Tips For Doing The Camino With Children
Doing the Camino with children will be an unforgettable experience to share as a family and a really big adventure, particularly for little pilgrims.
Obviously, planning any holiday with kids will require a lot more planning than if you were jetting off solo. With this in mind, we’ve decided to share some tips and ideas for planning a great Camino with your family.
Tip 1: Age And Ability
The most important factor to keep in mind when planning your Camino with children is considering their age and ability.
Toddlers will need to be carried at some stage (there are many hiking backpacks out there that will be really useful) or pushed if you choose to travel with a trail-friendly buggy. Children over 7 years of age will enjoy the walk as long as distances are planned carefully.
If you are travelling with teenagers, they will definitely enjoy the challenge, and all they will need is a bit of training, just like adults.
You know your children best, but here are some questions to consider: Are the children used to walking? Do I take them for hikes regularly? How long can they manage before they get bored, need a break or need to be carried?
Tip 2: Walking or Cycling?
The standard walking itinerary for adults covers around 20 to 25km per day, so that it will be too long for little legs. We suggest choosing from our family-specific itineraries, which cover an average of 10-15km daily.
If your little pilgrims are not used to big hikes but love cruising around by bike, we would suggest cycling the route. Whether they take the wheel themselves or sit comfortably at the back while you do all the pedalling will depend on their age.
Our director Roland cycled the Camino from Sarria with friends and 5 kids aged between 2 (bike seat) and 8 years (on kids’ bikes), and they all had a superb time. They cycled 25km per day, which is really manageable as it can be covered in roughly half a day.
“I had asked for selected accommodation to offer either a swimming pool or garden space for the kids. Each day we had lunch en route and finished at approximately 2 pm. That was perfect and one of the best holidays we ever took,” he explains.
Tip 3: Which Camino Route Should You Take?
The Camino Frances is the most popular route and, as such, where you will find most services, such as cafes and places to rest. For that reason, it will be most suitable for children. It is also the most social of all trails, as 65% of all pilgrims take this route.
Both kids and adults are likely to meet other parents and children, making lifelong Camino friends along the way. If you are travelling in the summer months, we would recommend the Portuguese coastal route so you can enjoy the beaches between Baiona and Vigo.
Tip 4: When to Travel?
If you can, try to avoid the hottest and the wettest months. May, June, and September are probably the best times to travel in order to get mild temperatures and minimal rain.
What Else?
Our Camino for Families page has all the information you could possibly need to know about walking or cycling the Camino with Children.
On this page, you will be able to browse our six-holiday packages created especially for families. They include tours on the Camino Frances, Camino Portugues and the Via Francigena.
Our Family Packages:
- Family walking on the Camino Frances
- Family walking on the Camino Portugues Coastal
- Family walking on the Via Francigena in Tuscany
- Family cycling on the Camino Frances
- Family cycling on the Camino Portugues Coastal
- Family cycling on the Via Francigena in Tuscany
For more information about walking or cycling the Camino with children or to book your trip, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you already know when you want to travel and what route you want to walk, you can customise your trip using our Camino Planner.
