Tour Company Suggestions

[Dreamdr]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

 

[nilesite]

Yes! I used Ultreya Tours for a splendid Camino Portugues. Highly recommended. Based in Santiago - English speaking.

 

[Jodean]

Try Camino Confidence.

Camino Unguided - Camino Confidence

Camino Unguided is a popular option if you want to know where you are sleeping but still want to create your own adventure.

caminoconfidence.com

 

[BillinDC]

Andaspain. I've used them for group and solo travel on the Camino Frances, Camino Primitivo and others over the last 10+ years. Always reliable, always looking out for my best interests, always there to help when I had problems, and a pleasure to deal with.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

Camino Travel Center – Specialists in Self-Guided Walking Tours on the Camino de Santiago

caminotravelcenter.com

Satisfied customer. Helped me twice with atypical "customized" walks.

 

[trecile]

You can use a company and be locked into an itinerary (and spend more money for the privilege) or you can plan your own Camino with the help of the forum!

 

[NLS]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

Carol with Camino confidence www.caminoconfidence.com she also has a FB group. Camino confidence

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Carol with Camino confidence www.caminoconfidence.com she also has a FB group. Camino confidence

"By women, for women" only, from the looks of the website.

 

[Trekker One]

You can use a company and be locked into an itinerary (and spend more money for the privilege) or you can plan your own Camino with the help of the forum!

I have to agree with trecile on this. Every bit of information and help you may need for planning your Camino is available here at no cost. 'Free' has always appealed to my thrifty nature!
The planning of your Camino is part of the overall experience. You may even find that your community may have a Camino group that will also be helpful.
I would suggest getting a guidebook (I like the Brierley ones) and start posting questions. You can also search the forum archives for information.
I think the fear is, if you are planning a solo Camino is being all alone once on route. The only person that walks a solitary Camino is one that does this on purpose. You will meet so many helpful people once you start walking, you will never walk alone.

 

[fatcontroller]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

we have used Rawtravel.com twice on Camino Frances, they are an Australian based company and we live in the UK, but that didn’t present a problem. First class organisation of all trip arrangements, and flexible on dates and duration of walking. We were very impressed also with all the accommodation and they couldn’t have been more helpful with information, they also have guides based over in the area for any additional help, which was very useful when one of our party mislaid her passport. Will definitely be using them for future Caminos.

 

[trecile]

Here's a recent thread that might be helpful

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/winging-it-or-getting-a-helping-hand.77352/

And I have added the tag "travel agencies/groups" to the top of this thread. Click on it to find more threads in the topic.

 

[maryloufrommadison]

I used Spanish Adventures, run by Garry Budín. He did a great job, checked in with me every day to make sure all was going well and even came to see me off at the train station in Santiago. I would definitely recommend him. That said, for my second Camino, I’m doing it myself, as I now know the ropes and have more confidence.

 

[larry1948]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

Used Galiwonders for French Way this Fall. They did a great job with accommodations and luggage transfer. Highly recommend

 

[SF Walker]

We did our research in books and the forum and then worked with followthecamino.com to book lodging and luggage transfer. We wanted to stay in hotels. It was our first camino and it all worked out fine. We walked half the Camino Frances. I told them where we wanted to stop every night, our budget and preferences and they booked everything. When we return and finish the CF, we will use a booking company--probably the same one though I will check out the others recommended.

We could book hotels and luggage transfers on our own but loved the ease and freedom going through a company provided. Also loved not having to think about what to book ahead each night on the Camino. We were walking from Sep 28-Oct 21. The people who wanted to be more "spontaneous" were spending an hour every day trying to book their next lodging and running into trouble because so many places were full.

 

[Former member 42123]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

Mac's Adventures totally reliable.

 

[Peter J Martin]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

I have used Juan Gutierrz on six Camino pilgrimage walks, he is spanish and english speaking. You can get him on juanv@caminosyrutas.com Phone 0034610136409 On two occasions he organised our parish pilgrimage of 30 parishoners. He is excellent and very supportive with safety measures always in place. I can not speak too highly of him.

 

[Corned Beef]

I have used an organiser and also made my own arrangements. On my most recent trip I did half and half.

What did I find out? It seems the travel companies assessment of suitable accommodation within easy distance of the centre, is as flawed as mine. So I'll save money next time.

 

[SabsP]

I have used Juan Gutierrz on six Camino pilgrimage walks, he is spanish and english speaking. You can get him on juanv@caminosyrutas.com Phone 0034610136409 On two occasions he organised our parish pilgrimage of 30 parishoners. He is excellent and very supportive with safety measures always in place. I can not speak too highly of him.

A sincere but curious question : what do you mean by safety measures?

 

[Peter J Martin]

A sincere but curious question : what do you mean by safety measures?

