Hi. I am from South Africa. I would like to walk the Camino in September.

[Dooze]

Do I need to go through a tour operator (they are all fully booked ) I would like to walk alone, but I have no clue where to start. I want to walk for about 9 days.I am 44 with moderate fitness. I do love walking. Please can I have some advice on which route to take, where to start, Where do I fly to etc etc. Thanks you, I look forward to any advice.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is lots of information in the Forum to help you, so start reading!

You do not need a tour operator. You can do it on your own for a fraction of the tour price. In nine days you can get from Ponferrada to Santiago; easier would be to start in Sarria or O Cebreiro.

Buen camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can use this planner to see distances and elevations, and the available accommodations:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

 

[Dooze]

There is lots of information in the Forum to help you, so start reading!

You do not need a tour operator. You can do it on your own for a fraction of the tour price. In nine days you can get from Ponferrada to Santiago; easier would be to start in Sarria or O Cebreiro.

Buen camino!

Thankyou. I think I will do it without a tour operator. Do I need to worry about accomodation from here? Or Do I just go day by day when Im there? I will fly into Madrid. then What is the best way to get to Ponfferadda or wherever it is you suggest I start? Debbie

 

[Dooze]

Tha

You can use this planner to see distances and elevations, and the available accommodations:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

thankyou Ivar

 

[Elsabe Beard]

Do I need to go through a tour operator (they are all fully booked ) I would like to walk alone, but I have no clue where to start. I want to walk for about 9 days.I am 44 with moderate fitness. I do love walking. Please can I have some advice on which route to take, where to start, Where do I fly to etc etc. Thanks you, I look forward to any advice.

Hi there, I'm also from South Africa!~ Live in East London. Where do you live? I'm leaving on 2 Sept to start the Le Puy routein France, alone. No need to go through a tour operator, that will cost you a lot more money! Find out about the different routes by speaking to people who have done it and do research on the internet.

Book your flight and get to your starting point and walk . I've done all my own planning, hopefully all will go according to plan. Contact the Confraternity of St James South Africa, you can get their contact numbers on the internet. They will organise your pilgrims passport. On their website they have a lot of information.

You can contact me on my cell: [edited by @ivar , might be good to send this info in a Private Conversation]

Regards
Elsabe

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Do I need to worry about accommodation from here? I will fly into Madrid. What is the best way to get to Ponferrada or wherever it is you suggest I start?

In September it is easy to find accommodations on a daily basis. Don't worry about them; it will be unnecessary worry.

There are seven buses a day from the Madrid airport to Ponferrada. Go to www.alsa.es to check schedules.

 

[Dooze]

Hi there, I'm also from South Africa!~ Live in East London. Where do you live? I'm leaving on 2 Sept to start the Le Puy routein France, alone. No need to go through a tour operator, that will cost you a lot more money! Find out about the different routes by speaking to people who have done it and do research on the internet.

Book your flight and get to your starting point and walk . I've done all my own planning, hopefully all will go according to plan. Contact the Confraternity of St James South Africa, you can get their contact numbers on the internet. They will organise your pilgrims passport. On their website they have a lot of information.

You can contact me on my cell: 082 8575843

Regards
Elsabe

Hi Elsabe. Thanks for the response. I am from Johannesburg. I am looking to go around the 10th September. I think the firts thing is to book my flight. I need to do lot of research. why are you starting in France?

 

[Dooze]

In September it is easy to find accommodations on a daily basis. Don't worry about them; it will be unnecessary worry.

There are seven buses a day from the Madrid airport to Ponferrada. Go to www.alsa.es to check schedules.

Thankyou Ivar. I will book my flight to Madrid and i wil keep in touch with you.

 

[Icacos]

Thankyou Ivar. I will book my flight to Madrid and i wil keep in touch with you.

Welcome to the Forum, Dooze. Best wishes regarding your planning!

Just a heads up ...... Ivar is the boss. Falcon is the second boss.

 

[Icacos]

Or, to put it differently ...

Falcon is the boss. But Ivar is a bigger boss.

 

[Elsabe Beard]

Friends convinced me to start in Le Puy. The are french, originally from Belgium, but have been in SA for over 30 years. They've done it, said is a beautiful route, nature beautiful, food good. I have enough time to do the whole route and also part in Spain. I know a bit of french, so hopefully I will be able to comminicate.

 

[Dooze]

Lets keeep in touch..Exciting!!

 

[Dooze]

Welcome to the Forum, Dooze. Best wishes regarding your planning!

Just a heads up ...... Ivar is the boss. Falcon is the second boss.

Thanks for the heads up Charles!

 

[Icacos]

De nada.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome to the Forum Dooze. I would agree with the boss, O'Cebriero or Sarria, walk at your leisure and have a day or two to explore Santiago and maybe even meet the real boss (Ivar).
Buen Camino

 

[wayfarer]

Friends convinced me to start in Le Puy. The are french, originally from Belgium, but have been in SA for over 30 years. They've done it, said is a beautiful route, nature beautiful, food good. I have enough time to do the whole route and also part in Spain. I know a bit of french, so hopefully I will be able to communicate.

Welcome to the forum Esable, basic French and Spanish phrases will suffice and you should be in France for only a day or so. Even if you have neither you will manage just fine but is courteous to at least make an effort.
Buen Camino.

