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Planning to Walk The Camino de Santiago – Need some Help?

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Are you going to walk the Camino but would love some help? My personalised Itineraries means you can focus on the walking and not the planning!

Are you feeling daunted by all the details of planning the Camino de Santiago? You’re not alone. Flights, stages, accommodation, transfers — it can all quickly go from exciting to overwhelming.

In 2018 I planned a friend’s Camino. That very quickly grew and many would-be-pilgrims asked me for the same. I created my Planning Service to help others walk the Camino de Santiago their way. But I retired in 2022 and focused on growing Then We Walked blog.

More and more, so many people have asked me to bring this service back that I feel that now is the time. I will draw on over a decade of walking, guiding and answering pilgrim questions to create for you a bespoke itinerary that allows you to focus on everything else!

Why Choose Me

I’m Colleen from Then We Walked. I’ve walked thousands of Camino kilometres, guided hundreds of pilgrims along the Camino, volunteered in both the Pilgrim Office and albergues – I’ve even been a ditch pig, collecting rubbish along the trail!

I’ve walked 23 different Caminos and many other trails worldwide. I’ve lived in France for almost 20 years, with the Vézelay camino on my doorstep and I’ve been visiting Spain and Portugal for almost 40 years.

Working with me to plan your Camino means you get the benefit of all this experience – without losing your freedom to choose and adapt.

Here’s What You Get

What I Deliver

I’m not a travel agent or tour operator. I cannot book your accommodation or travel and also cannot offer insurance advice.

What I do is use my extensive experience to plan your itinerary and show you what to book, when to book and how to book it.

This gives you total control over your Camino – and can save you hundreds or even thousands compared with some group tours.

Once we’ve agreed that I am the girl to help you plan we follow through 5 stages of planning. And from the initial call to the last, I would expect us to take no longer than 2 weeks.

Step 1. The Initial Zoom Call

We’ll talk through your itinerary ideas: including preferred duration, pace, lodging style, luggage transport, rhythm of your days, rest days and travel dates.

Do allow up to an hour for this initial meeting and we can include all the members of your walking party so everyone can hear and have a voice.

Step 2. The Tailored Itinerary

After our call I’ll prepare a document that includes:

Step 3. Review & Feedback Zoom

You’ll have time to look over the document, before we’ll meet for our second zoom to go through it together and answer questions. Allow up to an hour for this second call.

Step 4. Refinements & Revisions

I’ll make any final adjustments and send your final document – ready for you to start booking and making your plans.

Step 5. Final Zoom Call

A shorter call – allow up to 30 minutes.  We’ll review your progress with bookings and tie up any loose ends.

What I Cannot Include

There are legal reasons why I can’t book your accommodation, tours or transport – and they are there for your protection. I’m not a registered travel agent or tour guide/operator.

I’m offering a Camino planning service, so just to be clear:

Pricing & Examples

My fee is based on the number of walking/touring days I plan :

Examples prices would be :

My fee is for the service, and not per person. If two people are walking the Camino Frances, my planning might work out at just €350 each.

There are no hidden fees or commissions. I have no affiliation with hotels, tours or agencies – my recommendations are based solely on what I know.

Payment covers the planning process described above; any major changes requested after the final plan may require a new agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do you book everything for me?

No – I’m not legally permitted to do this. I provide all the links and options you need; you make the bookings and retain full control and flexibility.

2. What if I want to change things during the walk?

You’re free to adapt as you go. I can’t offer on-route support, but the plan leaves room for flexibility and, because you’ve booked it, you’ll have greater confidence to adapt it.

3. What if an accommodation is fully booked?

That can happen. I’ll suggest back-ups where possible and I do advise you to book as soon as you receive the plan. For routes where booking doesn’t open until December or January, I’ll give you provisional choices and contact details for those accommodations.

4. Can I ask you questions while walking?

Yes of course – you’re welcome to join my private Walking the Camino Facebook group where I try to check in daily and answer any questions. Sadly it’s not possible to offer personal private support when you’re walking but I’m always happy to share tips and guidance within my group.

5. What about non-Camino travel planning?

Yes – I can help with travel to and from your Camino and with tour ideas at your start and end of your walk.  But only if they’re destinations I know well. Each day I plan is included in the pricing above.

6. How Long Does It Take?

From our first zoom call I would plan to finish all six steps within 2 weeks – ideally sooner. My time is limited with so many travel and Caminos. I will only offer this service to a few pilgrims as I want to be sure I dedicate my time well and offer you the best possible service.

Are You Ready to Get Started?

I travel extensively and walk the Camino a great deal, so my availability for planning walks is limited. My planning slots are offered on a first-come basis once payment has been received.

In the first instance, you can email me at colleen @ thenwewalked.com with the basics of what you need (or complete the form below) :

If I believe I can assist you, we’ll move forward, formalise the process and plan our first meeting.

I’ll send you a service agreement confirming what I can and can’t offer, the costs and details of how to make your payment. Then we’ll start planning your perfect Camino!