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This was a super experience altogether, from start to finish, with Exodus having thought of everything. The hotels were great, the arrangements brilliant, the guide, Jose, was amazing, thoughtful, supportive, hardworking, well organised: he made it possible for the team (we 13) to be able to concentrate on the task in hand: getting to Compostela on foot. A great bonus, too, was the way we 13 strangers got on together and helped each other. We spent such a lot of time together in a shared endeavour and it was such a great success, that we are planning to meet again in 2019.
This was when we (all 13 of us only one Catholic among us) went together to the Pigrims' Mass in the Cathedral at Compostela, when the Botafumeiro swung into action and, at the same time, the cathedral organ crashed magnificently into music. We had really arrived and the pain was worth it!!
Brilliant, fantastic, see above Summary question: 10 out of 10.
Do this holiday/trek - it's great. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Exodus and Cumbres for making my Camino such a wonderful experience.
There were quite a few moments of gentle chats and encouragement which will stay with me and the genuine sharing of the elation and excitement when arriving at the Cathedral.
We were extremely lucky having Alberto as our guide. He is a great leader and excellent co-ordinator. He was always pleased to share his extensive knowledge of the beautiful Galician region, its culture and history. His happy disposition and gentle sense of humour were extra bonuses.
Read and take onboard all your trip notes beforehand, try and follow your exercise plan in preparation. Then ... enjoy...
A brilliant trip, well organised and most enjoyable
Realising we’d actually made it to the cathedral in Santiago
Jose was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and full f information. He was also very caring, looking after the group members who had blisters and encouraging those that needed it. It was a pleasure having him guide us.
Make sure to take photos at the beginning, especially of the marker stone at the start of the trek, as you will regret it later if you haven’t. They give you a bit of an impetus as you progress knowing how far you’ve come and the distance left to do.
This was an amazing experience and one I will never forget. I was invited by a best friend and whilst i wasn’t sure I could do the whole walk, coming from couch potato status, I made it with the help of our wonderful guide Jose, the support of my friend and everyone in the group. The Galician countryside is just beautiful and we were blessed with some lovely weather in May, mostly blue skies and sunshine but not too hot. Most of the walk is through beautiful woods and the scents of the countryside even from farmyard to Eucalyptus trees was wonderful.
There were several moments along the trip which were amazing but I really enjoyed the lovely little town of Portomarin, dinnner at O Mirador restaurant and the views of the reservoir below.
Jose was just amazing. He was full of energy, always smiling and really took care of us all on the trip. I can't imagine we were an easy group to manage as we had different paces and abilities but Jose always knew where we were and kept us in check. He was also very kind and caring looking after our blisters to make sure we made it to the end!
If you are going to bring a book, just bring the one. You are pretty tired each evening and after dinner most nights, it was straight to bed! Bring two pairs of walking socks for each day so you can change them and keep your feet dry.
Exodus makes your experience virtually worry free.
You don’t need to wonder about schedules, meals, hotels, baggage transport, and flights. You get to concentrate on a beautiful walk through farmland and beautiful countryside.
You get a paper “passport” to get stamped alone the way. It shows you did the hike and gets you a certificate at the end. A fun souvenir to own.
The walk through beautiful farm country and interesting old towns and cities.
Jose was very good at communicating what to expect each day. He really kept the trek worry free for the group. On the trail he sped up or slowed down to keep us together enough to have all stops and meals together. All of the stops were at great places for coffee and food and we put tables together so we could visit. Jose made a point of interacting with all of us. He had excellent advice on how to avoid blisters and offered first aid if people developed them. Having Jose with us allowed us to enjoy the Camino concentrate on the trek.
Do an honest self evaluation of your walking skills. Then take time to get to the point that you are able to walk for a few hours and go a long distance. This trek was not a marathon race, but you cover a lot of ground. The days are usually a pattern like : breakfast, walk about 2-3 hours, break, walk about 2-3 hours, lunch, walk about 2-3 hours, break, walk an hour or so, check into hotel with a group dinner scheduled for later. It is a full day that is so interesting and picturesque that is goes by quickly. If you read the blogs they tell you to bring certain kinds of gear. Take it with a grain of salt. Decide what you really need to trek miles per day. Dress for the weather. In May I wore merino wool longjohns, poly tee shirt, Gore Tex pants and jacket, Keen walking shoes. I bought a huge rain parka on the trail. I was warm and dry. I did not carry a pack or knapsack. I had a fanny pack with cash, ID, and small water bottle. I would not recommend bringing poles unless you usually need them to walk. Shoes are the most important thing. Make sure you have shoes you can walk in for hours. I walk 8-10 miles most days. So I know my shoes are broken in and they fit. When you train for the trip trip you will be able to break in new shoes. I only used one pair of walking shoes and never unpacked the second pair. So one good pair of hiking shoes was enough for me. Off the trail I used lightweight slip-ons. In May we had fairly cool weather with rain a few times and lots of sunshine. Walking was usually in the shaded countryside with some mud. It was nice because we did not have extreme weather.
