Hike the Camino de Santiago

This trip follows the Camino Frances, the French Way, the most popular and iconic of all the Camino routes. You’ll be walking the final 100km, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela - the classic finishing stretch used by pilgrims for centuries, and the minimum distance required to earn your Compostela certificate. The Camino Frances begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, crossing the Pyrenees into Spain and winding west through Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla and Galicia before reaching the cathedral in Santiago. Starting from Sarria places you firmly in the heart of green, rural Galicia, winding through oak forests, stone villages, medieval bridges and eucalyptus groves, with the atmosphere of a living pilgrimage all around you.

Not at all. The Camino de Santiago has deep religious and spiritual roots, but it's become a pilgrimage for people of all backgrounds - religious, secular, spiritual, or just looking for a good walk and adventure. Most people who walk the Camino today do it for the experience itself: the landscape, the challenge, the sense of accomplishment, meeting other walkers and discovering Spain. Some are religious or spiritual, many aren't. The trail welcomes everyone.

On our trip, you'll be hiking with a small group and staying in comfortable hotels along the route. You're not camping rough or sleeping in pilgrim hostels - it's a more supported experience. You'll get the authentic Camino experience (the walking, the scenery, the local food and culture) without needing to have any particular faith or belief system. It's really just a brilliant multi-day hike through Galicia with great company and good meals at the end of each day.

Yes, the traditional Camino experience often involves staying in pilgrim hostels and dormitories, sometimes in converted churches or monastery buildings. That's the classic, budget way to do it.

Our trip is different. We've designed it to be more comfortable: you'll stay in hotels along the route rather than shared dorms. You get your own proper accommodation, which means better sleep, hot showers, and a bit more privacy after a full day of walking. That's by design - we think it makes for a better experience, especially if you're hiking up to 29km a day.

You still get the authentic Camino experience: you're walking the actual route, experiencing the landscape and villages, eating at local tavernas, and meeting other pilgrims and walkers. The main difference is where your head hits the pillow at night

The Pilgrim Passport (or Credencial del Peregrino) is a small, foldable document that serves as your official record of the journey. As you walk each day, you collect stamps (sellos) from churches, albergues, cafés and other spots along the route - building up a personal record of everywhere you've passed through. It's both a practical document and a treasured keepsake of your Camino.

The Compostela is the official certificate of completion awarded by the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela to pilgrims who finish the final 100km on foot (or 200km by bicycle). To receive it, you'll need to present your stamped Pilgrim Passport at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago, with at least two stamps per day collected over the final 100km. Your Pilgrim Passport is included in the trip, and your guide will make sure you collect the necessary stamps along the way - so all you need to do is walk.

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.

The route from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela is very well established and isn't in remote or mountainous terrain where conditions play a larger role. Conditions forcing the route to change are extremely rare. However, should something like extreme heat force the program to be altered, your host is an expert in all things Northern Spain and knows this stretch of the Camino intimately and will be able to pivot to an alternative plan in the very rare event that one is needed.

You'll have one guide for groups of up to six people, and two guides for groups of 7-12 people. A driver is also on hand for the luggage transfer and support vehicle throughout the trip.

As this trip starts in Sarria and ends in Santiago de Compostela, it is not possible to store luggage at a hotel at the start of the trip. 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 Camino in Sarria.

The tap water in Galicia is perfectly safe to drink, you can fill your bottles up from your hotels each morning and from taps along the Camino as you go.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND Spain's food culture has historically been built around meat, fish and dairy, and awareness of special dietary requirements - particularly veganism and gluten intolerance - can vary significantly between cities and rural areas. In larger towns and cities, vegetarian and vegan options are increasingly common, but in smaller villages and traditional restaurants along the Camino, menus tend to be hearty and meat-focused, and alternatives may be limited. Coeliac awareness is growing but cross-contamination cannot always be guaranteed in traditional kitchens.

Galicia in particular, where this trip takes place, has a strong culinary identity centred on fresh seafood, octopus (pulpo), cured meats, local cheeses and the region's beloved empanadas. Guests with dietary requirements are warmly encouraged to disclose these as early as possible so your host and guide can plan ahead and liaise with restaurants accordingly.

Vegetarian
Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Vegan
Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Kosher
Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal
Certified Halal supply varies by location and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten-free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below)
Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Lactose-free
Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy, please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking, to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

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:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.