The Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women
The Camino de Santiago, located in Spain, is one of the most famous walks and pilgrimages in the world. A significant number of our She Hit Refresh members have walked the Camino and even more are interested in this pilgrimage. To help anyone curious in walking their own Camino we’ve created the ultimate Camino de Santiago packing list for women to assist you with your planning.
The Camino de Santiago for beginners
If you’ve only just heard of the Camino de Santiago and want to better understand what it is check out our Complete Beginner’s Guide to Camino de Santiago. Here you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about the Camino covered: what exactly is the Camino, how long does it take to walk the Camino how much it costs, what route to take, and more!
Once you have a better understanding of the Camino de Santiago come back here to get your Camino packing list.
How to prepare for the Camino de Santiago
Before we dive into the your Camino de Santiago clothing and equipment, let’s talk about preparing for the Camino. The best way to prepare for walking the Camino de Santiago is to gather your gear and basically start walking! The more training walks you go on prior to your Camino, the better prepared you will be for the Camino. Typically, one should get out and walk every day even if it’s just for an hour and supplement that with one or two longer walks, around 9-10 miles, on weekends.
Except for a few instances, the Camino does not have huge elevation gains. But there is still a significant number of ups and down and training in a hilly area is recommended. If you live in a relatively flat area, go up the bleachers at a stadium/sports field or go up the staircase of a high-rise building so you get used to going up for longer stretches.
These walks will not only prepare you physically, but they will allow you to make adjustments in your gear if, for instance, you find out that your pack is too heavy or your get blisters after walking a certain distance. The more knowledgeable you are about how your body responds to long distance walking, the better you will be able to pace yourself and the more enjoyable the Camino will be.
Is it safe for women to walk the Camino de Santiago Alone?
The Camino de Santiago is probably one of the safest places on earth. For starters, at least on the most travelled routes like the Camino Francés or the Camino Português, you will only be alone if you want to be!
There are always pilgrims walking near you and one pretty much develops a sort of “Camino Family” very quickly where pilgrims keep an eye out for each other. And often when you go a day or two without seeing someone, pilgrims will start inquiring about that person and hospitaleros (volunteer innkeeper at albergues) can be invaluable in helping locate someone.
Having said that, it’s always a good idea to exercise common sense:
- Keep your passport and valuables on you at all times.
- Don’t walk before sunrise by yourself.
- If walking in the winter or when crossing the Pyrenees, check with locals on the weather forecast and follow their recommendations.
- Be aware of your surroundings. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your intuition and try to find another pilgrim to walk with.
- Consider sharing your location on your phone with a family member back home or another pilgrim.
- And of course, if something were to happen ask for assistance from locals to report it to authorities.
Packing for the Camino de Santiago
The packing list that you’ll find in this article was created by She Hit Refresh member Dacia who walked the Camino de Santiago during the shoulder season, from October 1st to November 8th in 2016, with her husband. Keep reading to hear about her Camino prep, what she learned, and of course her Camino de Santiago packing list!
We set off from St. Jean Pied De Port on October 1st, so being autumn in northern Spain, I had to pack for three seasons. We had many 85°F (29°C) scorching hot days and also saw a lot of snow, thunderstorms, and cold rain. Some nights sleeping were warm and humid, and many more frigidly cold nights.
Packing for summer months will allow you to carry less gear. Try not to overpack. The inconvenience of packing and unpacking everyday is compounded when you have too much stuff. Consider the analogy that all the extra stuff you carry is extra baggage from your life. Use the Camino as an opportunity to simplify and as a result find freedom. Keep your pack weight under 20 pounds (9 kg), otherwise you increase your susceptibility to blisters, which will ruin your trip. I’ve seen foot carnage that I can never unsee.
Wowza, did I stress out about gear! Leading up to our launch date, I fretted more about what I was packing than any other part of the trip. The internet is full of forums, blogs, and guides with suggestions of how to prepare and I read them all. I didn’t want to overpack and I certainly didn’t want to be unprepared.
