1st Camino at 60

[BrendaNewport]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

 

[SabsP]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

Hi Brenda and welcome here.
Make yourself familiar with our forum. The searchbox in the upper right corner might prove helpful.

You will get pros and cons about the usefulness of a tour company. IMO you can arrange it yourself but also ok if you decide otherwise.
Will you be walking the Camino Francés?

Let us know how we can help.

Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

Most of us on the forum don't use a tour company. The biggest disadvantage to me is that you give control of your Camino to a company that really doesn't know your abilities. You become locked into stages designed by that company, regardless of your fitness level. If you are only planning a short Camino, say Sarria to Santiago that's not so bad, but if you will be walking over a month from St Jean Pied de Port there are so many variables that can change along the way such as illness or injury, wanting to take a day off, wanting to stay in the same places as your new Camino friends, etc. that I think that it's better to loosely plan the Camino yourself.

If you will be walking from St Jean and want to split the first stage over the Pyrenees you will need to book either Auberge Borda or Refuge Orisson NOW.

Auberge Borda | Authentic Hostel Accommodations

Experience the charm and comfort of Auberge Borda, an authentic hostel located on the GR 65 trail in Saint-Michel, FR. Enjoy stunning views and a cozy atmosphere.

www.aubergeborda.com

Refuge Orisson

www.refuge-orisson.com

And here on the forum age 60 practically makes you a young whippersnapper!

 

[BrendaNewport]

Hi Brenda and welcome here.
Make yourself familiar with our forum. The searchbox in the upper right corner might prove helpful.

You will get pros and cons about the usefulness of a tour company. IMO you can arrange it yourself but also ok if you decide otherwise.
Will you be walking the Camino Francés?

Let us know how we can help.

Buen Camino!

Yes to Camino Frances. Is it realistic to find hotels as I go? I don't speak Spanish so that could be a barrier. Ugh, so excited to do the walk but twisted on whether to use tour guide. Traveled the world never using a tour group, but this trip is different in that I have no idea how I will be feeling etc and perhaps a tour group makes sense.

 

[woody66]

Welcome Brenda!

Doing it yourself is part of the fun ; planning your stages, booking your stays, sorting your gear and booking flights all help you get through the months of waiting for the day you start Camino!!

It's so much easier than you imagine.

Use a company and it costs shed loads of cash for very little in return!
They are also in control of your walk if your sick your itinerary is planned and paid for!

Sort your own route stages and stays ;;your in control!

I use Gronze!!! In Spanish but Google Chrome browser translates to English; you can plan and customise your Camino using it!, Has accommodation links for the whole way with phone , website links and reviews.
The Wise Pilgrim app (Michael is a forum member; is a great app and easy to use with similar links, plus Booking.com (you can book the whole way with free cancellation up until a few days before arrival ; i had to cancel 27 stays last year and lost no money!
Y
You defo don't need more for the Frances; or in fact any other main route!
Have a wonderful walk.
I always travel/walk alone; well for the first few hundred yards !!
Most fears are in our head and not in reality you will be fine!
There were many Camino Angels along my Camino's that made my walk easier; just have fun and enjoy.
The unknown is the adventure that keeps me going; although the thought walking Costa Rica two weeks from now is a surprisingly good laxative

At 70 and being a fatboy; will my aged ravaged body make it; well if i don't go i wont know
Buen Camino
Woody

Camino Francés | Gronze.com

El Camino Francés es el Camino de Santiago en el que confluyen la mayoría de las vías medievales de peregrinación europeas, siendo por tanto el camino de mayor relevancia histórica y el más seguido por los peregrinos. Su punto de inicio, hoy en día, tanto puede considerarse Roncesvalles como...

www.gronze.com

 

[SabsP]

Yes to Camino Frances. Is it realistic to find hotels as I go? I don't speak Spanish so that could be a barrier. Ugh, so excited to do the walk but twisted on whether to use tour guide. Traveled the world never using a tour group, but this trip is different in that I have no idea how I will be feeling etc and perhaps a tour group makes sense.

You still have plenty of time to make yourself acquainted with the specifics of the Francés. If you start from St Jean Pied de Port then end of May lots of paid Mayholidays will be done so it will be less crowded.

If you have traveled the world without tour groups I think you will find this a breeze.

The website from Gronze is a good start to inform you. In the listings all albergues but also hotels and pensions.

