The Camino de Santiago: alone, as a couple, with friends or in an organised group?

The Camino de Santiago can become one of your best experiences and it is important to stop and think a little about how you want to spend it. Some people prefer to walk alone, others share the experience with their partner or friends, and many choose to join an organised group. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice will depend on each person's character, expectations and needs.

In this article we evaluate each of the options and ask pilgrims how their experience has been and why they have decided to do it alone or accompanied.

Walking alone: an intimate connection

Walking the Camino solo may seem intimidating at first, but for many it is the best option. ‘Walking alone allows you to go at your own pace and be on your own or not at all’, says John Hamilton, who goes on to tell us that this way he can choose when to be in company or not: “In the evening, while I'm picking something for dinner, I take the opportunity to talk to other pilgrims if I feel like socialising that day”.

When walking alone, it is advisable to plan your route before you set off each day, as not all sections of the Camino are always well signposted. A navigation app can help a lot to make the right decision when faced with more than one way to go. It can be easy getting lost in the moment whilst walking along, passing by the yellow arrows without fully knowing which road to take. It happened to Anna Gascón (part of the S-Cape team), she absentmindedly walked past a yellow arrow for 3 km. When she realised that she had not seen another marker for some time, she had to make a decision: continue forward and risk going in the wrong direction, or go back to the last arrow to know exactly which route to take.

Another aspect that comes to mind when travelling alone is safety. The Camino de Santiago is considered a safe route, although, unfortunately, sometimes there have been cases of harassment. There is a lot of support among pilgrims and people in hostels or accommodation in case something happens. Still, there are ways to improve your safety, such as what Anna did while walking the Camino del Norte alone, ‘every day I informed my father where I was staying that day and what stage I was going to do the next day. This way there was daily contact and, with a quick message, I kept him updated on my location’. 

As a couple or with friends: sharing the journey

Walking as a couple or with friends strengthens (or breaks!) bonds.

Ángel Álvarez (guide and part of the S-Cape Travel team), walked the French Way with his partner. Ángel recalls that it was interesting for both of them as they got to know things about each other in a very different situation than usual, spending many hours together and with moments of tiredness. ‘Everyone has their own rhythm when walking and it was important to respect that. After a few days we decided that, if one of us had more drive one day, we would keep walking to meet up later or at the end of the stage’.  

This aspect is intensified if you go in a group of friends, where you have to find a balance between everyone. The majority of the time, however, everything goes well, bonds are strengthened, and memories and anecdotes are created that will last a lifetime. Daniel Robledo suggests the following when doing the Camino with friends, even though he only went with one friend: ‘When I started talking to my friend about doing the Camino, I quickly raised my fears about the amount of time we were going to spend together, and the possibility that we might get into an argument. I explained my expectations and how I imagined the Camino and it helped to overcome small moments of tension. Sharing moments in company and moments alone, even walking side by side’.

In an organised group: strangers who become companions

Joining an organised group to do the Camino is a very good option for those who do not want to do it alone and cannot find someone to accompany them. It is also an interesting way to meet people with similar interests.

Having a company organise your trip means that you do not have to worry about accommodation or even preparing your backpack for the Camino, as luggage transport is usually included. This way, you can focus on walking and, perhaps, return home with a new friendship.  

Group guide Silvia says that she has ‘had some negative experiences with groups of people who do not know each other, but one of the roles of the guide is to manage the tensions and make these people become companions for a few days. At the end, the thanks from the group members are positive and very comforting.

Many of these organised tours include a guide who also acts as a local interpreter. However, this format may not be ideal for those who value flexibility, as schedules and itineraries are more fixed.

A last option that mixes the Camino with friends and logistical support is to hire a self-guided trip, where the agency organises accommodation and luggage transfer but there is flexibility to follow the route at your own pace. Apart from these services, the agencies include route descriptions or navigation apps so you can follow them without a guide.

The Camino: a flexible experience

The important thing is to enjoy the journey, respect one's own time and needs, and take the opportunity to connect with nature, culture and stories that are found in each step. After all, the Camino de Santiago is as unique as the pilgrim who walks it.