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Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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Camino de Santiago Trek

40 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Diane Mark

Reviewed May 2017

A Really enjoyable experience

Having been on a number of Exodus walking holidays, I think this was one of the best. The walking is accurately described in the trip notes and although 6 successive days of walking was tiring, the different walking paces of all in the group were accommodated and there were good opportunities for stops for lunch, coffee and dinner, all well researched by Jose, our group leader.

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting other walkers from many countries along the way - often the same people on successive days

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was always cheerful and lead the group well, identifying and recommending the best places to eat and reserving spots along the way - really important when there are so many walkers and, in some places, not a lot of places to sit and eat.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Look after your feet by having good and comfortable boots, walking trainers or walking sandals! Make sure you are used to walking on successive days, so that you avoid the risk of blisters

Paul Everett

Reviewed January 2017

Exceeded all expectations

My wife and I did this trip in August, it was our first holiday of this type and we were worried about whether it would be for us. We needn’t have. We both enjoyed it immensely and were sad when we have finished the walk. We did not find the walking too tough, challenging yes, but very manageable. We worried about doing the walk in August but again the weather was ok, one wet day, but not excessively so. The heat never became too much even for someone fair-skinned like me. The accommodation was always good, sometimes outstanding, same for the food. The bag transportation worked well, with only one glitch which was quickly resolved by the local agents (who are excellent). To say this trip changed our holiday lives would not be an overstatement. We are going back to do the Santiago to Finisterre & Muxia section next year, alas with another company as Exodus/Headwater do not offer this.

Most Inspirational Moment

All of it, but the others doing the same walk at the same time as us have become firm friends. Its no cliché to say that its the people that you meet that make this trip so special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

No leader as such as this is a self-guided trip, but the local agent in Leon was excellent as were the local staff when one of our bags went awol.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walking is relatively easy, no heavy boots required. There are plenty of cafes on the route so don't worry about food and drink during the day.

Harry Johnson

Reviewed October 2016

Superb!!

We went with a group of friends from Church and the experience was absolutely brilliant!The trekking every day is not for the faint hearted and even the best prepared among us received blisters. However, the whole adventure from start to finish was so well organised and a great tribute to the package that Exodus has put together for us. It felt really personalised and the group leader Josea was fantastic. His attention to detail and his kindness and thoughtfulness throughout the trip was truly inspiring. He genuinely cared about every person in the group. I’m 60 years old and can say genuinely say that this was an experience of a life time on many different levels. The food and drink in Galicia was also fantastic!

Most Inspirational Moment

When the group were becoming very tired walking we sang all sorts of songs ranging from modern pop, musicals and hymns-absolutely magical. For me it was also seeing seriously disabled people walking the Camino at their own pace but with such determination. I found this very moving and humbling. Also completing the trek as a group in the beautiful old city of Santiago which is a very special place.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Josea was absolutely superb. He was very protective of the group, was the first up in the morning and the last one to go to bed. He would provide fruit and sometimes cake for the journey and had intimate knowledge of the Camino and surrounding area. He was constantly planning ahead and arranged many fantastic meals at local pensions/restaurants at unbelievably low prices. He quickly assessed the ability of the group members and developed a bespoke approach to every person. Fantastic man management and thoroughly decent and likeable person. We couldn't have wished for a better guide. In fact we were all very sad as he left the group at the end as it was like being parted from a really good friend. He burned with the desire for every person to enjoy their Camino and this desire shone from him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Really do your home work on walking shoes/walking sticks and other gear. Make sure you have plenty of appropriate plasters for blisters and make sure that you have broken in fully any walking boots. It is worth investing in really good walking socks too. Watch the film "The Way" with Martin Sheen which is set around walking the Camino.

Anne Marie Bailey

Reviewed September 2016

TSO170916 Camino de Santiago de Compostella

This is a walk mainly along roads and tracks. It is well signed and walking is good. You meet many people en route of all nationalities and abilities, young and older. We enjoyed the experience. Lots of places to eat and drink along the way. Lovely countryside, villages and small churches. Santiago is a wonderful end to the walk. Mass in the Cathedral was amazing.

Most Inspirational Moment

An old lady walking very slowly, using sticks, with so much determination. I do hope she made it. Also we saw a group of people on our next to last day paddling in a stream. That was a vision of bliss!!! Unfortunately we had more walking to do.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose Bartolome was a gentleman, he was very attentive to the group. We were of very differing abilities but he was brilliant with everyone. He looked after our food, wounds and kept up morale when necessary which wasn't often. He even tended other pilgrims blisters etc.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walk doesn't need mountain boots. Strong trainers would have been more comfortable on this trip. I took boots as advised but my feet got far too hot and I got blisters. Some people walked in sandals but I don't think that is the answer as there are loose stones on the tracks.

Margaret Tatam

Reviewed September 2016

Camino de Santiago

Unusually hot for September.Trainers would have been better than boots as lot of road and gravel walking although I didn,t get any blisters.Very pleasant group of 16 some with Exodus for 1st time.food great. Most meals taken in a group .Camino busy but that meant lots of cafes which we enjoyed.

Most Inspirational Moment

Finishing the 18 mile day!

