Self-guided tour company

[dokrando]

My wife and I are planning to walk Camino Portuguese starting in Tui to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. We are looking to book through a reliable self-guided tour company. Looking for suggestions or ones to avoid. Thank you.

 

[C clearly]

The tag "travel-agencies/groups" has been added under the title at the top of this thread. I realize that you are asking about self-guided tours rather than groups, but I think you'll find some relevant discussions under that tag.

 

[naplesdon]

What exactly is a “self-guided tour company?” I thought that was what I normally do on the Camino after the first day with the friends that I have made.

 

[Tom Hagger]

A company based in Ireland called 'Camino Ways'. Not the cheapest, perhaps, but absolutely top-notch. Helpful, reliable, regular email contact whenever needed. Brilliant!

Website easily found online.

Buen Camino!

Tom

 

[trecile]

What exactly is a “self-guided tour company?” I thought that was what I normally do on the Camino after the first day with the friends that I have made.

It's a your company that books all of your accommodation, luggage transfer, and sometimes meals for you, but you are not accompanied by a guide.

 

[Anniesantiago]

A company based in Ireland called 'Camino Ways'. Not the cheapest, perhaps, but absolutely top-notch. Helpful, reliable, regular email contact whenever needed. Brilliant!

Website easily found online.

Buen Camino!

Tom

I've heard good feedback about them.

 

[JamesGeier]

Camino Ways
I have used Camino Ways in the past - agree that they were excellent. When I used them, the bio of their staff members showed that all had make the pilgrimage walk on one or more Camino routes. However, now they seem to focus more on cycling, and the descriptions of their staff show that few if any have walked Camino routes.

Follow the Camino
This company is very familiar with the Camino, various routes, and seems to focus on walking pilgrims.

I believe Camino Ways and Follow the Camino were at one time one company. Perhaps they separated to focus on cycling versus walking. Both are based in Dublin.

Buen Camino!
--james--

 

[Holly West]

My wife and I are planning to walk Camino Portuguese starting in Tui to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. We are looking to book through a reliable self-guided tour company. Looking for suggestions or ones to avoid. Thank you.

Andaspain is fantastic! We have done three trips with them and are leaving on April 9 for another self guided one with them. They do an excellent job!!

 

[SFHoneybee]

Hello-
About Self guided companies-
Before I do the Camino Frances— I’ll be coming from Italy from a different tour vacation.
I’m looking at a Self guided tour… because they do the daily “luggage transfer”- I’ll have “actual tourist luggage”…and have a different “set of clothes from traveling in Italy prior”- THAT’s the benefit/thing I like about the Self guided tour companies..because I don’t know what else to do with my “Italian luggage “. I live on the West Coast if the USA… so I don’t think it would be practical for me to ship that luggage back home…any other ideas?
-Does anyone have experience with ORBIS WAYS Self Guided Tours?
Thx!!

 

[trecile]

Hello-
About Self guided companies-
Before I do the Camino Frances— I’ll be coming from Italy from a different tour vacation.
I’m looking at a Self guided tour… because they do the daily “luggage transfer”- I’ll have “actual tourist luggage”…and have a different “set of clothes from traveling in Italy prior”- THAT’s the benefit/thing I like about the Self guided tour companies..because I don’t know what else to do with my “Italian luggage “. I live on the West Coast if the USA… so I don’t think it would be practical for me to ship that luggage back home…any other ideas?
-Does anyone have experience with ORBIS WAYS Self Guided Tours?
Thx!!

I always send my suitcase with my "tourist clothes" to Santiago.

 

[Kirkie]

My wife and I are planning to walk Camino Portuguese starting in Tui to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. We are looking to book through a reliable self-guided tour company. Looking for suggestions or ones to avoid. Thank you.

Uwalk.ie
Let me say, I know only this: "I used uwalk, very happy. "
I can't remember who told me about them, although it was just very recently. You can look up their website, and see what you think.
Bom Caminho!

 

[SFHoneybee]

I always send my suitcase with my "tourist clothes" to Santiago.

I’ll be traveling from Florence.. I’m so close.. I’m worried I might “come and go from Santiago “ before my luggage arrives

Uwalk.ie
Let me say, I know only this: "I used uwalk, very happy. "
I can't remember who told me about them, although it was just very recently. You can look up their website, and see what you think.
Bom Caminho!

the company name is clearly “catchy!”— I’ll look for their site.. thx

 

[Jarrad]

Mac's Adventure. I have not used them for any caminos, but used them last year for a Tour du Mont Blanc. Excellent customer service, extremely responsive, excellent proprietary mapping app.

