How to stay safe, confident, and well-connected as a woman walking the Camino alone?

How to stay safe, confident, and well-connected as a woman walking the Camino alone?

Walking the Camino de Santiago is often described as a transformative journey, offering a unique mix of physical challenge, spiritual reflection, and cultural discovery. Yet, a recent report have highlighted a darker side to this pilgrimage, particularly concerning the safety of solo female travellers.

At WAW Travel, we are deeply committed to ensuring our clients feel informed and supported throughout their journey. With this in mind, we’ve gathered insights from our own experiences and asked our clients to share their stories and advice on staying safe, confident, and well-connected while walking the Camino. In 2023, a total of 231,850 women walked the Camino de Santiago, representing approximately 53% of the total pilgrims who completed the journey that year. For 2024, complete statistics are not yet available as the year is ongoing.

However, early indications suggest that 2024 is on track to surpass 2023 in terms of total pilgrim numbers, potentially setting a new record. If the gender distribution remains consistent with recent trends, it is likely that women will again constitute a majority of pilgrims for the year,

Check out our tips on how to prepare for the Camino and how to avoid injuries to ensure a smoother and safer journey.

For this article, we spoke with Carla, Judith, and Kathinka – three women who completed different routes in recent years. For them the Camino alone was a transformative experience. Their stories highlight the universal themes of personal challenge, human connection, and the profound lessons that emerge from walking hundreds of kilometres across Spain.

But why should we walk?

The decision to walk the Camino often begins with an unspoken need for change, a desire to step away from the ordinary. For Carla, who walked the Camino Portugués along the coast, it was a need of transition from a life where I learned to please. “My life wasn’t very peaceful. I felt like I was carrying things in my mind, body, and emotions that was not me,” she said. The act of walking, day after day, offered a sense of liberation. “Instead of dwelling on problems or difficult emotions, I felt happy and free.”

This yearning for renewal was echoed by Judith, who saw the Camino alone as a threshold, an ending that promised new beginnings. “It feels like the end of one thing and the start of something new,” she reflected. The experience became a catalyst for change – not just for her but for others she encountered along the way.

For Kathinka, the Camino alone represented something simpler but no less profound: silence. Walking the Camino Inglés solo, she embraced the meditative stillness that her busy life seldom allowed. “I wanted quiet. My goal was to have a mindful, meditative experience,” she explained.

Facing challenges

The Camino is as much about overcoming obstacles as it is about enjoying the journey. Challenges arise in many forms, from physical exhaustion to emotional trials. For Carla, walking the Camino alone initially was a challenge. “Before I started, I wasn’t sure I could do it,” she admitted. Yet, as the days passed, solitude became a source of strength. “I didn’t have to think about anyone else’s needs, just my own. It was very freeing.”

Judith shared a similar transformation. While initial fears of getting lost or facing danger lingered in her mind, they disappeared as she walked the Camino alone. “Once you take that step, you’ll see you can do anything after that,” she said. Still, moments of vulnerability could arise unexpectedly. Judith recalled an unsettling encounter with an aggressive dog on a quiet stretch. “It scared me, but it didn’t stop me from continuing my walk,” she said, reflecting on how the experience strengthened her resolve.

Carla’s journey also tested her resilience when a man in a car stopped and exposed himself. “Overall, I think the Camino is very safe. I did have one strange experience, though. I was walking along the coast, a quieter route, and a man in a car stopped and asked me, ‘Do you like the Camino?’ I said yes, but once I got in, he started behaving inappropriately. He exposed himself. I did not expect this behaviour, and my reaction was to get angry. Immediately, I walked further, grabbed my walking stick,” she recounted. While a bit unsettling, the incident didn’t overshadow her overall experience. “The Camino alone is safe,” she emphasised, though it served as a reminder to stay vigilant.

Kathinka, an experienced walker, faced fewer difficulties but acknowledged the importance of preparation. The physical toll of walking long distances, particularly on challenging terrain, demands good footwear, awareness, and a readiness to adapt.

The connections that matter

If the Camino tests pilgrims, it also offers rich rewards in the form of human connection. Friendships forged on the trail often last long after the final step into Santiago. For Judith, these relationships were the most enduring gift of the Camino alone. “The beautiful friendships I made along the way are what stayed with me,” she said, still keeping in touch with fellow pilgrims more than a year later. She also cherished learning some Spanish, which helped her connect with the friendly locals and feel more at ease.

