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Most expensive tour yet?

peregrina2000

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Today's New York Times had a few pages at the end of the travel section advertising their "journeys." I guess that's tonier than "tours."

Camino de Santiago made the list -- 11 days, most meals included, several hours walking a day, some paradors, but still -- $6,995 seems outrageous.

https://www.nytimes.com/times-journeys/travel/hiking-pilgrims-footsteps-el-camino-de-santiago/
There is always someone wanting to make a quick Euro , (or in your case a quick buck ) you have to look around and find whats best suited for yourselves
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Jaw-dropping. That costs more than many people in the world make in an entire year.
No airfares are included, but paradors or 4-star hotels every night are.
(They're missing all the joys of albergues - to say nothing of a fat wad of cash after that little jaunt. At least the advertisement made no pretense of calling it a pilgrimage.)
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Today's New York Times had a few pages at the end of the travel section advertising their "journeys." I guess that's tonier than "tours."

Camino de Santiago made the list -- 11 days, most meals included, several hours walking a day, some paradors, but still -- $6,995 seems outrageous.

https://www.nytimes.com/times-journeys/travel/hiking-pilgrims-footsteps-el-camino-de-santiago/
Thank you, thank you I might have missed the opportunity to tour so many places I walked through. I am concerned about the 2000 ft assent to OCebriero there was no mention of horses, another experience I missed. I was also hoping to see all the places that "The Way" was filmed. I'm going to save my money for the "Deluxe Journey"
 
After airfare our Camino cost $2300.00 for 2 of us for 38 days, that included 2 days in Madrid. We travel from the US at least annually and have always traveled independently for the last 30 years. I am not putting down people that need that kind of service it everyone's personal preference.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
My joys of the Albergues is to have sound bites with me home, to certify to my wife that real Roncadores actually snore far worse than myself :
" you should have heard the other guy - listen to this !?"
 
Today's New York Times had a few pages at the end of the travel section advertising their "journeys." I guess that's tonier than "tours."

Camino de Santiago made the list -- 11 days, most meals included, several hours walking a day, some paradors, but still -- $6,995 seems outrageous.

https://www.nytimes.com/times-journeys/travel/hiking-pilgrims-footsteps-el-camino-de-santiago/

Hola Laurie - WOW - for that money one could fly business class from NY to Madrid, stay in a private room every night and still have money left over. Given its only 11 days they must be cherry picking some of the better bits. Cheers
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Judge not, people. I wouldn't do it either but if someone else wants to spend their money this way, it's none of my business and Buen Camino to them! At least they are going on a trip instead of sitting at home.

I went on a trip (wasn't a pilgrimage at all) with a paid group from this forum last year for safety concerns and it was a huge mistake. I absolutely loved the walk and the route but the trip was ruined because of interpersonal and cultural issues (nope, no reason to go into that here). I'll never do a paid Camino again.

That said, if I ever have the opportunity to visit archeological or religious/historical sites, I would love to go with specialists like Smithsonian or National Geographic. It's a dream trip to go to Egypt or the Holy Land with those who can educate me on a level I can't experience on my own. If I get to do an Everest base trek, rock climbing in Patagonia or wander around Antartica with penguins, I'd want to be with an organized group led by professional guides. But an expensive tour on the Frances? Not for most of us who read and contribute to this forum.

But... if I ever win the lottery, a good chunk of money would go to exotic travel with National Geographic! Heck, I'd even offer to take some forum members! If they'd go...
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
The sad thing is that you are removing yourself from the finer points of the route.
If your stays are in "luxurious accomodations" as the article says, your impressions might falls short when you see the dust of the road, the dilapidated buildings and bridges. I think you will miss out on the experience altogether, when skipping through the landscape in selected bites; but, as some say, each to his or her own !
I have even heard some (American) travelers wondering how albergues can stay so cheap !? How a good buck can earned by sprucing up the tired old buildings and... (suggestions, suggestions..)
I don´t get it..and it honestly makes me sad.
I feel genuine gratitude when I see any building waiting to accomodate me and my weary frame ...
Some of us are not made out of gold and myself being three years away from retirement, am trying to scale down my own expectations by traveling cheap, to buy old models in gear and household appliances...
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I had to cancel this year's planned trip on the Le Puy route due to unforeseen financial priorities (a new sewer instead of a Camino? Yuck.) so I completely understand the financial end of this.

My point was just not to judge other pilgrims' Camino journeys. What if an elderly person lost a spouse, received some life insurance money and chose to spend it on an extravagant trip? Would you not say hello, give them a Compeed, pick up a round of beers or wish them a Buen Camino, simply because they chose to do their trip in a different way? Perhaps, they too, would have a life changing experience, even though they slept in Paradors instead of a huge bunk room. It's their pilgrimage, not mine.

Likewise, a Mendicant may not have the perfect pilgrimage, just because they took a vow of poverty. They may or may not find peace, happiness, love or a higher spirituality simply because they chose to forego material possessions. Perhaps money, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with the pilgrimage experience at all.

Most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes so I guess this heads back to the proverbial argument of what makes a "True Pilgrim". Sigh.

And Yaying and stgcph, you've got the first two spots on the We Won the Lottery Trip! Guess I better start buying tickets.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes so I guess this heads back to the proverbial argument of what makes a "True Pilgrim". Sigh.

Let's not go down that road again! :eek:

And Yaying and stgcph, you've got the first two spots on the We Won the Lottery Trip! Guess I better start buying tickets.

Backpack is ready.... ;)
 
Today's New York Times had a few pages at the end of the travel section advertising their "journeys." I guess that's tonier than "tours."

Camino de Santiago made the list -- 11 days, most meals included, several hours walking a day, some paradors, but still -- $6,995 seems outrageous.

https://www.nytimes.com/times-journeys/travel/hiking-pilgrims-footsteps-el-camino-de-santiago/
To me this is a total illustration of what has gone wrong with the Camino. A luxury holiday with a bit of walking. Just book a flight and start walking. Everything is marked,you cannot get lost,there is loads of accommodation and even if you are slightly out of your comfort zone you will meet lots of great people and have an adventure. A third of the price and ten times the fun.
 
And after spending your children's inheritance one can, as said at the bottom of the article, spend a bit more in unrelated locations.
Extend your tour by adding on a 36 Hours+ trip. Choose from 11 destinations including Mexico City, Reykjavik, Casablanca and Delhi.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I quite like the idea of a team following me around with my own portable toilet. For that money, that is the least I'd expect. Oh, and rose petals sprinkled in front of me as I walk, to protect my delicate nose from malodorous fellow walkers.
 
I quite like the idea of a team following me around with my own portable toilet. For that money, that is the least I'd expect. Oh, and rose petals sprinkled in front of me as I walk, to protect my delicate nose from malodorous fellow walkers.
Don't forget the assistant tour guides walking behind the Upper West Side Peregrinos whispering in ancient Roman fashion, "Momento mori" ("Remember, you must die!").
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Try Raw travel in Melbourne Australia. We did 42 days full Camino st jean to Santiago. Accommodation, luggage transport and 4 paradors. Aprox $5000. Excellent company.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-

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