How do I get to Sarria?
It is very easy to get to the start of your Camino. If you are travelling from places like the Canary Islands, Seville or Barcelona, the nearest airport is Santiago de Compostela, and from there to Sarria you can take a bus (either direct or via Lugo, depending on your schedule).
Another option is from Madrid, as there are direct trains to Sarria. Never forget car sharing, sometimes it is a comfortable and cheap option. I leave you a link with more information to reach Sarria.
How to get from Santiago to Sarria?
You have several options to get to Sarria from Santiago de Compostela. The most chosen is by bus line of the company Monbus/Flixbus, either direct if it fits your schedule or via Lugo, which there are more timetable combinations. On the other hand, there is the Renfe train, which transfers in Ourense. You can also choose to share a taxi or a private transfer.
What is our cancellation policy?
In the 15 days following the payment of your booking, the refund will be 100% of the amount paid without having to present any document, simply because you decide to do so, except if you make your booking in the last 60 days before the start of the trip, in which case no refund will be made as it will be given as a confirmed place.
Up to 30 days before the start of the trip, refund of 50% of the amount paid for the following reasons of force majeure:
➡️ Serious illness with hospitalisation
➡️ Placement in a new job, in a different company
➡️ Summons or presentation to a selection board for competitive examinations.
It will be essential to submit the documentation proving the cause of force majeure by sending it to caminodesantiago@viajeroscanallas.es for approval
It is important to understand that this is a trip with a lot of organisation (7 days / 6 nights each day sleeping in a hostel, having breakfast and dinner in a different place), so if you are signed up with someone else, it is essential that everyone has this text so that they read and accept this information, both about the trip and the cancellation policy.
From my chosen date, when do I have to take the return transport?
The first day of your chosen date is only for you to organise yourself to get to the starting point and meet the group in the afternoon. You start walking the next day, arrive in Santiago on the penultimate day, spend the night in Santiago and on the last day of your chosen date from the morning onwards you can leave, i.e. you can pick up your return transport at any time you want.
Where do we stand?
It is obvious that if you are going to do the French Way, you have to organise your arrival at the starting point, which is Sarria (Lugo). If it is the Portuguese route along the coast, Baiona (Vigo). In addition, 2 days before, in the WhatsApp group we will give you all the indications so that it will be very easy for you to get to the hostel and meet and contact your group.
Will you carry my luggage during the Camino?
That's up to you, you can take it with you or hire the luggage transfer service as an option, for 25€ (French Way); 30€ (Portuguese Way along the coast) single payment for the whole week and we will transfer your backpack or cabin bag (as long as it doesn't exceed 8kgs) from stage to stage during your Camino. If this is your case, you would hire it directly on arrival. It is very important for the transfer that everything goes inside your luggage, there can be nothing outside it.
What is your accommodation like? What is a private hostel like?
We always work with private hostels with mixed shared rooms, it is the spirit of the Camino de Santiago. They are all selected by Alberto, our Camino expert, so that you can enjoy this experience to the fullest. The rooms have bunk beds, so you can have the top or the bottom. If you consider that you need a low bed, this is not your concept (we recommend that you do it in a hotel and not with us).
If we have managed to be the No. 1 company on the Camino, it is because there is no better way to live the experience than in a group, sharing and making a big family. The bathrooms will always have common areas for men and women, separately, and within them, showers and individual toilets.
Do I need to bring a sleeping bag?
Yes, the sleeping bag is important on the Camino de Santiago. In the private hostels, they will give you your fitted sheet, pillow and pillowcase (sometimes they will have blankets), but it is essential to bring your sleeping bag because if it is cold it is very comfortable to get inside and if it is hot, you can open it and use it as a duvet.
What to carry in your rucksack?
It is possible that your first intention is to fill your backpack or suitcase. From experience I will tell you to forget the "porsiacasos". On this Camino, we will pass through countless towns and even cities with all the services, and you will have industrial washing machines to have your clothes ready and prepared for the next stage. So just take care of good shoes and socks, mackintosh, sleeping bag, and 3 or 4 changes of each garment. If you want to know more, we leave you this post about what to take to the
French Way.
How does the WhatsApp group work?
Approximately one month before the start of the trip we create a WhatsApp group with the members of your group. We open it for a day to facilitate that you can agree if some of you leave from the same area and thus share a vehicle and then it becomes exclusively an informative group of the trip, so it will remain closed. In it you will receive the Canalla Guide one day before the start, and during your Camino all the locations of hostels and restaurants, menus, recommendations and everything you need to make your week an unforgettable experience.
