Responsible travel and environmental policy
Leave the Camino as beautiful as you found it
Walking is one of the gentlest ways to travel. We want to keep it that way, so the trails, villages and landscapes of the Camino stay special for the people who live there and for every pilgrim who follows.
This responsible travel policy for the Camino sets out what our team, our guides and our partners commit to, and the simple things we ask of every pilgrim who travels with us.
- Zero litterpolicy on every holiday
- Digitaltravel documents, no unnecessary printing
- Small groupssized to suit local conditions
- Localfamily-run guesthouses and hotels
Our commitments
What we do, and what we ask of our partners
Our team
- We train our team about the local environment through briefings and familiarisation trips on the routes.
- We encourage responsible use of resources, especially water, and follow a zero-litter policy on all our holidays.
- Team members can suggest ecotourism ideas, and we have a system to respond to and act on them.
- We look after the health and well-being of our staff and guides, and we use email instead of post wherever possible.
In our destinations
- We make sure the type and scale of our activity suit local conditions. Groups are kept to an appropriate size, for example around 16 people on a guided walking tour.
- We encourage our accommodation partners to recycle and save energy, for example by drying laundry on a line rather than in a tumble dryer.
- On escorted walks, every walker is asked to pick up any litter they find along the way.
- Every holiday pack includes advice on trail etiquette and responsible travel, including how to save water and avoid harming the environment and wildlife.
Our guides
- Guides are ambassadors for the region, its culture and its customs.
- They treat local people and businesses with respect and professionalism.
- They lead by example, make their groups aware of the environment, and reuse and recycle wherever possible.
Accommodation
- We choose the best combination of places to stay for each stage, depending on local infrastructure and availability.
- We rank them on character, charm, friendly staff, good food and originality.
- At the start of each season we share guidance with our hotels on recycling and using energy responsibly.
- Linen is usually changed once a week and towels twice a week. Ask for fresh towels only when you need them.
How you can help
Simple habits for responsible travel on the Camino
Carry a reusable bottle
Bring a stainless steel or reusable plastic bottle and refill it along the way. Your travel documents show water points, bars and restaurants on each stage.
Leave no litter
Take everything home with you, and if you see litter on the trail, pick it up. Every little helps.
Go easy on water and energy
Reuse your towels, take short showers and switch off lights and heating when you leave your room.
Keep it digital
Your travel documents are digital. If you do print them, use double-sided, recycled paper.
Join in locally
Eat in local bars, buy from village shops and go to local festivals and events. It is the best way to understand the culture.
Respect the trail
Stay on the path, close gates behind you and respect wildlife, farmland and the people who live along the Camino.
Giving back
The CaminoWays Fund, 2015 to 2020
For six years our Fund supported projects that cared for the Camino and its communities: a clean-up of the Camino Portugués, trail wardens on Ireland’s Burren Way, more than 1,400 native trees planted with Mossy Earth after the wildfires in northern Portugal, and a 2020 pilgrimage that carried people’s intentions to Santiago.
Read the story of the CaminoWays Fund
Ideas to make our holidays greener?
We are always happy to hear them, from pilgrims, partners and our own team. And if you are ready to plan your Camino, we can help with that too.