What to pack for the Camino de Santiago: the complete list
For the Camino de Santiago you need a 30-40 litre backpack that, fully packed and with your water inside, weighs no more than 10% of your body weight; footwear you've already broken in, with at least 100 km walked before you set off; three pairs of seamless technical socks; two sets of clothes, because you wash every afternoon at the albergue; a sleeping-bag liner, earplugs and a small first-aid kit. Almost everything else can be bought along the way.
This is the complete list, with what to take and what not to. Half of its value is in telling you what not to spend money on.
The 10% rule
Your packed backpack, with the water inside, shouldn't weigh more than 10% of what you weigh: 60 kg means 6 kg. Weigh it at home before you leave, with everything in it. It's the advice everyone who has been repeats, and the one most people ignore until day three.
The backpack
The only thing on this list really worth spending money on.
- 30-40 litre backpack For 5-7 days, 30 litres is plenty. A big backpack fills itself.
- Waterproof rain cover Many backpacks already have one tucked into a bottom pocket. Check before buying another.
- Trekking poles Optional, but they take a lot of strain off your knees on the way down. If you fly, check them in: they're not allowed in the cabin.
Your feet
The only thing that can really end your Camino early.
- Trainers or boots you've ALREADY worn At least 100 km walked in them before you leave. New shoes on the Camino are the fastest way to end up in a taxi.
- Flip-flops or sandals For the albergue shower and to let your feet breathe in the afternoon. Not a luxury.
- 3 pairs of seamless technical socks Not cotton. Cotton holds moisture, and moisture is what causes blisters.
- Vaseline Apply it in the morning BEFORE walking, not after. It prevents more blisters than any plaster.
- Blister plasters
- Needle and thread The old-school remedy for big blisters. Have someone show you the first time.
- Cloth surgical tape
Clothes
Two sets: one on and one drying. You wash almost every afternoon at the albergue. Packing clothes for seven days means carrying six days of weight for nothing.
- 2 technical T-shirts
- 2 sets of underwear
- 1 pair of light long trousers and 1 pair of shorts Or zip-off trousers and save one item.
- A thin fleece or sweatshirt
- Rain jacket or poncho It rains in Galicia. It's not a possibility, it's the climate.
- Cap or hat
- Something clean for the evening After the shower, it's nice not to put your walking clothes back on.
Sleeping
- Sleeping-bag liner or light sleeping bag In summer a liner is enough. Albergues have blankets.
- Earplugs The most forgotten item and the most appreciated. A twenty-bed dorm snores.
- Eye mask
- Microfibre towel Dries fast and weighs nothing. Not the one from home.
- Head torch or small flashlight To leave at six without turning on the light for the whole dorm.
First-aid kit
Keep it small. Almost every village has a pharmacy, and they know exactly what happens to pilgrims.
- Ibuprofen or paracetamol
- Sunscreen In autumn too, and on cloudy days. You walk six hours facing the sun.
- Hand sanitiser
- Plasters and a bandage
- Your usual medication With the prescription if you need it, and in your hand luggage if you fly.
Papers and money
- ID card or passport
- Health card The European Health Insurance Card if you come from outside Spain.
- The pilgrim document you get stamped at each stage You can get it from Camino associations, some parishes and at your starting point. Without it you won't get the Compostela when you arrive.
- Some cash Many small albergues and village bars don't take cards, and the nearest ATM may be two stages away.
- Bank card
Day to day
- 1-litre bottle There are fountains, but not always where you need them.
- Charger and a long cable Albergue sockets are where they are, almost never next to your bunk.
- Small power bank
- A couple of plastic bags To keep wet things apart from dry ones. A supermarket bag will do.
- Safety pins or clothes pegs To hang what didn't dry from your backpack so it dries while you walk.
- A mid-morning snack
What you DON'T need
Half of knowing what's essential is knowing what not to buy. You can buy almost all of this along the way if it turns out you need it.
- Cotton clothes, jeans included Heavy, slow to dry and they chafe.
- Your towel from home
- Hairdryer, iron, mirror
- Big bottles of shower gel and shampoo One small one is enough. Any shop along the way sells more.
- Food for several days There's a supermarket or bakery at almost every stage.
- Sleeping mat
- An expensive rain jacket A three-euro one does the job. That money is better spent on the backpack and the socks.
- Paper books
- The "just in case" It's the heaviest thing in the whole backpack.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a Camino de Santiago backpack weigh?
No more than 10% of your body weight, with the water inside: if you weigh 60 kg, the backpack shouldn't go over 6 kg. Weigh it at home before leaving, fully packed.
How many litres should the backpack be?
30 to 40 litres. For a 5-7 day Camino, 30 litres is plenty; for the full Camino, 40 to 50. A bigger backpack fills itself.
Boots or trainers for the Camino de Santiago?
Whatever you've already broken in. Boots or trail shoes, it doesn't matter: what matters is having walked at least 100 km in them before you leave. New shoes on the Camino are the fastest way to give up.
How many clothes should I take on the Camino?
Two sets: one on and one drying. You wash almost every afternoon at the albergue, so packing clothes for seven days means carrying six days of weight for nothing.
What socks should I take on the Camino de Santiago?
Three pairs of seamless technical socks. Not cotton: cotton holds moisture, and moisture is what causes blisters.
Do I need a sleeping bag?
In summer a sleeping-bag liner is enough, because albergues have blankets. In winter, or if you'll sleep in small municipal albergues, take a light sleeping bag.
What do people forget most?
Earplugs. A twenty-bed dorm snores, and they're the cheapest item on the whole list.
Do I need cash?
Yes. Many small albergues and village bars don't take cards, and the nearest ATM may be two stages away.
What should I NOT take on the Camino de Santiago?
Cotton clothes and jeans, your towel from home, big bottles of shower gel and shampoo, food for several days, a sleeping mat and paper books. And the "just in case", which is the heaviest thing in the whole backpack.
And once you're walking
Waymino is a silicone band with a chip inside. Hold your phone near it and your Camino journal opens: you save each day's photos and notes and, when you reach Santiago, a video of everything you lived puts itself together.