Camino packing list - 13 essential items
Planning your first pilgrimage walk and wandering what to pack for the Camino de Santiago? Choosing the right gear and not packing too heavy is important for the successful walk. We've walked 10 Camino de Santiago routes and learnt from our experience what to bring with and what to leave out. I've created this Camino packing list to make packing easier for fellow pilgrims. Hope it helps you to choose the right items.
Camino de Santiago packing checklist
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3 most important Camino items to pack
1. Backpack
It's important to choose the right backpack for the Camino de Santiago. I usually walk with a 30-40L (depending on the season) backpack. It is more than enough especially if you're not planning on carrying a laptop/mirror camera, etc. as I did. Remember, the bigger backpack the more unnecessary stuff you’ll fit in. If you walk in summer you can get away with a 30-35L backpack.
For hiking in winter or late fall/early spring when you need warmer clothes a 40-45L backpack for men and women will be big enough. Make sure your backpack has a rain cover or buy a separate one.
If you use a luggage transfer service you can bring a big backpack/suitcase and walk with a day pack carrying only valuables, water, and snacks. Make sure your daypack is comfortable for walking. Osprey Talon 22 Hiking Backpack or smaller Osprey Daylite 15L Daypack are great options.
Read more on the best backpacks for the Camino.
2. Shoes
It's importance to bring a good pair of shoes for the Camino. You’ll spend 5-8 hours a day walking in them. We recommend walking the Camino, especially longer routes, in hiking shoes, not in sneakers. We walked a part of the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon in our running shoes. At first, they were very comfortable but after a couple of days of walking on cobblestones, our feet were destroyed.
If you buy a new pair of shoes wear them for a while before you start the pilgrimage. Even very good shoes might cause blisters when new. If you're planning to do some Camino training the best is to train in the same shoes you're going to walk the Camino.
Read our recommendation for the best shoes for the Camino de Santiago.
Suggested shoes for women
In the last 2 years I've walked five Camino routes in my current Merrell Moab hiking shoes. They're comfortable and light. I got light rain a couple of time and my feet didn't get wet but in heavy rain they wouldn't work. I never had any blisters but I always wear them with Merino wool socks.
For walking the Camino in the winter when it rains a lot and on some routes, you can even get snow I can recommend Salomon GTX boots. These shoes are amazing for more challenging hiking routes and walking in bad weather conditions e.g. heavy rain or snow.
I compare different shoes on the Camino in this YouTube video.
Suggested shoes for men
Campbell currently has Merrell Moas shoes (men's version). He's done a couple of Camino routes and several coastal hikes in them. These shoes are a great; light, durable, relatively waterproof, comfortable, and have a good grip.
For off-season when you can get a lot of rain and occasional snow Campbell wears waterproof hiking boots Salomon Ultra 3 Mid GTX. They are very comfortable and light, stay dry for hours, and keep your feet warm especially if you wear merino wool socks.
3. Socks
We're big fans of Merino wool socks. We wear them always when we walk the Camino. I did a test run last year on the Spiritual Variant. I walked one day in Merino wool socks and one in synthetic hiking socks. I didn't get any blisters wearing the Merino socks and my feet didn't sweat though it was a hot and long walking day. I changed my synthetic hiking socks after 2 hours because my feet started chafing. I have 3 pairs of Danish Endurance socks that I've been using for the last 4 years.
Just like me Campbell always hikes and walks the Camino in Merino woold socks.
We like the Merino wool socks so much that we even wrote a separate article on them.
10 essential items for your Camino packing list
These are the standard items that we usually pack for the Camino de Santiago. Some of them might be not necessary depending on the Camino route and your accommodation type. E.g. if you walk the Coastal Route or Litoral Way of the Portuguese Camino you won't need hiking poles when for the Camino Frances and Camino Primitivo they will be very helpful. If you stay in hotels you won't need a sleeping bag but if you stay in public albergues you'll need one.
1. Trekking pants
I usually walk in stretchy leggings the same I use for running and exercising. They are comfortable and light, stretch a lot, dry quickly, and take up little space. I always pack two pairs of pants. Some people prefer walking in hiking pants. I wear long pants/leggings even in summer for extra sum protection.
Campbell always walks in quick-dry hiking pants. For summer you can bring a pair of long trekking pants and a pair of hiking shorts or as an option buy a pair of convertible pants with zip-off legs.
