My Tried and True Camino de Santiago Packing List for Spring

Everything one woman took on a 500-mile, 35-day walk

Five years ago almost exactly, I set off on the Camino de Santiago. For the next five weeks, I walked an average of 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) every day — through rain, mist, heat, shin splints, back pain and blisters.

The contents of the small backpack I carried, whenever I wasn’t sleeping, were what allowed me to walk/limp into Santiago de Compostela, 800 km (500 miles) from my starting point at St Jean-Pied-du-Port.

I did a lot of research on what would be the best Camino de Santiago packing list. Maybe you’re at the research stage right now. So I thought I’d share my packing list in case it’s useful for someone about to embark on this life-changing pilgrimage.

Note: this is a spring (May and early June) packing list for the Camino Francés (French Way). If you start in St Jean-Pied-du-Port, you’ll be crossing the Pyrenees which may still have snow. You’ll also be walking through green and wet regions like Galicia.

Count on it to rain. I met a couple who’d walked another Camino in spring and it rained every single day.

My Packing List

It’s a fine balance between packing enough items to get you through five weeks of walking and keeping your backpack as light as possible. After all, you’ll be carrying all that stuff on your back for around 35 days.

My packing list is for walking the Camino Francés in spring. I’ve added commentary where it’s useful. Also, I’m female so some of my packing items don’t apply to men. Use this list as a guide and adapt it to your own needs.

Clothes

Your wardrobe will be limited for the next five weeks, so it needs to last. The Camino isn’t a fashion parade but don’t shirk on quality. Go to an outdoors specialist store. The one I went to had a membership loyalty program so I got a bit of a discount.

• 3 tee-shirts Made from lightweight, synthetic (fast-drying), moisture-wicking material. One to wear, one washed (and maybe still drying) from the day before and one to sleep in then wear the next day.
• 3 pairs of underpants Make sure they’re comfortable and fit — too big is better than too small. Like the tee-shirts, one pair to wear, one washed (and maybe still drying) from the day before and one to sleep in then wear the next day.
• 3 pairs of socks Invest in the best socks that meet your feet’s needs — consult with your outdoor specialist store. Moisture-wicking is important to prevent blisters.
• 2 bras (for the women) Go for comfortable and lightweight. Avoid underwires and padding if you can. I went for crop top bras that were comfortable enough to sleep in. I slept in my next day’s tee-shirt and bra to save time and make less noise in the mornings.
• 1 pair of shorts Comfortable and quick drying. Pockets are handy. Make sure your pants cover your thighs to protect yourself from chafing injuries. I heard of a pilgrim who had to pull out of his Camino due to bad chafing. Leggings are good too.
• 1 pair of walking pants Comfortable and quick drying. Make sure zips and clothing tags don’t rub your skin. Once you walk up to eight hours a day for a few days, you don’t want parts of your clothes rubbing and irritating your skin, trust me.
• 1 pair of loose, lightweight cotton pants You’ll want something comfortable to change into after your day of walking. I slept in them too.
• 1 long-sleeve Merino wool top It can get cold on parts of the Camino Francés. When I set off, the snow had only recently melted off the mountains I crossed. Merino is warm, moisture-wicking and light.
• 1 fleece Fleeces are warm and light, as well as easy to take on and off as you heat up and cool down while you’re walking.
• 1 raincoat Invest in a good one that doesn’t leak. It will rain and jackets are too heavy.
• 1 cotton scarf/shawl Cotton is lighter and less itchy than wool. You can use it for warmth, to dress yourself up a bit when you go for a meal and as a privacy curtain when you’re sleeping in a dormitory. Some pilgrims used a sarong.
• Sun hat or cap Not a glamourous straw hat but a moisture-wicking, sun-protecting floppy hat from an outdoors store.
• Buff I didn’t plan to take a buff but my friends got it for me as a present and it turned out to be one of my most useful articles of clothing. It protects your neck from sunburn and keeps you warm. You can wear it around your neck or as a headband.

