El Jardin del Alma Outside Astorga, Spain
Walking a Camino alone is safer and more social than you think. A firsthand account of solo Camino travel, safety, and a few recommendations if you are considering walking on your own.
Why We Walk
The first time I walked a Camino in 2012 I had no idea what I was doing. I signed up to walk a portion of the Frances (the French Way) with a longtime friend – to spend time with him and take a break from a stressful job. I did not do any research and I knew nothing about the Camino or its origins – I just needed a break and being outside for nearly 2 weeks in Spain sounded fantastic.
In fact it was. After that first walk, my friend and I became annual walking partners, choosing a different Camino route each year in Spain and Portugal, along with trails in Italy and France. For me, the walks were a deliberate unplugging—from electronics, messages, and the constant pull of work. Long-distance walking became a salve for my soul in an increasingly connected world. I was working in a high-pressure job and navigating a personal life with its own challenges. The Camino was a bright light I looked forward to year after year.
That first Camino experience hooked me and walking different routes became a way to focus my energy, particularly when life got tough. The walk was only part of it. I loved moving through history on foot, discovering local food and culture village by village, and meeting an ever-changing cast of characters along the way. The Camino felt expansive and grounding at the same time.
Planning and walking annually was a form of therapy. The Camino opened up a simpler world and reconnected me to things I loved like learning new things and connecting to the places visited. I enjoyed the experience so much I started sharing it with others – planning walks for groups of friends and advising people interested in walking. Now, in my late 50s, after losing the job I loved and entering a new phase of life, I’m more grateful than ever to have discovered Camino walking and the joy of sharing it.
The Camino As a Soloist
One thing that continues to strike me on the Camino is the diversity among pilgrims. People have so many different reasons to be walking and they come from a variety of backgrounds, countries and experiences. Some are processing loss or major life changes and others simply want to experience the Camino. There’s a shared and infectious positive energy that is easy to step into.
What initially surprised me most was how many people walk alone. Year after year, across routes and countries, I met solo pilgrims everywhere—men and women, young and old—often walking entire routes of hundreds of kilometers on their own. On the Camino, more than any other type of travel I’ve experienced, solo travel feels normal. The journey is personal, rooted in individual reasons for being there, yet paradoxically shared – alone but together.
Therefore in April 2025, when I found myself jobless, I knew I was ready to embark on my own solo Camino. My walking partner was older and had decided to retire from long distance trips and my own uncertain circumstances meant planning with others was challenging. The time for me to walk alone had arrived.
Still, doubt crept in. Did I really want to be out there on my own? I had seen countless women—many older than I was—walking solo over the years. I was an experienced pilgrim. Why the hesitation?
What I Learned
In the end, I trusted my experience and my instincts and set out on my first solo Camino. I needed the time on the trail and felt grateful to finally walk a stretch of the Frances between Leon and Sarria that had long been on my list.
I learned quickly that my route choice mattered. Popular routes like the Camino Francés and Camino Portugués rarely offer true solitude – and for a first solo walk, that was a gift. While I did have moments alone, I was almost always aware of someone a few hundred meters ahead or behind me. That proximity was reassuring, especially during cold, rainy April days when slippery paths and the occasional ankle wobble made me question my judgment in tackling one of the more demanding sections of the French Way.
That was also a lesson. Weather plays a powerful role in motivation. If I walk a less-traveled route on a future solo Camino, I’ll likely choose a more forgiving season.
Walking alone also sharpened my awareness. I noticed fellow travellers more and people were more inclined to strike up conversations. Casual chats with strangers is standard Camino protocol, but at first as a solo traveller it put me off. Over time, I relaxed into the rhythm – walking with a fellow pilgrim for a while, then naturally parting ways. There was comfort in seeing familiar faces day after day, even without speaking. We were loosely synced, keeping pace with one another.
I began to mark my days by people instead of distances. When will I see that group of college students? Will I pass that lady who stops in every village church today? Seeing a familiar pack or colorful group of jackets reminded me I was not alone in my journey.
Considerations for Walking Solo
I’m often asked how safe it is to walk the Camino alone. For many solo travelers – especially women – the hardest part is getting past fear: fear of loneliness and fear of security concerns, doubts often amplified by well-meaning friends and family.
From experience, I knew loneliness wouldn’t be an issue. If anything, the Camino encourages just the right balance of solitude and connection. At that moment in my life, alone time was what I wanted but the community of the Camino was what I needed.
Security, however, still lingered in the back of my mind. I was planning to walk one of the more demanding stretches of the Camino Francés, and this stretch featured some forested paths and mountainous terrain. The idea of walking alone in terrain like this gave me pause.
What helped was grounding fear in fact. Spain has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, and security incidents on the Camino are extremely rare. Given the sheer number of pilgrims walking each year, Camino routes are among the safest travel choices you can make.
That said, awareness matters. Choosing a well-traveled route can ease concerns, as can reserving accommodation in advance and walking during daylight hours. Carrying a mobile phone – whether to call for help or a taxi if injury or unease arises – is simply practical. One of the benefits of walking in rural Spain is that help is rarely far away. For more guidance, the Staying Safe on the Camino blog by Hike the Way provides some practical tips.
Preparation is one of the best confidence builders. Familiarize yourself with your route ahead of travel and use guidebooks or Camino apps to understand daily terrain and available services. Don’t hesitate to talk to people along the way—café owners, folks running your accommodation, fellow pilgrims. People want to help, and allowing yourself to be seen makes that possible.
Most of all enjoy your Camino. You’ll hear the phrase often: the Camino provides. Somehow, more often than not, it truly does!
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