PRIVATE GROUP WALKING TOURS FOR YOUR PERFECT CAMINO DE SANTIAGO ADVENTURE

Whether you are a group of 2 or 32, we have the expertise needed to create your personalized one of a kind Camino walking adventure. We are here to work with you to customize an itinerary that fits your group’s wants and needs. It is important to note that these tours are private, meaning that the guides are there to focus on you.

There is quite literally no limit to the possibilities for these tours to get you to Santiago de Compostela! Choose from one of our Fully-Guided Tour itineraries or let us design a bespoke tour based on where your group would like to walk, their ability and any other special requests!

WHO IS IT FOR?

Our private group walking tours are typically created for pilgrims wanting to come to Spain with friends or family, and for organizations or church congregations wishing to bring a group. We have arranged family reunion walks, team-building excursions, yoga and meditation retreats, annual adventures among a group of friends, and multiple church groups over the years.

THE POSSIBILITIES

We cannot stress enough that the possibilities are endless.  You can set your own dates and itinerary – whether you want five-star luxury or walking on a shoe-string, or activity focused holiday. Likewise, you can choose to walk 5 kilometers a day or 40.

You can also pick from one of our regular fully-guided tours and set your own dates.

SOME IDEAS FOR SPECIALLY DESIGNED TRIPS…

  • Walking every day but with an extra activity built in – such as Yoga classes, learning a language, drawing, painting or writing workshops.

  • If you have mobility or sensory difficulties or disabilities and want to ensure an accessible trip, we can enable you to experience the Camino in the way that best suits you.

  • An adventure based holiday, including activities such as canoeing or kayaking, canyoning, climbing, hang-gliding, mountain biking or horse-riding.

  • A special focus on the art, heritage, and culture of the Camino with extra time planned to visit the many monuments at a more relaxed pace.

  • Maybe you would like to spend your honeymoon walking a Camino, or even a bachelor or bachelorette trip!

This was our second private tour with Andaspain, and we couldn’t be happier. We were a group of 16 yogis on a mindfulness retreat – their attention to detail and personalisation of the experience for our group exceeded our expectations!

Merry Beth H. , Private Yoga on the Camino Portugués

If you are a University group and you are looking for a quality camino experience for your students that combines academic as well as cultural components, Andaspain is the perfect company to meet your needs. Their guides are more than willing to work with you to meet the educational goals you have set for your group. Their excellent attention to detail allows you to concentrate on the course content knowing everything else will be taken care of to your satisfaction.

Nanette H., Assistant Dean for Curriculum, University of Minnesota, Private Camino Frances

We really could not have done this without Andaspain. Vanessa went out of her way to make sure everything was as smooth as possible for us.  Kate, we personally appreciate the effort you put into accommodating all our requests, and the timeliness of your replies.

Southridge School Group , Private Camino Portugués

Our guides were superb! Thoughtful, caring, and knew the Camino backwards and forward! Very experienced in dealing with a group and leading a tour.  The church is sending another group in the future.

Meghan S. , Private Last 100KM Church Group

I have been on many journeys around the world over the years; with groups, with friends and on my own – this trip I have now rated as my best ever!

Joy W. , Private Best of the Camino Tour

The guides were amazing. I never would have completed the walk without their support and compassion. Our job was to walk and the guides took care of the rest.

Fran C. , Private Last 100 KM Tour

I don’t know if the level of support we got was due to our advancing ages or not, but, it was perfect for what our group needed. I was thrilled to be able to walk the whole length of our Camino tour.

Ellen W. , Private Laid-Back Last 100 KM Tour

PRIVATE GROUP WALKING TOURS

Below is a collection of most popular private guided tours that we have created for previous clients, many of whom return to us every summer for something new.

THE LAST 100kms, CAMINO PORTUGUES

The Last 100KMs Camino Portugués combines beautiful quiet walking trails with fantastic accommodation in country houses and Paradors. While growing in popularity this route is much quieter than the Camino Francés. The route takes you through small hamlets, quiet country lanes, forests, coasts and beautiful old towns and cities as Valença, Tui and Pontevedra.

While it is certainly not a mountainous region, Galicia is never flat! The distances we plan for you are the typical etapas or stages of the Camino Portugués. Walking the Last 100KM, Camino Portugués means that you can request your Compostela. This is your certificate of completion of the pilgrimage and is issued by the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and the Pilgrim’s Office. This is true about all of the walks that complete the last 100km of any Camino de Santiago.

We meet in Porto, one of Portugal’s most famous cities giving you a spectacular start to your journey. From there we head up to Valença where we start our Camino in Portugal. We enter Spain by crossing the international bridge of the Rio Mihno. This region of Portugal and Spain is famous for its great seafood, cheese, peppers, and wine.  All of which we will taste on this trip!

