Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

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8 Days From

$1050

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Tour Overview

Embark on a captivating journey along the Camino Norte from San Sebastian to Bilbao, traversing the picturesque Basque country. This self-guided walking tour offers a blend of stunning coastal and mountain scenery, charming villages, and rich cultural experiences. Begin in the vibrant city of San Sebastian, renowned for its beautiful beaches and culinary delights, and continue through the historic fishing village of Getaria, the scenic town of Deba, and the culturally significant Gernika. Conclude your adventure in Bilbao, home to the iconic Guggenheim Museum. Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow hikers, comfortable accommodations, and the convenience of luggage transfers, making this an unforgettable exploration of northern Spain. ...more ...less

Highlights

  • Walking the Camino Norte from San Sebastian to Bilbao through Basque country

  • Visiting swish seaside San Sebastian, a 'foodie' paradise

  • Stunning scenery - from the coast to mountain villages

  • Enjoying the camaraderie of fellow hikers and pilgrims

  • Bilbao and its great art and architecture

  • Exploring the beaches of La Concha and Ondaretta in San Sebastian

  • Discovering the charming fishing village of Getaria, birthplace of couturier Balenciaga

  • Visiting Gernika, famously portrayed by Picasso, in the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In San Sebastian/Donostia

Location: San Sebastian

Accommodation Name: hotel

One of Spain's most attractive and sophisticated cities, San Sebastian/Donostia has a lot to offer. Situated on the Bay of Biscay, the beaches of La Concha and Ondaretta are a main attraction. In the old town, you’ll find several churches and the Baroque balcony-lined Plaza de la Constitucion. Bar hop for some of the best pintxos (Basque tapas) in this multi-Michelin-starred city. ...more ...less

Day 2 : Walk Via Zarautz To Getaria (6.5Hrs)

Location: Getaria

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

From Playa de la Concha, head towards Mount Iguelda and up to Orio before reaching the charming fishing village of Getaria, birthplace of couturier Balenciaga. This was once a whaling town, like many others along the coast. Enjoy great views from San Anton or relax with a glass of the local sparkling wine txakolis downtown.
Distance: 26.5km/16.5mi

Day 3 : Continue Along The Coast To Deba (6.5Hrs)

Location: Deba

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Walk along the undulating coast via the shrine of Santa Maria de Itziar, a mandatory stop on the Camino Norte. Descend to Deba with its beautiful beach and views of the Cantabrian coast.
Distance: 18km/11.1mi

Day 4 : Head Inland To The Mountains And Markina-Xemein (6Hrs)

Location: Markina-Xemein

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Leave the coast today and head to the Arnoate mountains. Walk along paths and country lanes, passing through villages on this beautiful stage to the town of Markina.
Distance: 23km/14.2mi

Day 5 : On To Gernika (6.5Hrs)

Location: Gernika

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today’s walk is initially along a country lane and across a river, before the path climbs through woodland. A sharp descent leads to a river and the town of Gernika (Guernica), famously portrayed by Picasso, in the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai.
Distance: 25km/15.5mi

Day 6 : Continue To Lezama (5.5Hrs)

Location: Lezama

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

On leaving Gernika, there is a steep climb taking you to the village of Morga (at 205m). The rest of today’s walk is along tracks and roads of great beauty, which gradually lead to Lezama.
Distance: 21km/13mi

Day 7 : The Final Stage To Bilbao (3.5Hrs)

Location: Bilbao

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today’s walk is quite short but quite challenging, marked by an ascent at Mount Avril which separates you from Bilbao. You will be rewarded with fabulous views of Bilbao and the valley ahead. Finish your Camino Norte at the Plaza de Unamuno in the old quarter of Bilbao. Host to some of Spain’s best art exhibitions, don’t miss the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum.
Distance: 14km/8.7mi

Day 8 : Trip Concludes Bilbao

Location: Bilbao

Meals Included: Breakfast

Trip arrangements conclude after breakfast, or continue on the next stage to Santander.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    7 nights in a combination of hotels & farmhouse B&Bs

  • 7 breakfasts. Continental breakfasts are served and will often consist of breads, spreads, yoghurt, cheese, tea, coffee & juices.

