The primary time I did the Camino de Santiago, my backpack was like an overzealous toddler stuffed with issues I swore I’d want however by no means touched. Midway by means of my first day, I questioned if I used to be coaching for a strongman contest or simply plain silly. In the event you’ve ever grimaced whereas hoisting your overstuffed pack, you’ll get the place I’m coming from. However spoiler alert, there’s a intelligent technique to repair an overpacking fail with out chucking the one you love hoodie in a public trash can!
Highlights:
- Overpacking is widespread – Many pilgrims convey an excessive amount of and remorse it by day one.
- “Simply in case” objects add up – Additional garments, books, and toiletries make your pack heavier than wanted.
- Correos Spain saves the day – Ship further gear forward to Santiago and stroll with a lighter load.
- Hostel swaps assist – Go away unneeded objects, take helpful ones from donation piles.
- Much less is extra – You’ll understand how little you really want on the Camino.
The way to Ship Baggage on the Camino de Santiago Utilizing Correos Spain
Overpacking on the Camino de Santiago is mainly a ceremony of passage. I don’t care how many packing lists you learn or what number of instances you lay every little thing out in your mattress, considering, “This time I’ve nailed it.”
When you begin strolling, you understand you’ve introduced means an excessive amount of, even your first help package feels heavy. Possibly it’s that further pair of pants you thought you’d want for “good dinners,” or the three books you swore you’d learn at night time.
(Spoiler: you’ll be too drained to learn something.)
However right here’s the factor, simply since you overpacked doesn’t imply it’s important to undergo (greater than the blisters and physique pains). That’s the place Correos Spain is available in, and actually, it’s a complete game-changer for anybody strolling the Camino.
I like to think about Correos because the pilgrims’ not-so-secret ally. It’s the nationwide postal service, and it’s surprisingly pilgrim-friendly.
You understand that second once you’re midway up a hill, sweating buckets, and cursing your heavy pack? That’s once you begin dreaming about delivery baggage forward. And you’ll truly do it.
So, what’s the cope with Correos Spain? In a nutshell, they provide a service that permits you to ship your unneeded gear (just like the three pairs of sneakers you packed!) forward to your ultimate vacation spot and even to a cease alongside the best way.
In the event you’re heading to Santiago de Compostela, you simply stroll into any Correos workplace, hand over your further stuff, they usually’ll ship it to the Correos submit workplace in Santiago.
Once you end your stroll, your belongings are ready for you. No drama, no guilt, no tossing your “fortunate” t-shirt in a hostel donation bin.
What I like about that is how versatile it’s. Possibly you understand you packed an excessive amount of on day two, or perhaps it takes every week. Doesn’t matter.
You should use Correos Spain as typically as you want. Some people even ship issues forward in levels, lightening their load as they go.
It’s not nearly consolation, it’s about making the Camino de Santiago truly satisfying, as an alternative of a day by day wrestle with a monster backpack.
The way to Ship Your Extra Gear with Correos Spain
- Discover a Correos Workplace: They’re in just about each city alongside the Camino. Search for the yellow signal with the blue horn emblem.
- Pack Your Stuff: Put no matter you don’t want in a sturdy bag or field. Correos normally has provides if you happen to want them.
- Fill Out the Kind: Inform them the place you need your stuff despatched most pilgrims select Santiago de Compostela, however you may choose any city with a Correos workplace.
- Pay the Payment: It’s not free, nevertheless it’s means cheaper than a chiropractor. Costs rely upon weight and distance, nevertheless it’s affordable for the peace of thoughts.
- Get Your Receipt: Cling onto this! You’ll want it to choose up your issues on the vacation spot.
- Stroll Free: Benefit from the Camino with a lighter pack and a lighter temper.
📖 Beneficial Studying: In the event you’re in search of extra helpful data, take a look at Is it Protected to Hike the Camino de Santiago as a Solo Feminine?
The place to Discover Correos Workplaces on the Camino
Correos, has over 2,300 branches nationwide, with about 150 strategically positioned alongside the Camino routes. Meaning you’re by no means too removed from one, whether or not you’re beginning in Madrid, Barcelona, or some tiny village in the midst of nowhere.
