Top Tips for Planning a Spiritual Pilgrimage with Wonder Voyage

A personalized spiritual pilgrimage takes participants beyond cookie-cutter trips. When done well, these excursions can bring history and scripture to life in a unique way. In fact, a well-planned group trip can be life-changing.

In this article, Wonder Voyage offers five tips to take your next pilgrimage from good to great, including:

• How to choose a destination for your personalized pilgrimage
• Costs to consider when planning your trip
• The role of a service project in a pilgrimage
• How to avoid tourist traps
• When teams should consider hiring a travel expert

How To Choose A Destination For Your Team’s Personalized Pilgrimage

When people think about pilgrimage, the Camino de Santiago is often the first destination that crosses their minds. And for good reason, since about half a million people walked the Camino in 2023! But the Camino is far from the only option in the world of pilgrimage. To find the optimal destination for your group, consider:

• Do you want to stay domestic, or does your team want a new stamp on their passports?
• Are you looking for intense hiking, or does your team long for a laid-back tour to reconnect with church history?
• Do you want something traditional, like a spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land, or are you looking for something off the beaten path?

Take some time to brainstorm the pros and cons of location options before diving into budget considerations.

Costs To Consider When Planning Your Trip

Pilgrimage costs depend heavily on both the location and activities your team targets. For example, if your team opts for that famous trek in Spain, your on-the-ground costs will be less expensive, but the airfare can get pricey. If you stay domestic, however, airfare is cheaper, but room and board is often higher.

Consider the following questions.

• How much has the organization budgeted for travel?
• How will the group handle team fundraising?
• How much is each participant able to contribute?

Compare the destination notes to the budget information to begin narrowing your options.

The Role Of A Service Project In A Pilgrimage

Many teams assume they must choose between a service-focused trip and a pilgrimage. In reality, a team can do both. Adding a service project to your pilgrimage can enhance the overall experience in several ways.

• A service project can shift the focus from personal reflection to actively giving back to the area you’re visiting. This strengthens the team by creating a shared sense of accomplishment.
• Service provides a deeper understanding of the culture you’re visiting.
• A service project can broaden the team’s worldview by allowing them to see that needs are similar around the globe.

Whether your team chooses to work with underprivileged people, environmental causes, or education, a service project can help you leave a legacy that outlasts your stay.

How to Avoid Tourist Traps

A lot of traditional pilgrimage locations are packed with tourist traps. While using conventional travel books or websites can be beneficial for an overview of options, talking to locals is a better bet once on the ground. Locals can help with:

• Restaurant suggests with truly local flair
• Small businesses that can offer one-of-a-kind treasures to bring home as souvenirs or gifts
• Must-see locations and events that can enhance your trip

People are often proud of their culture and are more than willing to share it with visitors. The difference between being an annoying tourist and an invited guest can be as simple as asking about a local person’s favorite cafe rather than requesting directions to a chain coffee shop.

When Teams Should Consider Hiring A Travel Expert

Wonder Voyage has been in the personalized pilgrimage business for over 25 years, and we have made connections with tour guides, restaurants, small businesses, housing providers, and nonprofits worldwide.

In addition to this experience, every Wonder Voyage includes the following.

• Our office staff will help you find a location that fits your budget and trip requests.
• A Voyage Coordinator will plan all the trip details, from housing to food to daily logistics. We focus on the details, so you don’t have to.
• Your Voyage Guide is on the ground with you to connect you with once-in-a-lifetime local experiences.
• If you want to incorporate service projects into your pilgrimage, we can connect you with reputable nonprofits that align with your team’s core values.
• We hand-select safe accommodations in every location we visit and choose housing based on your team’s goals and budget.

Whether or not you choose to hire Wonder Voyage, we want your pilgrimage to succeed. To help with that, we wrote a curriculum so your team can add spiritual focus to your trip before departure. It’s our gift to you and can be downloaded here.

We believe a well-planned personalized pilgrimage or mission trip can reconnect people with wonder. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Contact our office today.