The atmosphere along the Camino is great, you quickly lose count of how many time you exchange " Anonymous, 2017 See more reviews
We have been to a number of Exodus rides but this one stands out because 1) It was a "door to d Anonymous, 2016 See more reviews
This was a great trip and I was happy to give it 5 starts (I don’t give every Exodus trip 5 stars ei Anonymous, 2016 See more reviews
Week long bike adventure was the perfect mix of intense physical activity and sightseeing / touring. Anonymous, 2015 See more reviews
A challenging trip with many hills & steep descents but very enjoyable. Anonymous, 2015 See more reviews
This was a terrific cycling holiday with some challenging and varied riding days. Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
I didn't know whether to go on this trip selfguided or guided and I'm glad I chose the gui Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
Loved this trip. All-round, this is one of my favourite holidays for quite some time. Anonymous, 2014 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Day 1 Start Leon. Trip starts in Leon; here we may have time to visit the city's beautiful gothic cathedral and stroll around its charming winding narrow streets before having a trip breifing and our first meal as a group. Hotel Campus San Mames Day 2 Ride across the plains of Castille through countryside and quaint villages to Astorga. We head into the countryside riding across the plains of Castilla through cultivated countryside and quaint villages, with adobe houses and wine caves. We will take lunch in Hospital del Orbigo and on entering the village we cross a stunning mediaeval bridge (one of the longest pilgrimage bridges in Spain). We then ride the final 15km to the beautiful walled town of Astorga, with views of the mountains of Leon in the distance. Hotel Gaudi Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Climb into the mountains of Leon to the Monte de la Cruz de Ferro; descend to Molinaseca. Today's ride is the most beautiful of the trip as we leave the Castillan plains behind and climb gradually into the mountains of Leon to the Monte de la Cruz de Ferro (1505m). En route we pass through Castrillo de los Polvazares, known for its very special architecture created by strong orange coloured stone. After riding through the charming mountain village of Acebo (the main street is a straight line of beautiful balconied houses) we enjoy the rest of our descent into Molinaseca, with stunning views of the surrounding valley. Hostal El Palacio Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Ride to Villafranca with views across the valleys of Galicia and the mountains of Leon; long ascent to the village of O'Cebreiro. The highlight today is the ride to the beautiful town of Villafranca with stunning views across the green valleys of Galicia and wooded mountains of Leon. After the first easy and mainly flat 25km we have a short climb to Villafranca, which is worth a look for its many monuments and picturesque town square. Once we reach the bottom of the valley in the foothills of Monte de O'Cebreiro we will have a rest before our final push to the top of the mountain and the small village of O'Cebreiro. This climb is one of the most challenging on the tour as we ascend 650m over 8 kilometres, the climb is a very gentle ascent with a steady gradient and we will break it up with plenty of stops. At the top we will be able to appreciate wonderful views of the valleys that surround this peak and admire the charming slate roofed black houses. Please note. Due to the limited accommodation capacity in O'Cebreiro, on certain departures we may have to stay in the village of Herrerias and cycle up to O'Cebreiro in the morning of Day 5 (9km).Centro de Turismo Rural El Capricho de Josana Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Enter Galicia's landscape of traditional agricultural villages; cycle past Samos Monastery on the way to Sarria. As we enter Galicia the landscape changes dramatically and the area is populated by a number of traditional agricultural villages. Each family has small plots of land, which they cultivate for their own vegetables and we will pass by many of the locals working the land and tending to their cattle. As well as a change in culture, landscape and language, the gastronomy of Galicia is famous for using products of high quality and preparing them in simple, but delicious ways. We have lunch in Samos, home to one of the oldest monasteries in Spain, and cycle through chestnut forests to Sarria Hotel Oca Villa de Sarria Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Cycle along tree-lined paths to Portomarin, rebuilt on a hilltop in the 1950's in order to construct a reservoir; continue to Palas de Rei. Today's ride runs through beautiful rural Galician countryside and along tree-lined paths to the town of Portomarin, which was rebuilt on a hilltop in the 1950's in order to construct a reservoir. After lunch, a 13km climb, followed by a welcome 12km downhill, takes us to Palas de Rei, a small town full of the pilgrim spirit.Hotel Complejo la Cabaña Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Short ascents and descents to Monte de Gozo; follow the pilgrims' route to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Our final day involves a number of short ascents and descents towards Monte de Gozo. From here, as pilgrims have done for centuries, we wind our way through the city’s streets and crowds to Plaza del Obradoiro, dominated by the impressive cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. We then move onto the Pilgrim's Office for those who wish to obtain the 'compostela' (certificate of accomplishment). Hotel La Salle Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 End Santiago de Compostela. After breakfast the trip end Santiago de Compostela. Meals included: Breakfast
Casa Rurales & Hotels 7 nights accommodation, in the smaller villages you will use characterful family-run ‘casa rurales’ and in larger towns you will be accommodated in larger hotels. All have en suite facilities and are situated beside the actual Camino de Santiago.