For instance, if you happen to’re flying into Madrid, you may drop off your further gear on the Correos in Terminal 1 (Barajas Airport) and even on the Corte Inglés in Callao tremendous handy if you happen to’re staying within the metropolis earlier than heading out.
Heading north? Key stops like Pamplona, Burgos, León, and Sarria all have Correos workplaces with first rate hours, normally open from 8:30 AM to eight:30 PM on weekdays.
And in Santiago, there are two pilgrim-friendly areas: one proper close to the Cathedral (Rúa do Franco) and one other by the Pilgrim’s Workplace. Simply be sure to preserve your pilgrim passport at hand!
What about Smaller cities?
Now, in smaller cities they may have restricted hours like Burguete, simply previous Roncesvalles, the place the workplace is barely open for a number of hours. So plan forward! The very last thing you need is to point out up at 10 AM with a heavy bag and discover a locked door.
Professional tip: At all times test the precise deal with and working instances on-line earlier than you go, particularly in low season months when hours may shrink.
Belief me, a little analysis right here saves quite a lot of frustration later.
Additionally, if you happen to’re delivery stuff forward, keep in mind Correos can maintain your baggage in Santiago for as much as 30 days (longer if you happen to pay further).
Prime Camino Baggage Switch Corporations In contrast
A number of corporations specialise in baggage transfers, so that you solely carry a lightweight daypack whereas they deal with the remainder. Right here’s the lowdown on the highest choices, examined by pilgrims (together with me!) over a whole bunch of miles:
Correos (Paq Mochila & Paq Peregrino)
Spain’s postal service is a pilgrim’s greatest good friend. Their Paq Mochila strikes your bag day by day between lodging (max 15kg, €5–€8 per stage), whereas Paq Peregrino ships suitcases to Santiago for storage (€20.95 for 15kg, €31.40 for 25kg).
They cowl virtually each route, from the French Approach to the Portuguese Coastal, and even supply reductions for lengthy journeys.
The most effective half? Their reliability, your bag will be there by 2:30 PM.
Pilbeo
This crowd favourite is tremendous versatile. Ebook on-line, slap their ID tag in your bag (max 20kg), they usually’ll whisk it to your subsequent cease by early afternoon.
They’ve moved over 190,000 backpacks and get optimistic opinions for real-time monitoring and no-stress modifications.
Costs begin round €6 per stage, they usually cowl main routes just like the Francés and Portugués. Pilgrims love their app, it’s like Uber to your backpack.
Caminofácil
A veteran within the recreation (15+ years!), they’re identified for stellar customer support. Misplaced a charger? They’ll fetch it. Want a taxi to the trailhead? Sorted.
Their baggage transfers (and storage) work throughout all routes, together with the Primitivo and Sanabrés. Costs range, however pilgrims swear by their hassle-free system, simply depart your bag at your lodge by 8 AM, and it’ll be ready at your subsequent cease.
Jacotrans & Prime Santiago
Jacotrans is a traditional for the French Means, with envelopes offered for bag tags (like Correos). Prime Santiago shines on the Portuguese route, providing 18kg limits and WhatsApp updates.
Each are budget-friendly (€5–€7 per stage) and punctual, although Jacotrans requires pre-booking with lodging.
Taxi Providers (Like Tuitrans & Specific Bourricot)
Want a journey and baggage assist? These guys double as bag ferries, particularly helpful for difficult stretches (e.g., the steep begin from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port).
Costs are increased (€10–€15 per stage), however value it if you happen to’re splitting prices with a bunch.
What to Pack vs. What to Ship Forward
I do know some folks say, “Simply do away with what you don’t want.” However typically, that’s simpler mentioned than finished. Possibly you’ve received a shirt that’s been with you on each journey, or slightly memento from dwelling.
You don’t need to throw it away, however you additionally don’t need to carry it for 500 miles. Delivery baggage with Correos Spain means you don’t have to decide on.
You get to maintain your recollections and your again.
Analysis exhibits that many pilgrims use this service periodically. It’s not only a one-time factor.
As you stroll, you may choose up souvenirs, or understand you want even lower than you thought. Correos Spain enables you to adapt on the fly. No disgrace, simply sensible planning.
Actually, I want I’d identified about this my first time on the Camino de Santiago. It might’ve saved me quite a lot of sore shoulders and remorse.
