Plan Your Camino in 90 Days

Your route and timing

• A thorough overview of the main Camino routes – Francés, Portugués, Norte, Primitivo, Inglés, Sanabrés, Vía de la Plata and more – with key information about length, terrain, infrastructure, difficulty and what makes each one different. More time to explore and compare before you commit than the 30-day plan allows
• How to use the Route Planner Tool to find the right route for the time you have and the distance you can walk
• How much time you realistically have and what dates might work
• When to go – how season, weather, crowds and budget all interact, and what the busiest and quietest months look like on each route
• Whether to go solo or with someone, and how to think that decision through
• The impact list – a practical exercise to work through who and what will be affected by you going, and how to manage it – revisited later in the programme once you have confirmed dates and route

Getting there and back

• How to research transport to your start point using a map app, internet searches and AI
• Other transport options beyond flights – trains, buses, BlahBlah cars and joining other pilgrims at the airport
• How to research the return journey from Santiago, or elsewhere
• What to consider about walking poles on flights, and other practical travel logistics

Kit – the full picture

• Shoes and socks – the most important kit decision. Options (walking boots, trail shoes, sandals, waterproof socks), what to look for, how to test them, why you need to break them in, and how to listen to your feet
• Rucksack – the 10% rule, what to look for (weight, capacity, size and fit, waistband, ease of use, rain cover), how to fit and adjust it, and how to pack it properly including weight distribution
• Waterproofs – all the combinations: jacket and trousers, poncho, umbrella and lightweight poncho, throwaway backup. What works for which season and route
• Sleeping – what albergues provide, sheet sleeping bags, sleeping bags matched to temperature and whether albergues have heating and blankets, and what you need to know about bed bugs
• Clothes – the capsule wardrobe. Trousers/shorts/skirts, t-shirts, thermals, underwear (including the chafing conversation), warm layers and hats
• Gear day 1 – toiletries, sun cream, first aid (including tick removers), bum bag contents, water bottles, vitamins and medications, earplugs, nail clippers, foot care items, safety pins, sock gaiters, spork, padlock, zip-lock bags, journal, feminine hygiene
• Gear day 2 – phone, battery pack, cables, plug, head torch, headphones, Kindle, dog repeller
• Safety – how to keep valuables safe, staying safe on the Camino generally, what to do about dogs and how the dog repeller works in practice
• Blisters and walking poles – blister prevention and treatment, hot spots, when to see a pharmacist, what to look for in poles, how to set the right length, airlines and poles, and buying poles in Spain
• Final kit check – checking against your list, the last-minute cull, checking the weather forecast, and the packing method that works

Training – a full 12-week plan

The training plan in the 90-day programme is significantly more comprehensive than in the 30-day version. Rather than a taster, you get a complete 12-week structured plan with two full levels of exercise:

• Level 1 (Training Weeks 1–4 and 9–12): a full circuit session including warm up, three circuits (goblet squat, side plank clam, wall sit foot lifts / seated straight leg raise, calf raise, hamstring bridge / dead bug, monkey shrugs) and stretches – with every exercise, every rep and every progression
• Level 2 (Training Weeks 5–8): a new set of more demanding exercises including single leg squat, banded hip march, deadlift, banded clam, single leg calf raise and more
• The plan builds for three weeks then deloads, builds again, deloads, then returns to Level 1 at higher numbers for the final four weeks – so you arrive at the Camino in the best shape possible
• Walking plan running alongside – building in distance, terrain and back-to-back days to replicate what the Camino actually asks of your body
• Training check-ins at regular intervals throughout – honest, compassionate and practical
• Links to Rory Finch at Made to Move for tailored support online, and the Made to Move YouTube channel for exercise videos
• Medical disclaimer and advice to seek professional advice before starting

Planning your stages in depth

• Apps and navigation – two types: apps that show where you are on the Camino (Gronze, WisePilgrim, Buen Camino, Camino Ninja) and apps to upload, follow and record your route (Komoot, Strava, Wikiloc). How to download GPX routes. Guidebooks. How to get using Komoot on training walks before you go
• Stage planning – an entire week dedicated to mapping your route stage by stage using Gronze: distances, albergue types, opening dates, services, the gems, contact details and whether you can reserve. Revisited and finalised later in the programme
• Route Planner tool on the YWYC website
• How to book accommodation – when to book, when to play it by ear, how busy your route is, first come first served vs reservations
• Adjusting your route as you go – what to do when the plan needs to change, and how to cancel reservations you won’t be using