Kathinka experienced the comfort of camaraderie early in her walk. On her second day, she met a Dutch woman who suggested walking “together, but separately”, close enough to check in on one another for safety but far enough to maintain their individual experiences. “It felt safer that way, and in the evenings, we’d have drinks or dinner together,” Kathinka said, reflecting on how even walking the Camino alone can still foster meaningful connections.

For Carla, walking solo became a surprising gateway to connection. “I met people from Taiwan, England, Ireland, and America. Walking alone made it easier to connect with others,” she said, recalling evenings spent sharing stories over communal meals.

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Lessons in resilience and reflection

The Camino has a way of distilling life’s lessons into its simplest forms, teaching perseverance, mindfulness, and balance. For Carla, the pilgrimage silenced her inner critic, leaving room for self-compassion and clarity. “On the Camino, those old critical voices in my head were gone. It was just my own voice guiding me,” she reflected. Walking the Camino alone gave her the space to reconnect with herself.

Judith found herself embracing the freedom that came from overcoming challenges. “You gain confidence. Once you overcome challenges, it gives you so much freedom,” she said. She also learned the value of community, urging future pilgrims to stay connected with fellow walkers. “If you don’t show up, they’ll check on you,” she explained, underscoring the unspoken care that binds pilgrims together, even when walking the Camino alone.

Kathinka’s reflections were shaped by the unhurried pace of her walk. Having participated in demanding walking events in the past, she relished the freedom to slow down. “I could take breaks and enjoy the journey without pressure,” she said, emphasising the importance of savouring each step.

Staying safe and prepared

Safety on the Camino is a shared concern, particularly for solo travellers. Carla and Judith both stressed the importance of awareness, planning, and staying connected. “Let someone back home know where you are,” Carla advised, while Judith suggested practising walking alone before embarking on the journey. These practices are especially important for those walking the Camino alone.

Kathinka added practical advice for maintaining safety without sacrificing the meditative aspects of the walk. “If you listen to audiobooks or music, leave one ear free to stay aware of your surroundings,” she recommended.

The importance of preparation extended to practicalities like footwear, packing, and technology. “Download apps to locate nearby amenities, and plan your days with flexibility,” Kathinka advised. At the same time, all three women agreed that the Camino fosters a sense of security thanks to its popularity and supportive community, making the Camino alone a safe and rewarding journey.

The enduring pull of the Camino

For many pilgrims, completing the Camino only deepens the desire to return. Carla reflected on missing the rhythm of walking itself, despite pushing herself too hard on the final day. “I tend to push myself because I want to succeed, but I’m learning to listen to my body more,” she said. Walking the Camino alone had taught her the importance of pacing herself and being in tune with her own needs.

Kathinka is already planning her next journey, convinced that the Camino’s magic lies in its ability to fulfil different needs each time. “Once you do one Camino, you’ll probably want to do more,” she said, noting how the experience of walking the Camino alone had left her craving more of its meditative solitude. For Judith, the Camino remains a source of inspiration and gratitude. “The positives far outweigh the risks. You gain confidence, friendships, and so much more,” she said. Whether walking in a group or experiencing the Camino alone, she believes the journey offers lessons that resonate far beyond the trail.

In the end, the Camino de Santiago is a tapestry woven from the steps of countless pilgrims, each carrying their own hopes, fears, and dreams. It’s a reminder that the journey itself often holds the answers we seek – one step at a time. What to keep in mind, though? Here’s what we suggest:

Five tips to keep your confidence and safety while walking the Camino alone as a woman:

1. Keep one ear free when listening to music or podcasts to stay aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts if something feels off.
2. Build connections with other pilgrims to share your plans, enjoy companionship, and enhance your safety along the way – even when walking the Camino alone.
3. Prioritise staying hydrated, eating well, and taking breaks to ensure your body stays strong and your confidence remains high.
4. Remember it’s okay to ask for help, whether by skipping a stage, consulting a local, or relying on support from a travel agency.maintain both safety and independence.
5. The Guardia Civil (Spanish police) has an app to improve safety for pilgrims on the Camino. As a pilgrim, you can voluntarily activate ‘geolocation’ on your mobile phone. The app is called ‘Alertcops’ and is coordinated and managed by a 24/7 Guardia Civil Monitoring Center, making it easier for pilgrims to contact the police or request other assistance, as your location is visible in real time. The app can also be set to English and works in Spain, as well as parts of Portugal and France.

What has your experience been hiking alone on the Camino? Share your thoughts in the comments or reach out to us at hey@waw.travel.

Author: Anilla, once solo pilgrim, now a Communication & Innovation colleague at WAW.travel