There are so many contradicting opinions out there! Shoes vs boots, poles or no poles, sleeping bag or not, rain gear or poncho, you name it. I noted which items people agreed on, and which ones simply depended on my personal preference, body shape, and needs. Here’s what I learned.
The most important items to get right are your pack, your footwear, and clothing fabrics that are breathable and quick-drying. All these items must be comfortable, supportive, and not create any hot spots. Go to a great outfitter, like REI that helps you find a proper fit and will allow you to try the gear out and return it if necessary.
My first purchase of hiking shoes and backpack went back after I tested them out on a couple long day hikes. Ouch. So glad I could have a redo, or I would have been in a lot of pain on the Camino.
We set off from St. Jean Pied De Port on October 1st, so being autumn in northern Spain, I had to pack for three seasons. We had many 85°F (29°C) scorching hot days and also saw a lot of snow, thunderstorms, and cold rain. Some nights sleeping were warm and humid, and many more frigidly cold nights.
Packing for summer months will allow you to carry less gear. Try not to overpack. The inconvenience of packing and unpacking everyday is compounded when you have too much stuff. Consider the analogy that all the extra stuff you carry is extra baggage from your life. Use the Camino as an opportunity to simplify and as a result find freedom. Keep your pack weight under 20 pounds (9 kg), otherwise you increase your susceptibility to blisters, which will ruin your trip. I’ve seen foot carnage that I can never unsee.
Oh, and take stuff you like! I got really specific about the type of gear I wanted which was pricey so I shopped clearance sales. As I result, I had gear that worked impeccably well, but my colors were not my favorite. Ever notice how women’s gear on clearance is always turquoise and/or pink?! Ugh, that’s a whole different rant. But seriously, you will be wearing the same outfit everyday for over a month. Let that sink in. Make sure you like it.
As you are preparing maybe you are fretting like I did. But know this: everything can be dealt with. If you have too much stuff, you can easily mail some home or donate it. If you didn’t bring enough, or brought something that ultimately doesn’t work, every metropolitan area has stores with the most modern of gear for you to buy.
A Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women
As a Pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago, in pursuit of your Compostela, you are a member of a sacred brotherhood/sisterhood that spans the test of time. You will find magic on the Way and astounding abundance; an abundance of generosity from both other Pilgrims and locals, and abundance of strength, humility, and clarity (whether you recognize it at the time or not).
You will have help when you most need it. You will never be alone. Everything can be managed. Don’t prescribe too much to what others say must be. This is your Camino, do it your way and it has already started just by doing the research. Below is the way I did it, my Camino de Santiago packing list, I hope you find it useful in it. Buen Camino!
1. Camino Packing List: GEAR
BACKPACK – Deuter 35L ACT Lite Women’s Specific
- Would I take it again: Yes
The pack was perfect. I never used the extra 10L that came with the pack because that would make my pack too heavy, kept it at 35L or under. It’s critical that you go to REI or another outdoor store and have a professional fit you properly.My first intention was to get the lightest pack, and I did. Then I did a day hike with it and it hurt my back. If it hurts on day one, you can bet it will hurt all the rest of the days. Gear is so high tech now, that there really isn’t a breaking in period – it either works or it doesn’t. So even if it weights a few more ounces, get the comfortable one.
TREKKING POLES –Distance FLZ Trekking Poles
- Would I take it again: Yes
MVP purchase – I used these every day and they were a huge contributor to my knees being ok. They take the pressure off your knees going downhill, propel you uphill, and help you cruise faster on the flats. I don’t recall meeting any Pilgrims without poles – those who didn’t bring them bought them along the way.When you get moving, these babies really help you power your walk and you can cruise. And when you are tired, you lean on them. The true music of the camino, is everyone’s poles clicking on the ground, ha. These are particular poles are awesome, super lightweight and convenient. The folding feature was very beneficial because we could fold them up and secure them to our packs in the albergues. Most albergues request you to leave them by the front door and there can be mixups as to which belong to whom.
Also be sure to take rubber tips for them, because you are on pavement often and the sound of steel tips can be incredibly irritating. I would slip the rubber tips on top of the pointed ends of the poles – when I wasn’t using them, I kept the rubber tips in my waist-belt pocket and would put them on when we hit pavement, off when on dirt and gravel trails. Did I mention these poles were stupidly light? Stupidly. I would occasionally let other people try them and every one of them would gasp in awe.