Budget and money

• Budget reality – the four daily budget levels from Book 1 (budget around €25, standard around €40, mid-range around €60, higher end €70+), what each accommodation type costs, and what else to budget for
• Money – why cash is still king on the Camino, cards and what to sort before you go, ATMs in Spain and affiliate banks that won’t charge you, Dynamic Currency Conversion, keeping valuables safe, and travel cards like Revolut and Wise

Documents and the practical preparation

• Pilgrim credential – what it is, how stamping works (updated 2025 rules), where to get one, the Compostela, and the Confraternity of St James
• Local Camino associations and why joining one before you go is worth it
• Passport – validity requirements and how to keep it safe
• EU entry requirements – the new Entry/Exit System (EES) now fully operational, and the upcoming ETIAS – what they mean for your trip
• Travel insurance – what to make sure it covers including medical treatment in Spain, repatriation, cancellation, gear and pre-existing conditions
• Documents – making copies, emergency numbers in Spain (112, 062, 061, AlertCops app), medications and keeping things accessible

The Camino experience – in more depth than the 30-day plan

• Basic Spanish phrases – the ones that matter most, with Google Translate and Duolingo tips
• How albergues work – check-in, check-out, what they provide, first come first served, etiquette, how to choose one on the day and what to look for
• Albergue life in full – the evening routine, packing the night before, food (including Spanish eating hours and the menú del día), and how to make the most of the time between arriving and sleeping
• Religion and spirituality – what to expect from pilgrim masses and services of reflection along the way, and why you absolutely don’t need to be religious to benefit
• Community and connection – the people you haven’t met yet, how conversations go deep fast, making friends and knowing when to walk away, and how to manage communication with people back home
• The Camino rhythm – what a day actually looks like from leaving in the dark to planning the next stage before bed
• The physical reality – the first few days, rest days, going to the toilet on the Camino, and how to be kind to your body
• What to do if something goes wrong – pharmacies, medical centres along the route, emergency numbers, common physical issues and how to handle them
• Planning your time in Santiago – where to stay (including Jo’s personal recommendations), what to do, the Cathedral, the Compostela, the Botafumeiro and Jo’s favourite spots. Whether to walk on to Finisterre or Muxía

Your why – more depth than the 30-day plan

• Why are you really doing this? – a reflection exercise to go beyond the surface answer and explore what the Camino is really calling you towards
• Going deeper – Jo’s philosophy around Awareness, Understanding and Integration. What the Camino offers that normal life can’t – vast, uninterrupted, ancient space. A journal exercise to bring awareness to the work you’ve already done and what needs space to land
• Introduction to 121 Support sessions for anyone wanting deeper one-to-one support alongside the programme

Post-Camino integration

• Physical recovery – what to do and what not to do, why keeping moving matters, sports massage and stretching
• The emotional return home – everything is the same, but you have changed. What to expect and how to be gentle with yourself
• The post-Camino blues – why they happen, how common they are, and what helps
• Keeping the connections you make – social media groups, staying in touch, and being selective about who you share what with
• What comes next – Book 1.5 for the inner journey, and the Camino Conflab for a one-to-one conversation

Want something shorter?

If 90 days feels like more than you need or have time for, the same topics are also covered in a 30-day version – faster, tighter and more concentrated. Less depth than this 90-day plan, but everything you need to plan your Camino in a month.

Prefer the workbook instead?

The same 90-day content is also available as a workbook – a downloadable PDF that covers all of the above. Fill it in electronically or print it if you’d rather write by hand. The big difference is pace. The email sequence delivers one day at a time over 90 days, which works brilliantly if you want the rhythm of a daily nudge and the discipline of someone else setting the schedule. The workbook is laid out over the same 90 days but you control the pace – work through it in a few weeks, take six months, dip in and out, or follow the day-by-day rhythm exactly as written. The workbook also includes a full set of appendices to fill in as you go (impact list, gear guide, training plan reference, route plan notebook, key links and notes pages) and a full index for navigation. Same content. Same voice. Same training plan. Different format. Choose whichever suits how you like to work.

The format

• 64 emails delivered over the 90 days, plus 1 integration email after the Camino – 65 in total
• 52 emails with content and tasks – each covering a specific topic with clear actions
• 12 catch-up emails – one at the end of each week – to review, catch up on anything outstanding and make sure nothing has slipped
• 2 rest days per week with no emails – space to reflect and let things settle
• Plus 1 integration email sent 3 weeks after the 90 days to check in after the Camino