4 Epic Zarautz Surf Camp Packages for 2026
We think Zarautz is still underrated as learning to surf destinations go. It’s as good as lots of spots in Portugal for learners – Peniche included – but is still nowhere near as busy.
Regular, consistent, punchy swells touch the coast here from the NW Atlantic, pumping down workable waves pretty much all year round, though winters are much heavier than summers.
And you’ll enjoy the history, culture, and wild beauty of the Basque Region to boot. That means BBQ evenings with pintxos small dishes, wild hikes in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and loads more.
When it comes to picking a Zarautz surf camp, you don’t actually have all that many options.
This place isn’t inundated like many Euro surf towns. But it does have a few really great options. Here’s a look at those…
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
>>This is just one part of our complete overall guide to surfing in Spain and our guide to surf camps
Quick-book the best Zarautz surf camp…
- Zarautz Surf House – Best surf house in Zarautz right now
- San Sebastian Surf Camp x Stoke Surf House – The best party surf camp (maybe in the whole of Spain!)
- Good People Surf Zarautz – A sociable, eco-friendly surf camp
- North Shore Surf Camp – Best for kids in summer
Zarautz Surf House
One part backpacker hostel, one part surf camp, the Zarautz Surf House strikes the perfect balance for surf-travelers on a budget.
They’ve got a series of downright excellent dorms with some of the plushest and most spacious double beds we’ve ever seen in a hostel, anywhere – think pull-back curtains for privacy and premium linens. This is NOT a downtrodden, ramshackle hostel but something rather nice indeed.
The property itself is on one of the main drags of Zarautz town. It’s fronted by the on-site coffee shop come café, where you can start the day with a strong coffee before heading out to surf.
It’s no more than 75 meters from the main beachfront of Zarautz, which means you’re a short 30-second stroll from the surf spots each morning, but also near the main supermarkets, bars, and cafes that pepper the downtown.
There are add-on surf courses you can do at Zarautz Surf House. They’re run by ISA-1 and ISA-2 level instructors and never exceed more than six students per teacher. That’s a very good ratio.
San Sebastian Surf Camp x Stoke Surf House
The San Sebastian Surf Camp have teamed up with Stoke Travel to offer some of the wildest surf and party camps in Spain. Where else can you nail down an open bar each evening for just €15!?
The base is a converted Basque Country farmhouse about 20 minutes’ drive south of the town.
It’s perhaps an unlikely setting for a place where the evenings go off in a haze of sangria sloshing and skating on the in-house halfpipe. Then you realise that getting away to the Basque hills means you can party all night without any noise complaints.
The San Seb Surf Camp is not just about guzzling cerveza. The surf offering is also pretty epic, especially if you’re one of those that likes to learn at their own pace with plenty of time to experiment and tweak technique.
On the eight-day package, you get an introductory surf lesson and then guided surfs every day. The idea is that you get the pointers on day one and spend the next sessions honing it.
Guests can also join guided hikes in the incredible Pagoeta National Park, a land of flower meadows and forests. Provided the hangover isn’t too bad, of course!
Good People Surf Zarautz
This has to be one of the best-vibes surf camps on offer in Europe right now, making surf accessible, fun, and – above all – sociable.
If you’re after a vacation that’s more about making pals and less about uber-intensive technique tweaking, this is the one for you.
You’ll all hang out and meet new people in the super-cool glamping site that is the accommodation of choice. Guests bed down in spacious bell tents or stand-up cabin tents and gather in the communal dining space later on for meals of fresh Spanish barbeque and live music.
These semi a-fresco packages only run throughout the summer, so the weather’s usually warm enough to stay up chatting and sinking beers until the early hours.
If you choose to add on the intensive surf package (and we highly recommend you do), you’ll surf five times in the week with a guide, get 2x video coaching sessions, learn how to read surf forecasts, and get personalized training plans to boot.
There’s free use of surf equipment throughout, too, which means you can stick around the beach and practice as much as you want pre- and post-session.
North Shore Surf Camp
The North Shore Surf Camp is one of the original camps in Zarautz. Created by locals for everyone, they’ve crafted some of the highest rated packages of anyone in the region and run different camps for different skill levels and age groups.
The key is keeping it simple. These guys offer highly qualified surf instruction that’s all but guaranteed to get you improving, along with a camp that’s both comfy and downright good fun to be at.
What’s great is that they’re one of the few residential surf camps actually in the town of Zarautz itself. That means you can grab a coffee and sink a beer at the local bars just steps after walking out the front door.
It also means that the surf breaks, which are on beaches that line the front of the town, are within walking distance. That means minimal hassle each morning when you head out for guided surfs and free surfs.
There’s a good array of adult surf camps peppered throughout the year, from weekend camps in June to late-season Halloween camps in October. You can take your pick.
We’d also add that these guys do one of the most fantastic surf camp offerings for juniors, with tailored tuition and dedicated camp weeks for different age groups (11-14 and 15-18).
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
