I'm looking to walk the Camino De Santiago trail in April/May 2022 and would like to parnter with a reputable company to cooridinate my nightly accomodations and luggage during an approximate 45 day journey alone. I'd love to get your recommendations and experiences.
Gali Wonders is one tour company I read about on Trip Advisor but would like to get more information.
We only walked the Camino section from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela and went through Macs Adventure. https://www.macsadventure.com
It arranged lodging and transporting of our luggage between those lodgings. It uses a local company to pick up your suitcase at the hotel and drop it at your next hotel. The hotels were modest and no frills, but clean and perfectly adequate. A continental type breakfast was included. We were very pleased and everything went smoothly.
Edited: you may want to ask you question on a dedicated Camino forum including a number of groups on Facebook dedicated to the Camino. You may get more responses there.
We also used Macs and had a positive experience. They offer support on a number of Camino variations.
Here's a link to a very active and helpful camino forum. You will get many responses to your question there.
Please message me if you like and ask any questions you might have about walking the Camino Frances.
There are lots and lots of small tour companies, though many people prefer not to use them so they can arrange their day and sleeping arrangements more spontaneously. You have no freedom to do that when an agency plans your Camino.
Bag transfer is available everywhere and costs between 3-5 € per day. Very easy to do on your own.
Once you join one of the forums, especially the one from Ivar which the previous poster linked to, you will find lots of answers to your questions. If you are in the US, consider joining one of the American Pilgrim groups. There are lots of FB pages too. Pages for women only, pages for slow strollers, pages for the various routes, pages for Ivars' forum, pages for Vegans and Vegetarians, pages for American Pilgrims, Canadian Pilgrims, etc.
I've walked the Camino from SJPP to Santiago and then on to Muxia / Finisterre. Although some people choose to do a prearranged trip it really takes away from the experience of the Camino. Any spontaneity that you'll want to have won't be possible. You will see albergues along the way where you want to stay because they are beautiful or you have met fellow pilgrims and want to stay with them. You may end up being exhausted or have aching feet and want to cut your walk for that day short. Committing to a set number of km per day locks you in to a pace that may not work for you, even with 45 days. There are many Camino pages on Facebook where you can find advice about the walk and recommendations for companies that will make arrangements for you if you do decide to go in that direction. Here are my favorites,
Camigas - A Buddy System for the Camino - this page is dedicated to women walking the Camino alone
Camino de Santiago - All Routes - this page covers all of the Camino in Europe leading to Santiago.
Camino De Santiago - this one is just dedicated to the Camino Frances which is the one you are doing.
Camino Pilgrim Discussion Group
Buen Camino and if you have questions please let me know! I've walked numerous Caminos in Europe and am an experienced long-distance walker.
I'll recommend MacsAdventures as well. We've used them for several trips and each one was great. We love our self guided trips, luggage transfers, B &B's arranged, just going out to bike or hike. I've seen several options for the Camino.
And, by the way, click on the first link below, you'll see our picture from a trip we took with them in Alsace France. also used them for a hiking trip in Scotland (the Great Glen Way) and in Ireland (the Dingle Way)
https://www.macsadventure.com/us/walking-tours/europe-walking-tours/france/
Here's the link to the Camino walks.. https://www.macsadventure.com/us/tour-listing/?rgid=282&lcntyp=L&mnid=&mxid=&grdid=&cmfid=&tloc=&srtexp=&tcid=&mind=&maxd=&tsd=&mactids=1&sactids=8,17,19&mthmids=&sthmids=&rbdid=
My husband and I will be walking our 4th Camino this September. We have always booked with Camino Ways. We have never been disappointed! Your Camino is personal whether you stay in Hotels or Albergues. You decide what works for you. Buen Camino!
Anniloudon, I hope to be walking in Sept. too, perhaps around the 10th. Starting in Pamplona this time as am a tiny bit short on vacation days. Perhaps we will meet? Where are you starting?
