please note: bookings now closed

IT’S NEVER “JUST A WALK” WHEN YOU TRAVEL WITH US.

IT’S AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART.

Would you like to break routine, rejuvenate, re-find your path, your essence, your aliveness?

Would you like to go on a grand adventure?

Would you like to just take stock of where you are right now? Or maybe even change direction, transform or heal?

Get ready for an exceptional journey of the body and the mind, on ancient paths in beautiful places.

What a GREAT DELIGHT to present our Camino adventures for 2024.

Behind the delight is the anticipation of how this experience is going to wrap you in its arms and never let go. How it will last your lifetime and change up your life just like falling in love might. Falling in love with life, the notion of you, and your place in this beautiful world.

It might even become a regular item on your calendar, as we’ve noticed with some of our past pilgrims.

We are offering THREE stunning adventures for you to choose from. NOTE: We handpick our walks from Europe and across the world to create an experience based on soulful pilgrimage qualities (see definition of pilgrimage below), X factor appeal (really special elements that invoke celebration and joy), and remarkable routes through nature that simply make us want to run and place our feet there…and share it with YOU!

So come join us…

Camino 1 – The Cape Camino, Western Cape, South Africa. 9th – 20th of April (10 nights and 7 days walking) 140km

Highlights: This is Africa! Immersion of the body and soul in the cradle of civilisation. Feel the energy of this continent beneath your feet as you take it all in. Starting in amazing Cape Town city, with a ride up Table Mountain, a cultural show and dining experience. Walking through incredible beach scapes, ocean swims, unique coastal villages, a cave with sacred Khoisan people writings, the Unesco heritage listed Fynbos biome, South African hospitality and food at its finest in intimate accommodations and interactions. A bucket-list overnight boutique African Safari experience with game drive.

Included:

• Shared pilgrim-style accommodation in farm stays, home stays, guesthouses and beach cottages.
• Dinner, bed and breakfast. Yes, DINNER IS INCLUDED!
• Luggage transfer. No struggling with a heavy backpack.
• Camino t-shirt, gear and passport (to collect memento stamps where you’ve been.) Yes, you are a pilgrim on a pilgrimage!
• Chaperones for a few days. To guide us and share stories with.  

• A surprise art class with our artist host at his homestay.
• A stay in a boutique game lodge with high tea and a game drive.

• High Tea in Cape Town & welcome orientation & celebration.
• A stay in South Africa’s most beautiful city, Cape Town in a 4-star hotel with rooftop deck overlooking Cape Town for our welcome coffee afternoon.
• Authentic immersive African experience, a 14-course feast of food of the region & live performances.
• Bus tour and trip up Table Mountain – named one of the “7 Wonders of Nature in 2023”.
• Two-hour transfer from Cape Town to Elands Bay, the start of our Camino.
• Return transfer from our end point destination to Cape Town.
• Fully guided and supported by Darene and Sylvie who will share their enthusiasm, passion and tips for getting the most out of a modern personal pilgrimage.
• Help with preparation and training pre-Camino.
• A full, nourishing menu of activities on Camino in our sharing circles, to light up the soul and fuel you for your life after this Camino.

Not included:

• Flights
• Travel and medical insurance 
• Lunch, snacks, drinks besides those included during breakfast & dinner
• Local buses or taxis if needed
• Arrival transfer to our Cape Town hotel.
• Flights in-between Caminos, if you’re doing more than one.

Cost:

AU $3150

Camino 2 – The Camino Del Norte. San Sebastián to Bilbao, Spain. 21 April – 1st May (10 nights and 7 days walking) 140km

Highlights: Being on a pilgrimage on foot across Spain through rural Basque landscapes, coastal paths, mountains, sacred sites, medieval churches and villages. Incredible ocean vistas, cliffs and Unesco heritage sites, immersion in two Spanish Basque cities – San Sebastian and Bilbao – which are world-leading movie, art and food destinations. A thalassotherapy spa experience in a sea-view hotel. A private pinxtos cooking class. Ocean dips in the Cantabrian Sea on beautiful beaches. A night in Gernika, made famous by Pablo Picasso’s powerful post civil war painting. Fun and pizzaz added to total immersion in nature!

