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Female Hygiene Tips & Advice for the Camino de Santiago

Days We Spend

9,872 views

Let's talk about all aspects of female hygiene on the Camino de Santiago including going pee on trail, how to deal with your period, what to do if you gotta go number 2, and other helpful tips to make your Camino more comfortable.

I'm joined by my friend Sara so you can hear the thoughts from two women who have walked many Camino routes.

Kula Cloth - https://alnk.to/6xHMoa4
Sea to Summit Hand Soap Flakes - https://alnk.to/hhy0cYu
Branwyn Merino Essential Racerback Sports Bra - https://alnk.to/5jnbnlQ
Branwyn Merino Essential Bralette - https://alnk.to/gKP2soy
Branwyn Merino Essential Bikini Underwear - https://alnk.to/2QvaXZE
Matador FlatPak Soap Bar Case - https://alnk.to/3J3EH5J
Dr. Bronner’s Bar Soap - https://amzn.to/32UjfA3
Little Seed Farm Natural Deodorant - https://amzn.to/30d3XII
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bags - https://amzn.to/3NR3ao8
Hero Clip Small - https://amzn.to/3UEiZ5i

Shawn and Lainey have walked 13 Caminos together. In 2025, we walked the Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria and the Camino Inglés. In 2024, we walked the Camino Sanabrés, Camino Lebaniego, Camino Vadiniense, Camino San Salvador, and Camino de Madrid. We hiked the Camino Frances, Via Podiensis, Camino Primitivo, and Camino de Invierno in 2023. We walked the Camino del Norte in 2019 and the Camino Frances in 2017. We packed ultralight bags for all of our journeys.

Camino de Santiago: Tips and Advice
Camino de Santiago Packing Lists
Camino Frances Vlogs (Camino de Santiago)
Camino Primitivo Vlogs (Camino de Santiago)
Camino Invierno Vlogs (Camino de Santiago)
Camino Del Norte Vlogs (Camino de Santiago)
Via Podiensis Vlogs (Camino de Santiago)
Camino De Santiago Stories

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:38 What to Expect
02:01 Number 1
05:46 Menstruation
09:57 Number 2
11:22 UTIs and Yeast Infections
12:15 General Hygiene
17:08 Final Thoughts

All music from Epidemic Sound: https://share.epidemicsound.com/73bijl
🎵Theme Music 🎵 TrackTribe: “Watch It” audiolibrary

20 Comments

@Andy-Mesa 11 months ago (edited)

I'm not a lady but I still have stuff to add, because it's me 😝

- Don't rely on hand sanitizer; it doesn't kill norovirus which is the most common way people get sick on trail.
- I gifted a pee funnel to my partner and she enjoys it, but it was a long learning curve. She couldn't actually start peeing for the first several times that she tried, so def don't just take it with you and expect it to work first time. Practice!
- Bidets are great! You can get one that attaches to your water bottle, or if that grosses you out get a small lab bottle with a spout. It's so much more refreshing than toilet paper and you don't have to pack anything out!
- I take one of those tiny bristle brushes and pop out the flexible bristle part and just use that. It's really easy to do, no sawing necessary.

@harmstrongb 11 months ago

Just a couple of thoughts/additions. If you've tried a period cup and found it uncomfortable, seek out a period disk. There are reusable and disposable ones out there. Paired with period undies, they are my go to when backpacking. I SWEAR by taking an ultralight weight umbrella. I've got one from Montbell that folds down very tiny. It helps protect from sun, rain (especially if a raincoat is too hot), AND if there is no other privacy, can hide my bum if I gotta squat. Montbell also has WAG bags that are very compact and have powder that solidifies liquids and neutralizes solids. Finally, for all forms of travel, I cannot live without some version of a travel bidet. For minimalists a tiny backpacking one (Garage Grown Gear and others have a variety) paired with a soft water bottle like Platypus, and then all the way up to battery powered ones, make a HUGE difference in how easy it is to stay clean on trail (and helps keep your Kula cleaner too/reduces the amount of toilet paper and wipes you use). Thanks for posting this. Decades ago when I started backpacking learning was all trial and error. Can't wait to do a Camino.

@jessicajohnson8416 11 months ago

This was great!! Thanks so much for your perspective and advice!!!

@klike8635 3 months ago

A good tip: You can take a bottle of water into the stall and wash the cup without having to use a public sink.

@andreaschwartz4082 10 months ago

You answered so many questions I've been holding back!! Thank you both!

@Soloshelb 11 months ago

Great info! 👏🏼

@sbartdbarcelona44 11 months ago

So useful. Thx you

@The_Dangerous_Beans 11 months ago

Thanks so much for making this video! I appreciate how thorough you were with discussing all the different topics, including stuff I never would have thought of, like the dry bag for inside the shower stall! It was nice to learn that it is easy to get menstrual products on trail in the stores there; I wasn't sure what to expect. That relieves me quite a bit--I thought I might have to bring a boatload of stuff just in case! Thanks again. Muchas gracias, amigas!

@SierraEssex 3 months ago

Thanks!

@NadineWalks 11 months ago

Wonderful info and tips!! Lani, your hair looks GREAT on the Camino!! Yay for Dr. Bronner's!

@TabbyCat65 8 months ago

This was really useful information I was worried about the peeing enroute situation thanks xx

@delsiag.7226 11 months ago

Great video!!! My husband and I have wondered about 1 & 2 and what to do!Now we know!

@patrickmaccia6443 11 months ago

I really was hoping to hear Shawn’s perspective on these topics. 😂

@just_annika 3 months ago

Great advice! I bought the Kula cloth and hope it will work well on my Camino. Tampons with applicators - I feel like that's truly a US thing :D I have period underwear, but at home, it can take days to dry. Hence, I'm planning to take a menstrual cup I've been using for many many years, combined with pads so I don't have to stress about changing it more than once a day. Smart idea to cut the shampoo/shower bar in half!!

@jerkytoo8184 8 months ago

Not a woman here, but useful information. I'm toying with the idea of going on the Camino and gathering tips and ideas from experienced people.

@SannaI-m9x 4 months ago

I already used a kula cloth on hikes but for my camino last month I also brought a pstyle and OMG what a game changer to be able to pee standing up without having to unbuckle my trouser belt or drop my trousers. Thanks to its design and being rigid plastic there was no risk of accidents of the sort that I encountered when practicing at home with a soft sided she-wee. Only had to practice a couple of times at home to be 100% confident about the pstyle. Absolutely became a favorite piece of gear and I will never again hike without it. Nice also not worry about ticks (read beforehand that they are very prevalent in Galicia) or nettles when squatting!

@momoffour2072 11 months ago

One of our mottos on the Primitivo: never pass an aseo!

@musicgrrl11 7 months ago

Hi hi, great video, thanks! Would you do or have you done a video on sports bras you'd recommend? I am a bit busty, and while sports bras are comfy at first, they always stretch out. Are there any you would recommend?