Pilgrimage around the world: a comparison by country

Millions of people travel every year to a place they hold sacred. The hajj to Mecca, the walk to Santiago, the bath at the Kumbh Mela, the circling of Mount Kailash, the climb of Mount Fuji, the visit to Lourdes or the Western Wall: each is a journey with a purpose beyond travel. Pilgrims describe it as a way to give thanks, to seek forgiveness, to pray for a cure or simply to be near the holy. The road may be long and hard, and much of its meaning lies in the effort and in the company of others. Here is how different peoples go on pilgrimage and what they do when they arrive.

What it is for

A pilgrimage takes a person out of daily life into a time and place set apart. For believers it is a duty, a vow or a gift to the spiritual life, and many say it changes them. It may atone for a fault, fulfil a promise or seek a blessing for the family. Pilgrims often say it taught them humility and gratitude, and made them part of a long line of travellers. Shared hardship creates friendships that last for life, and the sites themselves are often places of great beauty and history.

Common elements across cultures

A pilgrimage has a destination, often a shrine, mountain, river or tomb, and a route, often with traditional stages. Pilgrims carry a staff, a shell or a badge, wear white or simple clothing, and give up comforts. They circle the holy site, bathe in sacred water, touch or kiss a sacred object, light a lamp and leave an offering. Hospitality along the road, from free meals to places to sleep, is a big part of the tradition. The return, with a souvenir or a blessing for those at home, completes the journey.

Food, dress and music

Pilgrim food is plain and shared: dates and water in Mecca, free community meals, langar, at the Golden Temple, simple rice and dal at Hindu centres, bread and wine on the Camino. Dress is modest: white ihram for the hajj, saffron robes in Hindu pilgrimages, black in Orthodox sites. Singing and chanting carry the walkers, from hymns to devotional songs, and bells, drums and conches announce arrival. Many pilgrims bring home a small token, such as a scallop shell, water from the sacred river, prasad sweets or a blessed cloth.

How it is changing

Air travel, buses and organised tours have made pilgrimage faster, and numbers have grown. Crowd control, health and the environment are now major concerns, and sites use apps, timed tickets and digital maps. Meanwhile, many people walk the old routes for a mix of spiritual and personal reasons, including many who say they are not religious. Heritage and tourism agencies work with local communities to protect the sites and the pilgrim's experience. The tradition shows no sign of declining and in some places is growing fast.

Pilgrimage around the world

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

The hajj to Mecca is a duty once in a lifetime for those who are able, with the pilgrims in white ihram circling the Kaaba, standing at Arafat and throwing stones. About two million people take part each year.

Hajj, being written

🇮🇶 Iraq

Arbaeen is a mass walking pilgrimage to Karbala, forty days after Ashura, in which millions of Shia Muslims walk for days, fed by volunteers along the road. It is among the largest gatherings in the world.

Arba'in, being written

🇮🇳 India

The Kumbh Mela, held in rotation at four cities, gathers tens of millions for a holy bath, and the Char Dham and Varanasi are year-round destinations. Sikh pilgrims visit the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

Read: Kumbh Mela

🇳🇵 Nepal

Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, draws Buddhists from every country, and Pashupatinath in Kathmandu hosts the great Maha Shivaratri gathering of Hindu sadhus. Pilgrims also visit the Muktinath shrine, which is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.

Lumbini, being written

🇨🇳 Tibet and China

Tibetan pilgrims walk the kora, a circuit, around Mount Kailash, some prostrating along the full length of the route. The Five Sacred Mountains and Mount Tai are traditional Chinese destinations.

Mount Kailash, being written

🇯🇵 Japan

The Shikoku pilgrimage, the henro, follows 88 temples associated with the monk Kukai, taking weeks on foot, and the Kumano Kodo trails are a UNESCO World Heritage route. Pilgrims wear white and a conical hat.

Read: Shikoku Pilgrimage

Compare all 20 places

Traditions to start with

Kumbh MelaThe great Hindu bathing festival.

Camino de SantiagoThe way of St James.

Shikoku PilgrimageJapan's 88 temples.

Qoyllur Rit'iThe Andean snow-star pilgrimage.

Also part of it, and being written: Hajj (The pilgrimage to Mecca.), Arba'in (The walk to Karbala.), Kora (The Tibetan circumambulation.), Lourdes (The French Marian shrine.).

Questions people ask

What is the difference between a pilgrimage and a holiday?

A pilgrimage is a journey with a religious or spiritual purpose, which often involves some hardship. Many people now combine the two, and the distinction is up to the traveller.

Do you need to be religious to walk a pilgrim route?

No. Many routes, such as the Camino, are walked by people of all beliefs and none, though they are asked to respect the sacred sites and the customs of the places.

What do pilgrims wear?

Often plain or traditional dress: white for the hajj and in Japan, saffron in Hindu sites, and practical walking clothes on European routes. A badge, shell or staff is common.

Is pilgrimage a duty?

In Islam the hajj is one of the five pillars, for those who can. In other faiths it is highly valued but optional.

How do I behave at a sacred site?

Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked, keep quiet, ask before photographing, and follow the instructions of local guides and worshippers.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

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