Dear friends,

Thank you for taking the time to come to find out more about our forthcoming Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Our pilgrimage has two goals:

  • to provide you with the opportunity to walk prayerfully in the footsteps of Our Lord, and
  • to offer support and encouragement to our Christian brothers and sisters who live in the land of Jesus

Due to the hefty increase in airfares since the pandemic, and the poor US Dollar/Sterling exchange rate at the moment (all services in the Holy Land are priced in US Dollars), prices for pilgrimages have increased dra- matically this year. In order to try and offset these increased costs as much as possible I am organising this pilgrimage slightly differently in the sense that we are not buying a ‘package’ from a UK based Tour Operator, instead I have arranged a ‘ground package’ with Laila Tours and Travel Ltd based in Bethlehem and I will then purchase individual flights for pilgrims at the time I receive their completed Booking Form and de- posit.

By arranging the pilgrimage in this way we reduce the ‘costs’ and access cheaper airfares as we will not incur the ‘premium’ added to a group ticket.

The final cost for each pilgrim will be determined by two things:

  • When you book: the earlier you book the cheaper your individual airfare will be
  • How many pilgrims there are: the larger the group the lower the individual cost – common costs such as transport and our guide are shared between a greater number of people.

The price of your pilgrimage is £1,128 plus airfare per person, calculated on two pilgrims sharing a twin room in 3* hotels in Bethlehem and Nazareth on a half-board basis. Single rooms are limited in number and carry a supplement of £440 per room for seven nights. Flights will be with British Airways from Glasgow via London Heathrow to Tel Aviv.

Please have a look through the ‘Proposed Itinerary’ document on our microsite to see what our Pilgrimage will entail and if you would like to take part then please download the Booking Form and the Booking Form Notes, and return it to me by post or email.

When I receive your completed Booking Form I will contact you individually by email and give you details of how to pay your deposit of £800 per pilgrim. When I receive your deposit I will book your flight and send you a receipt for your deposit and a note of your outstanding balance.

Please ensure you have appropriate Travel Insurance from the time you make your booking – this is essential.

In the meantime, if you have any questions at all, please email me on david.borland@gallowaydiocese.org.uk and I will try to answer by return.

I look forward to travelling to the Holy Land with you, it will be a wonderful trip for us all.

Fr. David Borland