American Pilgrims on the Camino is a non-profit organization whose objective is to facilitate communication within the community of North American pilgrims, particularly those in the United States. American Pilgrims continually seeks meaningful ways to support the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

The mission of American Pilgrims on the Camino is to foster the enduring tradition of the Camino by supporting its infrastructure, by gathering pilgrims together, and by providing information and encouragement to past and future pilgrims.

Our mission:

American Pilgrims on the Camino is a non-profit organization with three goals: To support the Camino. To gather pilgrims together. And to provide information.

To support the Camino, we collect and disburse funds and we train hospitaleros (hosts) for the Camino refugios (pilgrim refuges or hostels). The funds are used for the maintenance and enhancement of the Camino itself, going to specific hostels being built or being repaired, to associations providing services along the Camino, and to other Spanish entities directly involved with the Camino. American Pilgrims hospitaleros serving in Camino refugios are trained in conformity with the training that Spanish hospitaleros receive, so that they are prepared to step in as full partners. Our intention is to promote a positive American presence on the Camino and to support this physical and spiritual journey that has been meaningful and life-transforming to innumerable people for over a thousand years.

To gather pilgrims, we hold a large annual Gathering in the spring open to members and nonmembers, walkers and non-walkers, pilgrims who have been and pilgrims who are yet to be - this so that the enthusiasm for the Camino can be shared. In order to make the event as widely accessible as possible, we vary the location: California, Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri and Canada have been previous sites. A number of smaller regional Gatherings have also taken place, where people relive the companionship of the albergues, create a meal from the simple ingredients they bring to share, take a walk together and explore some facet of the Camino's history and tradition. And of course, this web site also gathers pilgrims, so that they can tell their stories and share their experience, to remember and to encourage.

To provide information, we maintain this web site, offering up-to-date reviews of Camino literature, travel suggestions, practical advice, announcements, historical commentary, a page of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and constantly expanding ways of encouraging greater knowledge of the Camino. For members, we publish a newsletter that provides organizational and internal information about decisions and actions taken by the Board, including the association's annual report, as well as recommendations and commentaries from various members. We also encourage the exchange of ideas and stories in more immediate and informal ways. Look us over!

If this sounds like an organization that you would like to be associated with, please consider visiting our Membership page to see further information about the benefits of joining. In addition, American Pilgrims on the Camino is always in need of volunteers for a wide variety of positions and tasks, large and open-ended as well as small and discrete.

But aside from those suggestions, we invite you to look around our site whether you are a prospective pilgrim looking for information about the Camino or you are a past pilgrim looking for memories. ¡Buen Camino!