

The Camino De Santiago
There are many Caminos (or walking tracks) that lead to the Santiago de Compostela. The most famous is the French Camino starting in St Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees and finishing in Santiago in Spain. For pilgrims in the middle ages this was a religious journey that meant leaving home for many months on a dangerous journey that could mean theft, beatings and possible death. Today the biggest problem to be faced is likely to be sore feet; that and finding the time to walk the whole route
Global Drift has put together a journey that provides a taste of the many different sectors of the walk. We believe it is the best of the Camino. We enjoy walking the high Pyrenees to the flat plains of the Mescita, from the vineyards of the Rioja to the breathtaking Ribeira Sacra. We visit the historic centres of Pamplona, Burgos and Leon; staying in quality hotels, many of which are restored historic buildings. We sample the best of the local cuisine and of course the many different wines that the region has to offer. We have scheduled our walks in manageable sections and with only your day bag to carry (the luggage goes on ahead each day). Join us on this amazing walk and become part of living history. This adventure is not just a pilgrimage but an immersion into to the culture, cuisine and wine of northern Spain. “Pilgrim, leave what you are able; take what you need.”
- There are options on most walks to finish early if your feet are sore, the skies open up or you are just hankering for a glass. Similarly, if you like, there are times when you can extend your day's walk. We will keep you informed about these options as we prepare for each day. And if you want a full day off from walking, also no problem whatsoever
- Due to the logistics and nature of this tour we require a minimum of 8 travellers to run the departure
"The adventure was very well researched and took us through the most interesting and scenic parts of the Camino. It was also a culinary delight! Being part of a small and friendly group was so much better than the package holidays that I usually go on. I absolutely recommend it!"
Anne Barnes, England
13 Day Itinerary | ||
Departure: | 14th September 2025 | (Sunday to Friday) |
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Price: | AUD$2990 |
***THIS TOUR CAN BE EASILY COMBINED WITH OUR TASTES OF TUSCANY – AN ITALIAN INDULGENCE TOUR*** |
Day 1 - Bilbao - Arrival day We meet this evening for an introduction then walk in the old city as we sample the best of Basque cooking in a selection of Tapas bars Day 2 - Bilbao Bilbao has transformed itself into a vibrant cultural capital without losing sight of its traditional roots. A highlight is the world famous Guggenheim Museum. We spend the morning enjoying the permanent exhibits. The afternoon is free for you to explore. See more art at the beautiful Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, ride the funicular for views over the city and out to the mountains or walk along the riverbank to the historic centre Day 3 - Bilbao to Pamplona Walk: Roncavalles to Linzoan 14 kms. An early start today driving up the coast for views overlooking the sea in San Sebastian. Continuing inland we arrive in the foothills of the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles in time for lunch. Our first walk is reasonably challenging as we are in the mountains and our route takes us across two beautiful passes and then into beech and oak woods and open meadows. Panoramic views of the local countryside are a constant with the imposing Pyrenees as a backdrop. Arriving in Linzoan we drive to Pamplona our base for two nights. You may choose to walk along the famous running of the bull’s route and visit some of our favourite tapas bars Day 4 - Pamplona Walk: Zariquiegui to Puente de la Reina 16 kms. A short drive takes us to Zariquiegui and the start of today’s walk. The Camino here is quite agricultural with cereal fields, vineyards and olive trees. It’s a reasonably steep climb up to Alto de Pedron, where the views across the valleys to the distant mountains are impressive, before we wander downhill and through undulating countryside to the village of Muruzábal. We take a break and a coffee and continue onto Puente de la Reina, named after the still standing bridge built in the 11th century. This popular town has a wide variety of bars, cafes and restaurants and we will stop for lunch. We return to Pamplona in time to explore this picturesque city with its high walled old town. The streets and squares of the old city are atmospheric and the perfect place to grab a wine and an outside table and rest the feet Day 5 - Pamplona to Logroño Walk: Azqueta to Torres del Rio 19 kms. The walk today begins in Azqueta and takes us into the Rioja, where Spain’s internationally acclaimed red wine is produced. We walk through Villamayor de Monjardín with its 12th century church and move on strolling through rolling countryside where grapes and olives are ever present. We arrive in Los Arcos for a refreshing beverage before continuing on to Torres del Rio. Logroño is renowned for its tapas scene where the whole city gathers to socialize and taste each bar's specialties with a glass of local wine Day 6 - Logroño Walk: Rest day. Today we take a break to explore the Rioja area and of course to taste the famous wine. We visit Europe’s largest and best wine museum, Dinastia Vivanco, where we learn about glass blowing and cork making and get to taste their award winning red wine. We visit nearby Briones, a small hilltop village overlooking the vineyards, with a marvellous Baroque church and a beautiful main square. We travel on to the hill-topped village of Laguardia to take a walk along the ancient walls and enjoy an aperitif and lunch in the backstreets of the old town. We return to Logroño late afternoon where a visit to the local market is recommended Day 7 - Logroño to León (via Burgos) Travel Day. We drive to Burgos and enjoy its medieval splendour with an unforgettable visit to the Cathedral of Burgos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A short drive after