Ever since hearing about the Camino de Santiago, I knew that I would do it one day. An incredibly beautiful long distance hike - basically my calling card! But as with anything, very often we must find the right time to undertake these big adventures.
So when I left my stressful corporate job back in February of 2024, the pieces started to fall into place. I wanted time to decompress, to think, and—honestly?—to find a renewed sense of freedom. The Camino felt like just the right kind of adventure, with its daily routine of walk-eat-sleep-walk, combined with the unpredictability of the people, places, and little surprises each day would bring.
Once I made the decision to go, all the feelings, both good and bad, hit me like a rush of water. I felt the excitement of course, but also the nerves. Mostly I was worried about the people I’d meet along the way and also for my personal safety as a solo woman traveler. These worries were compounded by the concerns of my loved ones who were similarly nervous that I had decided to tackle the journey solo.
Fast forward through months of preparation and excitement…
After two weeks on the trail and >400 km walked, my experience was nothing short of spectacular in terms of both the trail itself and the Camino Community. I remember sitting on the little train from Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port surrounded by other hikers and having my fears just dissipate away. I believe that no matter what you’re looking for on the camino, friendship or solitude, physical extremes or leisurely strolls, a religious awakening or simply a cultural experience, you will find it on the Camino.
Read on to learn more about how I prepared, what to expect in different stages, and some top advice!
Preparation & Packing
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Preparation for the Camino was almost as much of an adventure as the walk itself! I did extensive research about the weather I could expect in the season I’d be traveling (late May-Early June) and spent hours watching YouTube packing videos to figure out what I’d need for such a long hike.
One of my biggest learnings from the packing videos is that you need to take care to find people who hike a similar style as you. For instance, some hikers will send their bags (for a very reasonable sum of a few euros) from town to town and only travel with a day pack. These hikers can afford to bring heavier equipment and more luxuries than someone who plans to carry their bag every step of the trail.
As for my style, I prefer to always have everything with me. Both from an affordability and a flexibility standpoint. I liked being able to adapt my schedule to how I felt on a given day rather than being forced to a certain end point like those who used the bag transfer.
Fortunately, this hike wasn’t my first rodeo. I have quite a bit of great gear that I have collected over the years.
Download my packing list here!
‼️ Reminder
If you’re planning to carry everything, try to keep your bag light. This can be a game-changer for the health of your feet, knees and back when you’re covering over 20km a day!
The Journey Begins: St. Jean Pied de Port to Sahagún
The Camino Frances is traditionally divided into several stages, each with its own distinct landscapes, challenges, and highlights. Some people say that there are three main sections, the first that challenges your body, the second that challenges your mind, and the 3rd that challenges your spirit.
In my camino, I walked from St. Jean Pied de Port to Sahagún (the body and mind sections) and I experienced everything from mountain passes to open plains, each day unique yet all bound by a rhythm…walk-eat-sleep-repeat.
Stage 1: The Pyrenees (St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles)
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The Camino gets off to anything but a slow start. Perhaps the most physically demanding day of my entire Camino came on Day 1. Fortunately, after arriving in St. Jean Pied de Port (which is not the most convenient city to reach, the ‘first day jitters’ really kicked in to help propel me through the first tough day over the pass.
In one word, this day of hiking was spectacular. With an early wake up call (a staple feature of the Camino) I got to see the sun break over the incredibly lush, green hills and quiet mountain paths. This day was a true microcosm of what I experienced the subsequent 2 weeks. I walked, talked, and bonded with people that I soon left due to hiking speeds and met others that would become regulars through the remainder of the journey.
Highlights of this day were the coffee stop at Le Refuge Orisson, the random (but very emphatically welcomed!) cheese and essentials truck near the pass, and watching the huge vultures flying over the green hills.
Stage 2: The Basque Country and Navarra (Roncesvalles to Puente la Reina)
After crossing into Spain, the landscape shifted to rolling hills and charming villages. I wrote consistently in my journal that I felt I was walking in a Spanish Landscape Painting. It was in this section that I was entranced by the magic of the poppy and barley fields and ate my weight in tortilla de patata.
Stage 3: La Rioja Stretch (Puente la Reina to Burgos)
This stretch through La Rioja was an incredible blend of tradition, nature, and genuine local hospitality. Walking through vineyards and watching the landscape open up into wide, iconic wine fields was unforgettable, especially with my new friends. Each day, we’d start early to beat the afternoon heat, as there was little—if any—tree cover in this section.
Highlights included the expansive vineyard views, the much-anticipated (and thoroughly enjoyed!) wine fountain in Irache, the glowing fields on the climb up to Sansol, and the amazing “trail magic” stops that appeared just when we needed them, seemingly out of nowhere.
The Meseta (Burgos to Sahagún)
Meseta translated directly means “plateau”. In trail talk it is very often the section that people consider skipping if they don’t have time or “powering through”. Logistically, the Meseta is a long stretch between Burgos and Sahagún (the mid-point of the Camino).
It was this section that I set out mostly on my own. Due to my shortened schedule I had to walk longer days than some of my companions while others rented a bike to power through the section or skipped it altogether, taking a bus instead to León.
This stage was physically and mentally challenging, but it was here I found a certain calmness and rhythm, one that made every step feel meditative. The scenery was simple, repetitive and expansive, but it had a quiet beauty that was perfect for reflection. I would advise everyone to embrace the Meseta and truly enjoy its magic.