Congratulations to you and your wife on your wedding anniversary!

 

[SFHoneybee]

I always send my suitcase with my "tourist clothes" to Santiago.

HOW do you send your stuff forward? Agency you’ve used in the past? Thx!

 

[trecile]

HOW do you send your stuff forward? Agency you’ve used in the past? Thx!

It depends on my starting point. Within Spain I use Correos, the Spanish post Office.

Send luggage along the Camino de Santiago

With Correos you can send your luggage to any point on the Camino de Santiago with the Paq Peregrino.

www.elcaminoconcorreos.com

From SJPdP the most convenient is Express Bourricot

LUGGAGE TRANSPORT - Express Bourricot

www.expressbourricot.com

From Porto you can use Tuitrans.

Taxi, bus and minibus service on the Pilgrims´walk to Santiago

Tuitrans transports luggage quickly and safely, stage by stage and directly to Santiago de Compostela

tuitrans.com

 

[SFHoneybee]

It depends on my starting point. Within Spain I use Correos, the Spanish post Office.

Send luggage along the Camino de Santiago

With Correos you can send your luggage to any point on the Camino de Santiago with the Paq Peregrino.

www.elcaminoconcorreos.com

From SJPdP the most convenient is Express Bourricot

LUGGAGE TRANSPORT - Express Bourricot

www.expressbourricot.com

From Porto you can use Tuitrans.

Taxi, bus and minibus service on the Pilgrims´walk to Santiago

Tuitrans transports luggage quickly and safely, stage by stage and directly to Santiago de Compostela

tuitrans.com

Great choices— thank you!

 

[Jodean]

Send your suitcase to Ivar, the creater of this fabulous forum. He will hold it for you.

 

[SFHoneybee]

Send your suitcase to Ivar, the creater of this fabulous forum. He will hold it for you.

I actually took a hint from Ivar.. he said he was partnering with “sendmybag”- Right before I leave Florence, Italy— I’ll have my bag picked up there and shipped to Santiago—it’s just $62… You are leaving soon on to another Camino—which one are you doing?

 

[BoulderGT3]

Great choices— thank you!

FWIW, I used Pilbeo last year. Really easy to book on their site as is Correos. I'd would rather have the direct contact with them as opposed to using an agent. In the event something goes wrong you don't have an intermediary.

To that thought, a recommendation based on something I had happen last year in Logrono- My bag was dropped off while we were on the trail but then picked up by another van in error and sent North of Logrono. Had I not had an AirTag in the bag I would have been out of luck. We caught it minutes before it went on a tour bus to Bilbao. Common sense I know but this year I'm also putting a large stripe on my bag so it looks less like every other black bag.

 

[SFHoneybee]

FWIW, I used Pilbeo last year. Really easy to book on their site as is Correos. I'd would rather have the direct contact with them as opposed to using an agent. In the event something goes wrong you don't have an intermediary.

To that thought, a recommendation based on something I had happen last year in Logrono- My bag was dropped off while we were on the trail but then picked up by another van in error and sent North of Logrono. Had I not had an AirTag in the bag I would have been out of luck. We caught it minutes before it went on a tour bus to Bilbao. Common sense I know but this year I'm also putting a large stripe on my bag so it looks less like every other black bag.

I was thinking about going to IKEA, you know that Bright Blue bags they have and putting my luggage in there— easy carry handles, I can stick my name information easily in a clear pouch on the outside, etc— and yes. 1 air tag inside— this is a perfect time for an AirTag

 

[BoulderGT3]

I was thinking about going to IKEA, you know that Bright Blue bags they have and putting my luggage in there— easy carry handles, I can stick my name information easily in a clear pouch on the outside, etc— and yes. 1 air tag inside— this is a perfect time for an AirTag

It's such a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I want to get away from technology. On the other, the AirTag save me twice last year on my Madrid and Camino trip. In addition to the Logrono experience above, it also helped locate and retrieve a bag that went to Heathrow instead of Madrid.

I'd check on the size limit of the different transfer companies.
Best of luck.

 

[SFHoneybee]

It's such a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I want to get away from technology. On the other, the AirTag save me twice last year on my Madrid and Camino trip. In addition to the Logrono experience above, it also helped locate and retrieve a bag that went to Heathrow instead of Madrid.

I'd check on the size limit of the different transfer companies.
Best of luck.

You too!