With the news that the Camino Ninja app is again available to pilgrims and will be updated regularly going forward, the time is maybe ripe to look at some of the most helpful and beloved Camino apps, websites and resources.
Here is our list of the top 10 apps to consider when doing the Camino, in no particular order.
1. Camino Ninja
After the passing of its creator in July 2022, the Camino Ninja app was not available on the app store or play store for a while, but it is back and has been updated (and will reportedly continue to be going forward, according to Peter Eich who has taken it over from its late creator Andy Jensen). It is now again available from both the Apple istore and the Google Playstore.
It is free and offers offline information about accomodation and routes along the Camino, including exact distance and elevation calculations. You put in your route, where you are starting and where you want to walk and it calculates the distance, minimum and maximum elevation, elevation gain or loss and gives you the towns you will pass through and distances of those towns. It supplies great detailed information about each accomodation option, plus GPS ability to track yourself on the route maps, elevation maps and town maps to ease navigation.
Pros: its free and very intuitive and easy to use. It also has a handy feature where, once you have set your starting point and ending point for the day, you can click on the “dist” label on the left and it will give you real time info on your distance from both your planned destination for the day and your nearest town. You can also click on the “elev” label on the right to see the elevation map for the day along with a green dot that shows your current position.
Cons: Lack of cultural or historical information
2. Buen Camino
A firm favourite due to the high quality of its information and the fact that it is a free app, the Buen Camino app was developed by Carlos Mencos (a journalist and fellow pilgrim).
The app is filled with useful information and there is even a question section that answers some common questions like “Which way to choose”, Safety, cost, lodging and the planning of stages. You can save your own custom route and the maps work offline.
The descriptions of the stages includes information on difficulties, junctions and detours as well as alternative routes and information for bike pilgrims.
The route profile maps are perhaps the biggest negative, as they show relative elevation, but there are no elevation indications in meters or indications of kilometres between towns.
There is a map of the route, three days of weather information for your locality as well as great information about accomodation, which includes ratings, opening times, prices, opening dates and number of beds.
Even points of interest will have basic historical information. As an example the app will tell you that the Church of St Mary in Roncesvalles is one of the most emblematic sites on the Way, where mass is held and pilgrims receive the blessing prior to commencing their pilgrimage. It gives two paragraphs of historical information as well as the mass schedule.
The interface is easy to use and to plan your stops for the day, at a glance. It also offers information on various Camino routes.
Pros: it is free, and loaded with information, and easy to use.
Cons: the elevation map
3. The Wise Pilgrim app by Wisely
This app is very popular and not too expensive (you buy each route’s app seperately and they cost about a dollar).
The nicest feature is that you can set your start point for the day by swiping left and then this allows you to easily see the towns coming up next and your cumulative mileage for the day, making it great for planning your day.
It also features a good elevation map, although slightly hard to read, with kilometres between towns and elevation in metres indicated.
The app has a clean design, lists albergues, pensiones and casa rurales, including their services, such as laundry, meals and wifi, and phone numbers, whatsapp links, website info, emails and even Booking.com links when available.
It has good route information, including warnings such as a note that the bar at Litzoain’s hours are highly irregular or that the descent from Alto de Erro to Zubiri can be highly slippery after rain. The app can help with navigation when missing route markers.
There is less cultural or historical information than Buen Camino. For instance, to compare it says that “the Iglesia de Santa Maria in Roncesvalles holds a mass for pilgrims and a blessing every day at 8pm or 6 pm on weekends) and that the Real Colegiata de Santa Maria is a must see, but the relics and other remarkable objects are part of the museum (small price)”. It doesn’t contain much cultural or historical information.
The app is set into regions, then towns, which makes it easy to navigate.
Pros: not too expensive and makes planning for your day easy
Cons: lack of cultural or historical information
4. Rome2Rio
This free app is fantastic to research transport options to and from any points along the way. Simply put in where you are and where you want to go and it will give you all the options, including the recommended way of travelling, the cheapest option and also the fastest option. It even gives approximate costs, frequency of buses or trains, the stops, operators’ contact information etc.
5. My Camino Bed
The My Camino Bed website – www.mycaminobed.com
You can search either via map or via stage and easily find accomodation for each night.
(They have an app too, but it seems to be functional only on older versions of Android, so we couldn’t check it out). If this is the case for you too, use the website.
6. Jacostamp
This app doesn’t replace your pilgrim’s credential but it is a nice addition for a digital keepsake. It allows you to locate and get the digital versions of your stamps on the Camino de Santiago.
7. Booking.com
If accomodation is available to be booked ahead of time, it is often through the Booking.com system. Having the app on your phone makes it easy to locate accomodation and to book it.
8. Alertcops
The official app of the Spanish police (and the app they advise all pilgrims to download), it allows any Spanish or foreign citizen to inform Spanish law enforcement authorities about an alert, crime or incident that someone could be involved in (as a victim or witness).
9. Gronze.com
An online Camino planning website that gives route information, fantastic maps and route profiles and accommodation information. It might have accommodation that doesn’t feature on Booking.com. The website can be translated to Spanish or English. It is a great, up to date source of information on accommodation.
10. Whatsapp
An app that allows you to communicate with other users via an internet connection. Useful to communicate with accommodation providers or family back home. Very well known and needs little introduction.