In Spring everything is green, the wildflowers are spectacular and the
European stork have babies in their huge nests on towers and steeples.
European stork have babies in their huge nests on towers and steeples.
Walk shorter stages on the the Camino Frances, Camino Ingles, Camino Aragones,
or the Via Francigena from Siena to Rome, and in the Swiss and Italian Alps.
Our experienced group leaders accompany the groups
Dojema Theron Kathy Cleland Marizanne Lombard Babette and Paul Chinn
People have been choosing amaWalkers Camino since 2010.
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Experience the Camino Your Way
Dreaming of walking a pilgrimage but can't commit to 5-8 weeks? Worried about long daily stages, crowded albergues, or walking solo—yet unwilling to pay premium prices for luxury tours with air-conditioned buses and gourmet dining? Founded in 2010 by experienced pilgrims Sylvia Nilsen and Pam Stern, amaWalkers Camino offers the perfect middle ground between solo adventures and high-end guided tours. Our accompanied walks are designed for pilgrims who want authentic experiences without the stress of managing every detail themselves. What Makes Us Different? Thoughtfully paced journeys: More manageable stages than those found in standard guidebooks Your rhythm, your way: Set your own pace without pressure to keep up with a rigid schedule Genuine connections: Travel with carefully selected, like-minded companions who share your love of meaningful journeys |
Comfort without luxury:
Although we offer a no-frills option, you'll stay in handpicked private en-suite rooms in charming pensions, inns, and rural guesthouses - no Dormitories, no Five Star hotels. Expert support: Benefit from experienced group leaders who handle all logistics, leaving you free to focus on your pilgrimage experience A Journey That Transforms Over the years, our pilgrims have discovered more than just beautiful trails—they've forged lifelong friendships while navigating the wonders, challenges, and profound beauty of these ancient routes. Many return to explore new paths with us, testament to the life-changing power of walking with intention and community. Ready to experience the Caminos or Via Francigena your way? Contact us at [email protected] or complete the contact form below to begin your transformative journey with amaWalkers Camino. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do." H. Jackson Brown Jnr |
*** The Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ) is scheduled for a 35-day closure, from 23 April to 27 May 2026 for major runway renovation work. This affects travel to and from Santiago for the Camino Ingles and the Camino Frances ***
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Camino Aragones
16-Days Lourdes to Pamplona 5 May to 20 May 2026 ~ Five places available ~ From €1 825 sharing - €435 single supplement 
Camino Ingles 10 days Ferrol to Santiago 18 May - 27 May 2026 ~ Six places available - From €1 195 sharing - €350 single supplement 
Camino Frances
19 days St Jean to Santiago 23 May - 10 June 2026 From €2095 sharing €495 single room supplement ~ Seven places available ~ 
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Camino Aragonés: (click for more info)
A Hidden Gem of the Pilgrimage World The Camino Aragones is a less-traveled route of the Camino de Santiago, starting in Lourdes, France, and ending in Pamplona, Spain. This route is known for its beautiful scenery, but also for being more demanding than the Camino Frances, with longer stages and more remote sections. Excursions are included. Tour the stunning Canfranc Estacion. From Jaca we visit the mystical monastery of San Juan de la Pena, tucked into the mountain under an enormous overhanging rock. We spend a night in Leyre where we can visit the Monastery, one of the most attractive and enchanting monuments in Navarre. It is the tomb of many ancient monarchs of Navarre. On the way to Sanguesa we will visit the birth place /castle/museum/church of St. Francis Xavier. Visit the enigmatic church of Eunate. Group Leader Dojema Theron 
The Camino Ingles (Click for more info)
Join our small group of like-minded pilgrims on the Camino Ingles, the shortest complete route that starts in Ferrol and ends in Santiago de Compostela. In the Middle-Ages, pilgrims from many countries, including Britain and Ireland, sailed to A Coruna and other northern ports and walked to Santiago de Compostela to revere the remains of the Saint in the city named after him. Experience a mix of coastal views, rolling hills, and tranquil countryside villages as you journey towards Santiago. The Camino Inglés is known for its relatively peaceful atmosphere, offering more opportunities for introspection compared to busier routes. This 10-day walk qualifies for the Compostela certificate. Group Leader Kathy Cleland 
