When I prepared for my first Camino de Santiago, I had no idea what I was doing. I wasn’t a hiker. I just wanted to challenge myself and walk that famous trail to Santiago de Compostela. Almost 800 kilometres. The Camino Francés. So I did what everyone does: I spent hours on the internet, reading packing lists, comparing gear, second-guessing every choice. I even read about cutting your toothbrush in half to save weight. I didn’t go that far.
Since then, I’ve walked the Camino eight times. Different routes, different seasons, different lessons. And every time, I left home with a little less — and enjoyed it a little more.
This Camino de Santiago packing list for women is the result of all those kilometres. Written from a female pilgrim’s perspective — because that’s what I am. But most of it applies to any pilgrim who wants to walk light and finish strong.
The golden rule: pack light
Your backpack should weigh no more than 10% of your body weight. That sounds like very little — and it is. For most women, that means keeping your pack between 6 and 8 kilograms, including water and food. On my first Camino, my pack weighed around 6 to 7 kilograms. After the first day I had some sore spots on my hips, but within a few days I barely noticed it. A well-fitted backpack makes all the difference.
The Camino is not the wilderness. There are pharmacies, supermarkets and outdoor shops in nearly every major town. You can buy almost anything you forget — or discover you need — along the way.
Your backpack: the most important item on your list
Your backpack is not just a bag. You’ll carry it every single day, up hills and down cobblestones, in heat and in rain. It needs to fit your body perfectly.
I walk with an Osprey women’s hiking backpack, 36 litres. It felt like it was made for me. The women’s fit matters — a men’s or unisex pack often sits differently on a female frame and can cause shoulder and back problems over long distances.
What to look for:
- 30 to 40 litres capacity (enough for everything, not so big you overfill it)
- Women’s specific fit with padded hip belt
- Good ventilation on the back panel
- Integrated rain cover, or buy one separately
Go to an outdoor shop and get properly fitted before you buy. Walk around with the loaded pack for at least 15 minutes in the shop. And then: walk at least 100 kilometres in it before you start your Camino.
Small bag for the evenings
I also carried a small shoulder bag for the evenings. Once I checked into an albergue and left my hiking backpack there, I could take my valuables — wallet, passport, phone, camera — in this small bag. It’s lightweight, takes almost no space, and made me feel much more at ease in busy albergues.
Hiking footwear
After your backpack, your shoes are the most important decision you’ll make.
Hiking boots or trail runners? Both work. I prefer high hiking boots because they give my ankles support, even on flat terrain. Many pilgrims now walk in trail runners, which are lighter and dry faster. What matters most is that you’ve broken them in — walk at least 100 kilometres in your shoes before you start.
Never start the Camino in new shoes. Blisters are the number one reason pilgrims quit early.
Flip flops or sandals — bring a pair for the evenings. Your feet need to breathe after a long day, and you’ll want them in the showers at albergues too.
Hiking gear and equipment
Trekking poles
I never used trekking poles before my first Camino. By day two I couldn’t imagine walking without them. They reduce the impact on your knees on descents, help with balance on uneven terrain and give your arms something to do.
Whether to use them is personal — I saw plenty of pilgrims without — but for long distances, especially the mountain sections, I’d recommend trying them.
Read my blog Hiking with or without trekkingpoles and Totall Workout & Safety because of Trekkingpoles eens.
Headlamp
Essential. Early morning departures, dark albergue dorms, uneven paths before sunrise — you’ll use it more than you expect. Choose a lightweight model with a red-light setting so you don’t blind fellow pilgrims at 5am. I always use my phone for this.
Carabiners (one small, one large)
Underrated item. The large one is for clipping your trekking poles to your backpack when you need both hands free. The small one for attaching things to the outside of your pack — wet socks, sandals, whatever needs to dry while you walk.
Safety pin
Multiple uses. I used mine daily to pin wet socks to the back of my backpack to dry during breaks. It also saved me when I got five blisters in one day leaving Burgos — I disinfected it with a lighter and used it to drain them. Pack at least two.