Hip Pack – EOTW
- Would I take it again: Yes
Another critical purchase – having all my valuables easily accessible including my phone for photos was key. I really struggled deciding between a hip pack and a sling purse – I went with the hip back to be hands free and not have any points of chafing. This one in particular has a wide elastic band that kept it in place. Yeah I didn’t look the coolest, but trust me…with the distance you are covering, you stop caring.
Water Bottle –Nalgene
- Would I take it again: Yes
I struggled deciding between a water bottle and a hydration bladder – I hike a lot and always use a bladder. But I went with bottle thinking that refilling a bladder could be tricky – and boy was I right. Often you are filling up in fountains, bathrooms, you name it.
CamelBak Hydration Bladder
- Would I take it again: No
Roll-Up Water Pouch – Clever Creations
- Would I take it again: Yes
I was really nervous about running out of water so I packed this for extra water on the extra hot days with long treks outside villages. I needed it a few days, but I mostly ended up using this for leftover wine from our homemade dinners, ha!
Spork – Humangear
- Would I take it again: Yes
I used this for lunch on the trail – not often, but enough days that I would take it again, especially with how light it was.
Small Swiss Army Knife with Scissors, Tweezers – Swiss Army
- Would I take it again: Yes
I used it almost daily – but it didn’t have a corkscrew and the knife was useless for cooking dinner and cutting cheese. I ended up buying a jack knife over there – and I found a wine key on the path – score!
Towel – Small Microfiber Hand Towel
- Would I take it again: No
I thought I was clever taking a small hand towel to save space – stupid idea. I ended up buying a packable full-sized microfiber towel. Many showers and bathrooms in albergues are co-ed and I needed to be able to wrap myself up.
The other option was to get changed in the wet shower stall somehow without getting my clothes wet, and to do it quickly so others could get in. After a couple weeks of doing that somewhat unsuccessfully, I bought a new towel in Burgos and left my hand towel at an albergue.
Towel – Full-Sized Microfiber Bath Towel – Travel towel
- Would I take it again: Yes
MVP – when you sleep on the bottom bunk, you can hang this for privacy – SO NICE – and quick dry is crazy important – some of the albergues don’t have a lot of ventilation for cotton stuff to air dry easily.
Journal & Pen – Moleskine
- Would I take it again: Yes
Buy the lightest journal possible – seriously – no heavy cardboard or leather binding, go light – I actually ended up shipping my big one and buying a pocket-sized one I kept in my hip pack – benefit – easy access to write down info gathered from locals and Pilgrims, contact info, places of interest, etc. I just learned to write a lot smaller.
Headlamp – Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
- Would I take it again: Yes
Used daily – this lamp has a red light function which I also used every night in the albergues. It provided perfect lighting for getting around in the dark and finding any gear I needed, but it wasn’t too bright that it would wake up or irritate my bunkmates – I can’t stress enough how important sleep is for everyone.
Rain Cover for Backpack – REI
- Would I take it again: Yes
Used often, whenever it rained.
Dry Sacks & Compression Sacks – Sea to Summit Ultra-SIL Compression
- Would I take it again: Yes
I used ultralight dry sacks for packing all my stuff (I hate crinkling plastic sounds) and also splurged on a compression sack for my sleeping roll – totally worth it.
2. Camino Packing List: FOOTWEAR
Hiking Shoes – Northface Ultra 110 GTX Mens
- Would I take it again: Yes
MVP – Yup, I wore men’s shoes. I was at REI like everyday for a month trying to figure this out I tried on every pair of boots and shoes. Just like your backpack, buy the shoes that are the most comfortable. It doesn’t matter how cute they are. I also HIGHLY suggest that you buy them from REI or another retailer that will let you return them used. Buy them, take them on a long hike and see how they feel. Any discomfort and take them back. I took back two pairs this way. But you know what? I didn’t get a blister until the last day hiking into Finisterra.
