All the different facilitators on the Camino

[savage garden]

Is there a site where one can go without the endless sponsored links that haunt the googles of this world and get a comprehensive and descriptive list of all the people and companies offering services in and around the Camino De santiago. For example, if I wished to walk it, but have my baggage taken for me, and stay in more individual and comfortable accommodations along the way, where would I start to look for someone to put those arrangements together.
I didi read somewhere about 2 Spanish girls who had a company that offered this kind of more personalised service, but for the life of me, I can't seem to relocate where it was.

[Leslie]

when searching for camino tour company in Google it is usually the sponsered links that i would look at as they are the ones offering the services. For example in my work if i am looking for a web design company i would look at the sponsered links as they will be companies - where as the organic results will include things like college courses.

All that said some of them are listed here on this site - Camino de Santiago Tours - Walking Holidays in Spain

Spanish Steps might be the one that you are talking about.

[drsalome]

Thank you for your question. I am a solo traveler and considered going it on my own or now possibly inquiring about the MacsAdventure or the irish company (followthe camino). I found these companies on the forum homepage. They range from $2000 to $3000. As a solo, 54 year old, female, I have to check my motives for walking and travelling. As I read about the circumstances (bed bugs, finding a bed or not, floor sleeping or camping etc), maybe a company is a good choice.

My question is the feasibility of completing the walk without a support group and how alone does a walker really get?

Please advice on security of going alone or with a group.
thank you
salome

[Covey]

One of the great things about the Camino and all it's Ways, is the sense of freedom you have on the trail.

Each morning when I stick my nose outside the Albergue I have no idea of where I will end up that night, except that it will be somewhere along the line of yellow arrows that guides the footsteps of the Pilgrim.

I always say that daily life on the Camino starts with a blank sheet of paper, and nobody but you will decide what, if anything, will be written on it at the end of the day. You decide how fast and how far you will walk that day. You decide where to stay and where to eat. You decide if you want to walk alone or with a like minded soul you probably met over dinner the night before, or with a group of like minded souls who enjoy each others company. Nobody will tell you what to do or when!

There is one thing though that everybody does. If you sit down at the side of the path for a rest, every Pilgrim that passes you will ask if you are OK!

You don't need anyone to organize your life on the Camino. The Camino organizes itself. You cannot pre book space in the official Albergues so you just pitch up and ask if they have a bed. Decide where you want to start from, go there, and the Camino Family will welcome you!

[janemaryokeefe]

Hi!
I turned 60 in 2009 and went solo. I think they celebrated their jubilee in 2010, and I think then you'd have problems finding accommodations. I had no problems the whole time that hiked the camino. I usually started hiking at 6:00am, so that by noon I'd be done hiking. By 10:00, it starts to get hotter and by 1:00 it can be unbearable. When I did the camino in 2009, I started my hike in St.Jean Pied de Port on July 1 and completed it August 2nd. I did skip the Burgos to Leon part of the route, because it was very very hot. I completed 360 miles/ 600kms.. Don't worry if you are alone. There's always someone to hike with. I met so many wonderful people on my trip. The first day I was unsure, but once you hit the first albergue in the mts.(Pyrenees) there are plenty of people who start out with you, and it's all open countryside on the first 2 days. After that you run into people that you've seen or you meet someone new. There are always a number of places to stay. Once you get accustomed to hiking-------take your time that first week to get strong and to deal with blisters. One suggestion is to get diabetic socks. This Canadian friend did not have one blister the whole way, and she wore sneakers! The young people had shin splints because they pushed the limits. I got to a point that the average miles I hiked was 12-14 miles. Climbing O Cebrero, I hiked 19------the most I'd ever hiked in my life-----it was so gorgeous up there and a wonderful hostel with a panoramic view. If you are worried about having a hostel, there are usually inns or people that take pensioners for a little more money, and you get a much needed rest. Usually when we stopped at noon or 1:00, we'd wash our clothes, take a siesta, get up at 5 or 6, take in the sites of the town, go eat at 7--pilgrim meal in town restaurant, and go to bed at 9---most albergues close at 10:00pm. I believe that I spent 900 dollars for the month that I was there all inclusive with meals and accommodation. If you have any other questions, I'm at janemaryokeefe@yahoo.com.

[janemaryokeefe]

I really think that taking a tour---in my opinion-----would be a waste of time----and it can be so structured. But.......if you aren't confident being on your own or you don't want to have to carry a pack---you can always hire someone who is hauling packs in a van. You pay the fee to haul it ----maybe 3 dollars------and they drop it off at your next planned stop. That's the only problem. You don't know how far you'll go. But you can plan to hike a certain distance, pick up your pack at a designated place, and continue going. I had only 2 days of rain the whole time I was walking and the day that I hired someone to haul my bag was the day that it rained, so I was fortunate. As far as danger, I didn't come upon any. But.........if hiking through the cities like Pamplona(especially during San Fermin) take a bus to the outskirts of town to resume your hike. That works well! And........leave when other people are leaving---usually around 6 or 7. There are some desolate places where you'd think if anything would happen, it could happen on some trail in the woods, but I never encountered anyone or anything that I feared. But you trust your gut and stay alert. Have a flashlight so that you can find the scallop shells or gold painted arrows on signs or buildings. They are everywhere and not usually hard to find, but when you leave at 6am it sometimes is dark. In the cities there are usually street lamps. One more tip! Beware of the water in the streets. I left home perfectly healthy and returned with high levels of lead, aluminum, cadmium in my blood. Had to go through metals detox. Buy bottled water. I learned the hard way.