I thoroughly enjoyed walking in rural Galicia (whatever the weather), and the company of our international group. It was good fun and we had a great time. Thanks to Jose for looking after us so well and also to Exodus for the logistical arrangements. Walking the Camino is such a unique experience and one which I would recommend particularly when you belong to a group who you can easily walk and socialise with. Glad I went.
On top of the steps leading into Portomarin, the group raised their poles/sticks and formed an impromptu “Guard of Honour” for Jose. He was touched by the tribute and it confirmed to me that we had all well and truly bonded as a group.
Jose Manuel Garcia. In addition to above, I would like to add that Jose is very experienced and knowledgeable about the Camino (he’s done it for 7 years!). He also puts in a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly e.g. tables were reserved or lunch was ready when we arrived.
Use your baggage allowance to take spare footwear and clothing. Recommend wearing well broken in walking boots or trail shoes. Walking continuously in trainers can lead to blisters especially when the weather is hot or is wet underneath.
This trip will give you a taste of the Camino. I would encourage you to slow down and experience the Camino as a peregrino, rather than race to the lunch stop or the hotel at the end of the day with your head down. Lift your head up, enjoy the views, talk to the other walkers. Enjoy the Camino. Wear running shoes or trainers rather than walking boots. Expect blisters.
Walking with and sharing the Camino experience
Fine
Slow down, participate and enjoy the Camino experience Wear trainers not boots Pack your compeeds
Having read a couple of books, with regards to the Camino, and being keen walkers my wife and I thought it would be a great challenge and the opportunity to move away from the more traditional summer holiday. We didn’t know what to expect but can honestly say it was a fantastic experience.
Everything was extremely well organised, from the flights, transfer, our daily accommodation and meals where necessary. The daily distance wasn’t too bad as it is split between morning and afternoon with plenty additional stops on the route, if required. Our group of 16, travelled at different paces and that worked very well. We’d often meet up along the road and exchange different experiences of the day.
The overall route, is relatively easy, with only a few hills, here and there and three larger ones towards the end.
Accommodation, on the route was extremely good. It varied from a log cabin type to a room that had four double beds! Meals were very good and look out for the Pilgrims Menu – 10 euros and plenty of wine.
I think the most inspirational moment(s) has to be arriving into Santiago and the Pilgrims mass. It was a feeling of achievement, with a group of people we didn't know the previous week, but have now ended up as friends.
Alfonso was an excellent leader. Extremely knowledgeable about the area, the history of the area and the history of the Camino. He was always on the lookout for us all, but not in an intrusive way. He organised a number of meals, for us (daytime/evening time) and everything went really smoothly. Couldn't have asked for a better leader.
Choose your footwear carefully. I walked mainly in boots and as most reviews say "they're often not required". Most of the Pilgrims walked in some form of light trainer/walking shoe. Take up the freetour in Santiago. It's very informative. You can make a contribution, at the end. We used Santiago DC. Just take it all in and enjoy.
The walk was quite an achievement for me and, as I am close to 70 years old, I’m glad I have experienced it. The travel arrangements by Exodus were good, though I would have preferred to arrive at the start in Samos much earlier than 2.30am! All the hotels were modest and clean and comfortable for our overnight stays.
As a group we ate dinner together which was nice, with our guide often suggesting suitable venues. So all in all a wonderful experience.
Not sure you'd call it an inspirational moment but ..... when I completed the 29km day walk!
Our leader was Jose Manuel. He was excellent as a leader ensuring that all of us were ok at all times. He emphasised at the beginning the importance of letting him know if any one of us should have the slightest blister so that appropriate care could be taken. He would explain the route for the day and helped us with ordering food and drinks at all the breaks/stops. He would also suggest suitable restaurants for dinner in the evening.
Make sure you take more than just 1 pair of walking shoes/boots. Even though I had done several walks in my walking boots, I had very sore toes and a blister after 2 days of walking and had to abandon my boots and then walk in my sneakers for the rest of the camino. A couple of people in our group walked the whole 130km in sandals. The walking trails and paths are well trodden and relatively flat, so this might be an option for some. As a mature person, I found my walking poles invaluable but many others in the group did not find them necessary.
Having been on a number of Exodus walking holidays, I think this was one of the best. The walking is accurately described in the trip notes and although 6 successive days of walking was tiring, the different walking paces of all in the group were accommodated and there were good opportunities for stops for lunch, coffee and dinner, all well researched by Jose, our group leader.
Meeting other walkers from many countries along the way - often the same people on successive days
Jose was always cheerful and lead the group well, identifying and recommending the best places to eat and reserving spots along the way - really important when there are so many walkers and, in some places, not a lot of places to sit and eat.
Look after your feet by having good and comfortable boots, walking trainers or walking sandals! Make sure you are used to walking on successive days, so that you avoid the risk of blisters