Are camino organised tours missing the point?

The way in which you do the Camino de Santiago is very much a personal choice. The most common debates amongst peregrinos are, firstly, which route to choose and, secondly, whether to do it independently or not. We have plenty of information on routes here, but it’s the independent versus organised issue that we’d like to discuss more. Some people feel strongly that a real camino should be a testing camino. How you have to put all comforts aside, otherwise ‘you’re missing the point’, to quote a few ardent camino crusaders. As providers of camino holidays that are self-guided and yet also supported, it’s not a surprise that we think there are lots of positive points! Here are just a few.

It’s your choice

In our view, healing and reflection can be experienced on the camino whether you’re carrying a 25kg backpack and walking with bare feet, or carrying a daypack and sleeping in hotels at night. However, it’s your choice. Noone should be judged for the way they choose to embark on the camino. Because we might never know what journey they have undertaken to get to the camino in the first place. The camino is everyone’s camino, and each to their own, as long as they’re doing no harm to themselves or others along the way.

Feel the love on the camino and do it your way.

It’s your time

As we cater for a wide range of people who want to take on the Camino de Santiago, we know that there are some who are short on time, have busy schedules and simply won’t get it together to book everything in advance. We respect and understand that the ethos of the camino is that doors are always open, so you can just turn up and see what’s available on the day. Or book ahead while walking. But having beds booked in advance by experts who know the hosts and how close they are to the trail can save a lot of time and energy. Leaving you plenty of walking time knowing that your bed is waiting for you.

It’s your body

Whether you’re taking on the complete camino or doing a section of it, you know your own body’s limitations. Carrying your luggage every day may weigh you down in a way that you’re not physically able for. Or perhaps you don’t want to risk strain or stress on the body when you don’t need to, especially if you’re going back to a busy life where you need to be in good physical and mental form. We’ve supported camino customers who have completed the camino at eighty, and another exemplary woman who did so in a wheelchair. We also have plenty of non-disabled people, from all age groups, who choose to lighten their burden by having us handling the luggage, so that they can simply focus on the journey, nature and peace.

Mother and daughter team, Sylvia and Catherine Bailey, whom we were honoured to support on their journey along the full Camino Frances.

It’s your mind

The camino is many things. It’s challenging and exciting, peaceful and physical. It’s also a very mindful experience, a journey where you can clear your head while also having moments of unforgettable exchanges with other walkers. If you need total independence in order to achieve this, then go for it. However, for some people, travelling independently is taking them too far out of their comfort zone and feels like a risk. And risk averse people should be able to enjoy the mindful benefits of the camino too. So, if you like to have 24/7 support at the end of a phone, or have your logistics and luggage handled in order to have peace of mind, then we have your back.

It’s your holiday

A buen camino is one that can also be a beautiful holiday, where you walk (or cycle) along a trail that dates back to the 9th century. It’s culturally fascinating, geographically gobsmacking and as exhilarating as it is exhausting. So if you want to make a holiday of it, you can remove some of the hardships by passing the booking baton over to us. There will still be plenty of challenges along the way, although if you’re opting for an electric bike version, you’re really switching on holiday mode. Such as on the Camino Primitivo, which takes you between Oviedo, the capital of Asturias and Santiago. You can cycle all of it in a strenuous eight days or opt for a more moderate 11 days on traditional or e-bikes. That one may well have the purists turning heads, as you smile with the joy of it all and just keep pedalling.

It’s your camino

The Archcathedral Basilica in Santiago de Compostela is believed to be the shrine of Saint James, an apostle of Jesus. This is why the Camino de Santiago is also known as the Way of St. James. He died a martyr in AD44, but it wasn’t until the 9th century that pilgrims started to travel from near and far, on various routes, to pay homage at his place of rest. The modern camino attracts people from all creeds and beliefs, atheists and naturalists, straight, queer and neurodiverse travellers. You certainly don’t need to be a martyr to walk it, you just need a sense of adventure and a kind outlook. Because the kindness of strangers is something that you encounter day in and day out while walking the camino, no matter which way you choose to take it on. And it’s this kindness that carries you, and all of us, a long way.

For more information on the Camino de Santiago, you may enjoy the following blogs: Camino de Santiago in a wheelchair, Which of the Camino routes is calling you?, Best time to walk the Camino de Santiago, Camino packing list and, if you’ve been there, done that, Alternatives to the Camino de Santiago trails.