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Reviewed September 2017 David Netherwood Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Great trip, great guide, and great group The atmosphere along the Camino is great, you quickly lose count of how many time you exchange "Bon Camino" with others on the way. The country side is lovely, especial the closer you get the Santiago. Our guide Daniel was excellent, he kept us going but without being bossy. I don't know how he did it but he created an experience that we all enjoyed. The accommodation was really well chosen - the first night was little bland, but after that we stayed in really charming places, all were clean, comfortable, and welcoming. Our group was quite diverse, both in age, fitness and backgrounds, but we all got on really well - makes the last day rather sad. There is no doubt about it, Spain really is hilly, so be prepared, and the last day is long (I skipped a bit in the van) but well worth it. I'm a vegetarian. The trip notes mention the need to be "flexible". Spain is not the best place for vegi food, Daniel did his best, but don't expect a wide variety - but you should still go! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? So many to chose from - hurtling down a hill in 10 minutes when it took hours to climb it, arriving in the main square at Santiago de Compestella, dinners with the group, mist over the mountains. One of my rooms with a balcony over the way itself. What did you think of your group leader? Really really nice guy who knows what he is doing, puts himself out to make sure we all had a great holiday. How he put up with us asking how many hills there were today I don't know. A real star. Thanks Daniel. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Prepare for the hills, my cycling at home is on the flat. If it gets too much there is always the van I did it in September - you need a packable jacket for the cold starts that then become warm days. Can be cool in the evening. Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you! Already cogitating over my next trip.
Reviewed September 2016 Tony Chau Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago Cycle Ride, Sept 16 We have been to a number of Exodus rides but this one stands out because 1) It was a "door to door" ride - we rode to/from the hotel from beginning to end without any bus transfer 2) We had some non-technical off road sections which was great 3) The leaders were great (see below) 4) It was a very interesting ancient route (we rode the "Camino") and had amazing churches and Castles en route that one could collect stamps on your Camino passport 5) We had great weather (quite hot for Sept. in the first few days but turned cooler towards the end) + the food was wonderful and cheap.... What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We had a great group of cyclist with similar ability and everyone got on well. The climb to O'Cebreiro was quite "cheeky" and I am glad that we made it! The scenery was wonderful and we got there during a festival / market day which was unexpected in such a village that is so high up. Finally, arriving in Santiago with everyone getting a certificate for riding the Camino was also very special. What did you think of your group leader? Jose was very knowledgable (he knew exactly the terrain, distance in detail so we knew exactly what to expect and how to pace ourselves - but "undulating" means quite a few ups!). The places that we stopped for coffee, ice cream, lunch, dinner were all wonderful. Guillemo, our support driver/mechanic was also great. We never had our Saddles/Paddles fitted and removed for us in previous trips + we had great support from him (making sure our bottles were filled, checking the tyre pressure, fitting the squeaks....) throughout the trip with a smile. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? We thought it was just a cycling trip and didn't know anything about the "St. James Way" and the pilgrims walking the trail. It was a very interesting experience but I wished I read up more about the history before hand. Is there anything else you would like to add? There were some wonderful long down hill descent and Jose controlled the speed well at the front and make sure that we didn't do anything stupid. The views were wonderful and make sure you took the time to enjoy it.