Though I have a pair of leather hiking boots that I LOVE and wear hiking year round, I opted for the lighter hiking shoes for this long thru-hike. There were many days when my legs were tired and I was so grateful for making this choice! I couldn’t imagine wearing ankle weights, so why wear heavy boots? The strain on your legs is a real thing.
Hiking shoes are a good happy medium between trail running shoes and hiking boots. They have are lighter than hiking boots, but have a slightly thicker sole than running shoes – that sole helps with the extra weight of your pack as well as the uneven pathways made of gravel, cobblestones, and even pavement impact. Also, get a shoe that is one size up, I hike in the mountains a lot and still did not expect how swollen my feet would get on the Camino.
Sandals – Tevas
- Would I take it again: Yes
I knew that I wouldn’t want to put my boots back on in the evenings once I took them off. And I wanted a pair of sandals that I could hike in in case my boots hurt my feet, and if my feet needed to breathe. I’ve worn these trusty Tevas for years and figured they wouldn’t let me down. I wore them every evening (yes with socks on cold days – I’m telling ya, you don’t care about your cool factor anymore).
Flip Flops
- Would I take it again: Yes
For the shower. Find some cheap ones that weigh almost nothing – community showers, enough said. You NEED these. To avoid overpacking, I really didn’t want to take two pairs of sandals. But because even flip flops can take a while to dry (especially on chilly evenings), this extra pair of designated shower shoes was absolutely worth it.– keeping your feet happy and healthy is critical.
Socks (3 Pairs) – Merino wool micro hiking sock
- Would I take it again: Yes
1 pair for evenings and sleeping, 2 pairs for hiking. These 2 pairs for hiking were socks I had already worn all summer hiking in the Pacific Northwest. Tested and true. However, when my feet got more swollen than ever before on the Camino, the thicker pair rubbed just a bit the first day I wore them. So I left them behind at an albergue.
A lot of discussion around socks with my fellow pilgrims led us to decide that thick socks aren’t necessary. Most people who wore them got blisters. Test a thinner sock with your hiking shoes before you go. Know that your feet will swell, taking up any extra room in your shoes. There is no greater enemy on the camino than blisters!! If you get the right shoes and boots you won’t need to protect your feet from them with thick socks. That’s a trick of the past because shoes and boots are now created with much higher quality, fit, and tech.
Thankfully, because I had Merino wool socks, upon ditching the thick pair I was able to wear the remaining pair every day. It’s true! Don’t be grossed out! The antimicrobial properties of Merino wool keep them from smelling. AND, they never tore, I still wear them a couple days a week. Totally worth it.
3. Camino Packing List: CLOTHING Outerwear
Rain Jacket – GoreTex
- Would I take it again: Yes
I used this for my light jacket on warmer days, rain jacket on rainy days, and extra layer for super cold days.
Insulated Jacket – Patagonia Micro Puff
- Would I take it again: Yes
MVP – This is my absolutely favorite piece of outdoor gear. So comfy I could sleep in it on the super cold nights too. It also breathes well on the not so frigid days. GREAT layering piece for insulation.
Rain Pants – REI
- Would I take it again: Yes
When hiking in the rain, its so important that the inside of your boots and shoes don’t get wet – that’s when blisters are born. Rain pants help keep your socks dry, which in turn prevents water from leaking into your waterproof shoe. I debated between gaiters and rain pants, when it was cold, these babies were totally worth it.
4. Camino Packing List: CLOTHING
Active Pants – Columbia Straight Leg Pant
- Would I take it again: Yes
Super comfy hiking pants that didn’t look too terrible for street wear either. They scrunched up into capris for the hot days. Slightly water resistant for light rain showers, no chafing. I like that they were slim and fitted. Because I have an hourglass figure with extra cushion in the thighs and booties, I prefer to hike in leggings.
But I didn’t feel comfortable being exclusively in skin-tight gear for over a month through villages and cities on a sacred Pilgrimage. Not that I’m a prude, but this just seemed to strike a chord. If I were walking in the summer, I would prob do a cute version of these with zip-off legs.