Always a back car available for those that may get sick, injured or had enought for the day. Help with any problem that may arise for any member of a group. You always know Juan is on the end of a phone or message for help. Of course he also arranges bags movement and transport to and from the airport to your starting point.

 

[trecile]

Always a back car available for those that may get sick, injured or had enought for the day. Help with any problem that may arise for any member of a group. You always know Juan is on the end of a phone or message for help. Of course he also arranges bags movement and transport to and from the airport to your starting point.

Does this mean that he only organizes group tours?

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

I've worked with quite a number of them.

They have much greater purchasing power so get the best accommodation rates that they can pass on to you. They also provide alot of resources and info to help you plan well for your Camino including videos, podcasts guides etc. They can arrange for baggage transfer between stages which many older people take advantage of otherwise they couldn't do the Camino. They therefore take the stress out of travel planning allowing you to maximise your time available on enjoying your scarce time making everything alot more efficient.

Yes of course you could arrange all this yourself but it wouldn't be any cheaper on price. So don't be put off by those who think they know better without appreciating there are other viable options too. All have their pros and cons.

Ultreya, Camino Ways, Santiago Ways, Follow the Camino, Eat&Walkabout, Galiwonders are all fine.. If they didn't provide a good service they wouldn't still be in business!!

 

[Former member 59618]

The people who wanted to be more "spontaneous" were spending an hour every day trying to book their next lodging and running into trouble because so many places were full.

Which is also perfectly acceptable and I'm sure it worked out fine for those folks in the end. I crave spontaneity; it's part of the experience to see where the camino takes me. If I plan it all out ahead of the journey, I leave no room for adventure or the unexpected. On a place such as the camino, I know I'm never going to be left out in the cold. But to each their own, right?

 

[Former member 102963]

Which is also perfectly acceptable and I'm sure it worked out fine for those folks in the end. I crave spontaneity; it's part of the experience to see where the camino takes me. If I plan it all out ahead of the journey, I leave no room for adventure or the unexpected. On a place such as the camino, I know I'm never going to be left out in the cold. But to each their own, right?

100% each to their own, absolutely, and an important principle! I’m have always been an independent traveller so always go down that route but that is just my comfort zone. And spontaneous is a relative term anyway. When I did a Camino I was sitting in a bar in Spain, a few Vinos in, with no commitments for the next month, saw an article on the Camino, and literally booked some travel to the start and commenced my walk the next day! Pretty spontaneous eh! But….I always booked my accommodation a few days in advance, so maybe that’s not very spontaneous!!!

It’s hard to not impart our personal views on others and I have certainly been guilty many times. I did the Camino in quite a short numbers of days (Frances 26 days) and folks pipe up and say I did it was too quick and I can’t have enjoyed it. Beyond the irony of the fact that I am a very slow walker (but can walk very long hours… the obvious measurement is obviously hours walked not days), again it’s folks stamping their own personally held views on things! We are probably all guilty!

 

[Flog]

Yes of course you could arrange all this yourself but it wouldn't be any cheaper on price. So don't be put off by those who think they know better without appreciating there are other viable options too. All have their pros and cons.

This is simply not true. Of course it is cheaper, often many times cheaper to arrange things yourself.
Tour companies don't work for free. They are in business to make money.

 

[Former member 102963]

A

This is simply not true. Of course it is cheaper, often many times cheaper to arrange things yourself.
Tour companies don't work for free. They are in business to make money.

Agreed. You will do well to find any ‘inclusive tour/package’ that rivals independent travel in terms of price on any travel genre! That said you are buying a very different experience and you if you consider it good value and the right product for you, that’s fine. Having it ‘all done for you’ and ‘being looked after’ does have a considerable commercial value for many people. They are very different commercial propositions, so again each to their own.

 

[C clearly]

Yes of course you could arrange all this yourself but it wouldn't be any cheaper on price.

I have no objection to people using travel companies, but this simply isn't true as a generalization. Unless, of course, you choose to factor in your own time at a consulting rate!

 

[J Willhaus]

I think is turning into an attempt to convince the OP to not use a tour company. There is a lot of information on the forum about doing it on your own and many of us prefer to do it that way, but the OP asked for recommendations of tour companies. Wondering if we should just stick to the question asked?

 

[trecile]

I think is turning into an attempt to convince the OP to not use a tour company. There is a lot of information on the forum about doing it on your own and many of us prefer to do it that way, but the OP asked for recommendations of tour companies. Wondering if we should just stick to the question asked?

I realize that, but I was addressing the first sentence in the OP:

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing.

Before I did my first Camino I had no idea how to organize it, and thought that I might use a company, then I found this forum, and learned that I could organize it on my own.