  • 7 nights in a combination of hotels & farmhouse B&Bs on a twin share basis generally with ensuite facilities

  • Digital information pack with route notes, maps & GPX

  • Luggage Transfer, 1 piece maximum 20kg, supplement applies for excess

  • Pilgrim Passport

  • Emergency hotline

  • Travel to San Sebastian/Donostia and from Bilbao

  • Meals not listed as included, drinks

  • Travel insurance - mandatory

  • Guide - this is a self guided walking holiday

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What's Not Included

  • Travel to and from the Tour

    Travel to San Sebastian/Donostia and from Bilbao is not included.

  • Meals and Drinks

    Meals not listed as included and drinks are not provided.

  • Travel Insurance

    Travel insurance is not included.

  • Guide

    This is a self-guided walking holiday; no guide is provided.

  • Solo Traveler Supplement

    A supplement will apply if you are traveling solo or book a single room.

  • Entrance Fees

    Entrance fees not listed as included are not covered.

  • Transfers

    Transfers not listed as included are not provided.

  • Taxi or Public Transport

    Transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage are not included.

  • Excess Luggage

    Excess luggage is not included.

  • Optional Add-ons

    Optional: add a day and start in Irun or Hondarribia - supplement applies, includes accommodation, breakfast, and luggage transfer.

  • Personal Items

    Items of a personal nature are not included.

  • Lunches, Dinners, and Drinks

    Lunches, dinners, and drinks daily are not included.

  • Excess Baggage Charges

    Excess baggage charges apply if you have more than one bag weighing a maximum of 20kg. Extra charges will apply for additional pieces of luggage.

Grading

The walking is graded moderate (3). Daily walks are between 14 and 25km / 8.7 and 15.5mi on well marked trails over diverse terrain – from relatively flat to coastal rocky to mountainous. This is a well worn path where route finding will be reasonably straight forward (refer below for further details on self guided adventures). The main areas to concentrate on route finding are arriving and leaving towns and cities. The accent is on keeping a steady pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos. You will need a good level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure. ...more ...less

What You Carry

As the walks are fully supported you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone etc.

Mode of Transport

Travel to San Sebastian/Donostia and from Bilbao is included, with luggage transfer for one piece up to 20kg.

Accommodation

Enjoy 7 nights in a combination of hotels and farmhouse B&Bs on a twin share basis, generally with ensuite facilities.

Check out our Q&As

  • What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?

    You will enjoy 7 nights in a combination of hotels and farmhouse B&Bs on a twin share basis, generally with ensuite facilities.

  • What meals are included in the tour?

    The tour includes 7 continental breakfasts, often consisting of breads, spreads, yoghurt, cheese, tea, coffee, and juices.

  • Is luggage transfer provided during the tour?

    Yes, luggage transfer for one piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 20kg is included. A supplement applies for excess luggage.

  • Will I receive any information to help me navigate the route?

    Yes, a digital information pack including route notes, maps, and GPX files is provided.

  • Is there any emergency support available during the tour?

    Yes, you will have access to an emergency hotline.

  • Do I need to carry all my belongings during the walks?

    No, as the walks are fully supported, you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone, etc.

  • What is the difficulty level of the walks?

    The walking is graded moderate (3). Daily walks are between 14 and 25km (8.7 and 15.5mi) on well-marked trails over diverse terrain, from relatively flat to coastal rocky to mountainous.

  • Is this a guided tour?

    No, this is a self-guided walking holiday; no guide is provided.

  • What happens if I need to skip a stage of the walk?

    Transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage are not included.

  • What is a Pilgrim Passport and is it included?

    A Pilgrim Passport is provided as part of the tour.

  • How fit do I have to be?

    Our adventures are first and foremost holidays and can be undertaken by anyone in a reasonable state of health and fitness - however, please carefully read our Terms & Conditions when booking and view the trip grading. We rank our trips according to our honest Trip Grading System. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our grading system by reading our detailed trip notes (which you can order through this site) and to speak with us about the physical requirements of your chosen trip.

