Best Non-Religious Pilgrimages
by Ephraim Vashovsky | Jan 18, 2019 | Blog, Uncategorized |
A pilgrimage is defined as a journey of self-discovery, almost always to a faraway place, in order to search for either moral or spiritual meaning. Contrary to popular belief, however, this doesn’t always go hand in hand with religion. A secular pilgrimage is a non-denominational journey that takes people to a site without having any religious agenda. People can still go on a spiritual journey regardless of the reason.
The pilgrimage along the Kumano Ancient Trail in Japan is not an easy one. Pilgrims walk along a serious of paths called the Kumano Kodo, which covers the Kii Peninsula. There, they would undertake a series of purification rituals. The walk itself is an important part of the journey and a great opportunity to explore Japan’s magnificent landscape.
There are many visual delights as you follow the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The Inca ruins, magnificent mountains, and the local flora and fauna are just some of the reasons it’s worth the trip. Visitors get a mixture of scenery, from
The trail goes over high passes with unforgettable views, through a cloud forest, and finally into subtropical vegetation. Over 250 species of orchid have been counted in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, as well as numerous rare birds, animals, reptiles, including several species considered to be in danger of extinction. In order to complete the Inca Trail, you need to have a reasonable level of fitness, age shouldn’t be a barrier. The most important thing is to be well acclimatized to the altitude. The maximum height above sea level along the way is 4200m so we recommend anyone coming from the coast to spend at least 2 days in Cusco before attempting the trek. This period is ideal for visiting the city of Cusco, the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman and the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Despite not being widely recognized in other parts of the globe, Mount Kailash is one of the most divine spots on earth and is referred to as the Precious Jewel of Snows. People come from all over to celebrate their Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon faiths. One of the challenges visitors face is the 32 mile Kora walk, which circles the base of the mountain, beginning at a height of 15,000 feet.
Camino de Santiago is Spanish for “the way of Saint James”. It consists of a network of roads that stretch across Europe, culminating at the tomb of St. James. The path is flat but very long, and pilgrims must be prepared to walk for up to 30 days.