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Eight hundred kilometers, six weeks, and a multitude of memories: for many people, walking the length of the Camino de Santiago is the journey of a lifetime. And the way you pack for the Camino is of the utmost importance.
Since you’re responsible for carrying everything on your back, you’ll quickly realize that every ounce matters. Read our Camino de Santiago packing list to help you plan for your big trip!
Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women
Written By: Flora Baker
After walking half of the famous Camino Frances route in September 2015 (from Leon to Santiago, then onwards to the coast at Finisterre), I know firsthand what works and what doesn’t. Hopefully the following will help with your Camino preparation!
What constitutes smart packing for the Camino changes dramatically according to the seasons, so I’ve listed the basics that I can guarantee were necessary in late summer/early autumn. I was lucky enough to only encounter three days of rain in thirty days of walking, but you should always be prepared for every type of weather.
Always research the weather forecast before your trip. Once you’ve checked the weather, you can focus on creating a travel capsule wardrobe to help you pack as light as possible.
ESSENTIALS
Boots and a Pack
Osprey Tempest 30Â |Â Merrell Waterproof Hiking Shoe
The two fundamental aspects of your Camino de Santiago packing list are your hiking boots and your backpack. Both should be purchased a few months ahead of the trek and used as much as possible on practice walks.
Your shoes should fit comfortably even when wearing thick hiking socks and after your feet have swollen from hours of walking. Your pack should strap at the hip and put most of the weight there, instead of pulling at your shoulders. In your backpack, use packing cubes to help you organize and even compress your belongings to maximize your space.
I used the Osprey Tempest 30 liter pack and lightweight, waterproof boots with a bit of ankle support. Although much of the Camino routes are on flat terrain, there are occasional hills and some scrambling rocky sections.
Learn how to choose hiking boots!
DAY WEAR
Breathable Layers
Basic Tee I Tank Top I Basic Tee I Woolies Top I Skinny Pants I Shorts I Leggings I Fleece Jacket I Sports Bra I Crop Top Sports Bra I Waterproof Pants I Rain Jacket I Dry Liner Socks I Hike Light Crew Socks I Waterproof Hiking Shoe I Flip-Flop
Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women: Clothing
Fashionable clothing goes out the window when walking the Camino. Breathable layers are key. Over thirty days, and depending on the predicted weather, I wore a combination of the following:
- Tops: two breathable t-shirts and one tank top (all moisture-wicking)
- Bottoms: one pair zip-off hiking trousers, one pair shorts, one pair leggings
- Underwear: two quick-drying sports bras, and two or three pairs of quick-dry travel underwear
- Socks: two pairs sock liners, two pairs merino wool hiking socks, and an optional pair for hostel use
- Layers: one micro fleece and one zip-up fleece
- Waterproofs: oversized waterproof trousers and waterproof jacket (both lightweight and stored in stuff sacks)
It’s sensible to pack clothes that dry quickly, wick moisture away from your skin, and protect you from unexpected sunburn. I love clothes with pockets, too!
Choose quick-dry travel underwear so you can wash as you go!
DAY GEAR
Easily Accessible
Pouch Wallet I Hip Pack I Waterproof Earphones I Hand Sanitizer I Lip Balm I Hair Ties
Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women: Essentials
Throughout a day of walking, you’re also likely to need a few essential items – a fanny pack (aka bumbag) or packing cube is ideal for easy access. Inside, I kept the following:
- Smartphone
- Headphones
- A little coin wallet for money and cards
- My regular passport and Camino passport (both in a ziplock bag)
- Diary and pen
- Antibacterial hand gel
- Lip balm
- A hair band and hair clips/slides
Collapsible Water Bottle I Sunglasses I Glove Liner I Sunscreen
In easily accessible pockets of my pack I also kept a water bottle, a toilet roll inside a ziplock bag, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a bandana (for hotter weather), plus thin gloves and a hat (for the cold).
After a few days of walking, I bought a wooden walking pole for a few euros, but many pilgrims bring high-tech walking poles with them. It’s a personal choice, but worth remembering that once you’ve brought expensive gear you may find it harder to abandon it on route!
EVENING/NIGHT WEAR
Comfortable & Sound-Reducing
Flip-Flop I Merrell Sandal I Teva Sandal
Once you arrive at your accommodation for the night, the first thing you’ll want is a shower and change of clothes. I usually wore leggings and the next day’s shirt, but a second pair of comfy lightweight shoes is a must.
