Travelling For Faith? Four Things You Should Do To Prepare

Source: Max Pixel

For some people, the idea of a pilgrimage barely crosses their minds, but others think about the day they will begin their journey from the moment they know what a pilgrimage is. In short, a pilgrimage is an incredibly meaningful journey with a highly spiritual significance. Typically, travellers journey to a place of importance in their religion, such as Mecca for Muslims, or Jerusalem for Christians. If you’re planning to head out on a spiritual journey sometime soon, here are four things that you need to do to prepare.

Do Some Homework

It’s essential that you do some research on your religion, different pilgrimage sites, and their rules before you head out on your travels. Depending on your religion, you might have a few different religious sites to choose from, so find out which is most significant to you. You should also research the weather and conditions in your chosen destination, as this will greatly affect your trip and the things you need to pack for along the way. You can also use this time to research different accommodation, so that, even if you don’t book it right away, you know of some places you could stay.  

Get The Right Documents

While you’re doing this research, you need to find out what documents you’ll need to get to complete your pilgrimage. If you’re wondering, “Do I need a visa for Umrah?”, the short answer is yes, but you can’t apply for a visa directly if this is your purpose in Saudi Arabia. You’ll need to use an authorised agent who can offer you an Umrah package. Other pilgrimage destinations don’t need a specific visa but will require at least six months on your passport, so make sure yours is valid.

Take Care Of Your Health

Different countries have different viruses and diseases that you aren’t used to, so it’s essential that you visit your doctor before you leave and let them know where you’re travelling and how long for. They may offer you a vaccine to keep your healthy and on your feet your entire journey. You should also make sure that you take a small first aid kit and a few different types of medicine that your doctor might not need to prescribe, such as painkillers and flu and fever medicine. Since you'll be walking a great deal, it’s also important to practice walking a few months leading up to your trip.  

Be Able To Contact Home

Your journey is about you and your faith, but don’t forget your loved ones back home along the way. While you’re having an extraordinary time, they’ll be at home wondering where and how you are. To make this trip easier for them, ensure that you have a way of contacting them. To avoid ridiculous charges, leave your phone on airplane mode, but connect it to the wifi in your hotel, and check in on them at least once a day.

If you intend to travel for faith, make sure that you prepare properly to get the most out of your spiritual journey.