Reviewed May 2016 James Carder (Exodus Sales Manager) Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Cycling the Camino de Santiago This was a great trip and I was happy to give it 5 starts (I don’t give every Exodus trip 5 stars either). I was not sure about of number of things before setting off but the trip ticked all of the boxes – great cycling, excellent leaders, a fun group, excellent weather (most of the time), fantastic and cheap food and a beautiful part of the world. What more could you ask for from 1 week in Spain. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Probably the good nature of the pilgrims, it’s a tough walk some had been on the road for weeks, they were always friendly, willing to let us pass and wishing us a good trip. What did you think of your group leader? Danny and Alfonso were excellent, always positive, available and they offered first class support along the way. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Having read the reviews of this trip regarding the grade of cycling before departing I got the impression that the grading was a bit complicated, some clients saying it was challenging and some saying it was moderate, so I was not sure what to expect. In truth It’s a little problematical as it comes down to a number of factors such as fitness, cycling ability and weather conditions. What is certain is that this is no simple moderate itinerary, there is too much variety in the cycling (climbs, off road, rough track, technical sections) but it’s also far from challenging the majority of the time (unless it rains all day) so the moderate/challenging grade is probably appropriate but in good weather closer to moderate than challenging. Is there anything else you would like to add? Have fun.
Reviewed August 2015 Maeve Walsh Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Cycle The Camino De Santiago Enjoyable part of Spain to see with pretty countryside and interesting history to learn from the tour. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The little villages were lovely to cycle through such as Villafrance and Palas De Rei. The 9km climb up to the village of O'Cebreiro was a nice challenge for fit or moderately fit people. What did you think of your group leader? Javier was our group leader with Jose as the driver. Both individuals are extremely nice and considerate. They were always happy to chat and remained pilot and friendly throughout the trip. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? We stayed in villages or very small towns so no need to pack anything too dressy for night time wear in the restaurants or pubs !!! Is there anything else you would like to add? The trip is graded moderate/challenging. This was my 4th cycling trip for this same grading with Exodus. Although i did n't think it was challenging except for maybe 30 mins on a few occasions, some of the group that were with me were not fit enough to be on this trip. There's a few climbs you have to do which you need decent fitness for but overall if you are quite fit, you might be bored as its not as challenging as other Exodus cycling holidays.
Reviewed June 2015 Victoria Loxley Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago An excellent trip with glorious weather - we were so lucky! 2 fab guides, great cycling, amazing food and mucho vino tinto! Thoroughly recommended and brilliant off road on the camino at times made for a different experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing to the top of the hill at O'Cebreiro and arriving above the clouds - a spectacular view and worth the slog! What did you think of your group leader? Javier and Alfonso were great company and did an excellent job to all us English! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do some training beforehand!
Reviewed May 2015 Stephen Pokoly Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Captivating Camino Week long bike adventure was the perfect mix of intense physical activity and sightseeing / touring. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The challenging uphills were made worthwhile upon reaching the summit of the small mountains (1.500 m)...and then of course the smooth downhill cruise after. What did you think of your group leader? fantastic
Reviewed May 2015 Karen Cheesman Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago A challenging trip with many hills & steep descents but very enjoyable. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There was a huge amount of satisfaction at finishing the ride & cycling into Santiago together as a group. What did you think of your group leader? Jose & Javier were excellent & very attentive, nothing was too much trouble for them. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you are fit before undertaking this trip. Is there anything else you would like to add? The hotels were much better than I expected & the food lovely.
