Packing List

If the Camino de Santiago is looked at as a holiday, as some do, it will be the cheapest holiday of your life. So I am going to tell you to spend some money. Not much…
Boots, boots and boots, am I making myself clear? This is what I consider the most important thing you will need. Consider 780km, 780,000 metres, for an ordinary person that amounts to more than 1,500,000 foot steps. The boots will be on your feet from six in the morning until sometime later that afternoon.

Spend as much as you can or need to on good well fitting boots, they don’t need to be water proof for summer walking, leather boots are usually the best. I would advice against gore tex for summer time as the boot keeps all the heat inside due to the dust clogging up the fabric.

My rucksack cost €13 at Carrefour (max size required between 40-50L). Just get one that is light and not likely to fall apart before four hard weeks use. Make sure your rucksack (full) does not weigh more than 10% of your body weight. Your rucksack should sit on your hips, the weight should not be on your shoulders, adjust the straps.

So for the rest of the list. I have walked the Camino more than once and have learned to take as little as possible, the first time I started out with 14kg on my back, a sure way to hurt yourself.

Essentials

  • Needle and thread – when you get a blister this will help. Thread the needle and run through the blister, leave a bit of thread inside to drain the blister.
  • Two pairs of shorts, one for night other for day. (zip able long trousers are good)
  • 1 T-shirt
  • 1 shirt (light weigh, quick dryingt)
  • 2 pairs of socks
  • Sleeping bag
  • 2 pairs underwear
  • Rain gear – poncho is the best.
  • Fleece, it does get cold at night and the mornings can be chilly
  • Sandals for evenings
  • Pain-killers
  • Sunscreen, a must!
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Toiletries – keep it very light
  • Towel – get quick dry from outdoor store, they are also super light
  • Mobile (if required) but if you have a Nokia don’t take a charger, lots of people have them, just borrow one.
  • Camera
  • Earplugs – too many people snore – loudly
  • Small torch
  • Swiss army knife
  • Mosquito spray

The above is the minimum. Many take a little more, if you find you have too much you can forward your extra baggage to a post office further along or in Santiago de Compostela and collect it there, (the main post office in Santiago is – Lista de Correos, Travesia Fonseca s/n, 15780, Santiago de Compstela). But there are others things that I would also consider, a journal, Skype details, one novel (exchange when finished at hostels). The whole point of keeping your rucksack light is to make the journey more enjoyable, sore knees from carrying too much is common, and it is good to avoid any unrequired excess.

Please don’t take your wallet stuffed with very important papers of any kind, that you don’t need. Most pilgrims are very helpful and very friendly, but I had one wallet stolen, no money thankfully, but credit cards and bank cards, a pain and a rare case, but beware. In this case I was able to have my credit card company have money at a bank for me to collect. It meant I could continue with my Camino, good people.

One last point, boots, am I labouring this point? But seriously spend the money on good boots, you can thank me later.