2nd Pair of Active Pants
- Would I take it again: No
They did’t pack very small which was frustrating – so I wouldn’t take them again. I also didn’t wear them often, but there were a handful of nights that I was freezing and these were lifesavers
Leggings – LuLu Base Layer
- Would I take it again: Yes
When I got out of the shower, I put these on – they were my evening wear and sleeping gear.
Capris – LuLu Capris
- Would I take it again: Yes
On the first half of the Camino when it was warmer, I wore these for sleeping and for evening wear – I wouldn’t take both these and the full length leggings again – but it was so tricky hiking in the shoulder season. Weather was all over the place. These were also a backup for hiking in case my other pants caused too much chaffing.
Skirt
- Would I take it again: Yes
I bought a skirt in Burgos. I could wear the skirt over leggings which also provided some additional modesty while walking around town/villages in the evenings.
5. Camino Packing List: CLOTHING Shirts (short sleeve)
Wool T-shirt – Icebreaker Merino
- Would I take it again: Yes
Daily hiking wear – Merino wool is the bees knees – you can sweat all day and with its antimicrobial properties, you won’t smell bad. You can even skip a couple days of laundry (which happens if you arrive to albergue too late, there isn’t a washer, or there isn’t a dryer and your stuff won’t dry, or you’re just way too tired).
Cotton T-shirt
- Would I take it again: Yes
It’s nice to wear something soft to sleep in! Ladies – keep in mind that rooms are co-ed, all ages and nationalities. Keep it modest in this bedroom 😉
Dry Fit T-shirt
- Would I take it again: No
This was a back-up quick dry shirt in case my hiking shirt didn’t dry after washing. If you’re trying to save space, a second hiking shirt really isn’t necessary.
6. Camino Packing List: CLOTHING Shirts (long sleeve)
Wool Sweater – Merino medium weight long-sleeve sweater
- Would I take it again: Yes
Worn every evening and to bed.
Wool Shirt – Merino medium weight long-sleeve shirt
- Would I take it again: Yes
I wore this shirt to hike in on the chilly days, which was almost everyday during the second half of the trek. It was important to me to have different clothing to hike and sweat in during the day and clean ones to change into after showering. This thin Merino wool shirt served a dual purpose. It was an effective breathable thermal layer, but was also thin enough that when it got really cold, I could layer it under all my other layers.
7. Camino Packing List: CLOTHING Undergarments
Underwear (2 Pair)
- Would I take it again: Yes
Make sure they are quick-dry and comfy. Seems crazy having just two pairs of undies for such a long trip. But just like the rest of the clothing, you have one pair to wear during the day while hiking and the other for the evenings/sleeping.
Basically every night, you arrive to the albergue, shower, then wash what needs to be washed. If no washer was available, undies were simply washed by hand in the sink and hung to dry.
Sports Bras (2) – Oiselle Women’s Verrazano Bra
- Would I take it again: Yes
One that was halter style and the other that clasped in the back. The one with the clasp was uncomfortable to hike in (chafing with the pack – on both shoulders and back). So I wore the halter everyday to hike, and the one with the clasp in the evenings after a shower while the other was being washed.
I love the Oiselle Verazanno for hiking – it has an extra shoulder strap that helps take the weight off of my neck (large bosoms are heavy!), but it sits closer to my deltoids than in the middle of my shoulder, avoiding backpack strap rub.
8. Camino Packing List: ACCESSORIES
Beanie
- Would I take it again: Yes
Worn almost every night and early morning.
Cap
- Would I take it again: Yes
For sun, wind, rain and keeping my hair out of my face.
Knee Brace
- Would I take it again: No
I had torn my MCL the winter prior so I was nervous it would start hurting again. After a week, my knee was fine so I left the knee brace at an albergue. Two days later, my knee was in a lot of pain. But I found a reflexologist who healed me (no joke).
Hair Ties
- Would I take it again: Yes
Gloves
- Would I take it again: Yes
Light-weight gloves – worn for the cold and also when my hands were getting a little sore from the trekking poles.
Ziplock Bags of Varying Sizes
- Would I take it again: Yes
Super useful for all sorts of random things (including your used PP TP on the trail).