Included:

• Shared accommodation in stylish hotels, country style guesthouses (casa rurals) and a monastery with a communal pilgrim dinner.
• Daily breakfast.
• Luggage/ backpack transfer to our accommodation each day.
• Pilgrim passport to collect stamps as a memento of your trip. A traditional pilgrim shell to hang on your backpack.
• A beautiful, cinema-themed, Conde Naste listed 4-star hotel to start our adventure in San Sebastián.
• High Tea and welcome orientation in a Belle Epoque tearoom, in theme with San Sebastian being a favourite destination for royalty and aristocrats in the 19th Century.
• A private walking tour of the city to deepen our appreciation for where we are.
• Ending our adventure in a new 4-star hotel in Bilbao with a terrace view onto the amazing Guggenheim Museum, and in the form of a sailboat appearing to sail across the estuary.
• A stay in a sea-view hotel with a Thalassotherapy Centre and luxuriating in six pools of heated seawater with jets, hydromassage chairs, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and foot spa. 
• A surprise cultural detour to walk 241 steps across a spectacular rocky outcrop and protected biotope featured on Game Of Thrones – to a hermitage chapel to ring the bell 3 times and make a wish to seal your intentions for your Camino.
• A pinxtos bar-hopping dinner – a San Sebastián cultural highlight and fun for our group.
• A visit to the spectacular Guggenheim Museum along the Nervion estuary home to 250 exhibitions of modern art – where radical art and architecture meet.
• A private pinxtos cooking class and celebratory lunch to end off our Camino.
• Fully guided and supported by Darene and Sylvie who will share their enthusiasm, passion and tips for getting the most out of a modern personal pilgrimage.
• Help with preparation and training pre-Camino.
• A nourishing menu of activities on Camino in our sharing circles, to light up the soul and fuel you for your life after this Camino.

Not included:

• Flights
• Travel and medical insurance 
• Lunch (except one), dinner (except communal dinner), snacks, drinks
• Local buses or taxis if needed
• Arrival transfer to San Sebastian Hotel and departure transfer to Bilbao Airport. Both airports are only 15-20mins away.
• Flights in-between Caminos, if you’re doing more than one.

Cost:

AU $2950

Camino 3 – Camino Finisterre, Spain. 1st – 8th May (7 nights and 6 days walking) 115km

Highlights: Starting in the bustling, iconic pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela celebrating pilgrimage (and alleged burial site of the biblical apostle, St James, within the majestic cathedral.) A glorious forested and rural 90km journey to the ocean and westernmost point of continental Europe, Cape Finisterre (Cabo Fisterra in Spanish). Believed to be the “end of the world” In ancient times, Cape Finisterre is a symbolic endpoint for pilgrims. Walking onward to the little gem of a coastal town, Muxía with its 0km marker.

Instead of the pagan tradition of burning clothes to mark the shedding of the old self and embracing a new beginning, we will go for a symbolic swim in the ocean to end our journey and embrace the newness we have found! Staying in highly-rated pilgrim albergues, a communal meal experience and meeting other pilgrims will enrich our journey. A surprise activity awaits in Muxia where we will stay metres from the beach. Our journey ends with a farewell dinner celebration.

Included:

• Arrival celebration and orientation with a late afternoon coffee or sunset drink at a tea garden and secret Santiago delight.
• Arrival celebration dinner – a cultural experience at a fabulous Santiago Tapas bar with local wines.
• A tour of the spectacular Cathedral and visit to Pilgrim House.
• Shared accommodation pilgrim-style. We will stay in three highly regarded albergues (hostels with bunk beds especially catering for pilgrims) which will provide the most authentic pilgrim feel to your experience.
• Daily breakfast.
• Luggage/ backpack transfer to our accommodation each day.
• Accommodation in hotels when we approach the ocean at Cee, Finisterre, and Muxia.
• A fine dining farewell celebration dinner here together. What a way to end our amazing walk to the end of the world!
• Kiss the 0km marker at Finisterre, taking in the wonder of this majestic and symbolic vantage point followed by tea at the iconic lighthouse cafe, bursting with charm and history.
• Yoga and Camino reflection on the beach.
• A Compostela/ certificate to commemorate your walk. 
• Walk the next day to Muxia and receive another special Compostela/ certificate.

• Fully guided and supported by Darene and Sylvie who will share their enthusiasm, passion and tips for getting the most out of a modern personal pilgrimage.
• Help with preparation and training pre-Camino.
• A nourishing menu of activities on Camino in our sharing circles, to light up the soul and fuel you for your life after this Camino.

 Not included:

• Flights
• Travel and medical insurance 
• Lunch, dinner (except for 2 included in Santiago and Muxia), snacks, drinks
• Local buses or taxis if needed
• Arrival transfer to Santiago hotel and departure transfer from Santiago.
• Flights in-between Caminos, if you’re doing more than one.