Camino Francés | Gronze.com

El Camino Francés es el Camino de Santiago en el que confluyen la mayoría de las vías medievales de peregrinación europeas, siendo por tanto el camino de mayor relevancia histórica y el más seguido por los peregrinos. Su punto de inicio, hoy en día, tanto puede considerarse Roncesvalles como...

www.gronze.com

Knowledge of Spanish is a bonus but you can do without. A polite smile and some basic Spanish sentences are always welcome.

 

[trecile]

Traveled the world never using a tour group, but this trip is different in that I have no idea how I will be feeling etc and perhaps a tour group makes sense.

Since you will be meeting so many others doing the same thing I think that the Camino is actually much easier to do on your own - everyone helps each other out.
Where do you plan to start your Camino?

And most Camino tour companies offer "self guided" tours. You only book accommodations through them and are not in an actual group. You are basically given a list of your reservations with some other basic information, but you are then on your own. Actual group tours are very expensive, and can actually keep you somewhat separate from all the other pilgrims on the trail.

 

[henrythedog]

Whilst everything one could imagine is to be found on the internet, the sheer quantity of variable and contradictory information can make it difficult to know where to start.

Other than taking Trecile’s advice with respect to Orisson or Borda, I would strongly recommend buying a simple physical guidebook - Brierley is as good as any - and reading it.

Then - when you know what questions to ask, ask away.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

I also wouldn't recommend using a tour company. The problem is that you end up walking their Camino instead of your Camino.

lt seems a little daunting at first, but literally millions of people have done this on their own, and it has worked out fine. A couple of days after you start walking, you'll find all those things you were worried about are easy.

I was on this forum constantly before I went on my first Camino, and by the time I hit the ground, I actually knew more about the logistics of the Camino Frances than almost anybody I met. You found the right place.

A few days into my first Camino, when I had a serious leg injury, lots of people on this board helped me figure out how to deal with it and helped me save that Camino.

In terms of booking rooms, most people use one of the various Camino apps while they're walking, both for mapping and figuring out where to stay. Assuming you have a smartphone, download a couple of the apps and just start playing with them. You'll start to see how easy it is to use and plan.

"Buen Camino" or "Wise Pilgrim" are good apps and both have free versions.
A guidebook for research is a great idea as well. In the US, libraries often have something.
The "Moon" Camino guide, is a great read as well as being informational.

Have a great Camino!

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

I was 62 when I started in 2008. Since then, I returned most years except during the SARS lockdown. I have walked and rested in refugios without booking in advance. I have used tour operators who looked after everything and I have booked as I walked using my i-Phone, a sort of "book-as-you-go" idea. All of these methods have advantages and disadvantages. Using a tour operator means you are tied to a specific time and location itinerary. Booking pensions or hotels as you walk can be a bit of gamble especially during busy periods. So, I think it it is not very helpful to recommend how you do your Camino because it is so personal and unique to you and your needs. Consider the following which may be helpful with your reflections: (1) Your personal health and fitness level, (2) How much time do you have at your disposal?, (3) Financial costs. These are some of the practical considerations, I am sure there are others. Then you ask yourself why you are doing it in the first place. I've given myself many different answers to that last question over the years.
Finally, I wish you well on your journey. Buen Camino! Ultreya!

 

[RJM]

When you say Camino, I'm assuming you are referring to the Camino Frances.
That being said, IMO you don't need to plan it using a tour group as it has enough infrastructure, and a tour group would limit any flexibility. You could actually prebook accommodations on your own if that's your main concern as May is a busy month and if you are not into changing plans on where to stay due to accommodations in a town being full it can be a challenge. As mentioned before, pilgrims who do tour groups are actually kind of separate from the majority of pilgrims. A bit of a subculture within a subculture, . If that is something you would be concerned with, then maybe a tour group isn't what you want.
I recommend you get a guidebook for the Frances. They are great for planning purposes as information for the route itself and the towns and cities are at your fingertips for reference in deciding where to stay.
Two interesting experiences with tour group pilgrims come to mind and both involved their wanting to go into municipal albergues to take photos of the living accommodations and one involved their wanting to attend the communal meal at a donativo despite their not staying there. Both times the hospitaleros politely advised them it was not possible, but they did have the option of actually staying at the Albergue and experiencing it if that is what they wanted. Both times the tour group pilgrims declined the offer.

 

[trecile]

"Buen Camino" or "Wise Pilgrim" are good apps and both have free versions.

There is a free version of the Wise Pilgrim app, but I highly recommend spending a few dollars for the paid version.

 

[MinnehonkTom]

Yes to Camino Frances. Is it realistic to find hotels as I go? I don't speak Spanish so that could be a barrier. Ugh, so excited to do the walk but twisted on whether to use tour guide. Traveled the world never using a tour group, but this trip is different in that I have no idea how I will be feeling etc and perhaps a tour group makes sense.

