The Camino de Santiago is the perfect option if you would like to live an unforgettable experience with your dog. Our pets are an added member of our family, this is why, when organizing our holidays, we would very much like for them to accompany us. Dogs love trekking and enjoy nature, the mountain and the pure air as much as we do, and there is nothing better than experiencing all of that, with our most loyal friend. Every day, more and more accommodations on the Camino are becoming pet friendly and at Galiwonders we created new routes for you so you can enjoy together this amazing adventure.
CAMINO DE SANTIAGO PET FRIENDLY: NEW JACOBEANS’ ROUTES 2022
At Galiwonders, we are constantly working on extending our collaboration with pet friendly accommodations and offering you different routes options.
If you would like to travel with your dog, we can offer 3 itineraries :
FRENCH WAY (LAST 100 KM)
The French Way is the most famous and most preferred route of the Camino de Santiago, and now, you’ll be able to enjoy it accompanied by your dog, thanks to Galiwonders.
During your 6 stages itinerary, walking between 15 and 23 km daily, you could enjoy the beautiful Galician rural landscape, it’s gastronomy, it’s lovely and kind people and as well, share your Camino and your experience with others many pilgrims from all over the world walking to Santiago.
PRICE INCLUDES
- 7 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN PRIVATE ENSUITE ROOMS
- HALF BOARD (IN SANTIAGO ONLY BREAKFAST)
- LUGGAGE TRANSFER
- 24H/7 PHONE ASSISTANCE
- PILGRIM PASSPORT
- CANINE CREDENTIAL
- WALKING NOTES
EASY FRENCH WAY (LAST 100 KM – EASY STAGES)
If you prefer to walk the Camino in an easier way for you and your pet, you could walk the last 100 km of the French Way in 9 stages. With an average of 12 km per day, you would enjoy an easier Camino and have plenty of time to rest in order to start each day with renewed energies.
PRICE INCLUDES
- 11 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN PRIVATE ENSUITE ROOMS
- HALF BOARD (IN SANTIAGO ONLY BREAKFAST)
- LUGGAGE TRANSFER
- 24H/7 PHONE ASSISTANCE
- PILGRIM PASSPORT
- CANINE CREDENTIAL
- WALKING NOTES
PORTUGUESE WAY (LAST 100 KM)
The Portuguese Way is the second most walked route every year. Pilgrims choose it because it is a beautiful walk which starts in Portugal and enters Galicia through wooden trails, little rural villages, medieval bridges and important historical cities like Tui and Pontevedra.
You can walk the last 100 km of the Portuguese Way with your dog in 6 stages of between 16 and 26 km.
PRICE INCLUDES
- 7 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN PRIVATE ENSUITE ROOMS
- HALF BOARD (IN SANTIAGO ONLY BREAKFAST)
- LUGGAGE TRANSFER
- 24H/7 PHONE ASSISTANCE
- PILGRIM PASSPORT
- CANINE CREDENTIAL
- WALKING NOTES
CANINE CREDENTIAL
Our beloved dogs can obtain as well the Canine Compostela by stamping each day their canine credential. This initiative, promoted by the Association of Animal Protection on the Camino (APACA), has the main goal to impulse pilgrimage with dogs and the creations of new pet friendly services on the Camino.
After stamping it every day, during the last stage, you will have to call or send a WhatsApp message to APACA (+34604028306) and they will give you information on how and where collect your Canine Compostela.
The Canine Credential costs 3 € and from Galiwonders, we send it to you with your own Pilgrim Passport before your adventure begin!
PRIOR ADVICES TO WALK THE CAMINO WITH DOG
Before the amazing experience you are about to begin, we strongly recommend to you and your lovely pet, to have a medical check. The veterinarian will tell you the type of physical effort that your dog can easily endure and this information will help you decide the best itinerary for you. The race and the age of the dog are extremely important when creating the itinerary. Many young dogs are very active while others a bit older or of a different race are calmer and less eager to walk many km.