2. Hiking shirt
Depending on what you prefer to wear for hiking it can be a long-sleeve top or a running T-shirt. I usually pack two running tops; one long sleeves and one short-sleeve. Even for walking in summer wearing a thin long-sleeve top is good for extra sun protection.
Campbell usually wears a hiking shirt or running T-shirt on the Camino. They’re great; light, comfortable, breathing, dry very quickly, and easy to wash. Pack two shirts.
Walking in summer always apply sunscreen on open areas of your body.
3. Rain jacket or poncho
I suggest packing either one. In Northern Spain, it rains quite a lot throughout the year. If you walk in July or August the chances of rain are smaller. We walked some shorter routes without having any rain. For spring/early fall you can get away with a rain poncho. For the rest of the year, a good waterproof jacket is a must-have.
Campbell usually packs his rain jacket for the Camino. In the peak summer months, you can get away without it but I still recommend bringing a rain poncho and a rain cover for your backpack.
4. Flip-flops
Flip-flops or any other comfortable footwear are a great item to pack for the Camino. It's an amazing feeling when after a long walking day you take off your hiking shoes and put on flip-flops. They're great to have for wearing in albergues, on the beach, and outside.
5. Headwear
For the summer months, it’s a must-have item. Most of the Camino routes go through open areas without any shade, so you will have to protect your head. I don't like hats and prefer walking in a cap.
A hat works better for sun protection as it covers your neck as well. Sunglasses are another useful item to add to your Camino packing list.
6. Quick-dry towel
A quick-dry towel is a useful item to add to your Camino packing list. It is very light, packs small, dries quickly (as you can guess from the name), durable, and come in many different colors. If you stay in hotels you get towels but most albergues don't provide them or you have to pay extra.
7. Sleeping bag
In our experience, most albergues provide blankets but usually, without covers, I prefer to use my sleeping bag, and if it's cold I use it with a blanket. A light sleeping bag with a comfort temperature limit of +12°C/55°F will be good for sleeping indoors even in winter.
If you walk the Camino in summer, you can pack a silk liner instead. We walked a couple of Camino routes in July and often it was too hot at night to use a sleeping bag.
If you plan to stay in hotels you don't need to carry a sleeping bag or liner, all hotels and guesthouses provide blankets and bedding.
8. Water bottle
We prefer carrying a reusable water bottle over buying plastic bottles every day. Tap water in Spain and Portugal is usually fine to drink. I didn't drink tap water in the Meseta part of the Camino Frances as I heard from other pilgrims that they had stomach issues after drinking tap water there.
9. Headlamp
Having a headlamp on the Camino is very useful if you're planning to stay in albergues. The lights are usually turned off quite early so if you want to read or find something in your backpack you can use a headlamp. You'll need it in the mornings if you start walking very early in the dark.
10. Trekking poles
We use trekking poles a lot for hiking in the mountains. For walking the Camino we don't usually take them but I know many pilgrims do. Trekking poles are great if you have knee or hip problems, shin splint, etc. They help a lot to reduce stress on joints. We used them on some routes with many ascents and descents e.g. the Camino Primitivo, Camino de San Salvador, or Camino de Gran Canaria.
Other useful items to pack for the Camino
2-3 of pairs of underwear.
A change of clothes (for sleeping/wearing in albergues).
A fleece. It's always nice to have a soft and warm fleece. Even in summer if you start walking early it might be a bit chilly.
A neck bag. You can carry your documents and valuables in a neck bag.
A travel lock. Some albergues have lockers but don’t have locks if you want to lock your valuables pack a travel lock.
Toiletries. Your normal stuff that you usually take traveling but in smaller containers.
First aid kit. You can buy a ready-made kit, take out some unnecessary stuff, and add whatever extra you need.
A Credential (Camino passport) is a small paper book with your name where you collect stamps from albergues, hotels, churches, restaurants, etc. along the way. You need it to stay at public albergues and to get your Compostela certificate in Santiago.
A book or Kindle. You usually have time for reading in the evening.
Do you want to read something fun or interesting about the Camino? Campbell just finished reading a whole bunch of novels that playoff on the Camino. See our reviews of some of the Top Novels on the Camino de Santiago. Some of them are fun, some of them are interesting and some of them are strange.
If you need practical information for planning the pilgrimage check out our post that contains useful tips for planning and walking the Camino.