Sewing Kit
- Would I take it again: Maybe
Just a tiny little matchbook sized kit – used it once.
Laundry soap sheets – Pocket Laundry Wash
- Would I take it again: Yes
Used for all laundry – great decision! Super lightweight.
Kindle
- Would I take it again: No
Too heavy! Ended up just reading through the kindle app on my phone.
Fabric Repair – Gear Aid tape
- Would I take it again: Yes
This stuff is awesome, used it a couple times, even on my plastic toiletries bag! It’s important to get the kind with the gridlines. I’ve used the other types that Gear Aid has and they aren’t nearly as robust.
Sunglasses
- Would I take it again: Yes
They broke along the way and bought new ones at the dollar store – take expendable ones.
Sharpie
- Would I take it again: Yes
Bought in Finisterra. I gifted a shell from the beach to a dear friend, and she asked me to write one word on it, whatever word I was moved to share. It was a beautiful moment. So I did this for other Pilgrim friends as well. Oh, and it can be used for writing messages on rocks for other Pilgrims to find. But please, don’t write on signs, that’s graffiti.
9. Camino Packing List: ELECTRONICS
Phone
- Would I take it again: Yes
ESSENTIAL – This was used as my camera, wifi access, kindle, WhatsApp (to communicate with other Pilgrims), calculator, you name it.
Phone Charger Cord
- Would I take it again: Yes
USB Charger and Adapter – 4 Port USB Charger and Adapter in One
- Would I take it again: Yes
Be a hero, carry this. There are few outlets in albergues, this device allowed myself and three others to charge all at once.
Adapter – Lewis N. Clark
- Would I take it again: Yes
I took just one little extra one.
Headphones
- Would I take it again: Yes
Music was so wonderful to listen to while walking and while relaxing. I created a playlist that would amplify the beauty of my surroundings, not take away from it.
SD Memory Card Reader – Air Stash
- Would I take it again: No
This is a cool little device that I can unload photos onto through wifi, which I thought I would need but didn’t. I made sure to make room in my phone’s memory before I went. And I took TONS of photos.
Watch – Analog watch
- Would I take it again: Yes
Just your standard little Casio watch – inexpensive, water-resistant, comfy for sleeping, and wouldn’t be sad if I lost it.
10. Camino Packing List: FIRST AID
Blister Pads – Regular and Fingers and Toes
- Would I take it again: Yes
I’ve run a couple marathons, and these babies are my go-to. Fortunately, I only had to use one, but I gifted them to other Pilgrims in need along the way. If you run out, just buy Compeed at the pharmacy – they are basically the same thing.
Anti-Chafing Skin Protectant – Body Glide
- Would I take it again: Yes
I also used this in between my toes to eliminate rubbing.
Ibuprofen
- Would I take it again: Yes
Hydrocolloid Gel Band-Aids – Compeed
- Would I take it again: Yes
Buy on trail at a pharmacy if needed.
Safety Pin
- Would I take it again: Yes
Great for hanging socks and clothes to dry on your pack as you hike and also great for draining blisters – yuck!
Cold Medicine – Stop Cold
- Would I take it again: Yes
I bought this at a pharmacy in Spain – best cold medicine ever. Didn’t make me fuzzy brained!
1 Dose Each of: Immodium, Sudafed, Zquil, Emergen-C, Tylenol
- Would I take it again: Yes
Pharmacies are everywhere and you can buy anything there. I just carried one dose of each of these in case I couldn’t get to one right away.
11. Camino Packing List: TOILETRIES
Tampons – Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free and Organic Cotton
- Would I take it again: Yes
No applicator, takes up less space.
Liquid Soap – Dr. Bronner
- Would I take it again: Yes
It’s so gentle, I use it as my face wash, body wash, and can even use it to wash dishes if needed.
2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner – Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Shampoo with Conditioner
- Would I take it again: Yes
Test it out before you go, and know that European water is harder. I wish I would have taken a little bottle of conditioner to use 1x per week. My hair was long and stayed in a braid most days anyway.