Finally, it is very important for the dog to have an identification tag or microchip and an updated medical record.
TRAVEL WITH DOGS
When travelling with dogs, the car surely is the best option to reach the beginning point of your Camino. Travelling by car, you both could have more comfort and take the necessaries stops in order to rest properly.
In case the car is not an option, the other alternative could be public transportation. In this case the pet friendly policy will vary from a company to another but in general there could be very severe rules.
By bus: It is not allowed to travel with pets on buses in Galicia. The conditions of travel of the animal in this mean of transport violate Law 4/2017 on th protection of pets in Galicia.
By train: In Spain, only dogs who weigh less than 10 kg are allowed on the train, inside their pet carrier and paying a ticket supplement. The pet carrier should be no more than 60x35x35 cm.
By airplane: It will depend on each air company, but as a general rule, little dogs (until 8 kg) can travel with you in the cabin, inside their pet carrier. Bigger dogs, unfortunately, would have to travel in the plane’s cargo hold.
BACKPACK
If you are planning to walk the Camino de Santiago with our dog, there are some extras that we would have to take into account.
Always bring your dog’s documentation with you, a canine rain poncho (Galician weather is very unpredictable!), the collar, the leash, the dog harnesses. Do not forget it’s food and beverage bowl, a towel, something for taking a nap (instead of a crib, maybe it is easier to carry a blanket or a mat). During the walk, it is essential to bring some food and beverage for you and your dog. You can buy everything in the local supermarkets at the beginning of the stage or even during the walk, especially on the French trail.
Lastly, it would be convenient to bring in your backpack an emergency kit with basic useful items in case of accidents.
TRAINING
Before the walk begins, it would be best to physically prepare yourself and your dog for the Camino experience. The ideal would be beginning your training at least 2 months before the Camino by walking each day at least 2 hours. This way, you both we’ll be ready for the adventure on the Camino de Santiago!
ADVICES DURING THE WALK
During the Camino, you and your pet would need to rest and hydrate properly.
Our canine pilgrims need to have both food and water during each stage so their physical conditions remain excellent and you can both enjoy this experience.
We would need to check the status of our dog’s paws at the end of every walk day. If we detect something wrong with it, we should immediately give them care and attention and, if necessary, consult with one of the many veterinarians of the Camino towns. While walking, we should avoid heat hours or asphalts paths so our dog doesn’t suffer.
We would need to use a leash. Many specialists recommend using a dog harnesses instead of a very unconfortable collar. Don’t worry, during the walk there will be many places to rest and leave them free to run and play without the leash.
Remember that during the walk, you could find other dogs loose, and some of them could be aggressive. In this case, just lifting a stick (the trekking stick could be useful) is enough to keep them away.
If you have any emergency with your dog during the walk in Galicia, remember that the association APACA has an emergency service and they can come with their van to assist you. This service is free of cost; however, they accept donations.
ARRIVAL AT SANTIAGO
At your arrival at Santiago, you can contact the association APACA for the pickup of your Canine Compostela in which your dog’s efforts are recognized and it will be rewarded as an official Dog Pilgrim!
You can physically collect it in Teo, where their office is, by calling them 1 hour before your arrival. The other option is to ask for it online, by filling their website form: https://paradoxahumana.com/a-protectora/compostela-canina
CAMINO DE SANTIAGO ORGANIZED
If you are thinking of doing the Camino de Santiago with your dog, our recommendation is to organize it well in advance. Although more and more establishments are adapting to the presence of pets, it is advisable to dedicate some time to the organization before embarking on the adventure. Especially if you are thinking of doing a particularly popular route, during a busy period of the year (such as the French Way in August, for example).
You can delegate all aspects of the organization of your Camino trip to the Galiwonders Team. We will take care of booking the best pet-friendly hotels for you.
If you want more information about the Camino de Santiago with dog, or you are thinking about any other pet-friendly route, do not hesitate to contact us! Our team will get back to you with an itinerary adapted to your preferences.