Camino de Santiago planning resources
- Learn more about the Camino | A detailed guide to the Camino de Santiago |
- Calculate your estimated Camino budget | The cost of walking the Camino de Santiago |
- More packing tips for the Camino de Santiago | Camino de Santiago: To Walk Far, Carry Less |
- What are the origins of the Way of St.James? | History of the Camino |
Questions or Comments?
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
Planning to walk the via de la Plata (starting Seville, Feb.1/2024).
Is a lightweight sleeping bag enough for the albergue? This will be my 5th
Camino, but 1st time walking winter/early spring time.
Hello Dan. As far as I remember most (in not all) albergues had blankets. I would suggest having long sleeve top and long pants for sleeping just in case but a lightweight sleeping bag should be fine.
Buen Camino
Planning to walk the Camino Portugal from Porto mid-Sept to mid-Oct and am wondering what your tips are for rain jackets? Should I go for something waterproof with some warmth or thin collapsible kind? I’m only planning to take a mid-layer fleece and maybe one long sleeve merino T-shirt for warmth otherwise.
Hello Sarah. Thank you for the comment. I'd say a thin rain jacket with a fleece or a merino top should be find for walking the Portuguese Camino in September-October. We walked del Norte in October-November and had thin rain jackets and fleeces it it was warm enough.
Buen Camino
Thank you for your very informative website. Great packing list.
Is Porto to Santiago pretty flat?
Hello Jim. Thank you for the comment. Yes, the Camino from Porto to Santiago is pretty flay especially the Coastal Route.
Buen Camino
Hey there. Planning on doing the Ingles route within the next five years. My question is when you speak of the terrain being difficult, what does that mean? Will I be walking along cliff edges? I'm a little nervous about that.
Thank you
Hello Karrie. Thank you for the comment. By difficult terrain, I mean hard surfaces such as cobblestones or asphalt. On the Camino Ingles in particular there is not much walking on cobblestones and there is definitely no walking along cliff edges. Nothing to worry about.
Buen Camino
As others have said, great site and thanks for all the great info.
I prefer to stay in a private room so hotels most likely or albergues that offer single rooms.
My question: I really need a comfortable bed with pillows and covers (medical reasons).
Are hotels the only places that provide that or do the albergues? Trying to understand the sentence above (your words): "If you’re not planning to stay at hotels (private rooms) instead of albergues you don’t need to carry a sleeping bag, all hotels and guesthouses provide blankets and bedding."
Does that question make sense?
Hello Skip. Thank you for the comment and your support. As far as I remember not many albergues have private rooms. It depends on which Camino route you're planning to walk. I did stay in private even with a private bathroom in a couple of albergues on the Camino Frances. As for comfort private albergues, especially those that are a bit more expensive (20 euros per night) have more comfortable beds with pillows and provide blankets. 90% of municipal albergues have metal bunk beds you can imagine they're not very comfortable. So I'd say municipal albergues are not a good option for you.
Hotels and guesthouses do provide bedding, pillows, and blankets.
I don't know which Camino route you're going to walk but we have detailed posts on most Camino routes with PDFs that contain lists of places to stay. You can have a look and plan your walk accordingly.
Buen Camino
@Stingy Nomads, I think part of Skip's question is due to a typo in your post:
You say:
"If you’re *not planning* to stay at hotels (private rooms) instead of albergues you don’t need to carry a sleeping bag, all hotels and guesthouses provide blankets and bedding."
I think you may have meant:
"If you’re *planning* to stay at hotels (private rooms) instead of albergues you don’t need to carry a sleeping bag, all hotels and guesthouses provide blankets and bedding."
Thanks for the informative post!
Hi. Yes, it was a typo. Thank you very much for pointing it out. I just fixed it.
Cheers
@Stingy Nomads, Do the municipal albergues provide pillows?
Hello Jenn. As far as I can remember the municipal albergues have pillows and most of them give disposable bedding.
Buen Camino!
G’day Stingy Nomads,
I have been reading your blog regarding the Santiago de Compostela Camino. Find it very informative to help us.
An opportunity arise, I have been invited to accompany a friend to the World Youth Day in Lisbon. I told her about the Camino Santiago de Compostela and this will be our introduction.
Planning to do the the last 100kms for 5 days. We will be drop off at Qurense on 30/07 (staying overnight). Next day start the walk 31/07.
Any suggestions of an accommodations (hostel or hotels) at each locations.
This is our itinerary:
Day 1. (30/07) - Arrival in Ourense.