Jojoba Oil
- Would I take it again: Yes
For extra conditioner and other moisturizing.
Face Lotion
- Would I take it again: Yes
Whatever works for you.
Razor
- Would I take it again: Yes
Sunscreen
- Would I take it again: Yes
Skin Care Ointment – Aquaphor
- Would I take it again: Yes
For lips, any super dry skin – also good for chaffing if needed.
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
- Would I take it again: Yes
Tissues
- Would I take it again: Yes
I would pack some toilet paper in my pockets every morning. Ladies, squatting on the side of the trail is a real necessity. But one of the saddest things about the Camino was that no one packed out their TP! As you’re walking along gorgeous forested paths, it’s lined with white TP.
Seriously, its a very real and very gross littering issue. PLEASE be a responsible and respectful Pilgrim and practice leave-no-trace. I carried little sandwich bags with me that I would collect my TP in and deposit in the nearest garbage can upon arrival to a village.
Deodorant
- Would I take it again: Yes
Travel size.
Hand Sanitizer
- Would I take it again: Yes
Travel size.
Toiletry Bag – Nalgene
- Would I take it again: Yes
12. Camino Packing List: PAPERWORK & CURRENCY
Passport
- Would I take it again: Yes
Made two copies. Kept my passport in my hip pack, copy in backpack.
Travel Insurance
- Would I take it again: Yes
Just carry one copy.
Pilgrim Credentials
- Would I take it again: Yes
Get it stamped at all albergues and any other cool places of interest – kept in hip pack.
Currency – 2 credit cards, 1 debit card, cash
- Would I take it again: Yes
Kept debit card, cash, and 1 credit card in my hip pack. See below for second credit card.
Health Insurance Card
- Would I take it again: Yes
Kept it with my spare credit card, copy of passport, travel insurance and 100€ bill in a hidden pocket in my backpack.
*Copies of All Documents
- Would I take it again: Yes
Made copies of all my documents and made sure my folks had them in case I needed rescuing. *We recommend keeping a digital copy of your documents as an attachment in your email, Dropbox, or your preferred cloud storage space.
13. Camino Packing List: SLEEPING
Sleeping Sack – Silk liner
- Would I take it again: Yes
ESSENTIAL – do you like sleeping directly on an old mattress? This sheet sack is luxurious. It also provided a little mind tease that it helped repel bed bugs. There are many arguments that they don’t help, but for comfort and warmth this is still crucial.
Lots of people suggest coating your sleeping gear with some sort of fabric friendly insect repellant. We opted agains this because we didn’t want to sleep in it every night – seems like that can’t be great for the skin. The better bed bug repellant is to look for signs of bed bugs and pick a different bunk, room, or albergue.
Sleeping Bag – REI
- Would I take it again: Yes
99% of albergues supply you with a bunk, mattress and pillow- having a sleeping sack and bag were critical to my comfort. I took this very light bag, knowing that I would be sleeping indoors. But I was still incredibly cold most nights despite wearing all my clean clothing as well.
If I went the same time of year again, I would take a warmer bag. Some albergues would provide blankets, but most look like they hadn’t been washed in 80 years. So on the deeply frigid nights, if blankets were available, I would throw a blanket over my legs – nice and far away from my face.
Pillow Case
- Would I take it again: Yes
Who slept on that pillow the night before? How much did they drool? When did they shower last? Yeah, I never knew either – take a pillow case.
Buff – Original Multifunctional Headwear
- Would I take it again: Yes
I would fold it over my earplugs to keep them in, and also slide a portion over my eyes to block out others’ lights. Oh and I used it to keep my hair out of my face some days – so basically I wore this every day and night, ha!
Earplugs – HEAROS
- Would I take it again: Yes
ESSENTIAL.
Inflatable Neck Pillow – REI
- Would I take it again: Yes
I have issues with my cervical vertebra, so I took this inflatable neck pillow in case the pillows offered in an albergue didn’t provide enough support. I used this pretty often.
14. Camino Packing List: OPTIONALS
Makeup
- Would I take it again: No
NONE – seriously – you won’t want to spend the time. And no one wears it. I maybe saw two gals wearing makeup. It was a cool thing to learn to love my natural face again.