Various Baggage Transport Choices on the Camino
Once you’re prepping for the Camino de Santiago, or actually, any long-distance trek, it’s virtually a ceremony of passage to overpack. I’ve been there.
You begin with the perfect intentions, following each Packing Listing you’ll find on-line, loading up on all of the “must-have” mountain climbing gear after which, about two days in, you understand you’re lugging round far more than you really want.
Abruptly, that further pair of pants or the backup rain jacket seems like a merciless joke.
However overpacking isn’t only a rookie mistake. It’s a common Camino expertise, and imagine it or not it will probably truly result in a number of the most memorable moments and artistic options in your journey.
I’ve seen all of it, from pilgrims swapping shirts in hostel widespread rooms to people mailing half their bag forward like they’re enjoying some sort of real-life online game.
Listed below are some options I discovered throughout my journey:
Hostel are just like the Unofficial Pilgrim Thrift Retailer
In the event you’ve ever stayed in a public albergue, you’ve in all probability seen these mysterious “take-a-shirt, leave-a-shirt” packing containers tucked away within the nook.
They’re like a thrift retailer, however with a pilgrim twist. I as soon as discovered a superbly good fleece in a type of packing containers after a cold night time, and I left behind a solar hat that simply wasn’t working for me.
It’s a easy, unofficial system, nevertheless it works. Folks come and go, gear modifications fingers, and everybody’s pack will get slightly lighter. It’s the final word in sustainable Packing Ideas and it’s an effective way to satisfy fellow walkers, too.
Sudden Trades and Camino Connections
One in all my favourite Camino tales entails a near-trade gone mistaken. I used to be determined to ditch my further mountain climbing boots (critically, why did I convey two pairs?), and a fellow pilgrim provided me a bag of recent cherries in trade.
It seemed like an ideal deal on the time till I remembered cherries don’t final almost so long as boots.
Nonetheless, it made for a very good snort and a candy snack break, and actually, that’s what the Camino is all about: sudden connections, artistic problem-solving, and slightly little bit of letting go.
Prime Camino de Santiago Baggage Switch Corporations In contrast
| Firm | Finest For | Protection | Value Vary (per bag/day) | Key Perks | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correos | Reliability & vast route protection | Almost all Camino routes | €5 – €8 | Ships to Santiago for storage, last-minute bookings, trusted service | Barely much less versatile with last-minute modifications |
| Jacotrans | Camino Francés hikers | Principally Francés, some others | €6 – €9 | Reductions for multi-day bookings, sturdy albergue community | Restricted to widespread routes solely |
| Caminofacil | Flexibility & smaller routes | Norte, Portugués, Francés, extra | €7 – €10 | Day-by-day bookings, nice customer support | Barely pricier than others |
| NCS | Private service & bike transport | Francés, Portugués | €6 – €9 | Easy course of, delivers straight to lodgings, additionally strikes bikes | Smaller operation, fewer routes coated |
| Pilbeo | Tech-savvy hikers | Francés, Portugués, Norte, Primitivo | €6 – €10 | Actual-time bag monitoring, straightforward app bookings, last-minute modifications | Newer, so not as established as others |
Why Most Pilgrims Overpack on the Camino (And The way to Repair It)
The primary day of my Camino de Santiago, I mainly grew to become a human mule. I’m speaking concerning the sort of backpack that makes you query each life choice you’ve ever made, beginning together with your Camino Packing Listing.
I waddled out of St. Jean Pied de Port with a pack so heavy, I used to be satisfied I’d by accident packed a bowling ball.
(Spoiler: it was simply three water bottles, two backup raincoats, and sufficient “emergency” snacks to feed a small village.)
Why will we do that to ourselves? I blame the “simply in case” mindset. You understand the one the place you begin tossing in stuff as a result of, nicely, what if it rains for ten days straight? What in case your socks by no means dry? What if you happen to get invited to a shock fancy dinner in the midst of rural Spain? (That final one by no means occurred, by the best way.)
So there I used to be, sweating below the load of my very own anxiousness, satisfied each single merchandise was important.
Additionally, analysis exhibits that packing necessities for the Camino de Santiago actually simply means sticking to light-weight clothes, sturdy mountain climbing boots, rain gear, and quick-dry socks.
