This post is about what to pack for the Camino de Santiago in October.

I tried to pack as light as possible. And this packing is adapted to the weather in Galicia in that period. During the day, it was sunny, but in the evening, it was cold.  

The rule of thumb for the Camino is to carry 10% of your body weight. I tried to get less. I did not want to walk 100 Km with a heavy backpack. I already doubted my capacity to walk that far. How will I do carrying an additional load?

Check your existing wardrobe!

I used my old gear and did not buy new things. I traveled the world enough to know I own the necessary equipment at home. Chances are that you too! 

Most of the things I needed came from a trip to Jordan and another one to Iceland. Two countries that were like ice and fire, and here they are, combined in one quest.  

In the following lines, I added some items I should have taken but forgot. And I also added some comments on what I will improve for next time.

What to pack for the Camino de Santiago in October?

Backpacks

*A small backpack I carried in the front with all the essentials I wanted to have at hand: phone (also camera), phone charger, earphones, wallet, passport, my Camino credential, snacks (fruit mainly), and water

*A big backpack for the rest of my stuff. Mine had a 20 L capacity. I could have carried a smaller one had I not brought my sleeping bag.

I did not use my hip straps at first. I only learned during the Camino that they are necessary. They keep some weight off my shoulders and distribute it more efficiently on my body.

That was a real help, especially after a few days of walking. I was one kilo over the recommended 10% load because I bought a cooking pot in Pontevedra (story yet to come in part 3). To unburden, I threw a couple of things away on the road

Toiletry, hygienic items, and medicine

*A toiletry bag containing a face and a body cream, a waterproof pouch with body soap, a bar of face soap and solid shampoo and conditioner, a shower glove, my toothbrush, some toothpaste, dental floss, a deodorant, some paracetamol, and a tiger balm (just in case).

I don’t use shower gel or bottled shampoo as I find their texture slimy. Soaps are easy to carry, and there is no plastic packaging involved. Some people bring band-aids, but we had none, and during the walk, none of us got blisters. I also had soap to handwash my clothes

*Some napkins/toilet paper/ two packs of Kleenex for road emergencies

*bandages for the ankles: they sustained my ankles and feet when I felt some discomfort 

Refillable bottle of water

* A refillable bottle of water to avoid using plastic bottles. Mine was too small, so I bought bottles to drink my daily water ration. I recommend getting a bottle of 2l.

However, it was not possible to refill in a lot of places, and there were not many shops in the forests. Really? Hmm…I am suprised!  

Basic food utensils

* One plastic fork and knife, 2 cups, and Tupperware. I was not sure why I brought them, but they came in handy (check part 3)

Clothing items

*Sunglasses

*A neck gaiter/ multifunctional headwear I used to cover my head under the sun or put around my neck when it was too cold. I bought it the first time for my trip to Myanmar. 

*My Keffiyeh, a traditional Arabian headdress. I bought it during a trip to Jordan, and it is so comfortable. I used it as a scarf, and it kept me warm, being a mix of cotton and wool.

*Rain/windproof jacket I bought for Iceland

*One fleece jacket

*2 thermal t-shirts from my Iceland trip

*3 cotton t-shirts. One of them was very old, and I got rid of it somewhere along the way 

*2 sport bras

*7 undergarments including two quick-drying period panties

*4 pairs of socks, I regularly washed by hand. I thought they were fine, but I suffered from a lot of pain while walking more than 10 km, so I recommend looking for proper hiking socks and conducting thorough research on this

*3 yoga pants; they were light to wear, and I looked good in them on the roads :). For my next Camino in the fall, I would exchange the third yoga pants against black thermal leggings for walks in the cities to feel warmer and be a bit more dressed up 

*2 Pyjamas

Footwear

*A pair of flip flops for the showers as we knew we were going to stay at hostels

*One pair of waterproof walking shoes bought for the same camping trip in Iceland

Rain poncho

*A rain poncho that even covers my backpack bought on a rainy day in Prague

Sleeping bag, flashlight, and towel

*A sleeping bag I bought for a camping trip in Iceland

*A small flashlight I had from my Jordanian trip

*A fast-dry towel bought for Jordan

Face masks

*A pack of surgical masks and hand gel, the only two items I had to buy given the current circumstances

*3 reusable face masks

Notebook and pen

*A notebook that I did not need. The most important things I wanted to remember were in my head, and for the rest, I had my photos

*A pen: that was practical to fill in forms and not touch someone else’s in those Covid times

Things I should have taken with me

*A woolen hat and gloves: once we checked in and dropped our bags, we usually visited the towns we were in. Some of those places were cold, especially Pontevedra and Santiago. A woolen hat and a pair of gloves would have come in handy. 

*A pocketknife, but beware if you are flying and only have a hand luggage

*Footcare items: an anti-fatigue cream or/and a pain-relieving foot cream 

Things I could have taken with me

*Walking sticks: I debated on whether to purchase some. I decided to walk without. I did not miss them. Sometimes I was holding my backpack straps when I needed to change the position of my arms. It was enough.

To find out more about the credential, click here