Before You Go - Wild Galicia

Before you go...

This is where you start.

Good Questions.
Here Are the Answers

The PDFs

Downloadable versions of the documents you need to get planning.

Click Here to download the PDF

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The FAQs

All your burning questions answered here...

What shoes/socks should I buy?

You are not going to like this answer, but it depends…Every foot is different. What works for me, might not work for you and vice versa. If you have a favourite pair of hiking boots that are comfortable and you love, wear those. If you have spent hours researching and testing the best boot/shoe for the Camino, bring those. If you swear by double socks and Vaseline, don’t let me change your mind. But test and try and test some more. The only thing I can tell you for sure is that you need to have room for your toes. But you need to find out what works best for you. For more tips check out my I Need Shoes PDF

Should I Bring a Sleeping Bag?

That depends:

My Self-Guided Adventures depend on your budget. So if you want to do the basic budget Camino, you will need a sleeping bag.

On my guided Caminos, we will be staying at a mixture of private alburgues, hotels, pensions and casa ruals where all linens will be provided. That being said some of the accommodations do not turn the heat on until around 8pm in the shoulder seasons (and not at all in the summer) and the walls can be three feet thick, or thicker. Some of these places can be cold even in the heat of the summer. If you get cold easily, you might want to bring a small blanket.

Should I use hiking poles?

Have you tried them? Do you like them? Then bring them. However, I do recommend them if you have knee or balance issues.

Can I Bring My Poles on the Plane

The short answer is, you need to check with your airline. Security guards confiscate the poles if you have them in your carry-on in Santiago Airport, but transporting them in your checked bag generally shouldn’t be a problem.

Can I Transport My Bags

Wild Galicia Adventures strives to be as sustainable as possible and for this reason does to do luggage transfers. We believe there is freedom in only carrying what you need for the duration of your adventure. There are also practical reasons for this decision such as the remoteness of the accommodations, the service does not exist on certain routes or the accommodations we stay in do not accept luggage transfers.

We can however, provide the contact details for a transfer company that will transport and store extra baggage at our endpoint. Failure to make arrangements for extra bags to be transferred can result in them not being transferred, and you would then be responsible for collecting the bag from where you left it.

What Sixe Pack Should I Get?

It depends and it is a matter of personal preference. How much clothing will you bring? Are you going to buy stuff? Do you want to carry it? Try out some packs. Maybe even bring your stuff with you when you try them out in the store. Most pilgrims use somewhere between 25 and 40 litres, some pilgrims carry 80 litres, but remember, you have to carry it.

Want more information. Click here to download our “How do I carry Stuff” PDF

How much should my pack weigh?

You are going to find a tonne of information on this and god forbid you should ask the question in some of the Camino FB groups. Some people enjoy the challenge of getting to the absolute lightest pack they can possibly carry. Some just carry what they need and nothing more and have no idea how much the pack weighs and obviously, if you are one of those nude hikers, your pack will hardly weigh a thing. (We are all for body positivity but suggest for this one, please wear clothes) So again, try it out. Put all the stuff you think you want to take in your pack and go for a hike. Then ask yourself these questions:

Are you comfortable carrying it?

Are you still going to be comfortable carrying it when your feet hurt and you are tired?

Do I really need ALL this stuff?

What is the meaning of life… For more tips check out my

How Do I Carry Stuff PDF

Where are we sleeping?

I have carefully chosen a range of interesting places for us to stay along our Camino Adventures and I have to say have found some pretty special places. Old houses that have been converted to accommodations, beach houses, serene spaces, even a Parador or two.

BUT…

Depending on the time of year, there will not always be a wide range of choices. We have made the decision to choose the best accommodations for our little group especially in remote areas.

So stick around and find out. I promise you won’t be sleeping on the floor….unless you want to.

Will we get to see the botafumeiro fly in Santiago?

Short answer: Maybe.

What about insurance?

This is a hard question to answer because it depends on your country of origin, your particular age and health conditions etc.

If you are European, your EHIC card is all you need in most cases.

In Canada you can usually get insurance through your bank or credit card.

In the UK, I used to use The Post Office.

If you are from the US…Check very carefully.

Listed below are a couple of suggestions I have gleaned from forums and recommendations from clients. I have also included the links to a couple of articles that have some information on the subject.

As always, do your own research and make sure you find a policy that is right for you. I know a lot of things, but insurance…that is a whole other minefield.