Pilgrimage Routes

Pilgrims circling the Kaaba during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca
Route 25 km

The Hajj Route: Historic Pilgrimage Route

The sacred pilgrimage to Mecca that every able Muslim must undertake once in a lifetime, following rituals established by the Prophet Muhammad.

Desert landscape along the Abraham Path in the Middle East
Route 1200 km

Abraham Path: Historic Pilgrimage Route

A long-distance walking trail tracing the journey of Abraham through the Middle East, crossing Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel.

Waymark on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain
Route 800 km

Camino de Santiago: Historic Pilgrimage Route

The network of pilgrimage routes crossing Europe to reach the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, walked continuously for over a thousand.

Mount Kailash in Tibet, sacred peak for the Kora pilgrimage circuit
Route 52 km

Kora Around Mount Kailash: Historic Pilgrimage Route

The sacred circumambulation of Mount Kailash in western Tibet, revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, and followers of Bön as the center of the world.

Traditional torii gates along the forested Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail in Japan
Route 160 km

Kumano Kodō: Historic Pilgrimage Route

A network of ancient pilgrimage trails through the mountainous Kii Peninsula of Japan, connecting three grand shrines sacred to both Shinto and Buddhist...

Hikers on St. Olav's Way pilgrimage route through the Norwegian countryside
Route 643 km

St. Olav's Way: Historic Pilgrimage Route

Scandinavia's premier pilgrimage route, crossing Norway from Oslo to the medieval cathedral city of Trondheim along paths walked since the eleventh.

Pilgrim walking past a temple gate on the Shikoku 88 Temple trail in Japan
Route 1200 km

Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage: Historic Pilgrimage Route

Japan's most famous pilgrimage circuit, linking eighty-eight Buddhist temples around the island of Shikoku in a journey of approximately 1,200 kilometers.

The ancient southern steps leading up to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
Route 2 km

How Pilgrims Ascended the Temple Mount in Ancient Jerusalem

The physical and ritual journey that hundreds of thousands of Jewish pilgrims made three times a year to reach the Temple in Jerusalem.

Pilgrims in white ihram garments walking toward the Grand Mosque in Mecca
Route 8 km

How the Umrah Differs from the Hajj — Pilgrimage Guide

A guide to Islam's lesser pilgrimage — its rituals, spiritual significance, and how it relates to the obligatory Hajj. The Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage.

Rolling Tuscan hills along the historic Via Francigena pilgrimage route to Rome
Route 1900 km

Via Francigena: Historic Pilgrimage Route

The medieval pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, crossing England, France, Switzerland, and Italy over nearly 2,000 kilometers.