Common choices among pilgrims are flip-flops, Keens, or Teva sandals. The last thing you want are enclosed shoes after a long day of walking in your boots. Let your feet breathe!
These are our favorite women’s flip flops!
Silk Travel Liner I Earplugs I Eye Mask
When I clambered onto my bunkbed, it was inside a lightweight sleeping bag. Other pilgrims used silk sleep liners or took the risk that the albergue would have bed linens they could use (which I didn’t encounter often!)
Inside the zippered pocket of my sleeping bag, I kept a pair of earplugs and an eye mask: both absolute essentials for a good night’s sleep on the Camino, as dorms are usually full of snorers and people who forget to switch the lights off!
Take a look at other hostel essentials!
TOILETRIES
Travel-Size & Simple
Travel Bottles I Travel Towel I Diva Cup I Wilderness Wash Soap  I Travel Toothbrush
Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women:Â Toiletries
It’s hard to downsize on this part of your packing, but attempting the simplest list of toiletries is totally worth it. Go for travel-size containers when possible and double up shampoo and body wash if you can manage it.
Don’t forget these items:
- Microtowel
- Body wash
- Face wash
- Combination shampoo & conditioner
- Fold-up toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Face moisturizer
- Diva Cup / Mooncup
Read these tips on how to downsize your toiletries!
FIRST AID KIT
Feet are your priority
Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women: First Aid Kit
The Camino is all about foot care, and you’ll want a bevvy of pharmaceuticals:
- Painkillers
- Blister bandages & normal bandages
- Medical tape for taping over potential blisters
- Small tin of Vaseline, for hotspots on your feet
- Voltarol Pain-Eze gel
- Antiseptic cream
- Sewing kit
- Scissors
TECHNOLOGY
Going Tech-free
iPhone 6 Plus I Guide Book I Battery Pack Charger I Headlamp
Going tech-free on the Camino is a fantastic feeling, but some pilgrims (myself included) bring a smartphone to act as their camera, music player, e-reader, alarm clock, and flashlight.
If you don’t want to carry a Camino guidebook, there are plenty of Camino apps–and a Spanish learning app like Duolingo is also useful when walking through the more rural parts of Spain.
A FINAL CAMINO WORD:
Although this Camino de Santiago packing list might seem a bit formidable, bear in mind that Spain is not the Wild West! The majority of any Camino gear you’ve forgotten to pack is easily obtainable in local shops and pharmacies–and lots of fellow pilgrims will leave unwanted possessions in albergues.
The golden Camino packing rule is “less is more”. Aim to carry a maximum of ten percent of your body weight, and relax into the experience of walking with strangers along The Way.
Buen Camino!
What else would you add to our Camino de Santiago packing list? Please comment below!
For more packing tips, please visit these Europe Packing Lists:
- The Ultimate Packing Guide for Europe
- How to Choose the Best Walking Shoes in Europe
- What to Pack for Spain
- Packing for Barcelona in Summer
Suggested travel resources:
- Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring
- Lonely Planet Spain (Country Guide)
- Travel Shoes for Europe
- The Best Carry-on Suitcases for Europe
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We hope you enjoyed our Camino de Santiago packing list. Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Author Bio: Flora Baker is a freelance writer and traveler who blogs at Flora The Explorer about her global adventures in volunteering, cultural storytelling, and her undying love for Latin America. To see more of Flora’s travels, follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Thank you for this list! It’s exactly what I need for my own Camino this year.
I have walked most of the way at this stage and I love this packing list. A lot of these items were on my list too!
Hi Hilary, that is awesome to hear! Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. Hope you had the most incredible time on your hike! ?
I’m answering the call and will be walking the Camino Way as a solo traveler beginning 24th April. Starting in Sarria. Great advice given on this site. I was starting to feel a little apprehensive but reading others stories help to put me at ease.
With thanks.
Catharine
Hi Catharine, to get even more advice I would also highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post any questions you have there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ It’s a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that love to share their awesome experiences and feedback.
Good luck on your walk, and have the most incredible time ?
The Camino has been calling to me, and my daydreaming has lead to researching. Thank you to Alex and those who have shared their packing tips in the comments. Buen Camino!
