Maybe your neighbor walked the French Way Camino in Spain and won’t stop raving about it.

Maybe you saw the movie, The Way. Maybe you read Walking with Sam.

Or maybe you’ve heard about The Camino from your spiritual community.

Now you’ve decided that this year you’re walking it. You’re not getting any younger, as they say, and fall is one of the best times to experience the historic trail.

Getting Ready

After many years leading Camino trips here at Bold Spirit Travel, here are some tips I know you can use.

Find the shoes…way in advance.

You need the right shoes for your trek. I like trail runners, but you do you. The main thing to keep in mind is that you need time to break in the shoes, so don’t put it off until the last minute.

Walking poles: yes or no?

Some walkers like poles to help them on steep hills. The last 100kms of the French Way Camino is not technically challenging (no major switchbacks or boulders) and provides a variety of pathways, including cobblestones and concrete, as well as gravel and dirt.

If you do choose to use poles, bring the kind that are foldable and can fit easily into your checked luggage.

Training: is it really that important?

Yes. Yes it is.

The walkers I have seen suffer the most on The Camino are those who did not get in shape for the trail before setting out. Even if you’re at the gym seven days a week, you’ll still need to train for the walking part of the trip.

Walk 5 miles a day 5 times per week in the two months or so leading up to the trip. Your feet will be ready, as will your hips, if you are walking daily. It also gives you the opportunity to break in your shoes well.

Group Dynamic: Will I fit in?

We take 12 people on The Camino journey each fall. We keep the group size small so that guests can get to know one another and build connections.

Each day, there will be group breakfasts and group dinners together. Lunch will be on your own, and you can choose to meet up with others to eat or just do your own thing.

If you are more of an introvert, then I recommend getting a single room on the trip. This way, after a full day of hiking and togetherness with the crew, you can go to your own room and decompress.

What are the hotels like?

The Camino we are walking cuts through rural Spain. Do not expect the 4-star and 5-star hotels of Madrid and Barcelona along the trail. AC is not common in most of the historic hotels (a good reason to avoid the trail in the summer). Most rooms do not have a hairdryer.

Furthermore, many accommodations are in small, family-run places. Your room may be different than your neighbor’s room. We also move often on The Camino, so do not expect to spend more than two nights in one place (occasionally we will do three).

The Camino is about the trail and the people you’ll meet along it, not about high-end hotel rooms. In fact, many pilgrims stay in hostels along the path. We never stay in hostels as a group and all the rooms we use have private en suite bathrooms.

What should I pack?

This is the question guests struggle with the most. What do you really need to bring? Here is a packing list to get you started. Packing for The Camino.

I’m ready…let’s do this!

Great. If you’re ready to sign up for your Camino journey in Spain, then you can register for the trip here.

Once you’re signed up, please set up a call with someone on our team so we can talk logistics: Setting up a Camino call.

The Camino is one of those trips that guests talk about for years to come. With a bit of planning and support, your could be walking along the 1000-year-old pilgrimage trail in just a few months.

Buen Camino, traveler.

Regina Winkle-Bryan is a writer, educator, and avid globetrotter based in Seattle, Washington. She founded Bold Spirit Travel to help women connect and create community while exploring our vast and beautiful planet She leads all-women, small-group tours to Italy, Costa Rica, and her corner of the USA, the Pacific Northwest. She lived in Spain for a decade and loves to take guests along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, as well as curated trips to Barcelona and the Costa Brava. Learn more about where you can travel next with Bold Spirit Travel: www.boldspirittravel.com Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.