The Camino Frances (click for more info)
Yearning to walk from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago but don't want to walk alone and can't spare a month away from home. amaWalkers offers a tailor-made itinerary where you can experience the most iconic highlights of the Camino Frances in just 19 days! Walk 10 days from St. Jean Pied de Port, to Logroño - then overnight stays at Burgos, Leon, and Astorga. Hiking in the Montes de Leon to the historic Villafranca del Bierzo, leaving your stones at the Cruz de Ferro, visiting O Cebreiro and walking the last 20km to Santiago. Your experienced group leader handles all the logistics, ensuring a seamless and unforgettable experience. Enjoy breathtaking scenery, historic cities and quaint villages with the camaraderie of like-minded pilgrims, staying in ensuite accommodations, private bus transportation between cities, and luggage transfers. Our advice to Camino dreamers? Don’t miss the opportunity to embark on this life-changing adventure. Join amaWalkers and create cherished memories on the Camino Frances. All you have to do is lace up your shoes and embrace the journey. Group Leader Marizanne Lombard |
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La Via Francigena
17 days from Siena to Rome 25 May - 11 june 2026 From €2095 sharing €520 single room supplement ~ Seven places available ~ 
Via Francigena Alps
10 days La Douay to Pont St Martin in the Swiss & italian Alps 15 June - 24 June 2026 From €1899 sharing (€520 single room supplement ) 
NB: As per our Booking Conditions, if there are increases in room or transfer tariffs after we have made the reservations, and before we have paid, we will have no option but to charge extra – over and above the stated walk price - to cover these increases. This charge will be minimal.
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The VF to Rome (click for more info)
Tuscany is located in the heart of Italy and offers the most pleasant temperatures in the months of May and June with very little rain and mild temperatures. Tuscany has many hot water springs, known and used for curative purposes since Etruscan and Roman times. You will visit a couple on your way to Rome. In Lazio you will have a rest day in Bolsena, on the shores of the largest volcanic lake in Europe. You'll will walk on ancient Roman Roads, through hazelnut orchards past pre-Roman Etruscan ruins. On the aproach to Rome, you'll have a steady climb up one of the 'Seven Hills of Rome' to Mons Gaudi and as you crest the top we should see the Eternal City laid out before you with the huge dome of St Peter's dominating the picture. Group Leader Paul Chinn 
VF - SWISS & ITALIAN ALPS
(click for more info) Some of the most spectacular scenery on the historic Via Francigena is in the Swiss and Italian Alps, especially in Spring when the Pass at the Gr St Bernard is open to walkers. We meet at the quaint Le Catogne Gite in La Douay on the slopes of the Swiss Alps. Accessible by train from Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey or Montreux. We'll walk for 9 days on sections of Roman Roads through stunning scenery, staying at the Great St Bernard Pass where you can visit the famous St Bernard rescue dogs. We then descend into the Aosta Valley with amazing landscapes of the surrounding mountains and valleys staying at small towns and villages steeped in history. Our Journey ends in Pont St Martin with easy access to Milan or Turin for your onward journey. Group Leader Marizanne Lombard NB: Although hiking poles are used by some, there is no technical mountaineering scrambling or climbing on any of these walks |
Please read all the pages on this website, including the Booking Conditions, What is Included,
Frequently Asked Questions - many of your questions might already have been answered, How to get to the start, Accommodation etc.
Frequently Asked Questions - many of your questions might already have been answered, How to get to the start, Accommodation etc.
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What is included
- Before the walk: Three pre-walk newsletters with all the information you'll need about your walk and what to pack. If you need a Schengen Visa we will provide with a letter confirming that you are walking with amaWalkers plus an itinerary and confirmation of accommodation booked to subit with your application.
- An experienced Group Leader accompanies the group, making all land arrangements including taxis to train and bus stations, to and from hotels, accommodation, private coaches when required and luggage transfers.