HIGHLIGHTS:                                                                                                                          

  • The beautiful fortress town of Valença set in a spectacular position looking over the Rio Minho to Spain.
  • The lively regional capital of Pontevedra with its delightful historic center of narrow streets and plazas.
  • Reviving your tired feet in the hot thermal spring in Caldas de Reis.
  • Optional visit to the beautiful waterfalls inside the Natural Park of the Rio Barosa. 
  • Visiting Padrón the town where St James started his ministry in the Iberian peninsula. Padrón is the town where St James remains are claimed to have arrived in a boat from Jerusalem.
  • Arriving at the Plaza de Obradoiroto to see the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, along with the familiar faces of all the other pilgrims who have, like you, walked to get there!
  • Guided private tour of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • 7 nights’ accommodation in great hotels  –  Paradors, a 4 star converted monastery and “Pazos” – typical manor house accommodation 
  • All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 5 dinners, including wine 
  • Water and snacks along the way 
  • Pick up in Porto centre and transfer to Valenca
  • All baggage transport and van support if your legs need a break…  
  • English and Spanish speaking guide/s 
  • Guided tour of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral  
  • The Pilgrim Credencial or Pilgrim´s Passport
  • Camino Guide Book  

THE NORTHERN ROUTE – TWO DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE CAMINO DEL NORTE

There was a period of time in Spain when the traditional road to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino Francés, was a dangerous place to be.  The Moorish occupation of the South meant that Christian pilgrims had to find an alternative road further north, beyond the Cantabrian Mountains and out of dangers reach.

So was born the Camino del Norte. These days it is a popular road to travel for pilgrims looking for something a little bit different.  It is known in Spanish as the camino of mar y montes (sea and mountains) because the path alternates between all of Spain’s northern cities and the mountains which separate them.

Because of it’s length we have sometimes divided it into two parts and spread the journey over two summer holidays.  You can do either or both in one summer if you wish, but we describe them here separately.

CHAPTER 1

Irún to Ribadesella: 21 days
Total Distance: 433 kilometres / 269 miles

We follow the most spectacular coastline Spain has to offer. With the Cantabrian Sea to our right and mountain ranges to our left we walk through picturesque fishing villages and fascinating cities. On this section of the Camino del Norte we pass through the Basque Country (famous for its tapas or pinxos and of course the Guggenheim museum).  Then on to Cantabria where we find perfectly preserved villages and awe-inspiring cave systems. We end our journey in Asturias, renowned for its magnificent landscapes and its food, including artisan cheeses, cider and chorizo.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The beautiful city of San Sebastián (known as Donostia in the Basque language Euskera), famed for its great food and beaches.
  • Our Camino passes through Gernika, the town whose bombing during the Spanish Civil War inspired Picasso´s response, Guernica.
  • Visit to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao which was designed by Frank Gehry and is cited by many as being the impetus for the regeneration of this historic port city.
  • Spectacular views of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Bay of Biscay.
  • Visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Altamira, famous for its Upper Palaeolithic cave paintings.
  • Beautiful examples of Casas Indianas, the magnificent villas built by the many Asturians who emigrated to South America in the 19th Century and returned to their homeland wealthier.
  • The lively fishing villages of Llanes and Ribadesella, where we can try the local catch and drink traditional cider made with local apples.

CHAPTER 2

Ribadesella to Santiago de Compostela: 21 days
Total Distance: 423 kilometres / 262.6 miles

The final leg of the Coastal Road and all the way to Santiago de Compostela! We begin our journey in the beautiful Principality of Asturias, which as a Kingdom in the 8th Century was fundamental in the development of the pilgrimage when, legend has it, Alfonso II became the first pilgrim to the tomb of St. James. We follow the Cantabrian Sea all the way to the border with Galicia, where we turn inland and through fascinating villages until we join other pilgrims on the French Route for the last two days of walking into Santiago de Compostela!

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The beaches of Asturias – picturesque coves, mountain backdrops and if we are lucky, spectacular blowholes!
  • Wandering around the harbour of Gijón, filled with sidrerias, where we can attempt to enscanciar – the traditional way to pour Asturian cider – and try some locally caught fish and an array of local cheeses and chorizos.
  • We will see some excellent examples of arquitectura indiana, the 19th Century villas built by wealthy Asturianos returning from South America.
  • Visit the beautiful Monastery of Santa María in Sobrado, originally founded in the 10th Century and one of the many important monuments on the Northern pilgrimage route.
  • Arriving into Santiago de Compostela with pilgrims from all around the world and a chance to celebrate with a visit to the Cathedral of Santiago.

START YOUR CAMINO HERE

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