Kayak in the jaw-dropping Atlantic Islands National Park, hopping between dreamy islets to explore crystal-clear coves and white sand beaches
Paddle through the stunning Rías Baixas, Galicia’s sheltered Atlantic estuaries, and stamp your pilgrim’s passport as you follow the Camino del Mar
Hike along the Camino Portugues from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela, culminating at the iconic cathedral of St. James
Day 1
Touch down at Santiago de Compostela, or roll into town if you are coming by train from elsewhere in Spain. Meet your host and settle in for the transfer to Galicia's coast, about an hour away. You'll hop out at O’Grove for your first taste of the beautiful coastline and beaches in this part of Spain, ahead of a welcome dinner this evening and chat through the expedition ahead.
Day 2
Head down to the beach at Area Grande with your guides, where you'll get kitted out with your kayak and given a good run-through of how the trip will work and the safety considerations before hitting the water. Push off from the beach, getting your first feel for the expanse of coastline as you paddle towards Punta Moreiras, home to a series of sculptures that gaze out over the sea. Have a break and snack here before pushing on along the Grove Peninsula at the mouth of the Arousa estuary to Confín Beach, where you'll receive your first Camino stamp in your pilgrim passport. Enjoy a picnic lunch before the first significant crossing into more open water, paddling to reach the stunning Arousa Island, and reaching dry land at the Carreirón Natural Park. Take a walk through the park, enjoy some time on the beach and swim in the clean Atlantic water. Cross over to the first campsite to set up for the night to enjoy a hot shower before heading to a beachside bar in Carreirón Natural Park for sundowners and dinner, with some delicious local seafood. Crawl into your tent at the end of an epic first day.
Day 3
Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at the campsite, followed by the stamping of your pilgrim passport to log the next stage. Warm up with some stretching exercises on the beach before hitting the water for the next stage. As you paddle along the coast of Arousa you will pass by traditional rafts where local mussels are cultivated and harvested before navigating through clam and cockle fields en route to Villagarcía. In the distance, the enigmatic Isla de Cortegada awaits, a jewel of the Atlantic Islands National Park. You’ll notice the Arousa Estuary gradually narrowing as it merges with the Ulla River, transforming the landscape around you as you push on to Bamio Beach, a pristine beach where you can unwind and relax. Set up at the riverside campsite and maybe grab a swim. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant with some freshly caught fish from the estuary.
Day 4
The day begins with a big breakfast to fuel up for the day's adventures, followed by breaking down camp and the now ritualistic stretching session with your guides. This leg of the journey runs adjacent to a section of the route taken by many pilgrims walking the Camino Portugues to reach Santiago de Compostela. Following the same path as the apostle Santiago, kayaking this stretch of the river offers a unique perspective on this ancient pilgrimage route. As you continue upriver, you'll navigate through meanders and pass by small river islands, enjoying the rich wildlife along the way. At Vilarello River Beach, you can take a rewarding swim before ending the day in the small town of Pontecesures. Here, you'll say goodbye to your kayak support team as the paddling part of the trip comes to an end. Enjoy a well-deserved dinner and a good night's sleep in a hotel before the big hike tomorrow.
Day 5
Lace up your boots for an epic final push to Santiago de Compostela - one of the world's most iconic endings to a trek. You'll be walking the last part of the Camino Portugues, from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela. The day will be spent hiking through a diverse patchwork of rural Galician landscapes, passing through picturesque countryside, charming villages with cobblestone streets, country roads, and gentle rolling hills. After spending the past few days kayaking, today's hike will bring the group closer together, providing an opportunity to chat, share Camino experiences, and strengthen connections - a key part of many people's Camino journey. After walking for five to six hours with breaks along the way, you'll catch your first glimpse of Santiago in the distance. Before reaching the end of the journey, you'll stop for a memorable meal featuring classic Galician dishes such as traditional seafood, meat, and vegetarian options, all accompanied by a few glasses of wine and maybe a taste of the local liqueur, orujo. After the feast, you'll continue and the hike will end at the iconic cathedral, where you can celebrate with high fives and plenty of snaps to document your achievement. In the evening, you'll visit another Galician tavern to toast your successful Camino and enjoy a farewell dinner.
Day 6
Your adventure wraps up today as your host takes you back to Santiago de Compostela Airport in time for your onward flight. But the journey doesn't have to stop here - there's so much more of this captivating corner of Spain to discover, why not hike through the stunning Picos de Europa or dive into an unforgettable adventure across its rugged mountains and dramatic coastline.
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips are not included in the trip cost; these are entirely at your discretion. If you would like to tip, the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures, and you'll need to provide your policy details before departure. Your insurance should offer adequate cover for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment, and the specific activities involved in your adventure. We also recommend ensuring your policy includes cancellation and curtailment cover, in case you're unable to join your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness.
Standard travel insurance may not cover all the activities included in your adventure, so it's essential to check the details carefully. There are adventure-specific providers that many travellers have used in the past, such as True Traveller (opens in new tab) (for those based in the UK or Europe), or Rise + Shield (opens in new tab), both of which offer cover for a wide range of adventurous activities.
Please make sure your chosen policy meets your individual needs and covers all aspects of your trip.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Any trip to Spain is jam-packed with culinary delights, and this trip is no exception. You'll fuel up each morning with a big breakfast of cereals, fruits, yoghurts, breads, meats, cheeses, tea, and coffee. For lunch, you will have picnic lunches wit…
Created for adventurers ready to take on a few longer, more demanding days
The expedition will require a good level of fitness. You'll be on the move most of the day each day, with 5-6 hours of paddling to get through over three consecutive days, fol...