- Orientation get-together: Your group leader will meet you at the hotel in the afternoon when you arrive at your hotel. She will welcome the group at an orientation get-together where you will receive a Pilgrim Pack containing a credencial (Pilgrim's passport) a Michelin map guide book (for Spain), walking notes with an itinerary, details of all your accommodation, luggage tags and a few other goodies. From time to time she will call for an evening get-together to confirm travel arrangements for the following day
- Luggage Transfers between overnight accommodation.
- Accommodation is provided in small hotels, inns, rural houses and apartments. We can arrange for extra nights at the start and at the end of your walk. We do not stay in pilgrim dormitories, nor do we stay in 5 star hotels. NB: Only a few single rooms can be booked but if the group is large and more than 4 people want single rooms, we might have to split you from the group at occasional places and book rooms in a different establishment. This is not always possible in rural areas or in the Alps. You can agree to share twin rooms for a few nights or arrange transport to take you to a large town city to a larger hotel, then bring you back to the group the next day.
- In Spain, Switzerland and Italy many places have en-suite bathrooms in double rooms while single rooms might share a bathroom, so if you want a single room with en-suite bathroom every night you will need to pay for a single occupancy in a double room. In a couple of villages (mostly on the Via Francigena) we might stay in a rural homes (agriturismo) or apartments where bathrooms are shared by the group
- Meals - some accommodation includes breakfast but they rarely include dinner. Your group leader will arrange for meals to be offered in remote locations if required.
Chateaubriand said, “There never was a pilgrim who did not come back to his village
with one less prejudice and one more idea.”
with one less prejudice and one more idea.”
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2025 Reviews:
Good day Sylvia. I think it is fair to promote amaWalkers for the stunning job they are doing with each and every walk. You are really going out of your way to make things comfortable for us, and we adore our special leader, Dojema. Priscilla and I are becoming streetwise when it comes to international travel, and this is because of you and your team, so thank you. Just for the record, it is our third year in a row with amaWalkers, with five Caminos under the belt, and the Portuguese one waiting for September. It says alot about your service and that is why we keep on using your organization. You go amaWalkers David and Priscilla - South Africa (Camino Ingles & Fistera-Muxia - 2025) Helllloo and greetings from warm sunny Spain
I have to take this opportunity to say thank you for another wonderful Camino put together by Amawalkers. We’re loving Dojema and the group seems to have “gelled “ rather well. I have such admiration for you Syl and I especially will always be greatful to you and your Amawalkers And, In case I didn’t say it enough .. Dojema is just wonderful and a beautiful human being. Gwen - South Africa (Camino Ingles 2025) Hi Sylvia,
What an absolutely wonderful wonderful experience this Via Francigena was. Awesome, awesome walk and perfect weather gods. The way you designed the stages and choice of hotels and B and Bs was just fantastic. I am hugely grateful to have been able to do it at last and that we had the delight that Marizanne is as a leader. She really had our interests at heart and went above and beyond her duty. At times I wished for more freedom to be alone in the universe but was happy when she was there popping up when places were hard to find at the end of a day. J and J and I went round and round Capranica with google maps always landing up needing us to leap over the city wall to get to the apartment until Marizanne saw us and rescued us. She really had boundless energy! The three Js and I took a wrong turn coming into Bolsena, but between Jeremy on Google and me on Sloways we got into Bolsena by the less scenic route ahead of the others. All the accommodation was just right and I was always totally happy but I've used a big range to really distinguish the stellar accommodation and what a treat it was. Thank you. (I wish my grandmother had left me more Linn Ware that I could sell and pay for another trip!) Sally - South Africa (VF to Rome 2025) |
Dear Sylvia,