 

[Tincatinker]

I think is turning into an attempt to convince the OP to not use a tour company. There is a lot of information on the forum about doing it on your own and many of us prefer to do it that way, but the OP asked for recommendations of tour companies. Wondering if we should just stick to the question asked?

I totally agree with you. The problem for most members is that they will have no experience of using tour companies. They may have browsed the internet and seen companies charging more than their entire personal budget for StJdP to Santiago for a 6 day stroll from Sarria and thought “they’re ‘aving a giraffe”. There may be those who used a tour company and were so bitterly disappointed by the experience that they’ll never consider Camino again and certainly won’t be members of this association of addicts. There will even members like me who will happily escort any would be pilgrim for a simple retainer of €100 a day + expenses.
I guess what I’m suggesting is this isn’t the best place to ask that question. Nonetheless I’m pleased to see that we do have members who have used facilitators and been satisfied. Their recommendations must be reliable or they wouldn’t still be here. I hope the OP finds a company that meets their needs but I wish they’d just grasp the weasel by the throat, trust in Santo Domingo and Santiago himself and just walk

 

[Former member 102963]

I think is turning into an attempt to convince the OP to not use a tour company. There is a lot of information on the forum about doing it on your own and many of us prefer to do it that way, but the OP asked for recommendations of tour companies. Wondering if we should just stick to the question asked?

I thought it would be like that but I have been pleasantly suprised that in my view it has been a positive thread with lots of recommendations and feedback. But probably about to veer off!!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how many folks on this thread were very happy using tour companies and spoke highly of their services; naming them so others who might be interested could check them out.
P.S. I met up with @maryloufrommadison after she returned from her Camino and she had a great time and a very positive experience using a personalized tour set up for her.

 

[Richard Smith]

Just a price point comparison, for my Kumano Kodo walk I considered using Macs Adventures, looked through their stages and promo info, but ended up booking the same myself. (The walk had superb maps and diagrams proovided by the local tourist bureau and is well marked.)
Anyway, it cost me 66% of the advertised price with that travel company.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Anyway, it cost me 66% of the advertised price with that travel company.

You can apply this savings to most any professional service you use, whether its related to travel, home projects, car repairs, etc. You pay for the convenience of having someone else do the work.

 

[Bradypus]

You can apply this savings to most any professional service you use, whether its related to travel, home projects, car repairs, etc. You pay for the convenience of having someone else do the work.

That's true but not the whole story. Often when you pay a professional it is because the service you need is beyond your own abilities. More a necessity than simply convenience. I don't think that is really likely to apply to walking a Camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

That's true but not the whole story. Often when you pay a professional it is because the service you need is beyond your own abilities. More a necessity than simply convenience. I don't think that is really likely to apply to walking a Camino.

I agree, but often people who use a travel company "feel" that doing it on their own is beyond their capability or comfort zone or just don't want to be bothred to plan; their choice and their monetary investment.
Our family used a bus tour company our first time in Europe. Had we not done that, we never would have gone on our own and would have missed out on seeing a big portion of beautiful Italy.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Planning my first Camino in April 2023 and would like help organizing. Can anyone recommend a company they have used?
Much appreciated

I have PM'd you.
I usually take groups but not sure it's happening next year.
I'd be happy to help you plan your trip at no charge.
Pick my brains - I love the Camino and have walked it at least 20 times.

 

[Dreamdr]

I have to agree with trecile on this. Every bit of information and help you may need for planning your Camino is available here at no cost. 'Free' has always appealed to my thrifty nature!
The planning of your Camino is part of the overall experience. You may even find that your community may have a Camino group that will also be helpful.
I would suggest getting a guidebook (I like the Brierley ones) and start posting questions. You can also search the forum archives for information.
I think the fear is, if you are planning a solo Camino is being all alone once on route. The only person that walks a solitary Camino is one that does this on purpose. You will meet so many helpful people once you start walking, you will never walk alone.View attachment 136612

You are 100% correct. I’m doing this alone and for the first time. I’m excited and afraid! I’ll keep doing my research. Thank you for the insight.

I have PM'd you.
I usually take groups but not sure it's happening next year.
I'd be happy to help you plan your trip at no charge.
Pick my brains - I love the Camino and have walked it at least 20 times.

Thank you so much!

 

[Dreamdr]

"By women, for women" only, from the looks of the website.

Thank you!

 

[Dreamdr]

You can use a company and be locked into an itinerary (and spend more money for the privilege) or you can plan your own Camino with the help of the forum!

Super nervous to venture out on my own the first time out

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Super nervous to venture out on my own the first time out

Check out post #12 on this thread, written by my friend, Mary Lou. You can PM her with questions and I know she would be happy to answer them from her own personal experience and perspective.