You will have fun however you arrange things. I walked my first Camino 6 years ago at age 65. I used an agency, Ultreya Tours in Santiago de Compostela. Nellie Meunier of Ultreya created a personalized itinerary for me and booked small hotels for me along the way (because I don’t like sharing bathrooms or bedrooms). Since then I have made my own arrangements, using Booking.com or hotel websites for room reservations. Personally, I enjoy the advance prep - figuring out how far I want to walk each day and where I want to stay. The planning process starts the “Camino experience” in my mind and heart 6-9 months before I start walking.

 

[mikeatspokes]

Yes to Camino Frances. Is it realistic to find hotels as I go? I don't speak Spanish so that could be a barrier. Ugh, so excited to do the walk but twisted on whether to use tour guide. Traveled the world never using a tour group, but this trip is different in that I have no idea how I will be feeling etc and perhaps a tour group makes sense.

Welcome Brenda.

Maybe you need to ask yourself if you want to do this by yourself or would you be happier doing it in a group? Perhaps there are some friends or a walking group you know who might be wanting to do the same but need a little encouragement? Even if you start by yourself, you are bound to meet like minded soles along the way, and could even end up walking with some of them? Using an organized tour group could put you into the company of other people who might or might not be like minded, and as has been said, restricts your choices on how you do the Camino. But there are also some advantages, such as support if you should need it, luggage transfers, etc.

Not speaking Spanish isn't a big issue in general, as many pilgrims walk with little or no knowledge and manage quite successfully. Along the way, English is often the lingua franca amongst pilgrims, and you are sure to find someone to help if you need to communicate with shop or hotel staff, though English is widely understood in Spain. It probably won't be long before you pick up essential phrases, such as how to order a coffee!

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

Hi, Brenda, welcome to the forum!

Of course this is totally your decision, but I think that it helps to get strong opinions on either side of the issue so that you can sort out what resonates with you.

I don’t hear you articulating any concerns that would lead me to say, hey I think you should use a tour company. You are well traveled, and have always gone solo before. For me that suggests that you will find a tour company confining and limiting. No spontaneity possible, no chance to be independent and self-sufficient, no leeway in case you have an injury (other than keeping up with your pre-determined schedule by bus or taxi).

There is absolutely nothing remote or scary about the Camino Francés. In May there will be hundreds of people walking every day. You can meet people if you want to, or walk alone if you want to. If you have a good source of accommodations, stages, and cultural sights, you can easily plan day by day or a few days at a time. I see that you’re starting in León - I would book there, and then for the next two days, and then see how things go. It may be a bit unsettling to think you are out there with no reservations, but that is part of the beauty of it.

If it’s a bucket list trip for you, it may be a different calculus, but if you are thinking about some of the more ephemeral aspects of the camino, which distinguish it from almost every other long walk, then I think you will be happier if you go on your own.

Take a look at this thread, it has a lot of discussion about the same topics you have raised.

 

[bestfootforward]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

Hi Brenda,
What everybody else says! You'll be absolutely fine arranging your Camino without a tour group and as so many have said, you'll have a way more fun and fulfilling camino without the restrictions of having to be at a predetermined town/accomm on any given night.

The CF has such good infrastructure and you'll always find a bed, either by booking a day ahead, staying off the main stages, or in many cases simply by walking in. If you make some prep's for your first few nights, you'll then get the swing of things and still have the freedom to walk your camino your way. If you go with a tour company, you're locked in....all the way.

Whatever you choose, enjoy the coming months of planning and prep (such an exciting time) and have a Buen Camino! There'll be alot of us stepping out there in May

 

[syug]

I'm planning to start Camino May 20th. So so so many questions. Also my first time using a Forum so hopefully can figure it out. Biggest question: Arranging trip... better to use a tour company or do it yourself? Any insight/suggestions on tours to use or stay the heck away from would be GREAT!!!!

Hi Brenda, the French Way it's easy and well signed, you don't need companies who arrange travel for you. The route it's plenty of places to stay (Municipal albergues and many private hostel/hotel). I highly recommend checking out the Forwalk app (free). It's a fantastic resource for pilgrims looking to customize their journey. The app offers detailed maps, elevation profiles, and information on accommodations, making it easy to plan each stage of your hike. You can create a personalized itinerary based on your fitness level and desired pace. Plus, it's available in both English and spanish, so you'll have no trouble navigating the app https://app.forwalk.org/2/1/en/