First aid kit
Don’t skip this. My basic kit includes:
- Blister plasters (Compeed)
- Blister tape (to prevent blisters before they form)
- Painkillers
- Bandages and plasters
- Disinfectant
- Anti-chafing cream or vaseline (no need for with legging)
- Needle and safety pin
Learn from my mistake: I set off on my first Camino without any blister treatment because I’d never had blisters before. I got five in one day. Always pack blister care.
Clothing for women on the Camino de Santiago: less is more
Everything I packed fit into pressure bags that took up half my Osprey backpack. I came home with a pair of jeans I never wore. Travel in your hiking outfit — don’t pack things you’ll never touch.
A note on fabric: avoid cotton. It absorbs moisture, stays wet for hours and causes chafing. Choose quick-dry synthetic or merino wool fabrics for everything that touches your skin.
What I pack
Bottoms
- 2 long leggings (yoga or hiking — I love colourful yoga leggings, light and surprisingly warm)
- 1 shorter legging or hiking shorts
- 1 pair of lightweight hiking trousers (optional, good for cooler weather)
Tops
- 4 short-sleeve shirts (quick-dry)
- 1 long-sleeve shirt (for cool mornings and sun protection)
- 1 light training jacket or fleece
Underwear and base layers
- 3 (sports) bras
- 4 pairs of underwear (quick-dry)
- 3 pairs of hiking socks (merino wool or synthetic — never cotton)
Outerwear
- Rain poncho or lightweight waterproof jacket
- Buff / neck gaiter
- Sun hat or cap ( I never use them )
Footwear
- Hiking boots or trail runners (worn in)
- Flip flops or lightweight sandals
Seasonal adjustments
- Spring and autumn: add a light down jacket or warm layer, gloves and a beanie for cold mornings in the mountains.
- Summer: fewer layers, but sun protection becomes more important — sun hat, long-sleeve shirt, high SPF sunscreen.
- Winter: significantly more warm layers, waterproof trousers, waterproof boots. The Camino is quieter and harder in winter. Plan accordingly.
But oke..You can change those for real hiking pants ofcourse. They have specificly pants for long distance hiking. So.. They are really light and no stitches where you skin will irritate on.
Toiletries
Keep everything to 100ml containers — you can refill along the way in supermarkets or pharmacies.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo (100ml)
- Laundry detergent (100ml, for washing clothes in sinks)
- Body lotion (100ml)
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen (high SPF — you’ll be outside for hours)
- Tampons or sanitary pads (pack enough to get started, available in pharmacies along the route)
- Nail clippers and file
- Earplugs (for sleeping in albergues — non-negotiable)
100ml doesn’t sound like much — but I’d rather refill a small bottle after a few weeks than carry a heavy one for the entire route. And if you buy a larger bottle along the way to refill yours, you can always pass the rest on to a fellow pilgrim. But if you use a shampoo bar you can use it probably the entire journey, mine was Loofy’s.
There’s another reason to stick to 100ml: it’s exactly the amount allowed in carry-on luggage on a flight. So you can pack your toiletries in your hand luggage without any issues at security.
In most albergues, there’s a little shelf or corner where pilgrims leave things behind for whoever comes next — a bottle of shampoo, leftover sunscreen, a spare pair of socks. You won’t read this tip in many packing lists, but it’s one of the quiet kindnesses of the Camino: what you leave behind might be exactly what the next pilgrim needs.
Sleep: sheet bag and towel
Albergues provide a mattress and pillow, but rarely sheets or towels.
I always travel with a silk or cotton sheet bag (sleeping bag liner). I don’t like sleeping directly on a mattress that many people have used before me, and a lightweight liner solves that. Mine is a Cocoon Travel Sheet — I’ve had it for years and it’s still going strong.
