Camino by E-Bike: Leon to Santiago

Arrive into the lively city of Leon, capital of Castile and Leon, and take some time to settle in before heading out to get your bearings.

This morning head out to collect your e-bike, so you can become familiar with it before you depart on your adventure tomorrow morning.

Spend the remainder of the day exploring this beautiful city and its incredible Gothic cathedral which is renowned for its marvellous stained-glass windows. The streets of Leon come alive in the evenings when people parade the streets and its bodegas are overflowing with people.

Meals: B

There are two routes available for this morning. Both start at ‘La Virgen Del Camino’ and converge at ‘Hospital de Orbigo’ – one is a more indirect route that goes via Villar de Mazarife and has better scenery and less traffic, a more pleasant ride. The other route runs parallel to the autopista (highway) is less peaceful but quicker. You will see pilgrims on both routes but we’d recommend the quieter one via Villar de Mazarife. Stop for refreshments at the cafe overlooking the extraordinary bridge the ‘Puente de Orbigo’ – built on a Roman bridge this one dates from the 13th century and is one of the best preserved bridges in Spain.

You then ride the final 15km to reach the beautiful walled town of Astorga, with views of the mountains of Leon in the distance. On this last section you will cross over a few kilometres of quite rough tracks over rolling terrain before you reach the cross which overlooks Astorga. Look out for the small basic ‘Cantina’ at the top of the hill, a welcome refreshment stop before you reach the cross. Continue on to Astorga, which offers a number of attractions including a Cathedral by Gaudi and a delicious chocolate museum!

Meals: B

Leaving behind Astorga you cycle on pleasant paths across the plains with good views of the hills before you. Look out for the Cowboy Bar at El Ganso, a good place to stop for morning coffee. After El Ganso you start to climb to Rabinal del Camino and you’ll start to feel the incline which will steepen as you get further into the hills towards Foncebaddon – the infamous deserted village which is no longer deserted! The incline is always rideable however and there are plenty of switchbacks with great views back over the plains from where you’ve come. At the top of the hill is the Iron Cross, where pilgrims leave something whether a pebble they’ve carried or a bad habit or memorial to a loved one.

Meals: B

Today is a big day of hills, the Camino climbs into the city of Ponferrada past the castle of the Knights Templar, worth a quick coffee in the plaza to admire the hills you’ve just climbed over the day before. After Ponferrada continue on through gentle rolling hills and vineyards to reach the charming town of Villafranca del Bierzo, nestled in the hills that mark the border with Galicia. From here continue onwards and upwards to overnight at O Cebreiro which lies at the top of the mountains, a further 30km and 800m vertical ascent.

Meals: B

From O’ Cebreiro you have one or two more uphill stretches to conquer before an amazing long freewheeling descent of almost 20km to reach Triacastela. After Triacastela you continue along the river valley to Samos, home to an impressive monastery which dominates this little town. The monastery is now a museum and well worth a look. From here you will continue along the road to Sarria.

Meals: B

Today you’ll continue through the beautiful green Galician countryside to the modern town of Sarria, which is a major stop on the pilgrim trail – walking pilgrims can start here to cover the last 100km and earn their Compostela. Immediately after Sarria you will cross a series of low hills of up to 600m that will eventually lead you down to Portomarin, the route is along tree-lined paths and country roads so very pleasant riding. After Portomarin the Camino climbs again for 400m of ascent before finally rolling down the last 20km to Palas de Rei, a modern town.

Meals: B

Your final day on the bike as you approach the holy city of Santiago. Today’s ride is a fitting end to the Camino, as you pedal along rural roads through woodlands and pastures to Santiago, meandering along forgotten country roads through the beautiful Galician countryside. Rolling hills and green pastures predominate as you approach the final stretch to Santiago and feel the excitement building as you glimpse the towers of the Cathedral.

Meals: B

This morning you will need to take your bikes on a short ride back to the bike shop to drop-off, and you will then have the whole day to enjoy and explore historic Santiago with its many enticing tapas bars and restaurants. You can attend the midday pilgrims mass and look around the famous Cathedral of St James which forms the city’s heart and watch the steady stream of pilgrims arriving into the square as they finish their epic journey.

Meals: B

You are free to check out of your hotel any time before 10am. If you would like to explore Santiago further you are able to leave your bags with reception.

Meals: B

17kg of CO2-e per person per day

We pay for a monthly offset to cover the estimated emissions of our walkers for all trips with RAW Travel, which goes into local reforestation or biodiversity restoration. Explore the practical actions behind these estimated carbon offsets for your trip here, following a philosophy of ‘re-wilding the planet’ with native tree planting & Ocean plastic cleans ups.

A reasonable estimate for a pilgrim is 17 kg of CO2-e per person per day, primarily due to hotels, meals and emissions from luggage transfers. The act of walking itself is a form of sustainable travel, so the carbon footprint calculated here is a measure of the ancillary activities surrounding the walk, not the walking itself. The figures are estimates, not precise measurements for each route/trip, as it’s difficult to provide an exact number without detailed data on specific hotels, menus, and transfer routes which vary from person to person. This figure represents the operational footprint of the hike and its included services only. It does not include the flights and other transport needed to get to the start and finish of the walk.

An individual can significantly influence their footprint with the varied choices they make around food and drink at each meal. For instance, a diet rich in meat, imported goods and alcohol, will have a much higher impact than one focused on local, seasonal, and plant-based options. This daily stated figure is an average across the 41 days of the pilgrimage, derived from the key consumption components listed below.