 

[whariwharangi]

Thankyou. I think I will do it without a tour operator. Do I need to worry about accomodation from here? Or Do I just go day by day when Im there? I will fly into Madrid. then What is the best way to get to Ponfferadda or wherever it is you suggest I start? Debbie

Renfe train
http://www.renfe.com/

 

[indyinmaine]

Dooze,
While preparation, planning, and fitness are encouraged by all of us and will readily be found here willingly, it's my experience that the less you "prepare" for the Camino in the realm of accommodations, etc., the more "open" you may make yourself to the Camino experience. Those who use "tour operators" do so to avoid the unexpected. The Camino by definition IS the "unexpected"!

 

[Elsabe Beard]

Welcome to the forum Esable, basic French and Spanish phrases will suffice and you should be in France for only a day or so. Even if you have neither you will manage just fine but is courteous to at least make an effort.
Buen Camino.

I'll be in France for about 35 days! Walking from Le Puy to Pamplona, then from O Cebreiro to Santiago (or from a place that's about 8 days from Santiago). Will use french most and hopefully I will have a few phrases in spanish.

 

[Jane Erasmus]

Do I need to go through a tour operator (they are all fully booked ) I would like to walk alone, but I have no clue where to start. I want to walk for about 9 days.I am 44 with moderate fitness. I do love walking. Please can I have some advice on which route to take, where to start, Where do I fly to etc etc. Thanks you, I look forward to any advice.

Hi, and welcome. I am from Cape Town I will be leaving for my Camino on 31 August I would suggest that you join the Confraternity of St James in South Africa first....then book your flights and get your visa (need to get quite a bit of information /documentation together for the visa) Being a member of the Confraternity really is important in getting your visa. And at the same time chat to the amazing people on this forum and get all the advice you need. The forum members have a wealth of information and no question is ever ignored. They are amazing This is such an exciting journey...and as one of the ladies from the Confraternity told me....this is the start of your Camino. Buen Camino

 

[susiew]

Hi I am also from Jhb. I am starting from Le Puy 24 th Aug. Send me a private message with your phone number and I can try help you with info. I walked the Camino Frances in 2010. Great experience. Your camino starts with your first thought....
Looks like there will be a few South Africans on the Way.
Bon Camino is wished to all...

 

[Jodipup]

Hi all. Some more South Africans starting in September. My husband and I will be starting in Irun on 10 September. Also our first Camino. Thanks to all on this forum for the invaluable advise you have all so freely given.
Buen Camino

 

[kogga]

Do I need to go through a tour operator (they are all fully booked ) I would like to walk alone, but I have no clue where to start. I want to walk for about 9 days.I am 44 with moderate fitness. I do love walking. Please can I have some advice on which route to take, where to start, Where do I fly to etc etc. Thanks you, I look forward to any advice.

Hallo Dooze,please email me and i will give you lots of info on the camino - we stay near East London and walked it in Sept 2012 for 14 days - my email adress: kogga@webmail.co.za - Johann Pretorius

 

[Dooze]

Hi, and welcome. I am from Cape Town I will be leaving for my Camino on 31 August I would suggest that you join the Confraternity of St James in South Africa first....then book your flights and get your visa (need to get quite a bit of information /documentation together for the visa) Being a member of the Confraternity really is important in getting your visa. And at the same time chat to the amazing people on this forum and get all the advice you need. The forum members have a wealth of information and no question is ever ignored. They are amazing This is such an exciting journey...and as one of the ladies from the Confraternity told me....this is the start of your Camino. Buen Camino

Hi Jane. thankyou, Yes i will join the confraternity for sure!

 

[Dooze]

Welcome to the Forum Dooze. I would agree with the boss, O'Cebriero or Sarria, walk at your leisure and have a day or two to explore Santiago and maybe even meet the real boss (Ivar).
Buen Camino

If i wanted to walk 20 days, where would I start. Leon?

 

[Dooze]

I m

Hi I am also from Jhb. I am starting from Le Puy 24 th Aug. Send me a private message with your phone number and I can try help you with info. I walked the Camino Frances in 2010. Great experience. Your camino starts with your first thought....
Looks like there will be a few South Africans on the Way.
Bon Camino is wished to all...

I am confused now, to do the Camino Frances, or Portugese? Or to start in Ponfarredo or Leon? I ahvr about 21 days available to walk. I figure Im going all tht way, its a once in a lifetime..I should do it properly. Any advice is welcome please.

 

[Tio Timo]

I m

I am confused now, to do the Camino Frances, or Portugese? Or to start in Ponfarredo or Leon? I ahvr about 21 days available to walk. I figure Im going all tht way, its a once in a lifetime..I should do it properly. Any advice is welcome please.

Dooze, welcome to the confused world of those of us concocting plans!

I too wonder which route to take but I'm not worried, I've read about the various routes and am satisfied that the right one will become apparent as the time gets closer.

Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Twenty-one days is too little or too much! From Burgos it is not enough unless you are a powerful walker; it takes 23-25 days normally. From Leon it is too much; Leon to Santiago takes about 14-15 days. If you started in Leon, you would have time to walk to Fisterra (3-4 days) after reaching Santiago, or take a bus to the border with Portugal and walk back to Santiago in about 5-6 days. You could walk a fairly leisurely pace from Leon, walk or bus to Fisterra, and spend several days wandering Santiago. It all depends on how intense you want the physical part to be.

 

[Dooze]

Twenty-one days is too little or too much! From Burgos it is not enough unless you are a powerful walker; it takes 23-25 days normally. From Leon it is too much; Leon to Santiago takes about 14-15 days. If you started in Leon, you would have time to walk to Fisterra (3-4 days) after reaching Santiago, or take a bus to the border with Portugal and walk back to Santiago in about 5-6 days. You could walk a fairly leisurely pace from Leon, walk or bus to Fisterra, and spend several days wandering Santiago. It all depends on how intense you want the physical part to be.

I think Leon it is!