A Day in the Life of a Peregrino (Pilgrim)
I covered at a high level what you could expect from each section but I haven’t properly captured “A Day in the Life”. Here it is:
Each day I would wake up between 5AM and 6AM. This is important, especially in summer, to get the vast majority of your walking done before the peak heat of the day around 1-4PM. It’s helpful to have a red light headlamp to avoid waking up the people who choose to sleep in longer. I put on our hiking clothes, brushed my teeth, stuffed my liner away and went out to the lobby area where my hiking boots were waiting for their next adventure.
I’d set off typically by 6AM and walk 3-8 KM before stopping in for my first coffee of the day. Chatting in the morning really depended on your walking group. In my group, I could always tell who was powered by coffee, who were the morning people, and who weren’t.
After a coffee and typically some kind of pastry, tortilla de patata, or bocadillo, I would continue walking until the next town. In towns there were always a few options. 1 - walk straight through onto the next town; 2 - stop into a local site such as a church; 3 - grab a bite to eat or drink
The frequency of towns really depended on the section of the trail. When towns were spaced further apart I almost always made a true pause in a given town. The most upsetting moments were coming to towns excited for a coffee or drink and finding everything to be closed. Beware that these small town shops don’t always update their opening times on Google. Expecting them to be closed but hoping they’ll be open is a better strategy.
When my legs started to feel tired or I was coming upon a predetermined stop destination I would find my way to an Albergue. Unfortunately compared to the past, more and more Albergues are taking reservations in advance via Whatsapp. While I see the purpose of this, it takes out a bit of the spontaneity of the trail and pilgrims may find themselves making a couple of extra stops or doing more kilometers to find sleeping accommodations even though they arrived early in the day.
Once I found our accommodation, I would immediately shower and then do my laundry. Leaving earlier and finishing earlier in the day has the added benefit of more sun time once you arrive at your destination. This allowed me to wash my clothes and for the most part, have them dry by nightfall. In the case that they weren’t dry, I would hang them on the back of my backpack during the first few hours of my hike so they’d be clean and dry by the time I had to wear them to bed.
Once chores were done I’d meet back up with some of my hiking buddies of the day to sit around and enjoy their company. We could enjoy a drink, grab a ‘pilgrims dinner’, or sometimes play games. The pilgrim dinners were quite nice and filling after a long day, though more expensive than preparing your own food. I did a mix of these during my Camino based on the availability of groceries.
One of my favorite dinners on trail was in Burgos. One of my trail buddies rented an airbnb for two days to take a rest and invited our entire hiking group of ~10 people over for an incredible dinner. Me, her, and one other were the three closest and worked together to prepare this meal to share with our friends. Since we were all going our separate ways after Burgos this was a special occasion where we shared highs, lows, and gratitude. I highly recommend doing something like this on your Camino at least once!
After eating it generally lights out around 8PM. If you are lucky, you’re either able to fall asleep before others OR there aren’t any loud snorers in your room. If you’re unlucky, you’ll be tossing and turning all night. Bring earplugs, listen to music, have white noise, do whatever you need. The sleeping situation is honestly one of the most draining parts of the Camino. Be ready and keep a positive attitude.
So that’s it…rinse and repeat!
Challenges
As a last piece just to call attention to some of the ‘harsher’ realities of the Camino, I wanted to highlight my biggest challenges.
First, starting on Day 1 there is an extremely steep section coming down from the pass to Roncesvalles. I had decided not to bring hiking poles because I didn’t want to pay for a bag on my airline and truthfully I didn’t think I’d need them. This was a HUGE mistake. Though I survived day 1, already on day 3 about 5km outside of Pamplona my knee started hurting and didn’t stop for the duration of my time on the Camino.
It hurt most walking downhills and I believe trekking poles could have made the difference. I did buy some in Pamplona but I wish I had done so earlier. I want to emphasize that this wasn’t a “me problem”. Many of the people I hiked with experienced similar knee problems. Remember to take care of your body.
Second, the mental challenge to leave the trail unfinished. I really struggled with the idea of only doing part of the trail. My thought process was that I am here and I have time, I want to finish. The truth is however that many people do the Camino in sections and not finishing gives you something to come back for and look forward to. I really considered many options to finish in 17 days like renting a bike in the Meseta and doing crazy miles. But ultimately I’m a hiker not a biker and I will make time to go back.
Conclusion
The Camino de Santiago is truly a gift — not just a hike, but a journey that offers something for everyone: nature, culture, connection, reflection. Whether you’re chasing a spiritual spark, a physical challenge, or simply a break from the noise of everyday life, the Camino will meet you exactly where you are.
For solo women travelers, it’s especially powerful. This pilgrimage offers a rare combination of freedom and structure, solitude and community. I was nervous going in — I had the same questions you might be asking now: Will I be safe? Will I be lonely? Will I belong? But what I found was a deep sense of belonging, a rhythm that grounded me, and a community that lifted me.
On the Camino, you learn to trust your body, your instincts, and the kindness of strangers. You walk as you are, and in doing so, you start to feel more fully yourself than you have in a long time. If you’re feeling the call, I can’t recommend it enough. Pack your bag, take the first step — and let the road show you what you’re capable of.