What to expect on the Camino de Santiago?

The Camino de Santiago is a hike that holds a place in many hearts and was further brought into the worldwide eye by movies and books. You can expect certain things to happen and certain things to not happen on the Camino. I share my tips and views in this article.

It’s a long-distance hike

Above all else, the Camino de Santiago is a long-distance hike and one of the most popular in Europe and even outside of Europe. So expect a lot of walking. The most popular Camino way is the Camino Frances, which is a little short of 800 kilometers. The Portuguese Coastal Way is about 280 kilometers. I walked both and enjoyed myself to the fullest. I however like hiking and have done so all my life, for whatever reason, if you hate hiking and covering big distances on foot then the Camino is maybe not for you.

You can hike the Camino at your own pace, but being able to at least cover 20 kilometers in a day is a good baseline to aim for. I met pilgrims in their seventies who did less in a day, and I met older people who did more. It all depends on how you are feeling and what your capable off. In my opinion, the baseline of being able to walk 20 kilometers in a day, get up the following morning, and do it again, will make your Camino experience less physically challenging and more enjoyable.

Community and personal stories

One of the magical things about the Camino is that you engage with people from all walks of life and all ages. You can hike next to a successful person who has a house, car, kids, loves golf, etc. And find him or her making friends with a college student who found some coins on the street and is now able to grab a cafe con leche.

The same goes for the college student making friends with an older pilgrim who is at the end stage of their life. If you keep an open mind and attitude you can talk and bond with every pilgrim that comes along. That doesn’t mean you are immediately best buddies, but you can share a story or two and be on your way.

A great question that you will find yourself asking and being asked is:

What made you walk the Camino?

~every pilgrim since forever

Finding companionship

I highly recommend that you stay in Albergues during your Camino, and not go the hotel / private room route every night. Share the misery, hilarity, and all things that come with communal sleeping and dinners.

You might end up finding friendships with your fellow pilgrims and forming a tramily (hiking/trail family) that can last a lifetime. Or, in the more rare cases, to meet your future wife like I did.

I met my now wife on the Camino Portuguese and proposed on the Camino Frances two years later. I moved countries for her, and am looking forward to all the next steps that we are about to undertake together.

Who knows what you can find on your Camino, be friendly and open, and put yourself in situations that pull you out of your normal comfort zone. That is all the advice I can give here.

Finding a purpose & answers

I walked the Camino searching for a purpose, and that is also where the inspiration for my domain name comes from. HikeforPurpose.com. I did not find a purpose or immediate answers to some of my problems, I did however have a lot of time to think about it and come to conclusions and next steps for some of my questions. What to do with work, where to go from here, whether to propose to my girlfriend. Whatever ails you, you will have around a month to think about on the Camino Frances.

If you are the type of pilgrim who is looking for some closure or answers, I recommend to not always walk with headphones in. But let the way and all the sights and sounds of the Camino be your opportunity to truly think about something.

You can’t run (or hike) from your problems

Real life will try to catch up to you, even on the Camino. And you can’t run from anything, all your problems that you take going into it will likely still be there in front of the church in Santiago. You will however have some new perspectives on questions. And may even find some answers.

Most pilgrims will learn that you don’t need much to be happy, and it does not revolve around chasing the most expensive house, car, or gadget all the time. Whatever you carried in your backpack on the Camino will end up being enough for you to live off of and be happy.

Living a simpler life is a lesson that gets taught a lot on the Camino. Having a great shared meal and drink with people, stretching out your sore legs, drinking some cheap wine that tastes divine, or sharing a kiss with your Camino love can make all the difference in your happiness.

Happy hiking and Hike for Purpose!

Buen Camino