Jewelry
- Would I take it again: Yes
Just a few inexpensive pieces just to add to my self-expression. Must be willing to lose them, I lost my earring the first couple days – so don’t bring anything overly sentimental or costly. My travel wedding band is a simple sterling silver band, leave the bling at home so you don’t have to worry about it.
Keychain Light
- Would I take it again: Yes
Great to keep in my hip pack – used daily for searching bunks and albergues for signs of bed bugs – I didn’t want to put my pack down (because bugs love packs) and fish out my headlamp until I knew the coast was clear.
Poncho – Ferrino Trecker
- Would I take it again: Yes
Bought one on the trail that did not have full arms, I would have preferred the one in the link. Having a poncho was easier than putting my pack down and pulling out rain gear. Also my Gortex jacket had a run-in with some gasoline on a camping trip (long story) and apparently it’s waterproof-ness was compromised.
The key to a successful poncho is to get one with the arms, otherwise if there is wind or rain, much of your time will be spent wrestling the thing to stay in place.
Extra Batteries for Headlamp
- Would I take it again: Yes
One set extra batteries.
New Insoles
- Would I take it again: Yes
I wear insoles in my running, hiking shoes, and boots, so I bought new ones to ensure they would make it 880k.
Clothesline – Flexo-line
- Would I take it again: Yes
I used this a handful of times when there wasn’t a dryer or room left on the provided clotheslines, or if it was raining outside.
Foldable Ultralight Grocery Bag
- Would I take it again: Yes
I wish I had packed a foldable ultra-light grocery bag to double as my evening purse – I always took a jacket, water bottle, valuables (in my fanny pack) to go grocery shopping but didn’t anywhere to put them. Tried to buy one along the way, but they all weighed too much and took up too much room.
Rock From Home
- Would I take it again: Yes
I picked up a rock (very small and light) from a sentimental place from my homeland which I carried with me to deposit at the Iron Cross.
Harmonica
- Would I take it again: Yes
Wish I had taken this! – If you have a musical instrument easily packable, bring it. Those who brought them shared such delightful music and talent, bringing people together “campfire style”. Those were some of my most memorable moments.
Yoga Therapy Ball – Therapy Ball
- Would I take it again: Yes
I was a hero for having this. Not only to ease my muscles and plantar fasciitis, but I was able to share it with all my traveling companions as well. It was extra weight, but totally worth it.
John Brierley Guide – Camino de Santiago
- Would I take it again: Yes
Great for the history and stories about the Camino- ended up using two apps Map.me and Wise Pilgrim (and I met the author while on the Camino!). Also download Google Translate’s Spanish-English dictionary before you go. This eliminates the need to carry a hard copy book.
Wash bag – Scrubba
- Would I take it again: No
I read in a blog that someone suggested to take this, so I ordered one. It’s a cool invention! In the end I opted not to pack it because of its weight. Though it can double as a stuff sack, it weighs a lot. However, I can see how this might be handy to have in the busy summer season.
We almost never had an issue finding an open washer when needed. And honestly, you don’t need to wash your clothes every night. Get the gear that is antimicrobial (merino wool for the win!) that waits to stink after a couple wears – I swear! Don’t be bogged down with chores every night, after all laundering your clothes each day makes them deteriorate faster too.
Most days that we did laundry (every couple of days), we combined ours with other Pilgrims to make one load – I usually supplied to soap sheets and we pooled our money. That’s the way to go.
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6 thoughts on “The Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women”
Great list…the only thing that I would add is plastic clothespins. I ended buying them in a Mercado but they are also available from Amazon.
What a great idea! I never even thought about that. Makes hanging clothes while traveling so much easier!
Great list! Super helpful for my upcoming Camino! I am curious if you had a standard sized pillowcase or you got a special size for the albergue pillows? Thanks!
Hi Callie! Thanks for checking out our list. I believe Dacia had a standard sized pillowcase but I’ll double check with her and get back to you. 🙂
Complete list! Thanks for sharing Cepee!
Thank you for checking it out!