November 4, 2026 · 4 min read
Camino de Santiago as a group or with friends: how to plan it
Route, pace, rooms and luggage for walking the last 100 km as a group without arguments. Group rate from 6 people.
Reviewed by the Xacobea team · November 2026
Walking the Camino with friends, family or your hiking club is a different trip: more laughs, less solitude and a lot more logistics. What separates an unforgettable week from one full of arguments is rarely the walking. It is where you sleep, how fast you go and who pays for what. Here is what to settle before you leave.
The slowest walker picks the route
The Compostela only needs the last 100 km on foot. Three sections fit into a week of holiday:
- Sarria to Santiago, on the Camino Francés: 115 km in 5 stages, with a café every few kilometres. The easiest choice when fitness levels vary. See Sarria to Santiago in 5 days.
- Tui to Santiago, on the Camino Portugués: 118 km in 6 stages, quieter than the Francés. See the Portugués from Tui.
- Ferrol to Santiago, on the Camino Inglés: 112 km in 5 or 6 stages, the calmest of the three. See the Inglés in 5 days.
The golden rule: the person who has trained least sets the stage length. If someone has never walked more than 15 km in one go, split the long stages in two. One extra day beats a friend limping from day two.
A test walk before the trip
A month before, meet up on a Saturday and walk about 20 km together with your Camino backpacks. In a single morning you will learn how long you really take, how many breaks the group needs and who should change shoes. You will also find out who is an early riser and who is not, which matters more on the Camino than you might think. If someone finishes exhausted, there is still time to train for a few weeks or shorten the stages.
Start together, walk at your own pace
Nobody walks at the same speed, and holding one pace for six hours tires people more than any hill. What works: leave at the same time, let everyone walk at their own speed and agree on two meeting points, the village café halfway and the accommodation at the end.
Share your location on your phones. Everyone carries their own water, rain jacket and credential in case the group splits up.
Beds are the real challenge
One free bed is easy to find. Eight in the same village on the same night is not. The small villages at the end of a stage have few rooms, and doubles go first. What works best for a group:
- Whole country houses or apartments with several bedrooms: a kitchen, a living room and dinner all together.
- Hotels and guesthouses in the larger stage towns, such as Portomarín, Palas de Rei or Arzúa.
- Every night booked before you set off, with the number of rooms and everyone’s names in writing.
In 2027 you need more lead time. The Holy Door opens on 31 December 2026, and May, June and September fill up months ahead. For the first night, see where to stay in Sarria.
Luggage: one pick-up for everyone
As a group, luggage transfer pays off even more. All the bags leave the same place and arrive at the next one, and nobody waits for anyone to haul weight. Leave them at reception at the agreed time, with one tag per person. Prices and conditions in luggage transfer and insurance.
Money, clear from day one
A shared kitty for coffees, meals and tips saves doing sums every night. Accommodation and transport are best paid in advance and separately. To work out how much to put in, check the Camino budget.
Credential and Compostela
Each pilgrim carries their own credential, with a stamp at the start and another at the end of every stage. The Pilgrim’s Office has a dedicated group registration on its website: do it before you arrive and the day you reach Santiago goes faster. Everything else is in credential and Compostela.
Share out the jobs
- One person books and keeps every confirmation.
- Another carries the first-aid kit: blister plasters, anti-inflammatories and sun cream.
- Another checks the weather and the next stage every evening.
That way nobody carries everything and the trip still belongs to all of you.
If you would rather not organise anything
From 6 people there is a group rate: rooms for everyone at every stage, luggage moved for you and support along the route. Ask for a quote for your group; you only pay if you confirm the trip.
Frequently asked questions
How many people do you need for the group rate?
Six. From there the quote is priced at the group rate.
Which section suits a group with mixed fitness levels?
Sarria to Santiago. Villages come every few kilometres, so stages can be shortened without running out of beds or food.
How far ahead should a group book?
In high season, three or four months. For the 2027 Holy Year, as soon as your dates are fixed.