  • What happens if something goes wrong?

    On our guided tours, you travel in small groups with a local multi-lingual guide whose knowledge of the terrain, flora, fauna and history of the region is exemplary. Our self guided tours give you the freedom to explore at your own pace - but they're not unsupported. We provide detailed route notes and maps and our local partners are on hand throughout the day in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. All we request is that you select a program that matches your level of fitness to ensure that you have a comfortable experience.

  • I'm travelling solo on a self-guided trip. Do I pay the single supplement or the single traveller surcharge?

    Most of our self guided trips are priced based on twinshare. If you are travelling solo the single traveller surcharge will apply. The single supplement would apply if you were travelling in a party with others and you had chosen to book a single room. You would never pay a single traveller surcharge and a single supplement.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

A. Einy(Windsor, Canada)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

16 Oct 2024

Excellent planning. Very good accommodation!

P. Bullot(Queens Park, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

26 Sep 2024

A wonderful and at times challenging 6 days! Highly recommend this section of the Norte.

M. Courtney(Nelson, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

6 May 2024

We loved our Camino experience - meeting great people, staying in great accommodation and seeing more of northern Spain.

G. Gentizon(The Junction, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

10 Oct 2023

A thoroughly enjoyable experience, except for one hotel in Lazama.

P. Carrarini(Ascot Vale, VIC)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

06 Sep 2019

UTracks was a great trip provider, they took care of everything and we had no issues st all with luggage transfers. They were very accommodating in assisting with hotel transfers and were very quick in responding to all queries. Highly recommend them and will definitely be using them for our future hikes. ...more ...less

A. Kube(Strathdale, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

23 Apr 2024

The trip was enjoyable and rewarding. The days were quite long, 7 - 8 hours. The accommodation was usually 30 -45 minutes further along from where the trip notes ended for the day. There wasn’t a lot of time to stop and look around en route. Accommodation was really good with excellent hosts. Quite a lot of the walk was on hard surfaces, a bit hard on the feet at times. The views were spectacular, especially when near the coast. Our weather was perfect except for some rain on day 1, which didn’t matter too much. ...more ...less

K. Cordukes(Fitzroy North, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

3 Aug 2023

They did a great job with our walk from San Sebastián to Bilbao, the accommodation was great in most places and the tranfer of the luggage smooth.

A. Garland(Allambie, NSW)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

06 Sep 2018

The Camino Norte between San Sebastian to Bilbao is in beautiful Basque country, which is lush and green with rolling green slopes and beautiful beachfront towns. While some of the days are long, particularly the first one, the arrival into a beautiful town or village is worth the effort. It may be worthwhile considering breaking the first day's trek into two, to ease into the walk. We met several walkers who had previously done this part of the Camino and were returning for a second time, having enjoyed the walk so much. The luggage transfers were really appreciated, as it meant our day packs were much lighter and able to take extra, less essential, items. The UTracks office in Sydney are easy to deal with which makes advance planning more streamlined. ...more ...less

C. Brophy(Mount Coolum, QLD)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

23 Oct 2019

The Northern Camino self-guided walking tour is a fantastic way to explore the beautiful Basque countryside - but you need to break out your climbing genes because there are a lot of hills involved. And take some rubber glue with you because your boots will fall apart (both pairs of ours did!) The pay-off for all the up and down hiking is the opportunity for spectacular views. Accommodation was mainly excellent with friendly, helpful staff. UTracks, as always, highly organised and helpful. ...more ...less

A. Gazal(Currarong, Australia)  

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

22 Jun 2023

Read all 15 reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

Camino Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao

8 Days Starting in San Sebastian, Spain and ending in Bilbao, Spain

Visiting: San Sebastian, Getaria, Deba, Markina-Xemein, Gernika, Lezama, Bilbao

Tour operator:

UTracks

Tour code:

CMN

Group Type:

Independent

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

moderate

Tour operated in:

English

Activities:

Sightseeing

From: $1050 (USD)

NB: Prices correct on 22-Feb-2025 but subject to change.