Included 

The cost includes a room with private facilities, flights with 23kg of checked luggage and seat allocation, airport transfers in Spain, local guiding, and gratuities to those who help us on our journey. Group meals are a highlight so breakfast and dinner is included.

Not included

Travel insurance, single room supplement, lunches.

Travel Insurance

The McCabe recommended insurance policy is designed for the older traveller.  The premium for this pilgrimage is £70 up to age 75 (£129 for aged 76-90), and we also recommend that older travellers obtain a note from their doctor stating that they are fit to travel.  Do feel free to shop around as there are many suitable insurance options including annual policies on the market.  We do insist that all travellers take out medical insurance.    

A key feature of our recommended policy is that there is no requirement to call a Medical Help Line as most pre-existing conditions are covered.

You can read the full policy wording here.

Airline

We fly from London directly to Santiago de Compostela airport. This is a two hour 10 minute flight. We include 23 kilos of checked-in luggage and pre allocated seats. McCabe Travel will require your passport details prior to departure, and will check you in, and issue your boarding passes with your final travel documents.

Hotels

In Sarria and Santiago, at the beginning and end of the week we offer good four star accommodation. On each of the four  nights of our walk will be in simple but comfortable hotels and pensions.  All have been previously used by McCabe Travel groups. All rooms feature private facilities.

You can click on the hotel websites below:

Alfonso IX Hotel, Sarria ****

Hotel Pousada de Portomarin ***

Pension Complejo Cabana, Palas de Rei **

Pension Rua, Arzua **

Hotel Ruta Jacobea, Lavacolla ***

Hotel Compostela, Santiago ****

Touring information

We will set out each morning at around 8am and plan to arrive at our destination between 5 and 6pm. We walk each day for up to seven hours.  On the way, we will stop for lunch (times vary) and visit places of interest which our guide will introduce to us. Lunches are not included as we like to keep flexibility of each day’s timings, but our tour managers are expert at recommending options each day.   

Most groups celebrate the Eucharist at a key point on the journey and at your destination we join in a pilgrim Mass in the cathedral of St James, where the great Botafumeiro is usually swung.  

Our Walks

Our walks along The Way will vary in length and degree of difficulty, we will be walking between 14-19 miles each day, sometimes roadside on flat pavement, sometimes through country roads, cobbled paths and through woods & forests. Luggage is transported between hotels, so you only need to walk with a day pack.

Do wear sturdy shoes or boots suitable for walking long distances and bring a day pack to carry principally rain-wear, sun cream, a hat, water, blister plasters and spare socks.

The weather in the Galician region is much like the English summer.  Sunshine with scattered showers is not uncommon but equally it can be hot. We will keep an eye on the daily weather forecast and the guide will plan our walking and stops accordingly

Passports, visas and health

Check that your passport is valid beyond the return date of this tour.  If you need a new passport apply early as there can be considerable backlogs at the passport offices.  There are minimal formalities for British passport holders entering Spain.  If you are holding a non-British passport, or require further advice, please consult the McCabe office.  No inoculations are required. We do, however, advise you to consult your doctor regarding your own personal requirements.  

Travelling Alone

Many of our passengers travel alone and object to expensive single room supplements. McCabe Pilgrimages will accept individual bookings on a 'guaranteed share' basis.  We charge the basic price and accommodate you with a person of the same sex also requesting shared accommodation.  If we do not find someone to share with you, you will be accommodated in a single room at only 50% of the usual single room supplement. For single travellers who do require single accommodation this should be requested when booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable. 

The McCabe Educational Trust

For many, meeting the ‘Living Stones’ of The Land becomes a real highlight of their pilgrimage. The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on pilgrimage.  On your pilgrimage you will meet some of these people.  As ‘the haves’ encounter the ‘have nots’ the Trust has become a practical tool for one to help the other. 

McCabe Pilgrimages invite all travellers to become partners in this work. A £15 voluntary donation to the Trust’s work is added to every pilgrim’s invoice and all money raised in this way is given in full to the projects the Trust supports. This scheme is voluntary and confidential with nobody put under any pressure to participate.

Full Financial Security

All money paid to McCabe is fully secure. Holidays including flights are covered by our ATOL license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and holidays without flights are protected by our membership of the ABTOT bonding scheme.  If a pilgrimage is cancelled, for instance through lack of numbers or for political considerations, McCabe will promptly refund all monies paid.

AITO Quality Statement

McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter.