Im planning on walking the camino frances starting late september and ending late oktober. Is booking albergues in advance necessary for this time period? I figure the crowds should start thinning out in september?
Posted Jun 22, 2022, 5:14 PM UTC
Correct. Just Wake and walk west.
Crowds will thin out, but most seasonal Albergues don't close until October.
Enjoy
Yeah it always the saint-Jean to Pamploma that’s busy then it dies down until the last 100km
I did the Camino in September/ October of 2018. To answer your question, yes and no. Some places you will want to make reservations ahead of time. SJPdP is one of those places. Also if you are planning on staying in Orisson, make reservations. Once you get past you first few days there are a few things to do that will help. To start with, understand everyone has a Brierley guide and many are going to try to do the stages as he has set them out. As a result the towns that are his endpoints tend to get crowded. Stay in the small towns in between his stages and you will have an easier time finding a bed. That said, you will probably want to stay at some of the towns that are his endpoints. When you do, it may be a good idea to make reservations. Camino Ninja is a great app and I recommend getting it. Don’t over-plan. PACK LIGHT. Have fun. Buen Camino.
It's certainly a double edged sword. We went in April this year and there were a small handful of people we met who had to keep walking (or backtrack to find accomidation). We pre booked the whole way which was great security but it did lock you in for your days so an unplanned rest day wasn't an option.
I would guess that you can definitely get away with not booking if you can accept extra miles on a worst case situation
Book through Zubiri before you go, then don't book anything else ahead of time. Book SJPP so you will have the comfort of knowing where you will stay on your first night and then through Zubiri as there aren't many places to stay and you probably know your itinerary for the first few days anyway.
If it ends up being busy on the Camino you can book ahead a day or two on trail for the rest of it, this way you will have a place to sleep without being too inflexible.
Let go of any need to plan ahead. Just show up and see what the Camino will provide for you. Be in the moment, and don’t worry about yesterday or tomorrow.