Lodging

[Eskomntom]

Planning to do Camino from Pamploma to Santiago starting last week of August till October 5, 2025.

Getting nervous about finding lodging after watching You Tube and reading about numbers of Pilgrims.

Should I be reserving lodging or can I expect to find rooms. I plan to try and avoid Major cities for lodging.

 

[trecile]

It depends on how choosy you are. If you want a private room every night then booking a day or two or three ahead is usually a good strategy. If you don't mind sleeping in dorms you will have a lot more options.

The large wave of pilgrims that start from SJPdP the first week of September will be well behind you, so I don't think that it will be necessary to book way ahead.

 

[dick bird]

I just want to endorse what @trecile has said. Unless you are looking for a private room every night, you shouldn´t have any problems, By the way, youtube is a highly unreliable source of information on the camino.

 

[Lexicos]

Nerves about accommodation is pretty standard. If it’s your first time, it’s natural to fret about finding a place to sleep. I agree with the advice above. You might want to book the first 2-3 days, to settle your nerves until you acclimatise. That’s what I do. Then you can just book one or two days ahead as you go. I’ve done several Camino’s. I’ve never been left out in the cold. A few times I’ve booked a hotel but 95% of the time it’s pilgrim hostels and dorms, which is what I prefer. All the more certain if you stay in places between the main ‘stages’ as per the guide books. Locals will often step in and help anyway if you get stuck. Just ask. Pilgrims are well looked after.
Relax. It’s fine. You’ll hear lots of stories but if youre a little bit flexible budget wise and person wise it’ll be fine.

 

[Tincatinker]

, By the way, youtube is a highly unreliable source of information on the camino.

As measured understatements go that one is a classic

 

[Cecinunley]

Planning to do Camino from Pamploma to Santiago starting last week of August till October 5, 2025.

Getting nervous about finding lodging after watching You Tube and reading about numbers of Pilgrims.

Should I be reserving lodging or can I expect to find rooms. I plan to try and avoid Major cities for lodging.

I agree with all the others. The only thing I would add is if you do shorter stages the September crowd may catch up to you as they did with me. That only lasted a few days then it was back to normal.

 

[Kerria]

Nerves about accommodation is pretty standard. If it’s your first time, it’s natural to fret about finding a place to sleep. I agree with the advice above. You might want to book the first 2-3 days, to settle your nerves until you acclimatise. That’s what I do. Then you can just book one or two days ahead as you go. I’ve done several Camino’s. I’ve never been left out in the cold. A few times I’ve booked a hotel but 95% of the time it’s pilgrim hostels and dorms, which is what I prefer. All the more certain if you stay in places between the main ‘stages’ as per the guide books. Locals will often step in and help anyway if you get stuck. Just ask. Pilgrims are well looked after.
Relax. It’s fine. You’ll hear lots of stories but if youre a little bit flexible budget wise and person wise it’ll be fine.

That’s reassuring to a prospective first timer (June 2025).

 

[Philtration]

Also, consider that reserving ahead greatly reduces your flexibility. An important part of walking Caminos for me is the freedom to stop where you want if you encounter interesting places or people, or to continue walking if it feels good. There are so few places in modern life where we can be unplanned and open to the unexpected for weeks at a time. It takes a little bit of letting go and trusting, but it always seems to work out.

 

[trecile]

That’s reassuring to a prospective first timer (June 2025).

If you are starting from SJPdP you will find June to be a great time to walk. The May crowds are far ahead of you, and you shouldn't have any issues finding a bed or a room - at least until you get to Galicia when there will be more pilgrims (but also more lodging options). This year I was on the Francés during June, and neither I nor anyone that I met had any problems finding a place to sleep. In fact, one night I was the only pilgrim in the albergue! It was the "off stage" town of Oncina de la Valdoncina about 11 km past León at Albergue El Pajar de Oncina

 

[Damien Reynolds]

On my last trip on the Frances (Sept/Oct 2024) I ended up in Santiago on October 10th... I pretty much stay in private accommodation... It was never stressful for me, doing the usual 1-3 days in advance booking, that is until around Tricastela/Sarria/Portomarin. On October 6 I had trouble finding availability in Tricastela (meaning I had to pay more than I wanted to!). On October 7 I had trouble finding availability in Portomarin. I had to sleep in a bunk bed on Oct. 8 in Palas de Rei, and I swear Arzua was "sold out" at least online for October 9. (ended up in Ribadiso). Maybe I was caught in the bubble at that point, but it was crazy busy. I don't know how much of a difference your few days/week ahead of that schedule will impact availability. My suggestion would be, if you are the book ahead type, once you get to Ponferrada start feeling around for availability for the rest of the trip. People who I walked with around this period who didn't stay in private rooms turned out fine, just winging it. That stresses me out tho.

 

[trecile]

that is until around Tricastela/Sarria/Portomarin. On October 6 I had trouble finding availability in Tricastela (meaning I had to pay more than I wanted to!). On October 7 I had trouble finding availability in Portomarin. I had to sleep in a bunk bed on Oct. 8 in Palas de Rei, and I swear Arzua was "sold out"

There's a lesson here: don't stop in typical end stage towns!

Check a Brierly guide or Gronze.com to see what these typical end state towns are.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

There's a lesson here: don't stop in typical end stage towns!

Check a Brierly guide or Gronze.com to see what these typical end state towns are.

yah, but that is where the grocery stores are! And the laundromat! .

 

[CWBuff]

do your laundry & shopping in a stage town and then move on couple of KMs further down the road

 

[AlwynWellington]

Planning to do Camino from Pamploma to Santiago starting last week of August till October 5, 2025.

Getting nervous about finding lodging after watching You Tube and reading about numbers of Pilgrims.

Should I be reserving lodging or can I expect to find rooms. I plan to try and avoid Major cities for lodging.

I started from Estella in October and found many, many pilgrims along the way.

And found no problem with getting a bunk at days end.

In my younger days, I would traverse the Tararua Range near my home - tops ranged from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. An early learning was to get underway about daybreak.

This allowed time to pause and take in the scenery, overcome and minor adversity and not to need to race to the intended stopping place for the night.

On camino I found that lesson most helpful.

On many days I was able to go a little further and still find an albergue with a bunk.

And freed of the need to get to my booked bunk, occassionally I would tarry longer at a newly found point of major interest for me.

So, no bookings - just go with the flow - enjoy.

Kia kaha, kia māia, kia mana'wa'nui
(take care, be strong confident and patient)

 

[Ella L.]

It depends on how choosy you are. If you want a private room every night then booking a day or two or three ahead is usually a good strategy. If you don't mind sleeping in dorms you will have a lot more options.

The large wave of pilgrims that start from SJPdP the first week of September will be well behind you, so I don't think that it will be necessary to book way ahead.

It seems that every year is different. This year (2024) was very much a 'scramble ahead if you can' year. I did not intend to walk the Camino Frances, but that was where I ended (or started...Burgos), though, in exactly your 'window'. I walked the Frances from 12 September and the numbers arriving in Santiago did not diminish until the middle of October. Going 'off stage' and walking through the major jump-off points, such as Sarria, will work well and there will be beds aplenty...