Day 2. (31/07) - Ourense - Cea (22 Kms)
Day 3. (1/08) - Cea - A Laxe (33 Kms)
Day 4. (2/08) - A Laxe - Outeiro (34 Kms)
Day 5. (3/08) - Outeiro- Santiago de
Compostela (17 Kms)
Day 6. (4/08) - Santiago de Compostela then make way to travel by train to Fatima (stay overnight)
Day 7. (5/08) train from Fatima to Lisbon (rejoined the group).
Day 8. (6/08) WYD closing mass then departs for Barcelona.
I checked tour operators (package deal) & got a quote but we thought if we book directly to the hotels would be cheaper. We don’t require baggage transfer. We’ll get breakfast & dinner we eat out.
Would appreciate any comments and advice.
Thank you
Liberty
Hello Liberty. Thank you for the comment. Is there any particular reason you want to walk the last 100 km on the Camino Sanabres? It's one of the least popular Camino routes in Spain therefore it has less infrastructure for pilgrims. Since you're going to arrive in Lisbon I'd say walking the Portuguese Camino from Valenca/Tui in my opinion is a good option. The route has plenty of places to stay, it's very social you'll get a chance to meet many other pilgrims. It might be a better introduction to the Camino de Santiago than the Camino Sanabres. We have a detailed post on the Portuguese Camino with PDFs that contain walking stages and places to stay along the route https://stingynomads.com/camino-portugues-stages/.
From Lisbon, you can get to Valença by direct bus.
If you really want to walk the Camino Sanabres I won't be able to help you with the itinerary and places to stay as we have never walked it. You can check the Gronze.com website for more information on that route.
I don't think there is a direct train from Santiago to Fatima. You'll have to switch twice. I'm not even sure it's possible to get by train all the way from Santiago to Fatima (I don't think the two countries are connected by railway you'll have to take a bus in between). I'd suggest taking a direct bus from Santiago to Fatima. The journey takes 7-8 hours. You can check the timetable and buy tickets on this site https://rede-expressos.pt/en.
From Fatima, there are several daily trains to Lisbon so that part will be easy.
Buen Camino
Hello Stingy Nomads, thank you so much for the amazing information!! Your blog is my favorite Camino guide. I am planning my first Camino Portuguese from Porto starting in mid-may this year. I will be sleeping in albergues and I am thinking of either bringing a 12°C light sleeping bag or an even lighter sleeping liner. From your experience, which one would you recommend? As for shirts for women, I've seen some merino shirts that fold very small, but I never tried them in person. Would you recommend merino shirts or fast-dry polyesther running shirts? Thanks a lot in advance! Buen camino!!
Hello Teela. Thank you for the comment. I'd suggest taking a light sleeping bag in mid-May it's still can be chilly at night though most albergues have blankets. If you don't have a small sleeping bag then a liner should be fine if you sleep in a long-sleeve top.
Buen Camino
Maybe one day . . .
Your information is so easy to digest! Thank you!!!
Hello Kiki. Thank you for the feedback. Enjoy the walk.
Buen Camino
Hi there, really interesting reading the blogs over the various camino’s you have done. Me and two other friends are doing the Camino del norte in April and I was wondering how much in advance do you need to book accommodation for each stage. We are hoping to keep the price down so we are planning on staying at as many albergues as possible, but as it is April we realise some may not be taking guests in, would the alternative be to get hostels?
Hello Flynn. Thank you for the comment. April is low season for the Camino del Norte and you're right some albergues will be still closed. In bigger towns and cities you don't have to worry about finding accommodation it shouldn't be a problem. I would suggest checking out small places with only one or two options to plan your walking stages accordingly and maybe adjust them based on availability. Hostels cost more or less the same as private albergues you can use them as an alternative.
Buen Camino
My daughter and I are going to do the Portuguese way in October, upon completion, which is the most convenient way to return to the Lisbon airport?
Hello Tom. The best way is to take a direct bus from Santiago de Compostela to Lisbon. We did so when we completed the Portuguese Camino because our flight was from Lisbon. There are no direct flights from Santiago to Lisbon and taking a train is not a good option as you'll have to do 2 switches.
Buen Camino
Wow wow wow…..your blog is so interesting, full of great tips and so easy to read!!!!!
I’m 57 and hope to walk the PortoCamino in Sept/Oct 23. My husband is not too keen so I may be doing it by myself. Just wondering how safe is the Camino if I walk by myself?