Your next adventure is out there
Kate August 2025
David R. June 2025
“I thought this trip was excellent - one of the best I've done. The schedule gave a good mix of activity, rest time and fun. Accommodation-wise, the hotels and campsites were each different and each of excellent standard and the food was great - even as a vegetarian in northern Spain, which can be a challenge! A big contributing factor to everything working so well was the quality and dedication of the two guides. Alejandro and Txetxu were always flexible but focused and made sure that our group had everything we needed and also that we worked well as a team. I attended the very first running of this trip and - thanks to the guides - if there were any teething troubles, we certainly didn't notice them. Superb.”
Julii B. June 2025
“Taste being the operative word, we had some great meals including at little restaurants I wouldn't have known were so good: you know it's a great local eatery when you see your local guide & family (who lived on the island where we camped) there the same evening that you were out kayaking. Highlights of our trip were seeing otters, bottlenose dolphins and several birds of prey. I found the kayaking tougher than expected but the group was great about waiting for my plodding to catch up. Having local guides was terrific and I learned a lot about Galicia, Asturia, culture, language, food and history. Our on-the-water guides had competed nationally (wow) and we watched a Norwegian champion paddler out training, too. The islands were beautiful and probably the 'wildest' part of the trip. If I had one criticism it would be that the trip wasn't that wild, certainly the camping was fairly comfortable and we were never far from civilisation. Our guides couldn't have tried harder to keep us happy, Gold stars for them all.”
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For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent throughout the trip can be booked for an extra charge - see Optional Extras for prices. Please note that private room and tent upgrades are subject to availability, so please request this at the time of booking.
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
If the sea conditions mean that it's not safe to take to the water on any day of the expedition, your host will aim to replace the day with hiking an extra section of the Camino Portugues. A transfer will be arranged in this case to a location further south from the section you will be doing from Padron to Santiago de Compostela. Note that this is decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the situation and stage of the trip that conditions have affected things.
You'll have a main guide for the entirety of the adventure and an additional kayaking guide throughout the kayaking section of the trip.
Due to the logistics of the trip, it is not possible to leave excess luggage at the beginning of the trip with your host or at an accommodation. However, there are private luggage storage facilities available at and near Santiago de Compostela Airport. You can research and arrange this independently online. This will allow you to lock your luggage upon arrival after your flight, before meeting your host and heading off to start your adventure on the Galician coast.
The tap water in Galicia is perfectly safe to drink, you can fill your bottles up from hotels and campsites as you go. Your guides will also bring along a large water container during the kayaking to ensure everyone has refill options during each day of paddling.
You'll be paddling in a single-berth, closed-sea kayak with a spray skirt. Models will vary, but some examples include a Rotomod Isak, Fastnet Perception and Carolina Perception. They have a covered deck and are generally longer, faster and sit lower in the water than touring or sit-on-top kayaks. All kayaks come equipped with spray skirts, paddles, PFDs, drybags and other paddling accessories.
If you weigh more than 125kg or are over 2m tall, please check with us before booking this trip as we'll need to ensure that the kayaks and equipment provided are suitable for your comfort and safety.
There are more than 200 recognised routes to hike the Camino de Santiago. The most commonly hiked camino variations are as follows:
Camino Francés (the 'French Way'): the most popular Camino de Santiago route which begins in St. Jean Pied de Port, France. You are doing the final 100km of this route - the minimum amount you must hike to be eligible for the Compostela Certificate!
Camino Portugues (the 'Portuguese Way'): This is the second most popular camino route, starting in Lisbon or Porto and heading north to reach Santiago de Compostela.
Camino del Norte (the 'Northern Way'): an 800km route along the northern coast of Spain.
Camino Primitivo (the 'Original Way'): a secluded trek through the Galician countryside.
Camino Invierno (the 'Winter Way'): a lesser-known route through forests, hills and valleys.
Camino Finisterre: starting in Santiago, this route ends in the fishing ports of Fisterra and Muxía.
Camino Ingles (the 'English Way'): a route originally used by British and Irish pilgrims who arrived in Spain by boat.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
The Rías Baixas in Galicia - the series of estuarine inlets which you'll be kayaking through - has relatively mild and pleasant weather during the periods this trip runs:
From June to mid-July, daytime temperatures range from 20-25°C (68-77°F), and by mid-July things can peak around 28°C (82°F), although it rarely gets excessively hot due to the Atlantic Ocean's cooling influence. June will experience occasional rain and by the end of the month and into July days tend to be dry, sunny and clear. You can expect some mild to moderate winds blowing in from the Atlantic, but they are not usually strong enough to significantly disrupt kayaking. The sea temperature is around 16-18°C (60-64°F) in June, 18-20°C (64-68°F) and sea conditions are generally calm within the sheltered rías.
From September to early October, daytime temperatures range from 22-26°C (72-79°F) in early September, gradually cooling down as October approaches. Nights can feel cooler, especially towards October, when temperatures drop to around 12-16°C (54-61°F). Rainfall begins to increase in September, particularly towards the end of the month, and by early October the region sees more frequent rain showers, although they are often short-lived. Winds tend to pick up slightly as autumn approaches, especially with the Atlantic storms becoming more common towards October. However, during early September, winds remain moderate and similar to the summer months. The sea remains warm, from 18-20°C (64-68°F) in September, though it starts cooling down in October. Sea conditions remain generally calm within the sheltered rías, with conditions eventually becoming unfavourable from mid-October onwards when we stop running this trip.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 121kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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