in a mixture of rural hotels and hostels.
Single Rooms
Single rooms are available, although a supplement is payable. The price for a single room is available on the included tab of this tour and in the booking engine.
Meals
A light continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included 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 courses, wine and water!
Extra Nights
We can add extra nights if you wish, allowing you to have rest days in between the longer walking days.
The Camino is very easy to follow. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows and a yellow shell on a blue background. The detailed travel pack we supply includes a detailed information pack for planning and preparing for your Camino, detailed instructions of how to find your overnight accommodation and everything you need for your Camino.
In addition to the printed route notes, you will receive in your travel pack, you will also have access to our Macs Adventure App, allowing you to follow the route on richly detailed mapping on your smartphone.
Recommended Reading
Although not essential, if you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:
- A Guidebook to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierly
- 13 Nights in small rural hotels and hostels with en-suite W/C
- Daily breakfast
- Baggage Transfers
- All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- Emergency support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem
- Return travel to France/Spain.
- Lunches, dinners (optional), snacks or drinks.
- Travel Insurance.
- Personal Equipment.
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.
- Additional nights’ accommodation
You can start your Camino anytime between April and Mid October.
The weather on the Camino will change slightly as you travel from the Pyrenees over to Galicia. The spring months of April and May tend to offer nice mild conditions for walking although the nights can be quite cold at this time of year and there can be quite a lot of rain in the region of Galicia at this time. The summer months of July and August can get very hot and humid. The autumn from late September through to October offers cooler temperatures again although daylight hours start to become less at this time. The region of Galicia in particular experiences higher rainfall than the rest of Spain so you should come prepared with waterproofs!
The best place to fly into to get to St Jean is Biarritz airport. You can get here easily from London and Manchester Airports with Ryanair or if you are travelling internationally it is often a good idea to fly into Paris and either take the train down to Bayonne with SNCF, or to take an internal flight with Air France or Easyjet to get to Biarritz. From Biarritz, you simply take the bus from outside the airport to Bayonne rail station (20 mins) and then from there take the mountain railway up to St Jean (1.5 hours) which you can book in advance with SNCF.
From Burgos you can take the train to Madrid with RENFE which takes around 2 and a half hours. Alternatively you can take the bus with ALSA which takes around 3 hours.
There are many flights from the UK to Madrid with carriers such as Easyjet, Vueling and Ryanair
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Online Documents
At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We’re taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.
On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website.
Pilgrim Passport
The Pilgrim Passport is issued by the Church of St James, you will find this in your pack waiting for you at your first hotel. Alternatively, 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).
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.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
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.
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 in case you are looking for help.
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 ) 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.
Yes, some people prefer to walk carrying their own bags as a true pilgrim would have. You can select the option for removing the baggage transfers in Step 2 of the Booking Engine.
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.
I would recommend April/May when the spring flowers are at their 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.
Public transport and taxis are available, if you are need of support our local partner in Spain will be more than happy to help.
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.
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