Luxury Camino Frances: Self-Guided Walking Tour

Things to know

• What’s included?

  What you get on this adventure:

  Self-guided tour of the final 70 miles (100 km) of Camino Frances—from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela
  Pre-departure pack — you will receive it by post, the pack contains your pilgrim passport, luggage tag, route notes or guidebook if you have requested a hard copy
  Walking notes and vouchers — download them yourself, the vouchers contain all the information about your accommodation and there’s no need to print them as your reservation will be confirmed
  Breakfasts and dinners
  Accommodation during the tour based on double occupancy (4* hotels or quality guesthouses)
  Luggage transfers
  24/7 Customer service

  What’s not included:

  Transportation to and from the starting/end point
  Lunches and drinks
  Insurance
  Airport pick-up — available upon request
  Additional nights — available upon request
  Day tours — available upon request

  If you have any special dietary requirements, let us know in time so we can make arrangements. Please remember to mention it once again upon check-in, it’s always best to double check.

• How fit do I need to be?

  The most important thing about walking the Camino Santiago is that you enjoy the journey at your own pace. Whether you’re a very fast or a slow walker, we encourage you to enjoy the trail. Having said that, being in good walking shape is still required. You’ll be doing between 14 and 25 km a day (9 to 15 miles), carrying a daypack with things you might need on the trail. Depending on the self-guided tour you choose, you’ll be walking for 5 consecutive days. Don’t worry about the luggage, though, as they will be transferred to each accommodation!

  Hiking consecutive full days can be quite strenuous. In preparation for your luxury Camino Frances tour, we recommend going on regular hikes/long walks– including some uphills and downhills with a loaded backpack.

• What do I need to bring?

  Here’s a list of clothing we recommend bringing:

  Clothes made from quick-drying fabrics (avoid cotton)
  Leisure clothing and footwear for the evenings
  Spare clothes for layering
  Waterproof rain jacket
  Fleece pullover or jacket
  Quick-dry short-sleeved and long-sleeved tops
  Quick–dry walking pants (consider the ones that zip off to make shorts)
  Waterproof pants — optional (unless it’s very cold, it’s usually best to hike in shorts, but feel free to bring these pants if you’d feel more comfortable)
  Hiking boots or shoes
  Hiking socks
  Sunhat
  Gloves

  Here’s a list of other equipment we suggest you bring:

  Daypack large enough to carry everything you might need throughout the day
  Hydration bladder or water bottles
  Sunglasses
  Hiking poles — optional
  Earplugs — optional
  Basic first aid essentials, such as blister protection
  Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, etc.)
  Camera — optional (but recommended)

  We recommend packing for the season, which means that your packing list may vary quite a bit depending on the month you choose to go on this luxury Camino de Santiago tour. Also, you should be prepared for unseasonal weather conditions (unexpectedly warm/rainy or hot/cold weather). Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

• What does a self-guided tour entail?

  By going on a self-guided tour, you’re able to walk at your own pace and enjoy the journey without worrying about the logistics of it all. Follow the Camino have been leading pilgrims along their journey since 2007 and they were the first ever operator to organize walking along Camino de Santiago.

  There are many perks of choosing a self-guided tour. Apart from not having to adjust to the group, you’ll have the accommodation, breakfasts, luggage transfer, and route instructions sorted. You’ll be staying in carefully-selected 4* hotels and quality guesthouses and there’s no need to print out anything upon checking-in—your guides booked and arranged everything for you, all you have to do is show your I.D.

  This is a hassle-free trip so if you want to focus on enjoying your pilgrimage in the Spanish bucolic countryside, these self-guided tours are the perfect match.

• When will I receive information about my accommodation and route?

  Before the tour, you will be sent a pre-departure pack by post. The pack contains your pilgrim passport, luggage tag, route notes or guidebook if you’ve requested a hard copy. In case there are certain complications with receiving the pre-departure pack, it will wait for you at your first accommodation.

  You’ll have to download the walking notes yourself. The walking notes are here to assist you. Although the Camino is pretty well-marked and you only need to follow the yellow arrows, there are sometimes variations on the routes or some of them are more difficult to follow than the others. We recommend that you always familiarize yourself with the daily journey ahead. You’ll also download the vouchers yourself. These vouchers contain all the information about your confirmed accommodation—there will be an address, their phone number, any special instructions on how to get there, and a small map.

  You will find a 24/7 support phone number on the bottom of each voucher. Keep in mind that there’s no need to print out the vouchers, as your reservations will be confirmed.

• What’s the accommodation like?

  Accommodation for the duration of your self-guided luxury Camino Frances tour is based on a number of criteria, including location, comfort, services, and character. Though accommodation on the Camino is limited, since this is a luxury version of Camino de Santiago walking tour, you can expect the highest quality possible, Expect hotels of a 4* and high-quality guesthouses if hotel accommodation is not available at a particular destination. Exceptions may be made.

  In case your accommodation is located outside the town, you’ll need to check your vouchers for specific instructions on how to get to your accommodation. Most likely the accommodation will organize a taxi transfer or they will pick you up themselves. All the necessary information will be on the vouchers, which is why it’s important to check them every morning so you can plan ahead.

• What about my luggage?

  The luggage transfer is limited to 1 bag per person with a maximum weight of 15 kg per bag. Additional bags can be transferred for an extra €10 per bag per transfer. Please note that boots or smaller bags attached to the main bag count as an extra bag and will be charged accordingly.

  If you’re moving to a different accommodation, we ask you to have the luggage ready by 8 am at the reception. Make sure to use your luggage tags—ideally, write your trip reference and your mobile phone number if you wish. Your luggage should be at the next hotel by 6 pm max.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and prices:

  • • It’s possible to arrange self-guided tours for both solo travelers as well as large groups. The per-person cost does not decrease as the group grows.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

  If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Getting there and meeting location

  This self-guided luxury Camino Frances tour starts in Sarria, Spain. To get there, most people fly into Santiago–Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ). From there, your guides can either arrange airport transfers to the meeting point for an additional fee or you can reach Sarria on your own—by renting a car or taking a bus, which could take up to 2 hours. Once you get to the starting point, just find and check into your accommodation.

• Deposits and cancellation policy

  A non-refundable 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 2 months (60 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.

  • • If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to sixty (60) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund minus the deposit.
    • For cancellations fifteen (15) to fifty-nine (59) calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking.
    • After that deadline, Client is not entitled to any refund. Any reimbursable expenses arising out of the Booking incurred by Guide prior to the date of cancellation (including but not limited to plane tickets, car rental payments, and lodging or transportation fees) are non-refundable as soon as they are incurred by the Guide.

  Client can transfer their booking to a person who satisfies all the requirements, having first given the Guide reasonable notice in writing to do so before the departure date (such notice must be given more than 21 days prior to the date of departure). Client who transfers the Booking shall be jointly and severally liable with the transferee to the Guide for the payment of any balance due in respect of the holiday and for a substitution fee of €30.00 per person substituted, subject to a maximum of €120.00 per booking (or such other greater sum as may be authorized).