Thoughts on Group Leader

He had not walked the Camino before although he had cycled it .Very pleasant

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take trainers as well as boots.

David Shelton

Reviewed May 2016

Great trip

This trek is very well organised and straight forward for experienced walkers. The countryside is similar to the Cotswolds and there are few hills and no difficult sections. Our guide was brilliant and the walk was well paced – if you can walk 10 miles a day you can do this trek.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving in the old town in Santiago and the service in the Cathedral with the "swinging" incense - even if you are not Catholic you will find this a very special ending to the trek.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hose was the perfect guide - he made sure everyone enjoyed the trek and managed the pace very well. He looked after those with blisters and dealt with any other problems with great professionalism. You won't find a better guide anywhere in the world!

Advice for Potential Travellers

You don't need heavy walking boots as much of this trek is on lanes or hard surfaces - good walking shoes are more than adequate. Everyone in our group was an experienced walker but the hard surfaces caused the blisters - some walked in strong sandals which worked quite well.

Christopher Moss

Reviewed May 2016

A great walking experience

Starting the Camino in Samos makes a lot of sense, it is itself a lovely setting with a great hotel for the first night, a pause before the walking starts. The walking programme was well planned building up slowly, after a couple of days it was easy to walk 25k, particularly as we were blessed with sunny weather and our group was honestly full of really friendly walkers. Even the hotels, although modest, were at least of Premier Inn standard.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving in Santiago at the Cathedral was brilliant, lots of high spirits against the backdrop of the Cathedral and then later that evening, Pilgrims Mass in the Cathedral, anyone would be taken aback, I have never imagined the atmosphere of so many people together in a church!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was great, a natural, very easy to talk to and he organised the trip really well, even down to making sure we all dealt properly with any blisters on our feet!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I think you have to keep your fingers crossed that the weather goes your way, a couple of rainy days at the end of the week took the edge off our two days in Santiago.

Alan Gelson

Reviewed October 2015

A well organised and well lead walk along the Spanish end of The Camino

Despite rain for the first three days we enjoyed it immensely.

Most Inspirational Moment

The arrival at Santiago after 90 miles of walking

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was excellent. Concerned for our welfare and great fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walking is easy in that the trail is well maintained and although there are some ups and downs and one long day of 29 kilometres it will be well within the ability of a regular walker.

Rosalyn Craig

Reviewed October 2015

Camino De Santiago

We had a great trip, our guide Jose was very helpful and patient. The timing was well planned between am and pm walks for the most part. We found that an hour lunch was too long as my joints would become a little stiff, 30 minutes was more appropriate for me.
Our walking group was not well matched, we could have reached our destination much earlier in the day and would have had time to explore the local area but most days we arrived between 4 and 5 and it did not provide enough time to have a look around.

Most Inspirational Moment

It was reaching Santiago for sure. Seeing all the other pilgrims celebrating their achievement as well as our group was awesome. It was humbling to see people with disabilities struggle through the walk. It was a little disappointing walking through a built up area to reach the cathedral. I missed the pilgrim blessing as I didn't know that we could just show our passports and gain entrance to the cathedral. We were behind a large line up and just gave up our spot.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was very helpful and very patient. He made sure that he spent time with all of the people in our group. He encouraged us to walk together as a group. He had a good sense of humor.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Please have your group leader arrange for your pilgrim's passports to be handed in as a group to avoid 16 people waiting in line for their certificate. I was at the pilgrim's office for 7.30 am in the morning for the 8 opening and it still took me an hour for my certificate, later we found that our guide could have had us sign a document and hand in our passports as a group and then one person could have simply picked them up without waiting. The process described is very seamless and time efficient.

Ewa Krystek

Reviewed June 2015

Camino de Santiago Trek

What a lovely walking holiday! I enjoyed the beautiful gentle scenery, abundance of wild flowers, the history, the food, wine, meeting people from other countries, the peace of the countryside, the little places we passed through. We were lucky with the weather. Hot but manageable with well planned breaks in little cafes and restaurants so we didn’t have to carry too much. Accommodation was better than I thought it would be. Mainly modern even if simple hotels. We were well looked after by our friendly and conscientious guide Jose who had to deal with a group with mixed walking experience and ability. As we neared S de C ,the trek got busier but not as much as I thought it would and it wasn’t at all commercialised.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being struck by the fact that we were treading in the footsteps of pilgrims through the ages. That these were ancient routes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose Manuel was determined that we would ALL finish the trek and enter Santiago together and enjoy the whole experience because it WAS meant to be a holiday. He was very conscientious, friendly and diplomatically dealt with our various problems such as blisters, pace and stamina. He was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the region. Organised our snack, lunch and evening breaks. Kept checking that we were coping with the distances walked.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure that you spent time getting used to regular long walks before you go. You will spent a lot of time on your feet in between breaks and the pace is reasonably fast. Take a couple of pairs of light walking boots ,walking shoes or good trainers to change into so that you don't wear the same footwear everyday. Tackle any discomfort STRAIGHT AWAY. One of our group lost a small toenail by the 2nd day and had 12 blisters by the 3rd! Changing socks at lunch-time was also a good idea.

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