Packing for the Camino de Santiago

Gear up for your Camino de Santiago pilgrimage! The beauty of the Camino is that it’s a simple existence. You can get by with far less than you might imagine. But, you do need to be prepared to take on varying weather and terrain.

We’ve got you covered with this Camino de Santiago packing list. It includes advice on what kind of pack to get, how much clothing to bring, what kind of shoes and socks to consider, and some miscellaneous bits and bobs that add utility to your walk.

Camino de Santiago packing list: three different backpacks.

How to Pack for the Camino de Santiago

Selecting a Backpack

You don’t need a large pack for the Camino. The most common pack size is 33-40 liters. If you’re a smaller person or want to go ultra-light, you can get away with a 30-liter pack. If you’re a larger person, you could go up to a 45-liter pack. Alternatively, if you already have a larger pack that you love, you can certainly bring it; just don’t over-pack it.

You’ll want an internal frame pack that sets most of the weight on your hips and not your shoulders. You’ll want a pack sized for your body type (or gender). We recommend that you go to a reputable outdoor retailer, tell them that you are walking the Camino and have them fit you.

Features to look for include a compartment with an easy-to-access pack cover, side or bottom zippers, side pockets for a water bottle (or an interior bladder space), a wide padded hip belt (ideally with pockets), and compartments to hold easy-to-access items like snacks and your pilgrim credential.

How Much Should Your Pack Weigh

You aren’t doing a wilderness hike on the Pacific Crest Trail and you do not need to pack for every contingency. You’ll be sleeping in accommodations with beds and you’ll be slowly strolling past cafes, stores and pharmacies You can keep your pack light and pick up things as needed along the Way.

Accepted guidance is to have your pack weigh no more than ~10% of your body weight. This is not a hard and fast rule as some people will carry more or less, but it’s a good gauge for ensuring that you don’t overpack.

What Type of Shoes and Socks to Take on the Camino

The best shoes are the ones that keep your feet dry, supported and blister-free. Regardless of what you take, be sure to trail-test them with longer back-to-back walks before you go. Some people find that they need shoes one-half to one full size larger (or wider) than what they usually wear, in order to accommodate swelling. But your experience will be unique to you.

Most pilgrims take two pairs of shoes: a hiking shoe/boot/trail runner and a sport sandal/shower flip-flop. Trail runners are popular as they are sufficient for the rougher sections of the trail and they’re lighter than hiking boots. There are mixed opinions regarding whether you should take waterproof footwear. Bear in mind that if you’re doing the Camino during the popular May-October months, you’re likely to encounter warm weather and want a shoe that will breathe.

If you take a sport sandal, you can actually spend some of your time hiking in them. It’s not required that you take a light flip-flop for the shower, but many people prefer to do that.

For socks, most pilgrims use a mix of the following in either Coolmax or Smart Wool. Consider cushioning and how the sock supports (or irritates) your trouble spots. Here are the common combinations:

  • A light liner with an outer sock
  • A toe sock (such as the Injinji brand)
  • A double-layer sock (such as the Wrightsock brand)

Guidance on How Much Clothing to Pack

There are two rules of thumb for how much clothing to pack.

  • One to wash, one to wear: This means you have two sets of clothes. As your dirty clothes are washed and drying, you wear tomorrow’s clothes as today’s “evening wear.”
  • One to wash, one to wear, one spare: This gives you an extra set of clothes (or a spare shirt, dress or bottoms) to wear in the evening or to bed.

For the list below, we are listing the “one to wash, one to wear, one spare” list, but you can adjust as you see fit.

This packing list works best for the May-October high season. If you’ll be walking in cooler weather, you should consider adding a warmer base layer, gloves, rain pants and Gore-tex shoes/boots.

What if I Need to Bring Extra Stuff?

If you’re doing the Camino as part of a larger trip and want to bring additional stuff, you can always send a box or bag ahead to Santiago. The Correos Spanish post office makes this remarkably easy. It can cost as low as €21 (depending upon weight, distance and how long you want it stored) and they’ll store the stuff for you at the post office near the Santiago cathedral. They’ll hold it for you for 15-45 days (which you need to specify in advance).

Alternatively you can have it forwarded to Casa Ivar for storing. Ivar’s service charges €15-35 (depending upon size) and he’ll hold it for up to 90 days.

Camino del Norte route backpack at Pasaia

The Basic Camino de Santiago Packing List

Here’s a printable PDF of this packing list. And check out some American Pilgrims themed hiking swag on our gear page.

Clothing

  • 2 short sleeve shirts
  • 1 light long-sleeve shirt
  • 1 warmer long-sleeve item (lightweight fleece pullover or down sweater)
  • 1 sleep or evening shirt (optional)
  • 1 pair hiking pants
  • 1 pair hiking shorts (or a second pair of pants)
  • 1 skirt, dress, or light shorts/pants for the evening (optional)
  • Rain jacket or rain poncho. If you take a poncho rather than the rain jacket, you’ll also want a light windbreaker
  • 1 brimmed hat or visor
  • 1 buff or bandana (can be used as a warm hat, headband and neck warmer)
  • Light gloves. Or make sure one of your long-sleeve shirts has finger holes (optional)
  • 1 pair hiking boots/trail runners
  • 1 pair sport sandals/shower sandals
  • 2-3 pair socks
  • 2-3 pair underwear/bras

Other Gear

  • Very light sleeping bag, bag liner or sleep sack. Not all albergues provide bedding
  • Something for organizing and waterproofing the inside of your pack: packing cubes, compression gear bags, plastic bags
  • Pillowcase (optional, or you could use your towel)
  • 1 pack towel or small Turkish towel.
  • Headlamp. Optional unless you know you’ll want to walk pre-dawn
  • Water bottle or bladder
  • Backpack and rain cover
  • Walking poles (optional). They will need to go as checked baggage
  • Journal, pens, tablet, e-reader (optional)
  • Sunglasses, prescription glasses
  • Prescription meds
  • Small toiletry kit with small portions of soap, shampoo and conditioner (can be combined), toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, deodorant, soap for washing clothes
  • Sunscreen
  • Partial roll of toilet paper or facial tissue
  • Small first aid kit: band-aids, first aid tape (Leukotape), blister bandages, anti-inflammatories, antiseptic wipes, blister care kit, etc
  • Something for attaching things to your pack or a laundry line. Can include: clothespins, carabiners, diaper pins, twistie gear ties, or a shower hook
  • Small roll of duct tape
  • Some quart and gallon Ziploc bags
  • Spork, small knife. For food and snacks, can be purchased in Spain
  • Smartphone (unlocked if you want to get a local sim card), earbuds, charger, EU plug adapter
  • Passport
  • Pilgrim credential (which you can get from us in advance)

More Camino Resources

Rev. 10/18/2024