Winging it or Getting a Helping Hand?

TorontoGMan said:

Outfitters are asking me if I have any questions about the quotes they sent me as I just began understanding and searching about the Camino.
It is very tempting! Everything seems looked after. You have places to stay every night and you are ensured breakfast and even dinner if you want. Bags are moved for you, from one location to the next. Oh yeah, it's expensive...about $6000!
But the books I've read give the appearance of most of you "winging it". You get to places, or not, you march on if you can't find accommodations, and that is tough after 25 km days!
I would LOVE to hear some thoughts herein!! Thanks!

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Assuming 6 thousand dollars is for the CF, you can easily save at least half of that money. For circa 150 euros you can have your backpack transported the entire camino. With Correos.com From Roncevalles to SJPdP. The other stage or in France SJPdP can be arranged from other companies such as https://www.expressbourricot.com/fr/
You just need to tell them the night before where you intend to go the next day. This applies whether you book a the trip ahead through a company, or do it yourself, if you want your bag sent ahead.

If you book the whole trip through a company, it is almost impossible to change your fixed reservations.

If you plan your own trip, you could book the first few nights, get an idea of how things are going and then just book ahead a night or two.

Use gronze https://www.gronze.com/ for a list of accommodations. Booking.com is easy to use and you can get instant confirmations. If you do it yourself, there are lots of us, who can answer your questions. If you start in SJPdP book up thru Pamplona. Check online for a list of Spanish. This year May 1 will Fall on a Monday so some towns, such as Ponderrada will be quite full and prices will increase substantially. Also ask, when you know your schedule, about local holidays. Logrono, e.g. has its wine festival one weekend in September. You do not want to come into that town at that time without a reservation.
Booking.com allows you to make changes usually several days in advance but it can vary from one day to circa two weeks depending on the accommodation.

Many accommodations include or offer breakfast from about 4-6 euros. However, I would not recommend that you book breakfast ahead, unless there wasn’t a bar within 5km. You might want to leave the albergue or hotel early, especially if it’s warm out. So it is usually to your advantage to not book meals ahead of time.

Happy planning!

One misconception several people seem to have is that if you have someone else book your accommodations you will not meet other pilgrims or make lasting friendships. This is not true. You would be surprised at the number of people staying in the same accommodations and walking the same route--interesting, funny, smart people. They tend to be older people who may have reasons for pre-booking.

I am not arguing in favor of going through a booking agent, but I do think we on the forum need to stay cognizant of the truth that each of us has their own reasons for their choices, and the reasons can be quite valid. There is no "right" way.

trecile said:

Absolutely. But I think that some of us help create unrealistic expectations when we say things like "the Camino provides," and talk about how easy it is to walk the Camino and find lodging every day.

There are many posts on this forum from people saying everything from "I never trained for the Camino" to "I never booked ahead and always had a bed." But often when you read further you find that the person who never trained has a habit of walking to work, or the person who always found a bed walked in the off season.

Everyone needs to take advice and adapt it to their own personal circumstances, and not assume that because someone on the forum said it was possible for them, that it will be possible for everyone.

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I am looking at my 1st Camino next year starting like a lot of people apparantly in April. I have had quite abit of trouble attempting to find somewhere to book in Zubiri. I couldnt imagaine having this amount of stress during the whole walk. Any suggestions, appreciated

1elantra said:

I have had quite abit of trouble attempting to find somewhere to book in Zubiri. I couldnt imagaine having this amount of stress during the whole walk.

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Hello 1elantra Accommodation is mostly available except at peak times if you book ahead a day or 2, although many in the pre COVID days tended to wing it. This give a more flexible experience, it tends to work well.
And may not be stressful if you assume that at times you might need to go upmarket to a hotel, downmarket and sleep in a church or under a bridge, or perhaps a taxi a slight distance if you can't get to a vacant bed. Pilgrimages for the most part have not been carefully orchestrated before you leave home, and do occasionally have a few rough edges, but a lot of upside.

