Get ready for the long road

When to buy

• Within 14–21 days of paying your deposit. Many insurers only cover pre-existing medical conditions if you buy in that window.
• Insure the full trip price, and add flights and other prepaid costs as you book them.
• Send us your insurer's name, policy number and 24-hour assistance number before your balance is due.

What your policy must include

• Emergency medical treatment abroad: at least $50,000
• Medical evacuation and repatriation: at least $100,000
• Strongly recommended: trip cancellation and interruption for the full trip price
• Look for: a pre-existing condition waiver, and coverage for hiking and walking

How to buy and what it costs

• Compare plans side by side on sites such as Squaremouth or InsureMyTrip, or ask your own agent.
• A full plan with trip cancellation usually costs about 4–8% of the trip price, roughly $200–500 per person depending mostly on age.
• A medical-only plan is often $75–150 but does not refund your trip if you cancel.
• "Cancel for any reason" upgrades cost more but refund part of the trip for reasons a normal policy won't cover.

When to book

• Wait until we confirm the trip is running (the minimum-group date in your booking terms), or buy a refundable or changeable fare.
• For Europe, fares are usually best about 2–6 months before departure. Set a fare alert with Google Flights.
• Arrive a day early if you can. A spare day protects you from delays and gives you time to get over jet lag.

Where to fly

• Normandy: fly into Paris (CDG), then take the train to Bayeux (about 2–2.5 hours from Paris Saint-Lazare). Fly home from Paris.
• West Highland Way: fly into Glasgow. You finish in Fort William and take the train back to Glasgow to fly home.
• Camino Stage 1: fly into Biarritz (usually through Paris or Madrid) and home from Madrid. Book an "open-jaw" or multi-city ticket.

Tips for the flight

• Send us your flight details as soon as you book, so we can plan arrivals.
• Pack medication, a change of clothes and your walking shoes in your carry-on. If a bag is late, you can still walk.
• Drink plenty of water, walk the aisle, and try to sleep on the overnight flight.

Passport

• Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave Europe, and issued within the last 10 years. We suggest 6 months to be safe.
• Renewals can take weeks to months. Check yours today.
• Keep a photo of your passport on your phone and a paper copy in your bag.

Travel authorizations

• France and Spain: the EU's online travel authorization (ETIAS) is due to start around the end of 2026. If it is in force when you travel, apply online a few weeks before.
• Scotland (UK): US citizens need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before flying. Apply on the official UK government site or app (about £20).
• Use only the official government websites. Look-alike sites charge extra fees.

Before you leave

• Enroll in the State Department's free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
• Tell your bank and card companies when you're traveling.
• Leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home.

Normandy · September

Usually 55–70°F, often breezy on the coast, with passing showers.

• A waterproof, breathable jacket
• Layers: a fleece or light sweater over quick-dry shirts
• Broken-in walking shoes or light hiking shoes (sand, farm tracks, some steep paths)
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the open beaches
• Smart-casual clothes for dinners and the American Cemetery

West Highland Way · June

Usually 45–65°F with long daylight. Expect rain and wind, especially on Rannoch Moor.

• Waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers
• Waterproof hiking boots with good grip
• A midge head net and repellent (Smidge is the local favorite). Midges are tiny biting flies and they are serious.
• Warm layers and a hat and gloves for exposed stretches
• Gaiters are optional but help on boggy paths

Camino Stage 1 · September

Cool mornings in the Pyrenees, then warm to hot afternoons (often 75–85°F) in Navarra and La Rioja.

• Light, quick-dry layers and a warm layer for the Pyrenees
• A wide-brimmed sun hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen
• Well broken-in trail shoes or light boots
• Trekking poles, which help a lot on the long Pyrenees descent
• A 1-liter water bottle or two; fountains are common but far apart in places

For every trip

• A comfortable 20–25 liter daypack with a rain cover
• Merino or synthetic walking socks (never cotton), plus a spare pair each day
• A blister kit: Compeed or moleskin, tape, small scissors
• Prescription medicines in their original packaging, plus a few extra days' supply
• A plug adapter: Type C/E for France and Spain, Type G for the UK
• Earplugs and an eye mask; a small headlamp

Leave at home

• Brand-new shoes. Break them in for at least 50 miles before the trip.
• Cotton T-shirts and jeans for walking days (they stay wet)
• More than one main bag; a hair dryer (most hotels have one)
• Valuables you don't need

Scott's favorite gear

The jackets, socks, packs and small items Scott and Erin actually use on the trail.

As an Amazon Associate, Long Road Expeditions earns from qualifying purchases. It doesn't change the price you pay.

Build up gradually

• Walk 3–4 times a week, adding about a mile to your long walk each week.
• By 4 weeks out, walk your trip's typical daily distance two days in a row (8–10 miles for Normandy; 13–17 miles for the West Highland Way and Camino).
• Train in the shoes, socks and daypack you'll travel with.

Add hills and stairs

• Hills, stadium steps or a stair machine build the legs for climbs and descents.
• The Camino's first day climbs about 4,400 feet over the Pyrenees. Hill training matters most for that trip.
• Practice with trekking poles if you'll use them.

Know your options

• In Normandy the coach meets the group at lunch every day, so you can walk half the day and ride the rest.
• On the West Highland Way and Camino, we can arrange a taxi for part of a stage if you need it.
• Tell us about any health concerns on your health form. We're glad to talk it through.

Money

• Bring a credit card with no foreign transaction fees and a debit card for ATMs. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
• Carry some cash (€100 or £100) for small cafés, tips and village shops.
• If a card machine offers to charge you in dollars, choose the local currency (euros or pounds). It's cheaper.
• Tipping is lighter than in the US. Service is included in France and Spain; rounding up or 5–10% for great service is plenty.

Phones

• Check your carrier's international plan, or buy a travel eSIM before you go.
• Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) for the areas you'll visit.
• We set up a WhatsApp group for each trip so everyone can reach the leaders. Install WhatsApp before you leave.

Health on the trip

• Pack a list of your medicines and doctor's contact details.
• Bring any allergy medication and your own pain relief and blister care.
• Drink more water than you think you need, especially on the Camino.

Visiting with respect

• Dress neatly and speak quietly in the cemeteries.
• Stay on paths, don't sit or stand on graves or memorials, and don't climb on bunkers marked off-limits.
• At the American Cemetery the flag-lowering ceremony is held at the end of each day. We plan the day so the group can be there.

Finding a family member

• If a relative is buried or memorialized in Normandy, tell us when you book. We'll work a personal stop into the route where we can.
• The American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov) has a searchable database of those buried and memorialized overseas.
• Bring a photo or a few words about them. Sharing their story with the group is often a highlight of the trip.

Buy travel insurance (within 14–21 days). Check your passport. Sign and return your forms.

Book flights once the trip is confirmed, or buy a changeable fare. Renew your passport if needed.

Start training. Break in your walking shoes.

Pay your balance. Send us your insurance and flight details.

Apply for your ETIAS or UK ETA if required. Set up your phone plan. Order any gear.

Check the weather forecast and pack. Tell your bank you're traveling.

Carry-on: passport, medicines, walking shoes, a change of clothes. See you there.