You are not going to see the Scoundrel Travellers team.
The Camino de Santiago is a unique experience, it is very safe and perfectly signposted. It is an experiential experience, you will go at your own pace and you will have your group/family with whom you will walk or see at times when you arrive at your destination (it is not a hiking route). You will have the WhatsApp of a trip coordinator in case you need any recommendations or whatever, although as you know, everything is perfectly organised and you will also have your Canalla Guide.
Many of you ask us if you are going to see Alberto, and although every year he goes up 2 or 3 times to the Camino, understand that it is very complicated and that he is at his best directing the project, a project in which currently more than 3,500 people come every year, so that you can enjoy it to the maximum.
How do I get to Baiona?
It is very easy to get to the start of your Camino. If you are travelling from places like the Canary Islands, Seville or Barcelona, or from outside Spain, the nearest airport is Vigo, and from there you can take a Lugove bus to Baiona, which will take you to your destination in just over an hour. Another option is from Madrid, where there are trains to Vigo.
If on the other hand you travel to Santiago de Compostela, you will have to take a train to Vigo and from the intermodal station take a bus to Baiona. Never forget carpooling, sometimes it's a comfortable and cheap option. I leave you a link with more informationto reach Baiona.
Where do we eat on the Camino de Santiago?
With Viajeros Canallas you will have organised 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners + dinner in Santiago de Compostela so that you don't have to worry about anything and just focus on walking and enjoying yourself. The Camino is full of bars, restaurants, etc, where you can stop, have a drink and eat, although in many cases it is possible that you have already arrived at your destination at lunchtime. Use our Canalla Guide where you will find recommendations of homemade and Galician places.
I have food intolerances or special dietary requirements, can I travel with you?
It is not recommended if you have any kind of intolerance. Understand that you are going in a group and obviously they are closed menus and sometimes we go to villages or restaurants that are not going to be able to meet your dietary requirements. For more common intolerances such as lactose or gluten, they are more prepared; and if you understand that you are doing the Camino de Santiago and that at some point you may not have bread or milk and you can adapt, understanding that it is an adventure trip, there is no problem. For other types of intolerances, it is essential that you consult us before making your reservation.
How should I train?
We recommend that you train consistently, walk about 4-5 km a day, i.e. about an hour, and occasionally go for a longer walk. You should also make the most of the hilly areas close to you. Here is a link that gives you more information
training tipsso that you can prepare your Camino to the maximum.
Do I have to walk with the group?
The Camino de Santiago is experiential, you can do it at your own pace. You can decide to go out on your own to walk or join up with other compis for it, as you wish. The Camino de Santiago is perfectly signposted.
How long does it take?
On the French Way you will cover a distance of 114 kilometres in 7 days, 6 nights of which we will walk 5 stages. You can consult in this link the
stages of the French Way.
On the Portuguese Coastal Route, you will walk 124 kilometres in 6 stages, from Baiona to Santiago de Compostela. The duration of this trip is 8 days and 7 nights. Take a look at the following link to the stages of the Portuguese Way along the Coast.
Can I sign up on my own?
Of course you can! In our groups you can sign up alone, as a couple, with friends, with your family or however you want. You just choose the date and we provide the friends.
What are the age groups?
People of all ages come with us. They are large groups, so you are sure to find people of a similar age to you to share the experience.
Is there a minimum and/or maximum age to travel with you?
There is really no age limit. The most important thing is the enthusiasm you have for this experience and of course that you train and prepare yourself. We have travelled with children as young as 6 years old (obviously under that age we consider that it is not an experience for children) to grandparents of 86 years old.
Can families with children join?
Of course they do! We have a lot of experience with children as young as 6 years old and for them it is a fantastic experience, they have a great time as if they were at a camp. Obviously, for them to enjoy it to the maximum, they must be used to walking.
Which Camino do you recommend if it's my first time?
What are the best months to do the Camino de Santiago?
You can do the Camino de Santiago at any time of the year, even in the cold winter. Viajeros Canallas organises it from April to October, which are the best dates both for the weather and because all the services are open (bars, restaurants, etc.) and you will find everything more lively.
How do I get the Pilgrim's Credential?
Don't worry! With Viajeros Canallas on your arrival you will pick up your Credencial, that passport that you have to stamp during your Camino to get your Compostela once you arrive in Santiago.