Carbon Footprint Breakdown

• 9 nights excellent accommodation including historic hotels and character country houses
• Daily breakfast
• Luggage transfer each day from hotel to hotel (1 x 20kg bag per person)
• High Mondraker ‘hard-tail’ e-bike or similar for the cycling days with 750wh Bosch battery
• Cycling helmet (alternatively you can bring your own if preferred)
• Waterproof saddle bag and rack
• Toolkit, lock and pump
• RAW Travel navigation APP with maps of your hotel locations and emergency contact numbers
• Local emergency contact numbers
• Pre-trip Camino guidance and planning
• Dedicated local support person in Spain for reassurance

• Single supplement $595
• Lunches and Dinners
• Travel insurance
• Flights

Supplement to upgrade to Cannondale dual suspension e-bike or similar (with 750wh Bosch battery) – add from AUD$ 200 per person.

For an extra indulgence, upgrade your hotel in Santiago to a Parador from $180 per person/per night twin share and $275 per person/per night single occupancy, when booked at least 6 months in advance (subject to availability).

For any part of your trip that falls between 31 October and 31 March there is an ‘out of season’ luggage transfer surcharge cost of $30 per person per day.

RAW Travel also offers tailor-made arrangements and can adapt this itinerary to suit your needs. Please note that tailor-made arrangements incur higher costs due to the extra work involved. Speak to us if you would like to tailor the itinerary with the addition of extra rest days or additional nights added in between to break down some of the longer cycling days.

E-bikes make it far easier to cycle long distances with assistance from electric motors. They are not electric motorbikes though and don’t have a throttle! i.e. you still have to pedal and put effort in but less so than with a regular bike.You can choose between different levels of assistance: you may want light assistance on a flat section, or none on a downward slope and the highest assistance going up steep hills. They are an excellent way to cycle long distances and multiple days without feeling physically drained or exhausted at the end of each day. Typically, they are a very enjoyable and easy ride for people used to riding a bike

In essence e-bikes make cycling accessible to a very broad range of people and have proven quite revolutionary in encouraging people to ride; however, that does not mean you should attempt to ride the Camino if you are a non-cyclist. We strongly advise against this. The Camino is not the place to learn to ride a bike or an e-bike.

They are very suitable for people who are already cyclists and have basic confidence with riding a bike on and off road. Older cyclists appreciate the assistance offered by an e-bike and people who may not be confident in their ability to ride longer distances day after day – they an excellent choice Though you should be complacent, you still need to train and get your fitness up.

You will need to bring your own helmet (or buy one there) for hygiene reasons and make sure you check your chosen travel insurance provider covers e-bikes.

You must be comfortable navigating hills, riding on mixed surfaces, and sharing roads with vehicles. Since these are self-guided trips, it’s also important to have some problem-solving skills, adaptability, and a good sense of direction. You’ll need to feel comfortable with map-reading, using a travel app, and following road signs. Basic bike maintenance skills are required (e.g., fixing a punctured tire, adjusting the chain).

If you’re unsure, please feel free to reach out to our cycling expert, who can answer your questions and provide more details.

E-bike batteries are classified with a battery wattage: for instance a 650W battery will have a much longer range than a 250W battery. Then how long that battery will carry you depends upon a few factors:

1) The terrain you are riding – steep uphills will use up your battery far faster than level terrain

2) The level of assistance you choose: ECO, TOUR, EMTB and TURBO – each uses progressively higher levels of assistance and therefore your battery life shortens. So riding in Turbo assist all the time will significantly reduce your range compared to ECO which gives a light level of assistance. It is easy to switch between modes with your handlebar controls.

3) The weight you carry – The bikes are capable of carrying a combined weight of bike, rider and luggage of up to 150kg. The bikes weigh around 24kg and if you are a heavier rider plus carrying more gear then you will use up the batter faster than a lighter rider also carrying less gear in their panniers.

Typically, you will have no trouble making the battery last for each day’s Camino stage, provided you remain mindful and adjust the level of assistance as needed. On larger climbs, like the Cruz de Ferro, you may use up your battery to reach the summit, but you can freewheel down the long descent without needing any battery assistance at all. It’s best practice to charge your battery at the end of each day, ensuring you start the following day with a full charge. This will help you stay prepared for the next stage, especially if you’re cycling on more challenging terrain.

It’s important to note that while it may be tempting to use the TURBO setting and zip through the route, services along the way follow standard operating hours and will not adjust for early arrivals. This means that if you race through the day and reach your planned lunch stop by 10am or your hotel by midday, these services are highly unlikely to be available, as they operate during regular hours.

Each e-bike comes with a power pack and cable which you just plug one end into a mains power point and the other into a socket on the bike. Typically it’s about 4 hours to get a full charge and your handlebar display tells you how much charge you have in the battery when riding it or when recharging it.

Hotels along the Camino are used to riders with e-bikes and so it should be easy enough to find a suitable charging point each night, they can advise you on where to charge and securely store the bike each evening.

1) The weight! Typically an e-bike will weigh around 24kg, so significantly heavier than a normal bike because of the motor and battery. This can be significant if you need to lift up the bike up stairs or other obstacle, unless you’re quite strong you will need assistance. If two or more of you are riding together then you just help each other, otherwise ask a passing walker for help. There are places where it makes more sense to jump on a nearby road than follow the trail if its over a particularly rough stretch of ground, you just have to be the judge of this at the time. Any short sections of downhill where you may not be confident to ride, just factor in that extra weight as you wheel it downhill. Generally speaking the bikes can handle rough terrain, its whether the rider can or should!

2) The Compostela certificate. At the time of writing if you arrive in Santiago having used an e-bike you are not eligible to receive a Compostela certificate.

3) Cyclists don’t enjoy the same level of camaraderie as walkers do as it’s easier to meet other people walking on the Camino.

You can read more about cycling on the Camino Frances in Cycle the Camino de Santiago: Complete guide to everything you need to know, which provides valuable information about what to expect during your trip. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to our cycling expert, who can answer your questions and provide more details.