What to Pack for the Camino Português (and What to Leave at Home)

The single biggest packing mistake on the Camino is bringing too much. Every extra kilo is a kilo you carry up every hill for a week. The walkers who suffer least are the ones who packed ruthlessly. Here's the honest list.

The rule that governs everything

If your bag is over ~10% of your body weight, you packed too much. For most people that's 6–8kg total. When in doubt, leave it out — you can buy almost anything along the way, and Portugal has shops.

(If you're using a bag-transfer service so you only carry a small daypack, this matters less — but you'll still thank yourself for packing light.)

What you actually need

On your feet (the only thing that really matters):

• Broken-in trail shoes or trail runners — not brand-new boots. New footwear is the #1 cause of ruined Caminos.
• 2–3 pairs of proper walking socks (merino or synthetic, never cotton).
• Sandals/flip-flops for the evening — your feet need to breathe.

Clothing (think "wash one, wear one"):

• 2 walking shirts (quick-dry), 1 evening top.
• 2 walking shorts/trousers.
• 1 light fleece or midlayer.
• 1 proper rain jacket — non-negotiable, the Atlantic side gets wet any month.
• Underwear ×3, sun hat, buff.

The small things that save the walk:

• Blister kit (tape, Compeed) — and use it the moment you feel a hotspot, not after.
• Sunscreen — you're exposed for hours.
• A refillable water bottle.
• Basic first aid + any personal meds.
• Earplugs (essential if you're in shared albergues).

Documents: passport, pilgrim credential (the credencial for stamps), a card and some cash, phone + charger.

What to leave at home

• Boots you haven't worn for 50+ km. Bring the shoes your feet already know.
• "Just in case" clothes. You'll wear the same three things and love it.
• A second pair of jeans, a hairdryer, a big camera, a thick book. Weight you'll resent by day two.
• Too much water. Refill points are frequent; carrying 2 litres uphill is punishment.
• New gadgets and gear you've never tested. The Camino is not the place to debut anything.

The one mindset that makes packing easy

You are not preparing for every possible scenario. You're preparing to walk, eat, sleep, repeat for a week or two in a developed European country with shops and pharmacies. Pack for that — light, simple, broken-in — and the trail rewards you. Pack for fear, and you carry the fear up every hill.

Want to walk with just a daypack while your main bag meets you at each hotel? That one thing transforms the Camino from a slog into a pleasure. See how it works →