Father Kyle Rink serves the St. Joe, St. James, and Our Lady of Lourdes parishes in Vancouver. He is an avid hiker and backpacker, and is excited to be leading our group. While we will all be walking our own journeys of discovery, we will form as a group each day for mass and prayer.
We start in Ferrol, Spain and walk roughly 62 miles to Santiago de Composela, passing through charming towns and beautiful countryside.
Plan on 7 nights, with 6 days walking. This year's route will be a bit more challenging, as the area we walk is more hilly and more remote.
There are no expectations, except staying safe. The only thing we are doing all day is walking. Plenty of time to contemplate and pray. Plenty of time to socialize. It's your pilgrimage to define.
Prepare to be a little overwelmed when we walk into the cathedral square. We will attend mass, see where the bones of St. James are kept, and finally, hug the statue of St. James as we walk behind the altar. We will also claim our pilgrim certificates and celebrate the end of our amazing journey.
Our dates are 9/22/26 to 9/29/26.
Cost of the self-guided tour is 1180 Euro pp, double occupancy or 1494 Euro single. This will include 7 nights hotel, breakfast each day, luggage transfer (we will only carry daypacks), and group transfers needed along the way. A non-refundable 250 Euro deposit will be required when you are ready to sign up.
Don't forget to budget for airfare and travel insurance.
You must be 18 or older to sign up. Our group size will be limited to 18. As we walk each day, the larger group will likely break out into smaller groups based on your walking pace. We start each morning together, regroup at the next hotel at night, and likely see each other at coffee and lunch stops along the way.
We will start walking as a group once per week beginning in February. We walk about 6 to 7 miles each week, and you should also be walking on your own.
Registration will open around March 1, 2026, so walking with the group will give you some time to assess whether this commitment is right for you.
While physical preparation is important, your mindset is also key in taking on this challenge.
Each day we walked through beautiful villages and vineyards. We built an amazing camino family through this experience.
We walked together, but we also had time on the road to ourselves to reflect and pray. On the last day, we did a walking rosary together as we entered Santiago.
After well over 100 km of walking, all 18 pilgrims make it to the cathedral square in Santiago de Compostela.
We had mass every day in tiny chapels, in big cathedrals, and even outdoors. Perhaps the most special was seeing Fr. Kyle on the altar in Santiago.
The Camino de Santiago is often called, simply, "The Way." God provided this space for quiet contemplation.
We supported and encouraged each other through a few tough parts. This was a 14-mile day!
Even a little rain could not dampen the spirits of our pilgrims!
Fr. Kyle held mass in the courtyard of this very old chapel in the town of Arcade, Spain.
The scallop shell is the symbol of the pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. For hundreds of miles these signs point the way.
St. James the Apostle has been the inspiration for this pilgrimage since medieval times. Seeing the silver chest containing his remains was a moving experience.
Kathy, Madonna, Mary, Christine, Amanda and Kevin prepare for our outdoor mass.
Looking back on the city were we started our adventure, Vigo, Spain. St. James' disciples are thought to have brought his remains back to Spain on the Vigo River.
At the Santa Maria Cathedral in Vigo, Fr. Kyle does his reading in Spanish!
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is enough to leave anyone speechless. Our mass included the botafumeiro, the swinging censer.
The rooftop tour of the cathedral was a little intimidating for those of us with a fear of heights, but Madonna was a champ!
The seafood - squid, octopus, mussels, oysters, white fish - amazing! The wine, beer, serrano ham, and almond cake - also worth sampling!