Large Items

• 1 pair of shoes or boots Your footwear is your most important Camino item. Do your research, try on many pairs of shoes and break them in before you start. I went with waterproof Merrell walking shoes and they were great.
• Hiking poles I couldn’t have finished the Camino without poles but some pilgrims are happy without them. As well as an aid on steep surfaces, they take a little of the pressure off your knees and other joints.
• Backpack Mine was a 40-litre Aarn woman’s (easier on the hips) backpack. I got it specially fitted at the store. You’ll want your belongings to be loose inside the backpack, so you can easily search for and find stuff. If you get a waterproof backpack you won’t need to worry about a rain cover.

• Rubber sandals At the end of the day, your walking shoes need a rest and you need a rest from them. Your feet will be sore, so you’ll want something comfortable. I opted for rubber in case the shower looked dodgy and I didn’t want my feet to touch its surface.
• Towel One of those thin, travel ones but large enough to feel like it’s doing the job. Even if you stay in hotels and pensions that supply towels, you’ll need your own from time to time.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies

• Ibuprofen or anything that helps with sore muscles. One packet is enough. If you run out, the Camino has plenty of pharmacies along the way. Tip: take them out of their box to save on space/weight — every little bit counts on the Camino.
• Voltaren cream I didn’t pack this, but I got it at the pharmacy after I developed shin splints around the two-thirds mark of the Camino. I wouldn’t pack it, but you might need to buy some on the way.
• 1 shaver
• Prescription medication if required To save space and weight, I took mine out of the cardboard boxes.
• Magnesium I took an effervescent with water at the end of each day to help repair my tired muscles.
• Toothpaste in a small travel tube There are plenty of places to buy more if you run out.
• Toothbrush One of those bamboo ones is lighter and better for the environment.
• Deodorant
• Soap in a soap container I used soap to wash myself and my clothes. It’s not every day you get access to a washing machine, so you’ll need to hand wash clothes sometimes.
• Small bottles of shampoo and conditioner
• Comb
• Hair tie
• 40-day supply of daily contact lenses (I’m blind without them)
• Small bandages for blisters. Band-Aids don’t really do the job.
• Nail clippers with wee scissors or a knife
• Tissues
• Sun cream
• Rosebud Salve or Vaseline Useful as a protective layer for your feet and lips.
• Moisturising cream

Miscellaneous Items

• Shell It’s tradition to take a scallop shell on your Camino. You can buy one at your starting point for a couple of euros.
• Small plastic bag for passports You’ll need your passport or ID for checking in to your accommodation. Put it in a little plastic bag along with your Camino passport so they’re protected against moisture.
• Passport or ID
• Camino passport You can pick up a Camino passport at your starting point and get your first stamp. You’ll need to show your Camino passport and stamps when you arrive at Santiago de Compostela as proof you walked the Camino.
• 2 credit/debit cards Keep them in separate places in case one is lost/stolen.
• Phone and charger with European adaptor
• Headphones
• Sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Bag/bottle holder for your water bottle You’ll want fast and easy access to your water when you’re walking.
• Stone to leave at Cruz de Ferro
• Gaiters
• A tasty snack
• Glasses
• Glasses case
• 2 small waterproof bags One for toiletries you use every day, the other for first aid and other items.
• Laundry bag
• Pen and notebook
• Bum bag (fanny pack) for your most valuable items I kept my passport, phone, suncream, credit card, cash, tissues, a tiny plastic bag and sunglasses in my bum bag. I also put it under my pillow at night. I didn’t encounter any thieves on the Camino, but others did.
• Tiny plastic bags Unless you have a bladder of steel you will have to stop for a bush wee (pee) at some point(s). I cleaned up with a tissue and put it in the tiny bag to throw away when I found a bin. Don’t be a dick and leave your used tissues out in nature.
• 6 nappy (diaper) pins You can use pins for pegging out your clothes to dry, pinning still-drying clothing on your backpack as you walk and for popping blisters (you’re not supposed to do that but everyone does).

There was only one item I packed that I never used and don’t recommend. That’s a portable battery charger. Instead, I walked with my phone on airplane mode and my battery lasted until I reached wherever I was sleeping, so I could have saved myself some weight.

I found everything else in my packing list super useful.

Obviously, some of these packing items are personalised so you’ll need to adjust to your situation. You might not need glasses but you might wear a mouthguard at night, for example.

I hope this is a useful starting point for you, though.

Want to know what it was like walking the Camino de Santiago in 2021? I write about my experience here.

Buen Camino!