Camino Francés
16.8 km, 391 m up and 352 m down, through 3 places, 2 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from Pamplona. Most are too small to sleep in — a fountain, a chapel, a bar that may or may not be open — but they are what the day is actually made of.
The camino exits through the old city, passing the university campus and climbing gently through the suburbs of Iturrama and Cizur Mayor before reaching Cizur Menor. The way out of Pamplona is well-marked but the urban sprawl can feel long after the intimacy of the Navarrese villages.
Pamplona is the first city along the way with a post office (Correos ⨠), perfect for lightening your pack. The post office here can help you send your stuff to the Santiago post office, or to Casa Ivar (the same Ivar as the popular ‘Camino Forums’’). He offers package and luggage receiving & storage in Santiago. Prices range from 15-25€, depending on the size of the package. When you arrive in Santiago, stop by Ivar´s office and pick it up. Opening hours are listed on casaivar.com, or you can email Ivar at ivar@casaivar.com.
The camino leaves Cizur Menor on a track through farmland, climbing gradually toward the Sierra del Perdon. You'll pass through the abandoned hamlet of Guendulain before reaching Zariquiegui, about 6 km ahead. The ascent is steady but not steep at first, gaining elevation through open terrain with expansive views back toward Pamplona and the Pyrenees beyond. There's no shade and no water between Cizur Menor and Zariquiegui, so fill up before you leave.
Beyond Zariquiegui the path climbs steadily on a rocky track through scrubland and low trees. The terrain is exposed — no shade, no water. The final approach to the Alto del Perdon is steep and can be windy. The wind turbines appear first, growing louder as you approach, then the famous pilgrim sculpture comes into view at the summit. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the climb from Zariquiegui.
The descent from the Alto del Perdon is steep and rocky — the most challenging footing on this section of the Frances. Allow about 45 minutes to reach Uterga. The surface is loose stone and compacted earth, rutted by runoff. In wet weather it becomes genuinely treacherous. Once you reach the valley floor the walking eases dramatically, and from Uterga onward the terrain is flat farmland all the way to Puente la Reina.
The pass is exposed and wind can be fierce — gusts strong enough to knock you off balance are not uncommon. In winter or bad weather, the descent can be genuinely dangerous. There is no water, no shade, and no shelter between Zariquiegui and Uterga — plan accordingly.
From Uterga the camino follows a gentle track across open agricultural land toward Murozabal. The terrain is flat and easy, a welcome change after the descent. About 2 km of walking with the Sierra del Perdon now behind you.
Distance, climb and descent are measured along the GPS track for this camino — 269 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 16.8 km.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.