FEATURED TRIP REPORT:
Walking the Camino de Santiago
Summary of our walk from Pamplona to Santo Domingo, Spain, in October 2022
We Walked 100 Miles on the Camino in 2022
For over 1,000 years pilgrims have walked the Camino from the French side of the Pyrenees across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, near Spain’s western coast. While the path was originally for the deeply religious, today there are as many different reasons to walk as there are pilgrims.
In October 2022 Travel Fever Tours guides led a group westward from Pamplona. The reward for a long day on their feet for the group was to indulge in delicious tapas and local wine. We spent the night in both small towns and small cities at comfortable hotels with private rooms and bathrooms. While most pilgrims sleep in dormitories, we prefer to have a hot shower and soft bed waiting for us each night in private rooms with private bathrooms.
From Pamplona to Santo Domingo
This walking tour introduced participants to the Camino by guiding them westward for 10 days, starting in Pamplona near the Camino’s start. To enable walkers to focus on their walking and the lovely scenery along the way, we organized their lodging and planned their meals – and we transported their bags each day to ease their load.
The adventure started in Pamplona, a fascinating, small Spanish city. While no bulls will be running in the streets in October, Pamplona offered much to see.
Over the following days, the group walked as much or as little as each person liked. Our van was available to coordinate snacks and lunch and we picked up anyone who had walked far enough for the day.
The Route
We met the group at the Pamplona airport and continude into Pamplona, a wonderful northern Spanish city with a great tapas scene for the evening.
Then we will set off on the path, covering approximately 10 miles a day (although people did less or more, depending on their preferences).
Our experience has shown that 10 miles is a reasonable daily goal for most people. For anyone who decides they would like to do less, our van can picks you up and deliver you to the day’s endpoint. Likewise, you can also cover more ground if you wish.
The route is mostly comprised of back roads, paths, and rarely through large urban areas. Walkers see local flora and fauna, be able to stop and take pictures, and consider life’s big questions through mindful reflection.
Our driver and van set up a picnic lunch for you each day. And the van will transported the group’s bags, so all people needed to carry was a simple day pack.
Your Guide
The guide on this walking trip was Betsy Bates of Dummerston, VT, who led this group for Travel Fever Tours in 2019 and 2021. Betsy has long experience leading hiking and biking trips in Europe and the US and has previously walked the full length of the Camino in Spain.
Betsy led biking tours for Vermont Bicycle Tours for 20 years. She currently leads hiking tours to Iceland for Road Scholars. In addition, she has taught both downhill and cross-country skiing for many years and leads wine, cheese and snowshoe tours during the winter months.
Betsy was assisted by Don Lawson and Travel Fever Tours co-founder, Bob Lawson, who has covered this section of the Camino five times.
Photos from the trip
(Click to Enlarge)