Cheers, Petra
Hello Petra. Thank you for the comment. I've walked a couple of Camino de Santiago routes alone and never had any problem. The Portuguese route from Porto is quite popular there will be plenty of other pilgrims, especially in September. I'm sure you'll meet people to team up and walk together if you feel like it. We've met many female pilgrims walking alone on different routes.
Buen Camino
Hi! I am wanting to walk the Camino Francés in April 2023. I’m wondering if I can join a group to walk the Pyrenees and then walk solo?
Hello Jenny. The part of the Camino de Santiago from St.Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles is always busy. You don't need a group to be with people. When I walked it there were around me pilgrims from the start till the end. You meet people on the way start chatting with them and just walk together. Everybody starts walking at around sunrise if you start in the morning there will be plenty of people on the Camino. If you stay at one of the albergues the day before you'll meet other pilgrims you can find people to walk with.
Buen Camino
Hi,
I think the backpack you are wearing in the video is the Quechua MH500 40 liter, correct? It looks like it has some great features; what is your experience with it?
Thanks for all the great info!!!
Hello Lew. Thank you for the comment. Yes, I walked with Quechua MH500 and loved it. I'm not sure if you still can buy it or if it's been discontinued. We've upgraded our backpack this year and bought 2 Osprey packs.
Buen Camino
Nice info.
Hi hope you are well? I start my walk this Sunday from Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
I’m doing the full walk to Santiago.
Thank you for your itinerary list but my question is do you think sleeping in cotton shorts and light T shirt will be okay rather than taking a sleeping bag at this time of year.
Kind regards,
Stevo.
Hello Steve. Thank you for the comment. It's quite hot right now everywhere in Europe I guess you'll be fine without a sleeping bag. I still would recommend taking a silk inner shit just to have something to cover yourself. Some albergues have blankets but without covers.
Buen Camino
Hello! Thank you so much for this information, this is so detailed and helpful. A real gift to all of us. Can I ask you about your experience hiking & staying at shared-accommodation inns during Covid? Was that something you thought about at all, or how did you approach walking the Camino during Covid times?
Hello Jordan. Thank you for the comment. We don't stay in shared accommodation on the Camino anymore because we have a 10-months old baby. I can't say anything about staying in albergues during the covid times. I think everyone has to decide for himself. If you feel it's too risky to stay in dormitories with shared facilities then it's better to stay in private though it works out more expensive. You can stay in smaller private albergues that offer better facilities and more privacy rather than in large public albergues as well. Many albergues reduced their capacities to meet new requirements I think it doesn't get as crowded as it used to be.
Buen Camino
Hi - I’ve had it in my head to do the Camino for some time. I have a window of opportunity to go next week and take my time over a couple weeks. I’m thinking of the coastal route from Porto to Santiago. I’m 42, not very fit and haven’t done any training but I wouldn’t be in any particular rush. Is it possible to just take it day by day regarding accommodation or do I need to book everything in advance? I just don’t know how long it will take me each day/how much I can walk in a day and when I might need to take some rest days. I would probably plan to do albergues but can be flexible to get the odd hotel here and there if I was stuck or wanted a break somewhere a bit more comfortable. Am I crazy to just pack my bag and just go try it? I know most people plan long in advance or go via a company but I have some time now and want the flexibility to take my time. Is that possible?
Hello, Claire. You don't have to book everything in advance I'm sure you'll be able to find some sort of accommodation on the Camino. If you want to do the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino I'd suggest walking from Porto to Caminha and from there walk to Tui and continuing on the Central Route. The part of the Coastal Route from Caminha to Vigo has some long stretches with nothing in between. See how it goes and how far you can walk every day. We have a detailed post on the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino https://stingynomads.com/portuguese-coastal-camino-stages/. In the 3rd paragraph, you can find downloadable PDF files with walking stages and places to stay along the route.
Buen Camino
Great information. I have been dreaming of doing El Camino for years and now that I am retired I can plan my trip
Hello, Rey. Thank you for the comment. I'm glad your dream will finally come true. If you have any Camino-related questions don't hesitate to ask.
Buen Camino
Want to do Porto to de Santiago in September. Any tips please.
Hello, Koos. We have two detailed posts on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago where you can find all the details, itineraries, tips, etc.
Here are the links https://stingynomads.com/camino-portugues-stages/ and https://stingynomads.com/portuguese-coastal-camino-stages/
If you don't find answers to your questions in these posts don't hesitate to ask. We'll be happy to help.
Buen Camino