Reviewed October 2014 Stephen Webb Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago This was a terrific cycling holiday with some challenging and varied riding days. The guides, Nacho and Xavier, were well organized as well as being humorous and entertaining. Each day brought different challenges whether that be riding a trail that was more akin to a mountain bike trail or the 6km killer hill that was so thick with fog at tge end that it felt eerie or even the 14km downhill which was a great opportunity to get in touch with your inner child. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing the 6km killer hill that was prefaced by a 4km hill that was challenging in its own right. It was at the end of a 62km day and after backing up from such a miserable previous day it was quite a euphoric feeling charging up that hill ( I made it a workout and gave myself a time to do it in) What did you think of your group leader? Nacho was terrific. A great personality who was good for a laugh but also took his role as leader very seriously. His offsider Xavier, was a great back up and the two of them made a great team. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you train properly. If you are coming out of an Australian winter try and do at least 3 Spin sessions a week. If you can get out complement the Spin classes with some hill training on a real bike. If you are a fair weathered cyclist and you like to ride around a lake on a Sunday this isn't the trip for you . Like most things in life you only get out of it what you put in. Most people don't do strenuous cycling 6 days in a row let alone challenging hills that you will encounter on this trip. Have a coke at lunch time too it helps you get through the afternoon. Is there anything else you would like to add? I think Exodus should provide an exercise program in their trip notes so that people understand what they will be in for. The tour isn't a race but it's better to be fit so you enjoy everything the tour has to offer. The mountain bikes we had were better than expected. The hotels were also better than the brochure suggested.
Reviewed July 2014 Adrian Alexander Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiagp I didn't know whether to go on this trip selfguided or guided and I'm glad I chose the guided option because I would have missed so much by myself. The two guides were a fantasic team and took us to the best restaurants , on the best routes and to the best places. The best holiday I've ever had. Perfect weather, good company in a small group of 8, fantastic cheap food with many local specialities and terrfic varied cycling. As soon as I got back home I booked a similar trip to Italy with Exodus. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Arriving at the top of the Monte de la Cruz de Ferro where the guides had organised a picnic of local produce that was more like a banquet. What did you think of your group leader? Fantastic, informative, caring, passionate about his country and very funny. Is there anything else you would like to add? Go !
Reviewed July 2014 Delia Cox Trip: Cycle the Camino de Santiago Camino de Santiago Loved this trip. All-round, this is one of my favourite holidays for quite some time. Great country, great food, great cameraderie, some challenging riding, plus the sense of a journey which makes the trip really special. And we were lucky with the weather. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We were a small group (five) - I took my inspiration from the other people on the trip who were all a bit better than me and helped me along the way. The off-road section on the morning of the penultimate day - this was harder than anything I had done before and the scenery was spectacular. The end of the final push up to Santiago! What did you think of your group leader? Dani was a great leader. He constantly adapted the route to give us more/less off-road biking according to our pace. I learnt a lot and will be much more confident about tackling hills in future. Jose was in a driver/support role for our week but I would also have complete confidence in him. A local guide really makes the difference with food tasting. We got some preferential treatment and delicacies from the restaurants along the camino who all know our guides very well. Try a bit of everything! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Get your pilgrim passport stamped - it is a nice momento of the trip. The toughest climb is the road up to O'Cebreiro. There is an option to take the walkers' route to the summit village instead which two of us did and enjoyed. Consider an extra night in Santiago - we flew back on Sunday from the local airport. Go to the Friday night mass in Santiago with the Botafumeiro - none of our party were doing the camino for religious reasons but it was an insight into how much the pilgrimage means for those who were. Packing cubes - I'm a recent convert! They really help for a trip like this when you are on the move all the time. Take your own water bottle as these are not supplied. Is there anything else you would like to add? Enjoy this trip - Buen Camino!