Full Camino - St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago
About this trip.
Forty days on foot from a Basque border town to the west coast of Galicia
The Camino Frances runs roughly 780 kilometres from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in the far north-west of Spain. This itinerary covers the whole of it, with 39 nights' accommodation and a schedule that breaks the route into manageable daily stages rather than rushing the last sections, as shorter Camino trips often do.
It is a long commitment. Forty days is enough time that your body settles into the rhythm — early starts, coffee stops, bocadillos at lunch, finding the day's accommodation by mid-afternoon — and the walk becomes, for a while, your ordinary life.
How the route changes underfoot
The first day is the hardest: the climb over the Pyrenees via the Route Napoléon, dropping down into Roncesvalles. From there the path heads into Navarre, through Pamplona and the vineyards of La Rioja, before reaching the wheat plains of the Meseta — the long, exposed middle third that runs between Burgos and León. Some walkers love the Meseta's austerity and quiet; others find it the least rewarding part of the trail. Either way, it changes how you walk.
Beyond León the landscape shifts again, climbing into the hills of the Bierzo and over the pass at O Cebreiro into Galicia — greener, wetter, denser, with stone villages and chestnut woods. The final days into Santiago grow busier, as walkers who started at Sarria join the trail, but the approach to the cathedral in the old city still lands as it should after six weeks of walking towards it.
Booking through Macs Adventure
This is a self-guided itinerary, so there is no group and no leader. The operator handles the accommodation — small hotels, guesthouses and rural lodgings rather than pilgrim dormitories — along with daily luggage transfer between stays, route notes, maps and a GPS-based app. You walk at your own pace with only a day pack, and can adjust start times and stops to suit the weather or how your legs are holding up.
Breakfast is included at most stops; lunches and dinners are generally on you, taken in the villages you pass through or near the evening's accommodation. Flights to Biarritz or Bilbao at the start, and out of Santiago at the finish, are not part of the package. The trip suits walkers who are genuinely fit, comfortable with consecutive long days, and willing to commit six weeks to a single route rather than a highlights tour of the final hundred kilometres.
The shape of the trip.
What's typically in the price, what isn't.
A general guide for walking holidays of this kind. Check the operator's booking page for the final inclusions on this specific trip.
Typically included
- ✓Hotel accommodation, double or twin en-suite rooms
- ✓Daily breakfast at each hotel
- ✓Luggage transfer between hotels on every walking day
- ✓Detailed route notes with maps and GPX files
- ✓24/7 support line in English for the duration of the trip
Typically not included
- ×Flights to and from the country of travel
- ×Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- ×Lunches — typically a village picnic or café stop
- ×Some evening meals — depends on the specific itinerary
- ×Alcohol beyond any wine included with set dinners
- ×Optional room or transfer upgrades
Everything you might be wondering.
Q1How hard is it really?
The grading is set by the operator and usually reflects daily distance and total ascent. As a rule of thumb: if you can comfortably manage a 5-6 hour hillwalk at home on a weekend, a moderate-graded route will be fine. Read the day-by-day notes carefully, and train with a loaded pack in the months before.
Q2Can I do this solo?
Yes — self-guided walking holidays are well suited to solo travellers, and some operators waive the single-room supplement on certain departures. The route notes are written for confident independent walkers, and most operators run a 24/7 support line.
Q3Do I need to speak the language?
No. Hotels and restaurants on the route are used to English-speaking walkers. A phrasebook for menus and a few polite basics (hello, thank you, please) is all you really need. The operator's support line speaks English.
Q4Can I bring my dog?
Some routes are dog-friendly, others aren't — it depends on whether all the accommodation on the itinerary accepts dogs. Check with the operator before booking. If you do bring a dog, you'll need a pet passport, up-to-date rabies vaccination, and a lead for villages.
Q5What if it rains?
The route is walkable in rain — your luggage travels ahead regardless, so you'll always arrive somewhere dry. Some trails get slippery in wet weather and the operator's support line can arrange a taxi for any stage if conditions are properly bad.
Q6How do I get there from the UK?
Most routes are reachable by a short flight to a nearby airport, followed by train or transfer. The operator will usually point you at the nearest airport and can advise on rail connections. Some will book train tickets on your behalf for a small fee.
Q7Can I shorten or extend it?
Usually yes. Many operators offer shorter versions of a route as a standalone, and most will add extra nights at the start or end at their own rates. Ask when you enquire — they'll tailor it before booking.
Q8What about cancellation?
Typically a deposit (usually 20-25%) is taken at booking, with the balance due 8-10 weeks before departure. The operator's own terms apply — Mooch doesn't handle the booking or refunds. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Three walking holidays, side-by-side.
Other walking holidays on Mooch in the same spirit. All prices per person, from the operator.