Hi, my name is Roxanne and I will be doing the camino this May 28th. We will be starting at St Jean Pied de Port. I will take any suggestions and if anyone knows how the weather is then would be great help.
thank you
Roxanne
Hi Roxanne, thank you for your question. The weather is not all that predictable, particularly temperature. The last few years the temperatures in the summer months have been very high. The best tip is to monitor the forecast for your specific trip dates to ensure that you have the most appropriate clothing.
I would also highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post your question there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that love to share their advice and experiences and I am sure they would be able to help. Have the most amazing time and best of luck with the walk! ?
My daughter and I are walking Oct to mid Nov, does anyone know what kind of weather we may encounter? Thank you
Hi Debbie, thank you for reaching out.To get you the best advice, I would highly suggest that you join our TFG facebook group and post your question there about the Camino de Santiago in October/November: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that have the best advice and tips to share and with over 20,000 members, I am sure one of them will be able to help you. Best of luck with your luck, have an amazing time! ?
Awesome help.. thanks everyone. Planning on doing this in next year so this is really helpful. I am a bit confused about footwear though…. do you think ankle support is necessary? Im hoping to wear comfy hiking shoes like Salomon. Any tips? Carey
Hi Carey, so pleased you found this helpful! I think it would depend on how much support you would require from your hiking shoes, some people require the ankle support of a higher boot more than others. For tips for choosing hiking boots, have a read of this article: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/how-to-choose-hiking-boots/ I would highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post any questions you have about the Camino de Santiago: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that have the best advice and recommendations to share. Best of luck with walking the Camino de Santiago, have the most incredible time! ?
Great list! I’m hiking the Camino this September.
Hi Kathy, thank you so much for your comment! Have a fantastic time on your trip! 🙂
Great informative article! Thank you for sharing Krista.
The Camino de Santiago is a dream trip of mine, great information to use in the future!
Glad you like it 🙂
Great information! I’ve walked part of the Camino, but hope to do more in the future. This is helpful.
Really helpful blog!
Thanks Polona!
The more interested I get in walking, the more enticing the Camino sounds! I recently read the Camino memoir Taking My God for a Walk. That book and this post are preparing me for this “someday” trip!
Hope you get to travel there Jessica!
Hi Flora,
2016 was my Camino year. I walked from south of France, 2 months and 6 days, 1800km. I had prepared it for 1 year, reading books and websites.
I now miss the “buen Camino” people used to say…
My list :
I had a 20 liters bagpack (Campack X3 600, 590 grams), thinking that a smaller bag would force me to reduce my list.
I had 2 bras, 3 underwear, 2 pairs of walking socks,
2 basic tee, 2 woolies top (which I wore every day, in the end), a long skirt (for the evening), 1 walking pants, a fleece jacket (which I wore every day), 1 down jacket (which I wore for cold evenings), a raincape
I wore one of the 2 clean t shirts at night with a legging, which was useful on some cold evenings
1 pair of high walking shoes, a pair of flip flops.
In the beginning I walked with low walking shoes, and they hurt my ankle. I had to change for my old high walking shoes. I had sandals, but sent them home to carry less. The flip flop were ok and I have them yet.
1 warm down sleeping bag, 1 silk travel liner
I phone, camera. No ear phone, as I have no music on my Iphone. I used my phone to take pictures, and to keep contact with my family. 1 charger that fit both my camera and my Iphone.
pen and note book
credit card, passport, credential
ear plugs, but no mask.
no pain killer, only cream for the hands, that I used also for the feet and face. 1 pain ease gel, lip balm
No sun cream, but a hat, and sun glasses
no head lamp, I used my Iphone if needed, which seldom happened.
Compeed, plaster, scissors, sewing kit
3 clothes pins, 3 safety pins,
tooth brush, tooth paste, alep soap (for the body and the clothes) after 1 month I bought a small bottle of body and hair shampoo.
1 small travel towel
1 guidebook, 1 rosary
two half liter plastic bottle, which were changed sometimes.
plastic bags to keep things out of moisture.
Wow, what a great list! Thank you so much for sharing it Sophie! Can I add your list to ours? Thanks again!
Cover your shoulders! It’s so much easier and more effective to wear fabric over your shoulders than to apply and reapply sun lotion. And wear a hat that shades your face!
Great tip!
Great list – I did the same part of the Camino and took pretty much the same stuff on my trip. Buen Camino!
Awesome! Thanks Krista 🙂