Sirage said:

Hello 1elantra Accommodation is mostly available except at peak times if you book ahead a day or 2, although many in the pre COVID days tended to wing it. This give a more flexible experience, it tends to work well.
And may not be stressful if you assume that at times you might need to go upmarket to a hotel, downmarket and sleep in a church or under a bridge, or perhaps a taxi a slight distance if you can't get to a vacant bed. Pilgrimages for the most part have not been carefully orchestrated before you leave home, and do occasionally have a few rough edges, but a lot of upside.

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That makes sense for sure, and thanks

I think if you are trying to book for April, it is simply too early. Wait until Jan. Even booking dot com does not have many places available for booking in April.
Zubiri has lots of places to stay. Write to them directly to reserve a bed, but wait. They may all be taking a well earned rest from a very busy season.

1elantra said:

I am looking at my 1st Camino next year starting like a lot of people apparantly in April. I have had quite abit of trouble attempting to find somewhere to book in Zubiri. I couldnt imagaine having this amount of stress during the whole walk. Any suggestions, appreciated

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I think it's generally a bad idea to book so far in advance. Certainly, for the first few days of your Camino if that makes you more comfortable, perhaps SJPP to Logroño, and until you get the hang of things, but for most of the Camino just a day or two in advance is almost always sufficient, and it helps keep you flexible. Although booking a bit more in advance for the sections from Sarria onwards could certainly make sense.

There's really not that much stress involved once you get to know the Camino, especially once most of the other pilgrims start to be more flexible too.

Perhaps the big city bottlenecks could use some booking a day or two earlier than other places ?

MichaelC said:

I met some tour operators along the way who I thought were very respectful of the Camino, and did an excellent job of guiding people who did need that helping hand. Good ones exist, so I don't want to slam outfitters as a group.

But I am going to slam some of them, and hard. Here are some of the experiences I have had with package tours:

• Many outfitters will shuttle people off-camino for the night for a stay in a three-star hotel. It's probably more comfortable that way, and I've had friends do this style, but to me it seems more of a "vacation with day hikes" than a pilgrimage the way I understand it.
• Many groups are very insular, and will treat individual walkers as intruders in "their" albergue or "their" café. Most of us arrive at a small café and share tables, and invite solo walkers to join us. I've seen groups take over small restaurants, one or two per table, and not make accommodations for others who are walking.
• Even worse, I've seen groups treat workers at restaurants or albergues like staff. And even if you're not like that, you'll be with people who are.
• In one extreme case, I came across a group on an exposed hill that appeared to be waiting for their guide to show up. The sun was blazing, and one poor elderly woman was badly sunburnt. I had an umbrella, so walked up and shaded us both. I gave her some water. She held on to my arm and started chatting away in German - a language I don't understand. She seemed a bit confused. Heat stroke, maybe? Others in the group said something that sounded very stern and called her back over to them ... back into the blazing sun. And I just bleepin' can't. We all always help each other out on Camino, especially when someone appears to be in trouble.

If you need a helping hand, I think that's fine. Just be careful what outfitter you choose! And I agree with everyone else ... any outfitter asking for six thousand dollars is probably not one you want to choose.

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Hi Michael, Can you recommend any tour operators for cycling the route? Thanks, Dan

Mtnhombre said:

Hi Michael, Can you recommend any tour operators for cycling the route? Thanks, Dan

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Hi!

Late to the thread, but wanted to share that I have cycled the route with tour operator Saddle Skedadde before. I did their self guided Camino Frances trip in 2017 and loved it.

Our luggage was transferred everyday and accommodation was included within the package. They provided detailed maps which aided the local camino signage. Would highly recommend for ease of sorting logistics.

I noticed they have written a good write up explaining all the trips they offer on this site (for more useful information): https://epicroadrides.com/cycling-blog/camino-de-santiago-bike-tours/