Preparing

Preparation isn’t about perfection — it’s about removing friction so the pilgrimage itself can flow.

Physical Preparation

Break in your shoes — The single most important thing. Wear your trail runners on daily walks for at least two weeks before departure. Blisters end pilgrimages.

Build stamina — If you’re not used to walking 13 km daily, start building up:

  • Week 1–2: 30-minute daily walks
  • Week 3–4: 60-minute walks, varied terrain
  • Week 5+: Practice full-distance days on weekends

You don’t need to be an athlete. You need to be comfortable walking for hours.

Mental Preparation

Start a meditation practice — Each session on the pilgrimage will be at least 30 minutes. If you’ve never sat that long, start now:

  • Begin with 10 minutes daily
  • Add 5 minutes each week
  • By departure, aim for 20–30 minute sessions

Set an intention — Not a goal, not an expectation. An intention is a direction, not a destination. Something like: “Be present” or “Listen more than I speak” or “Release what I’m holding.”

Prepare for discomfort — Walking all day is tiring. Group dynamics can be challenging. Silence can be confronting. This is all part of it.

Packing

Less is more. Everything goes in a daypack.

Essentials:

  • Trail runners (broken in)
  • Layers for warmth and rain
  • Water bottle
  • Kinesthetic tape (for knees, ankles, feet)
  • Sunscreen and hat
  • Small first-aid basics
  • Journal and pen

Optional:

  • Camera (use sparingly — see Radical Presence)
  • Meditation cushion or shawl
  • Earplugs for shared accommodation

Leave behind:

  • Books (you won’t read them)
  • Excess clothing (one outfit for walking, one for evening)
  • Anything “just in case”

Group Preparation

If you’re organizing a group pilgrimage:

  • Designate a trip organizer — One person handles all bookings (hotels, restaurants, transport, luggage transfer) and collects money from everyone. Everything splits evenly. This removes decision fatigue from the group and keeps logistics out of the walking hours.
  • Collect emergency info — Before departure, gather allergies, dietary restrictions, medications, and emergency contacts from everyone. Keep it in one document the organizer carries.
  • Pre-trip call — Get everyone on the same page about format, expectations, and ethos
  • Share this site — So everyone understands the walk-talk-meditate framework
  • Prepare “in silence” tags — Simple lanyards or badges everyone can wear
  • Assign a facilitator — Someone to guide evening discussions and hold the group rhythm (this role can rotate)
  • Agree on digital detox level — Full phones-away or designated check-in times

Nice to have

  • Daily roles rotation — Navigator (holds the map), snack carrier (trail snacks for the group), photographer (one person captures the day so everyone else stays present). Rotate daily.
  • Group journal — A physical notebook passed around each evening. Everyone writes a line or a page. By the end, it’s a collective artifact of the trip.
  • Shared photo album — After the trip, set up one place where everyone drops their photos. No chasing people for pictures months later.

Digital Detox Plan

Decide before you go:

  • When will you use your phone? (Navigation, emergencies, evening check-in)
  • Where will you keep it? (Bottom of daypack, turned off)
  • What will you tell people at home? (Set expectations for limited contact)
  • How will you capture memories? (Journal, brief photos, voice recordings)

The clearer the plan, the less willpower it takes on the trail.