That’s it. The remaining? Pure overkill.
The Common Pilgrim Wrestle: The “Why Did I Deliver This?” Face
By the tip of day one, I spotted I wasn’t alone. At each albergue, pilgrims had been quietly sorting by means of their luggage, making the identical face I’d made: the “why did I convey this?” face.
Some people tried to be sneaky, forsaking shampoo bottles or further shirts within the communal bogs.
Others received artistic, providing up their surplus gear prefer it was a yard sale. “Anybody want a fourth pair of socks? No? Okay, cool.”
I keep in mind one man who’d packed a full-sized towel. He checked out it prefer it had personally betrayed him. “I had completely no means of eliminating it, and I didn’t need to throw it out,” he mentioned, echoing what we had been all considering.
It’s a bizarre feeling you don’t need to waste stuff, however you additionally don’t need to carry it one other 700 kilometers.
The Psychological Aspect of Overpacking (And Why Much less Is Extra)
There’s one thing concerning the Camino that makes you need to put together for each potential catastrophe. Possibly it’s the thought of being removed from dwelling, or the tales you learn on-line about sudden storms and blisters.
However the actuality? More often than not, you simply want the fundamentals. The remaining is baggage actually and figuratively.
If my backpack may discuss, I’m fairly positive it will have rolled its eyes at me. “Did you actually need these three water bottles? How concerning the backup raincoat? Or the full-sized toothpaste?”
It’s humbling, realizing how little you truly have to get by.
And it’s sort of liberating, too.
📖 Beneficial Studying: In the event you’re in search of extra helpful data, take a look at:
The Final Camino Hack: Sending Gear Forward with Correos
Enter the final word Packing Tip that saved my sanity: Correos, the Spanish postal service. If you end up caught with a bunch of pointless gear, you don’t need to toss it or undergo in silence.
You may simply ship it forward to your ultimate vacation spot, like Santiago de Compostela, and choose it up once you arrive. Sport changer.
I marched into the closest submit workplace, sheepishly handed over my “emergency” provides, and immediately felt ten kilos lighter.
You may even do that periodically alongside the route, so that you’re by no means caught hauling stuff you don’t want. Actually, it’s the unsung hero of Light-weight Packing on the Camino.
FAQs
Consider it like a taxi to your backpack, simply means cheaper and far more dependable. You guide the service (normally on-line), tag your bag with the data they offer you, and depart it at your lodge or hostel reception by 8 AM. Whilst you’re out mountain climbing, a Correos van (or one other transport firm) picks it up and drives it to your subsequent cease.
Completely! Correos’ Paq Peregrino enables you to ship your suitcase or further stuff straight to their Santiago workplace (or any submit workplace alongside the route). They’ll maintain it for as much as 30 days.
Most providers cap luggage at 15–20 kg (test the corporate’s guidelines; Correos permits 15 kg for his or her Paq Mochila). In case your bag’s obese, they may refuse it or cost further.
Most corporations require you to ship luggage from/to booked lodging (resorts, hostels, and so forth.) with a reception desk. No reception? Some allow you to prepare alternate drop-off factors, however you’ll have to e mail them forward of time.
It’s uncommon, nevertheless it occurs. Corporations like Correos and Pilbeo have monitoring programs, and luggage normally present up by mid-afternoon. In case your bag ghosts you, name the corporate ASAP.
Nope, and don’t let anybody guilt-trip you. The Camino’s concerning the journey, not the load in your again. Even the official Compostela guidelines don’t care how your bag will get to Santiago.
For Correos’ Paq Mochila, guide by 8 PM the night time earlier than every switch. Different corporations (like Pilbeo) allow you to guide complete routes upfront.
Correos’ Paq Peregrino is normally the funds choose (from €20.95 for 15 kg). Every day stage transfers (Paq Mochila) price extra however imply no carrying a pack.
Most corporations allow you to cancel at no cost till the day earlier than. Want to regulate your route? Electronic mail them ASAP. Good providers will work with you, however don’t wait until the final minute
TL;DR: In a nutshell: Don’t let your pack (or your regrets) weigh you down. In the event you overpack on the Camino, Correos Spain’s send-ahead service is a lifesaver, and slightly artistic considering goes a good distance. Much less is extra!