It was a most enjoyable trip, far exceeded what I had imagined. Kathy was a wonderful leader - thoughtful, knowledgeable, observant, good-humoured, very organised, decisive when needed, the glue that kept us on the trail and brought us, Irish, safely to Aosta and our American friends to Pont St Martin. She watched out for those who were finding particulars days difficult and supported them. I could not praise her more. Everything worked like clockwork - trains, tickets, hotel rooms, meals, lunches and of course we were blessed with wonderful weather (certainly up to Aosta) and very nice walking companions. The only suggestions I have are minor things. Being used to hotels providing soap, shampoo etc, I didn’t bring any and Swiss country hotels don’t necessarily provide them! However my fellow walkers inundated me with little bars of soap, so I survived! Maybe mention that in the newsletters?? (Perhaps you did and I didn’t notice!) It would seem that all hotels (not just the ones mentioned) may provide picnic lunches if you simply ask. I did so at Étroubles and there was no problem - cost €12. I thought the whole trip was very good value for money. The pre-trip newsletters and info were very helpful in preparing. The Alps are serious mountains with demanding ascents and descents, so preparation is key. Many thanks to you and all of your team for a trip I shall remember for a long time. With very best wishes, Seán - Ireland (VF Alps 2025) Hi Sylvia,
I am thanking you again for planning such an amazing Camino. We just loved it all, the spectacular scenery, the company, the lodging, and our fearless leader, Kathy. Parts were very challenging, difficult even, like the second to last day. The heat made it harder, but we made it! The Crabun hotel is lovely, and we enjoyed and needed a rest day there. The owner, Alessio, was so helpful to everyone who had transportation questions. He even drove us to the bus stop on our last day. All the accommodations were very nice. It was a wonderful, memorable walk. You did an amazing job, as did Kathy. Hugs from afar, Linda - Canada (VF Alps 2025) Hi Sylvia, We are so enjoying being on the VF. Marizanne is such a good leader, so calm, excellent preparation and really good company. Transport all good and everything running smoothly. We have just had the most amazing meal at Albergo Toscana - real Cordon Bleu food, and far too much! Thanks for all the thought you have put in to this!
Jeremy - South Africa (VF to Rome 2025) |
I thoroughly enjoyed my Pilgrimage, it was much more than I expected . So many things contributed to the whole experience.
The warmth, humor and congeniality of the members of the group, the variety of excellent accommodation in the most special locations ,the colourful mountainous scenery and the challenges of navigating some very rough terrain experienced in parts. I am so grateful to Brigitte for her support and the hospital system in Spain which looked after me so generously and effectively that my elbow wound healed in no time at all. Most of all I appreciate the hands which were extended to assist me along the way. Buen Camino. I will have no hesitation in recommending amawalkers caminos.
Heather - New Zealand (Camino Frances 2025)
The warmth, humor and congeniality of the members of the group, the variety of excellent accommodation in the most special locations ,the colourful mountainous scenery and the challenges of navigating some very rough terrain experienced in parts. I am so grateful to Brigitte for her support and the hospital system in Spain which looked after me so generously and effectively that my elbow wound healed in no time at all. Most of all I appreciate the hands which were extended to assist me along the way. Buen Camino. I will have no hesitation in recommending amawalkers caminos.
Heather - New Zealand (Camino Frances 2025)
amaWalkers Camino (Pty) Limited -2010 Registered in terms of Section 14 of the Companies Act 2008. Registered Company number 2012/073214/07 Reg Address: 35 Broadway Rd, Westville, South Africa.
Protection of Personal Information : amaWalkers Camino adheres to the national legislation and regulations pertaining to the safeguarding of data privacy and shall use information provided by you to perform our services. We undertake not to disclose your personal information unless it is legally or contractually required to do so. We agree to use all reasonable efforts to ensure your personal information in our possession is kept confidential, stored in a secure manner and processed in terms of POPI.
amawalkerscamino.com [email protected]
Protection of Personal Information : amaWalkers Camino adheres to the national legislation and regulations pertaining to the safeguarding of data privacy and shall use information provided by you to perform our services. We undertake not to disclose your personal information unless it is legally or contractually required to do so. We agree to use all reasonable efforts to ensure your personal information in our possession is kept confidential, stored in a secure manner and processed in terms of POPI.
amawalkerscamino.com [email protected]
