Doing the Camino de Santiago alone: Is it dangerous for women?

Alone on the Camino de Santiago

There are many women who every year contact us to ask if it is dangerous to do the Camino de Santiago alone. Our answer is always no, it isn’t.

In recent years, a few events related to assaults on women have raised the alarm that doing the Camino de Santiago alone is not safe. However, isolated events should not make you give up your desire to do the Camino de Santiago, whether you go alone or with a friend.

Every year we help hundreds of women organize their trip to the Camino de Santiago and none of them have ever had any problems during their tour. Obviously, we can’t make sure that it’s impossible for anything to happen to you, but if you follow the advice we give you in this blog post it is very likely that the only thing that happens to you on the Camino de Santiago, if you go alone, is that you have an unforgettable experience.

Do you want us to help you organize your pilgrimage? The Camino de Santiago from Sarria is an excellent plan to capture the essence of the Camino and enjoy the experience meeting other pilgrims and pilgrims. Tell us when you would like to travel, and leave all the planning in our hands.

Why it isn’t dangerous to do the Camino de Santiago alone

The idea that doing the Camino de Santiago alone is dangerous is not based on anything empirical or proven. It is a belief based on fear that only helps women stop doing things for fear of something happening to them. Here are some reasons why it is not dangerous to do the Camino de Santiago alone.

There are lots of people on the Camino de Santiago

We all know that when you go on a trip, desolate environments should be avoided. This is a recommendation that both men and women should follow.

Well, on the Camino de Santiago, although you cross totally rural and mountain views, it is difficult not to have several pilgrims in your sights. Especially if you go during high season (spring and summer).

At this point, we recommend that you avoid choosing routes that are little- travelled such as the Camino Olvidado. The Camino Frances is always a good option, because you will always find other pilgrims on the tour.

Another fact to keep in mind is walking at the same hours when the rest of the pilgrims walk. This ensures that even if you walk alone, there will always be other pilgrims around you.

You go alone, but you’re not alone.

Actually, the time you spend alone on the Camino de Santiago isn’t so much. It is common for you to meet other pilgrims with whom you share kilometres on each stage.

It is also common for large groups of single people to be formed during the early stages who share much of the pilgrimage together. Therefore, you will go alone, but you will not be alone.

There are more people who want to help you than want to hurt you

We believe that there are more people eager to help than with a desire to assault. This is true everywhere, but on the Camino de Santiago, even more so.

On the Jacobean route you can experience a special spirit of solidarity and fraternity, both among pilgrims and among the inhabitants themselves of the towns that the Camino de Santiago crosses. If you are in trouble at any time, do not hesitate to ask any other pilgrim or a neighbour for help, they will surely be happy to help you.

The same dangers as at home

We’re not going to fool you either, and we’re going to tell you that you’ll be 100% safe on the Camino de Santiago. Unfortunately, women are currently threatened in public spaces.

However, we can assure you that on the Camino de Santiago you will not be in any more than that you can find in your town or village. So the next time someone tells you that you’re crazy about wanting to go on the Camino de Santiago alone, answer them, yes, as crazy as any woman who decides to leave her house alone every day.

The real dangers of the Camino de Santiago have nothing to do with gender

Doing the Camino de Santiago is not dangerous, but we are also not going to tell you that it is a place where nothing ever happens. However, if you look at the real dangers of the Camino de Santiago you will see that they do not affect women more than men, so it is just as dangerous for both sexes to do it alone. In fact, many of the risks you will find on the Camino de Santiago have nothing to do with going alone or in company.

Health problems

We will not deny that the Camino de Santiago is a rather demanding activity. Many people have suffered heart attacks or heatstroke during the journey, due to physical exertion, thus losing their lives.

However, the above has nothing to do with gender. Even less so with the fact of going alone or accompanied. It is simply a risk that is assumed when doing the Camino de Santiago. That is why we always recommend to people who are in delicate health to consult their GP before embarking on the adventure.

Getting lost

Another danger on the Camino de Santiago is getting lost. Although it’s not easy to go off the road, it’s not impossible either.

In this case, it is also a threat that affects both men and women. Be sure to check out our article on the signalling on the Camino de Santiago so you can discover the huge amount of symbols that will confirm that you’re on the right track. So you will be calmer in this way when doing the Camino de Santiago alone!

Small thefts

One of the dangers that have proliferated the most in recent years on the Camino de Santiago are small thefts. These occur when pilgrims neglect their backpacks, either in the squares of the villages they pass through or in the hostels.

Usually, these are thefts. That is, pilgrims are not confronted by thieves, but they use an oversight to get money, cameras, mobiles, etc.

In recent years, thefts occurring in overnight shelters have been reported on several occasions. This is because most of them remain open while pilgrims sleep and many thieves know that walkers often carry money on them.

During the night, they sneak into the room as if they were another pilgrim and check the backpacks for money. No physical or sexual assaults by such offenders have been reported.

As you can see, small robberies on the Camino de Santiago affect both men and women, whether they go alone or in company. The best way to avoid problems in this regard is to have a small bag in which to store valuable things and never lose sight of it.

Choosing hotels or hostels with single or shared rooms with people that you know can also help you avoid this type of danger. Check out our article on accommodation on the Camino de Santiago if you want to know what type of accommodation you will find on pilgrim routes.

Accidents

Unfortunately, another risk to pilgrims is being run over. Most pilgrim routes cross national roads, main roads and motorways on several occasions.

Many people have lost their lives on the Camino de Santiago after being run over or who have been seriously injured. One of them was Zapatones, one of Santiago’s most iconic pilgrims.

Again, it is a danger that affects both people who go alone and in company. In fact, on this occasion, going alone reduces the risks because as much as pilgrims are advised to walk in single file when they continue along the road, many end up moving onto the asphalt when they go as a group.

Are there a lot of women on the Camino de Santiago?

Yes, many. If you are concerned that by doing the Camino de Santiago alone you can draw attention, get that idea out of your head.

On the Camino de Santiago there are as many women as men. Generally, they are the ones who are most encouraged to do the Camino de Santiago alone.

If you want to know some of the advantages of doing the Camino de Santiago on your own, as well as some recommendations to overcome the fear of solo travel, check out our article on doing the Camino de Santiago alone. In it, we’ll give you some extra advice.

To finish this post in our blog we want to remind you that if you would like to do the Camino de Santiago alone but want to have the support of a specialized agency that helps to organize the trip and that can advise you against any unforeseen events, do not hesitate to contact us.

Call us, leave us a comment on this post or write to us through our chat in Facebook and our team will resolve all your doubts. We’re waiting for you!

Buen Camino!