Can you do the Camino in 5 days?

There are different routes on the Camino de Santiago that you can do in five days. The choice of the route must be made according to your personal characteristics, but you can also consider the origin and tradition of the different Caminos.



You can certainly walk a portion of the Camino de Santiago in 5 days, but you cannot complete the full "Camino Francés" (which takes about 35 days). However, 5 days is the perfect timeframe to earn the "Compostela" certificate, which requires walking at least the final 100 kilometers into Santiago de Compostela. Many pilgrims choose the "Sarria to Santiago" route on the French Way or the "Tui to Santiago" route on the Portuguese Way, both of which are roughly 100-115km and can be comfortably completed in 5 to 6 days at an average pace of 20-25km per day. To receive your certificate in 2026, you must ensure your "Credencial" (pilgrim passport) is stamped at least twice a day at churches, hostels, or cafes along the way. While physically demanding, this 5-day "mini-Camino" offers a powerful distilled experience of the landscape, camaraderie, and spiritual reflection that defines the longer pilgrimage.

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Total Trip Costs Most pilgrim budgets fall in the $30-60 (€25-50) per day range, meaning a 30-day walk would cost $900-1800 (€750-1500). If you don't already have hiking gear, new gear could easily cost $300-600 (€250-500) if you need to get new footwear, backpack and sleeping bag.

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And it is that preparation and training are essential for all pilgrims who decide to do the Camino, even for those who are used to walking or doing moderate physical activity. Taking a walk is not the same as walking for many hours without resting.

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The Camino Inglés, or the English Way, is the shortest Camino walk. Its name stems from the medieval English pilgrims who would arrive by boat at the northern Spanish ports before making their way to Santiago de Compostela.

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In order to say you've 'officially completed' the Camino de Santiago, you need to have walked a minimum of 100km.

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However, if you are excited to do the Camino Portugues along the entire coastal route, you can achieve it in ten days. Some of the stages are quite short and the route is very flat, so you can do an average of 25-30 kilometres per day without much difficulty. The full route is 265 kilometres.

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It may be comforting for you to know that the locals have been supporting pilgrims on the Camino for 1,000 years. As I learned during my journey, they are very happy and proud to welcome walkers and keep them safe along the way. And there is another important fact to know: crimes along the Camino are extremely rare.

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I lost about 8kgs, around 18 lbs, over a four week period. So yes, I did lose a lot of weight on the Camino. However, losing weight was never one of my reasons for walking the Camino. I did not set out on the Camino to lose weight, and I must admit that it never entered my mind at any time while I was there.

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Many pilgrims who have never set foot on a pilgrimage route are afraid of getting lost along the way. The truth is that orienting yourself on the Camino de Santiago is quite simple, even for beginners. It's unusual to get lost.

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The busy months between May and August are the most crowded on Camino routes. It's worth remembering that the most numerous nationality on the Camino are from Spain and therefore their public holidays in this country also coincide with the busy times on the Camino de Santiago.

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