For a towel, bring a microfibre travel towel in size M. It dries quickly, takes up very little space and is all you need.
Read all about sleeping in the albergues along your camino
Food and water
Carry two 500ml water bottles — one on each side of your backpack for balance. On hot days, refill at every opportunity. There are drinking water fountains in most towns along the route.
I always carried a small bag with bread, fruit and some cheese or nuts for lunch. It saves money compared to sitting at a bar for every meal, and it means you can eat at your own pace — at a beautiful spot on the trail, if you like.
A note on coca cola: I drank it regularly on the Camino, something I’d never do at home. It gives you sugar and energy when you need it most. Make of that what you will.
Tech and extras
I carried my smartphone, a compact camera (Panasonic Lumix) and a small laptop. That last one added an extra kilogram, but I wanted to write properly every day — not just on a phone screen. For me, that was worth it.
If you don’t need a laptop, skip it. But do bring:
- Smartphone and charger
- Power bank
- Multi-USB plug adapter (saves space at plug sockets in albergues)
- EU plug adapter if you’re coming from outside Europe
- Earphones
Documents and money
Pilgrim passport (Credencial): Register as a pilgrim at the start of your Camino and collect your credential. This passport gets stamped at albergues, churches and cafés along the route and gives you access to pilgrim albergues and the pilgrim menu. At the end, you hand it in at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago to receive your Compostela.
Cash: Always carry euros. More and more places accept cards, but there are still small villages where cash is the only option. You’ll be warned when a longer stretch without ATMs is coming up.
Guidebook: Not strictly necessary for navigation — the yellow arrows and shell markers guide you well — but I liked having a small Rother hiking guide to read ahead and know what to expect.
The one thing no packing list mentions
Many pilgrims carry a stone from home to the Cruz de Ferro, a simple iron cross in the mountains between Burgos and León. It’s one of the oldest traditions on the Camino: you carry the stone as a symbol of something you want to leave behind — a burden, a loss, a question you’ve been carrying too long. At the Cruz de Ferro, you place it at the foot of the cross and walk on lighter.
You don’t have to believe in anything for this to mean something.
Complete Camino de Santiago packing list for women
Backpack and bags
- Hiking backpack (30–40L, women’s fit)
- Small shoulder bag for evenings
Footwear
- Hiking boots or trail runners (broken in)
- Flip flops or sandals
Hiking gear
- Trekking poles
- Headlamp ( I use my phone lately)
- Carabiners (1 large, 1 small)
- Safety pins
- First aid kit (including blister care)
Clothing
- 2 long leggings
- 1 short legging or hiking shorts
- 4 short-sleeve shirts
- 1 long-sleeve shirt
- 1 training jacket or fleece
- Rain poncho or waterproof jacket
- 3 (sports) bras
- 4 pairs underwear
- 3 pairs hiking socks
- Buff and /or sun hat
Sleep and hygiene
- Sheet bag / sleeping bag liner
- Microfibre towel (size M)
- Toiletries (all 100ml)
- Earplugs
Documents and practical
- Pilgrim passport (Credencial)
- Cash (euros)
- Guidebook (optional)
- Phone, charger, power bank
- Multi-USB plug adapter
Optional but worth it
- Small stone from home (for Cruz de Ferro)
- Compact camera / Phone
- Journal
Buen Camino
The Camino will change you — not because of what you carry, but because of what you leave behind. I hope this Camino de Santiago packing list for women helps you walk lighter and arrive stronger. Pack smart, walk slowly and pay attention.
If you have questions about gear or the Camino in general, leave a comment below. I’m happy to answer.
Want to walk the Camino with a small group? I guide Camino pilgrimages myself. Check the upcoming trips here.
Also read:
- How a Pilgrim Spend a Day on the Camino
- My first 200 KM of the Camino Frances
- When and How to Transfer Your Backpack
- Complete Your Pilgrimage Healthy and Happy
- Why Collecting Stamps on the Santiago Route is So Special
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