Pilgrimage walking vacations advice

“This was a wonderful vacation, with all arrangements in place. The operator did a fantastic job of managing logistics, getting us hotels which were brilliantly located and which carried their own history (in a number of cases).” – Chandra Kant Sharma on walking a section of the Camino de Santiago

“Carry as little as possible – all the ryokans and hotels provide sleepwear and toiletries and you really need very little. Layers are essential if you go early spring - it went from 27 degrees (sunhat needed) to 12 degrees and windy. In the villages they are still very traditional and covering shoulders is appropriate so t-shirts not vest tops. Take a small pillow. Japanese pillows are often filled with grain and hard to get used to. Choose your level – I did 'active' but could have done 'challenging - however the leisurely pace allowed for lots of photos'. Do bother to learn a few japanese phrases - it is so appreciated. Be chilled about seeing the cherry blossom – nature is fickle… so make sure that there are plenty of other things you want to get from your vacation.” – Ruth Patterson on walking the Nakasendo Trail

“Book accommodation ahead, not too bad when I did the trip in April/May, but the major towns do seem to be full during religious festivals such as Easter. Also, as you get closer to Santiago, and especially from Sarria onwards the available spaces in hostels and hotels tends to fill very quickly from early afternoon onwards. Train for it by doing a lot of road walking with a lot of hill work. I met people who had trained in a gym and they had problems with the grim reality of the actual experience of road walking. Wear a good pair of boots with thick soles… there are many sections of rough stony track and trainers will not pass muster on it. Water bottles most important and can be filled at fountains en-route and keep one empty for the wine fountain at the Irache monastery.”– Philip Francis on walking a stretch of the Camino de Santiago

“Walk only 20-25 km. Any more is too much. Have your pack transported between hotels and carry a day pack, it does make the journey easier. And go with the flow – no early starts in Hotels in Camino Norte, earliest breakfast was at 9am. It doesn’t get dark until late and you have all day to walk. I was told the Finistère was the most beautiful part – but most of Camino Norte was just as beautiful and quieter – so if doing this again, I would stop the journey at Santiago.”– Wendy Williams on walking a stretch of the Camino de Santiago

“Be prepared to walk pretty seriously all day and have a good sense of direction. We found that following the maps and guide book was challenging, but very satisfying and added tremendously to the experience. We were in some rather small, out-of-the-way places that may not have many "tourists." Our lunches were exclusively local foods, and very tasty. There were some 5 star moments. "Reborn" is a bit hyperbolic, but there were some real highs -- surreal moments walking through a field of rape in bloom and seeing nothing but yellow, and the woods full of bluebells. We have travelled quite a bit over the decades, and this experience was quite special.”– Carol R. Mehler on a self-guided walking trip on the Pilgrims Way