Mission Trip or Pilgrimage to Camino de Santiago

"...the world’s most active walking pilgrimage"

VOYAGE TYPE

Classic Pilgrimage
Historical Site

Since the 9th century, the Camino de Santiago has been one of the world’s most active walking pilgrimages. Trailing across northern Spain, and another number of routes across Europe, the Way, as it is known in English, still draws a couple hundred thousand people a year. The shell, a well-worn symbol of the Way, reminds you that something within humanity draws us toward God. We are a pilgrim people.

For years, Wonder Voyage has longed to create a Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage that is a bit different. We tailor a voyage that will best meet the personality of your team in pace, housing, adventure and spiritual direction. Our staff will lead you on the Way, taking care of all the details, so you can focus on both the outward and inward journey that happens. As you stand in the Cathedral of Santiago you will know something wonderful has taken place in your heart and in your team. Register for your Camino de Santiago voyage today!

Overview

Walk where pilgrims have tread for hundreds of years.
Engage in a pilgrims’ Eucharist with hundreds of fellow travelers.
Enjoy a gastronomical wonderland.
Learn the history of The Way.
Pray for your family and friends in chapels across Spain.

Itinerary

Every Wonder Voyage itinerary (mission trip and/or pilgrimage) is personalized to the desires, direction and personality of each group. This itinerary is only a description of the kind of journey we can create for your unique team.

Day 1 – Buen Camino
Welcome to Spain! A week of true pilgrimage will begin with a quick ride to the village of Barbadelo. This is the departure point for a journey that has been made by countless pilgrims over the centuries.The words “Buen Camino,” (Good Journey) are words of welcome that resound with the hope of a journey of transformation. They are words that will be oft heard and repeated along The Way. The week will provide a myriad of opportunities to think, pray, love, serve, and offer hospitality. After introductions and orientation, it will be time for us to rest and prepare our hearts and minds for the week ahead.
Day 2 – The Yellow Arrow
For centuries, pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago path. Over the years different methods were used to indicate the trail. In the 1980’s, a network of yellow arrows was initiated to mark the direction for pilgrims to walk. The Camino journey is a metaphor for life, and the yellow arrows are a consistent reminder that there are many instances where, without guidance, one has no direction. The lives of the saints who have gone before and the saints who walk today can be those “yellow arrows” when one has lost the way. As we begin this walk, we will follow the arrows, literally and metaphorically.
Day 3 – The Backpack
A new day dawns along the Camino. As shoelaces are tied and belongings are gathered, this will be a time to think about the burdens we carry. In daily life in North America, few people consider how much they carry around in purses, or backpacks, or cars; but along the Camino it is crucial to think about what one carries. As the miles go by, there will be time to ponder the burdens we carry and ways to deal with them.
Day 4 – The Walking Stick
Opportunities abound along the Camino to meet people of all sorts – different nationalities, races, genders, ages, and physical abilities. Many sojourners utilize a walking stick to increase stability and support. The longer one walks, the more welcome those walking sticks become. The love and support of trusted friends and companions can be like a walking stick. As the journey continues today, traveling companions and strangers alike will be considered as supports that will strengthen and support.
Day 5 – Water
At the halfway point of the journey one thing is certain: without water, the journey could not continue. Water is a source of life for the physical body, but it is also a source of vitality for the heart and soul. With its ability to cleanse and refresh, water can provide strength to the weary. Jesus brought “living water” to cleanse, refresh, and revive the souls of all God’s children. Each step this day will bring the chance to ponder the true source of life – the living water.
Day 6 – The Bandage
As the miles roll by, many pilgrims will deal with the problem of pain in one way or another. Blisters, cramps, muscle aches, and weary joints are all common, no matter age or fitness level. Bandages are things that most pilgrims carry; sometimes to use and sometimes to share. While hardly pleasant, pain presents the opportunity to learn, grow, persevere, and overcome. We will experience this as we continue our journey and we will choose to grow rather than give in.
Day 7 – The Scallop Shell
Today the road leads into Santiago de Compostela. Over the centuries the Scallop Shell has been a symbol of the Camino. Though the stories differ about its original meaning, it is certain that it represents the journey. All the lines on the shell lead to the same place. In the same way that the different walking routes of the Camino end up in the same place, the journey toward the heart of God will take different paths for each pilgrim, but all paths end up in that place of peace. We will contemplate this as we end our walking pilgrimage.
Day 8 – The Way of the Pilgrim
The trail has led to this holy place and the cathedral bells will be ringing. It will be time to rest. Today is a day for remembrance and recreation. It is a day to give thanks, to share, to laugh, and to rejoice. The faces of pilgrims who were met along The Way will now be the faces of friends. It is a day to revel in community and rejoice in what God has done this week.
Day 9 – Buen Camino
The Camino portion of this journey of transformation must end. As the transition from Spain to home begins, may the words, “Buen Camino” continue to resound in hearts and minds. The echo of these words and the memories along the way will become an ever-present reminder that life is a pilgrimage, and the lessons learned along The Way are universal ones, leading to Christ.