lunch to León which lies on a fertile plain surrounded by woods, orchards and meadows. The three most characteristic monuments are the cathedral, the collegiate church of San Isidoro and the convent of San Marcos. We have time to visit the sites and enjoy the many cafes and street side bars Day 8 - León to Ponferrada Walk: Foncebadón to Molinaseca 19 kms. We start with a drive to the mountain village of Foncebadón where we begin our walk. We head into the Bierzo area and cross a mountain peak that the Romans dedicated to Mercury. Here you will see a mound of stones at the ‘Cruz de Ferro’ where from time immemorial travellers have placed a stone from their place of origin to bring them good luck. We continue to Manjarín and arrive at El Acebo, a beautiful mountain village with welcoming bars and cafes. We continue on to the village of Molinaseca where we finish our walk. A short drive to Ponferrada for the night. Here is the Castle of the Templars, a magnificent testament to the importance of the city for this order of monk-soldiers Day 9 - Ponferrada to Monforte de Lemos Walk: San Cristobo do Real to Aguaida 16 kms. We drive to Cebreiro, high in the mountains where we are now in Galicia, the final province of our journey. This tiny village of stone houses has views across the mountains and down into the valleys. Then on to San Cristobo do Real to start our walk through some of the most beautiful countryside that the Camino has to offer. Woodlands and pasture, small fields and tiny hamlets in a lovely green landscape. We pass Samos Monastery and plan a short visit to the inner cloisters where monks still live and work. We finish our walk in Aguaidaat a pleasant bar and drive to nearby Monforte de Lemos. Our base for the next two days is Casa Grande Rosende, a renovated manor house dating from the 16th century Day 10 - Monforte de Lemos Walk: Rest Day. Monforte is the regional centre for the area known as the Ribeira Sacra, an area that produces Mencia and Godello wines. The vines grow on traditional stone terraces that cling to the almost vertical hillsides of deep river canyons. We enjoy a boat ride on the river Sil then head to Algueira winery, with its prize winning restaurant, for a wine tasting and then a long lazy lunch with more wine to try. In the early evening we visit Monforte de Lemos for a tour of the Ribeira Sacra Wine Centre and then have a guided wine tasting with tapas at the highly rated O Grelo restaurant Day 11 - Monforte de Lemos to Santiago de Compostela Walk: Vilei to Mirallos 11 kms and Monte do Gozo to Santiago Cathedral 5 kms. Total 16 kms. We begin our walk in Vilei for the most peaceful part of the Camino. We stroll through shady oak woods, pretty villages, quiet country roads and past many churches. We stop our morning walk at Mirallos where lunch is available at a small café with views out over the hills. From there we drive to Monte do Gozo with its huge modern sculpture. Here we get a glimpse of our destination’s end, the Cathedral of Santiago. Heading down hill we enter the city streets of Santiago de Compostela and on arrival join the other pilgrims at the Praza do Obradoiro in front of the cathedral as we celebrate the successful completion of an inspiring journey. Tonight, we can go for a walk in the old city and visit some of the famous tapas bars in the centre Day 12 - Santiago de Compostela After breakfast in one of the oldest cafés in Santiago we have a walking tour of the historic centre to learn more about this ancient city. The walk ends at the large local market full of the meats, cheeses, seafood and fresh produce from Galicia. The afternoon is free for shopping or more exploration before we meet up to celebrate our wonderful journey and enjoy a farewell dinner Day 13 - Santiago de Compostela - Departure Day |
Trip Options
Single Travellers: | AUD$690 | Details |
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Extra Accommodation: | Single Inquire | Details |
Double Inquire |
***THIS TOUR CAN BE EASILY COMBINED WITH OUR TASTES OF TUSCANY – AN ITALIAN INDULGENCE TOUR***
Local Payment
Your Local Payment is collected by your group leader in cash at your group meeting on Day 1 of the trip and is part of your tour price. The money is spent locally on your tour.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Extra Accommodation
Pre and post trip accommodation is offered on most journeys pending availability. Please indicate in your enquiry if you require any rooms before or after your tour and the amount of nights requested.
For tours where the start and finish points are different w can assist you with your arrangements in both locations.
Single Traveller
Global Drift encourages interactive experiences for all of our travellers. As such we presume that you will be happy to share accommodation with a same sex person should you be travelling alone.
However, for those that would prefer a single room for the tour we do offer a single supplement. This also applies to single travellers who we are not able to match up.
It must be stated however that on many of our tours we stay in small family owned guesthouse accommodation. In certain instances with full groups the passenger combinations may not always allow you to enjoy a single room. Please keep this in mind when booking your single supplement. We will however, always do our best to accommodate you.
Please make your request for this service a minimum of 3 months prior to your journey.
The quoted extra payment is for the entire trip.
Single Travellers
Global Drift encourages interactive experiences for all of our travellers. As such we presume that you will be happy to share accommodation with a same sex person should you be travelling alone.
Due to the exploratory nature of this journey no single supplement is offered.
Airport Arrival Transfer
Global Drift offers an optional arrival transfer to your hotel at the quoted fee.
In your trip dossier you will receive directions on how to make your way to your starting point hotel. It is quite easy and possibly cheaper than we are able to offer it.
Should you require this service please advise us at the time of your booking.