whole family traveling - guide service vs. winging it

[ensundby1]

I'm planning the trip from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago with my wife and three sons, 16, 13, and 11. We're trying to decide if we should use a travel guide company for $3500 a head or go it on our own. After reviewing some of these blogs sounds as though we don't need to spend the extra money (which we can't really afford anyway) and "the Camino will provide" as it's been said.

Any thoughts...am I crazy taking my whole family? Should I consider spending the extra money on a travel guide company?

Thank You,
Eric

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I have friends who walked as a family of four in June 2009, two parents and two teens. They used regular albergues throughout and didn't have any problems getting accommodation anywhere. I don't imagine you need a guide service unless you want one. Margaret

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola - imho it isn't so much a case of "the camino will provide" as how straightforward it is to walk the Camino Frances. There is a good range of accommodation all along the route. You can use pilgrim albergues, cheap hostales and hotels as well as 4* accommodation. There are companies on the route advertising luggage forwarding services if you wish to use those. And because of the number of foreign pilgrims who walk the Camino Frances each year the staff of hotels, shops and restaurants usually have a working knowledge of English.

Many, many families walk the route together and thoroughly enjoy it.

Go for it.

John

 

[Dan.inRealLife]

Will second that advice, that's like 15,000$ (or euro) which is frankly enormous for what you'll be paying for. I found places to stay in the off-season in rural France, so on the actual Camino it won't be a problem, ever. The places you stay will vary, but the owners will always recommend a place for the next night and always call ahead for you. You might be sleeping in 'dormitory' type places sometimes, but honestly with the money you're saving not getting a guide you could find a nice B&B or hotel at extra cost if you don't want to sleep in bunk-beds every night.

Make sure you have a place for the first night, and don't push it too hard the few first days as your body takes some time to adjust!

 

[jpflavin1]

Eric:

I do not believe there is any need to hire a service. The way is clearly marked and there will be plenty of other Pilgrims along the way. It is very communal in Albergues, though you should be able to find relatively inexpensive private accommodations if the Albergue life becomes to stressful. More than likely a combination will work best.

I recommend you stay in Orisson the first night. The first day can have an impact on the first week. So start slow, pack light and let the Camino be your guide.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[grayland]

Just wing it like the rest of us. The fact that there are four of you will not change many things except a late arrival at a non-private albergue. You could stay a private albergues and hostals for a very small fraction of what you say is the cost for one.
Just go and start out carrying your own (very small and light) packs. You can always transport some bags if you just can't make it.
However, I just can't see why walking as a family would be any different from the rest of the Pilgrims. Those boys can easily do it. They may complain as usual but they are probably in much better shape than most of us.
Just do it!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Hi Eric,

If you plan on sleeping in albergues each night, then you should be just fine on your own.

If, on the other hand, you plan on renting private accommodation, the travel service may be a good way to go. That sounds like a LOT of money! I walked two years ago and spent just over $1000 for the entire 6 weeks. I ate quite a few picnics, and slept in albergues, but didn't suffer. Does their cost include private lodging? Does it include meals?

If this includes lodging, I still think it's a bit high, although the time to make all the lodging reservations is worth a salary. I can tell you from experience (because I am leading small groups this year) that it takes hours and hours to make all the necessary bookings (in Spanish).

Your decision also depends on what type of Camino you are planning. Are you willing to sleep in a room full of 25 to 100 snoring, bag-rattling, whispering, coughing, sneezing, farting pilgrims? ::laughing::: It's actually quite fun! Or do you need a dark, quiet room to sleep? Must your family all sleep in the same place, or are you willing to split up if the albergue is full? Do any of you have special needs?

Lastly, it depends on what time of year you are going. If you go early spring or late autumn, there is less rush for beds and more chance your family will sleep in the same albergue. In spring, less change of bedbugs.

In the end, thousands of pilgrims go on their own and do just fine. Prepare your family not to expect more than is reasonable and you will have a wonderful family experience!

Annie
http://www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

 

[scruffy1]

The price of such a guide service seems very very high, the Camino is well marked throughout', the guide books will point out interesting sights along the way, and as mentioned above should the backpacks be cumbersome for any one of your group or slow you down, send them on ahead and walk unencumbered-there are several very trustworthy companies all along the way the staff in most places are familiar with them and the service is advertised at the entrance to most lodgings. I suffered from a uncooperative knee for about 10 days last year and used the service daily until my knee agreed to function once again. The costs? 5-7 Euro each and the bag(s) will await you where ever you chose-albergue-hostal-hotel slip the money into the envelope provided and walk with no worries.

 

[jirit]

Hi Eric

Skip the guided tour arrangement and take the entire family and just wing it. Your family will love you for it and your sons will never forget this adventure. Worth more than a year in high school

Re: Accommodation

With five you can call ahead and book private albergues (call the morning of, or the night before) and you may get lucky from time to time and get a private room, good for six people (just pay for the entire room and you get a bit of privacy if you want/need it too).

You can also call ahead and book two rooms in a small pension; a double bed room for your wife and yourself and a triple bed room for the boys. Give everybody some space from time to time

Otherwise arrive and stay in the public albergues and these vary in size and style, quality, etc

You will probably find the boys will want to walk on their own - let them and just agree on where to meet at the end of day.

If you decide to mix it up a bit and stay in public/private and small pensions throughout the walk, I would budget about $50 US/CAD per day per person - max - to do the Camino from Saint Jean PdP to Santiago. Build some extra time to go out the coast to Finisterre.

Neville
PS Some photos to inspire you all
https://picasaweb.google.com/1094336834 ... tiago2011#

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Eric,
What time of year are you going as the high summer can be a little draining physically and busier in terms of getting beds in the albergues etc.
If one of the family gets a needs a break for some reason (cold/cough/feet issues etc) they can always take a bus a day or so up trail and recuperate while waiting for the rest of the party-with mobile phones this is very easy to organise. I presume that either yourself or your wife would accompany the patient if the 'hop' is more than one day ahead. The remaining walkers may also avail of any transport by off loading some of their gear onto the non walkers to ferry on to the meet point- this way everyone benefits with lighter packs being the silver lining in the cloud. Aligning any 'time out' with such an important 'task' as pack lightening for the the remaining party may also take the some of the sting out of missing a section for the young man concerned. Not that any 'face saving' device is required of course......but just in case :wink:
Nell

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Eric,

I agree with the advice given above. No need to pay someone to do what you will be quite capable of doing yourselves.
Just book in advance for the first few days and take short days until you all get into the swing of things. Staying at Orisson if going over the Pyrenees is very sound advice..

Buen Camino to you all,

Lydia

 

[jirit]

Hi Eric

Final comment:

As a family carry the least amount of stuff with you. There seems to be desire for people to take too much stuff especially when they go away on holidays (I have visions of the car loaded to the roof full of stuff) and the amount they take grows exponentially based on the number in that group.

With five, people tend to take one of the same thing each, whereby the only thing can be shared among the group itself.

Take little as possible and buy and borrow what you need along the way.

Everybody will happy for it too.

Neville

 

[fraluchi]

to Santiago with my wife and three sons, 16, 13, and 11. Any thoughts...am I crazy taking my whole family? Should I consider spending the extra money on a travel guide company?

After reading the various suggestions made on this Forum, it passed my mind that you are undertaking a marvelously exciting experience for your lads.
YOU are going to be the guide, consulting with your three musketeers and pathfinders and taking decisions as you go along. Allow for your wife to be the moderator, and then decide where "in the village the church will be put ".
Use this Forum, with all its weathered Camino experts, to express you doubts, and for the time being just hold tight of your purse.