Cost:

AU $1900

Definition of pilgrimage and modern day pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a journey or travel, typically of a considerable distance, that holds significant religious, spiritual, or cultural importance for the person undertaking it. Pilgrimages were traditionally undertaken to visit a sacred place, shrine, or holy site associated with one’s faith or belief system. The purpose of a pilgrimage is usually to seek spiritual growth, enlightenment, fulfillment of vows, penance, or a deeper connection with self and the divine. There is the strong emergence in recent times of the spiritual traveller with the desire to seek fulfilling and meaningful adventure. This traveller seeks rejuvenation from routine, reconnection with themselves, people and sacred, beautiful places steeped in nature. Hence the number of people walking the Camino de Santiago keeps growing in popularity. Pilgrimages can be individual or collective, and they often involve rituals, prayers, and reflection along the way. There is a growing appreciation and trend towards soulful travel as opposed to “boxed tours”.

Our Camino retreats honour, respect and tap into the history of this ancient undertaking to reflect, find insight and personal growth while following sacred paths in nature, walked by millions for centuries. We love connecting with local people and immersing in the culture with great humility and appreciation for those who serve and care for us. We also like to make this journey a celebration of life – fostering personal awareness and intention in our sharing circle practices, and adding lots of RIZZ (romantic appeal) to the journey! Like high tea, self care and savouring regional dish dinners and drinks in fabulous settings.

Our biggest piece of advice is to be open to the journey unfolding. Don’t hold on too tightly to preconceived ideas or fear. It was always going to be A HEROINE’S JOURNEY with a few obstacles to surmount. BE OUTRAGEOUSLY OPEN to what presents, and you will be pleasantly surprised, even amazed and thrilled. THIS IS OUR WISH FOR YOU.

this is your journey…

We can’t wait to receive you and walk alongside you on this incredible, nourishing journey that awaits with a group of like-minded souls.

The journey will always be uniquely yours. There is the option for you to have your backpack transferred every day to our next town and accommodation. You may also choose to take time out from the group, skip a day if possible, or walk part of the way and catch a bus or taxi to the next destination. Everyone’s Camino is unique to them and there is no right or wrong way. We will support you with these decisions. We also encourage some solo walking and reflection.

A Typical day on camino

• Wake fairly early.
• Pack clothes maybe drying from night before.
• Fill water bladder.
• Meet fellow walkers for “hands in the ring” to greet and bless our day!
• Start walking. “I am here. I am here.” Wow to everything and everyone I meet.
• Have breakfast after 1-2 hours of walking in a little village. (Other days enjoy buffet breakfast at hotel before setting out.)
• Walk in wonder, chat, dream, marvel, stop for a snack, drink in the scenery and every encounter.
• Arrive at accommodation by lunchtime or soon after.
• Gather dirty clothes for a group wash of clothes in a washing machine OR hand wash in the event of no machine!
• Shower or bath (bliss!!)
• Hang, dry laundry.
• Yoga stretches.
• Go explore the town, shop for small souvenirs, chat to the locals OR rest.
• Settle in a cosy cafe for a coffee/ refreshment/ drinks and snacks with the girls. Journal about the day or chat to everyone in sight!
• Collect laundry.
• Sharing circle to share the day’s events and emotions with each other and activities to deepen the experience of being here.
• Gorgeous dinner and drinks in a corner of the world you have walked into by foot with new friends to share it with. Amazing.
• Sleep. Ah sleep. Ready to repeat again and again!!
  

want to do some healing or need help figuring out the next part of your life journey?

To complement your walk, Darene offers optional confidential mindset mentoring FasterEFT sessions pre-Camino if you have something you would like to work on and continue to release on Camino. Learn more here about what she offers: www.dareneputtergill.com Special Camino rate is AU$150 for 90 minutes.

Darene will teach everyone on Camino how to use tapping as a stress release tool, and the principles for manifesting what you want!

what to do next…..

1. Choose which Camino is for you.
2. Email Darene (darene@puttergill.com.au) and let her know your choice/s.
3. If you decide to join us and have emailed your chosen Camino, Darene will email you a form to fill with terms and conditions and banking deposit details to make a 50% deposit to secure your place.
4. SPECIAL DISCOUNT. If you decide to book 2 or more Caminos here, you will receive $300 off the total.
5. Join the private Facebook group to gather more information as it gets shared, and meet your fellow walkers.
6. A colourful itinerary will be provided closer to the travel date to share with family & keep as a memento.

Thank you for placing your trust in us.

Sylvie & Darene