Worldwide Christian
Travel
WORLDWIDE Christian Travel
started in 1967 with tours to the Holy Land. Today, the family-run
company offers tailor-made tours and pilgrimages to countries of
biblical interest, for groups and individuals. If you organise a
tailor-made holiday elsewhere, WCT will arrange introductions to
the Christian community there. "Retreat Holidays" also operates
under the umbrella of WCT, and offers a combination of
holiday-and-retreat to various destinations. ATOL and ABTA
protected.
Contact:
Phone 0845 458 8308, or visit www.christian-travel.com/ or www.retreat-holidays.co.uk.
Special
Pilgrimages
SPECIAL Pilgrimages is a
family-owned company, with 30-years' experience in organising
pilgrimages and trips for parishes or dioceses. Destinations
include Finland, Poland, and Bosnia Herzogovina, as well as various
shrines. Individuals can book one of six Holy Land trips a year,
priced at £795 hb, including flights. The company supports
Christian communities, particularly in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. It
was awarded an outstanding service award from the Israeli Ministry
of Tourism in 1997. ATOL protected.
Contact:
Phone 0800 371972, or visit www.special-pilgrimages.co.uk.
McCabe
Pilgrimages
ALISTAIR McCabe set up his
company 30 years ago this year. He is still at the helm, and now
specialises in arranging pilgrimages for parish and diocesan
groups, particularly following St Paul's journeys, and to the Holy
Land. All trips include a £15 donation to the McCabe Educational
Trust, which has raised £1 million over the past five years for
Christian-run social-justice projects, mainly among the
Palestinians. All itineraries include opportunities to meet with
local Christians. ATOL and AITO protected.
Contact:
Phone 0800 107 3107, or visit www.mccabe-travel.co.uk.
World
Walks
WORLD Walks has specialised
in offering individual and group self-guided walking holidays since
2000. In 2004, this family-run company started offering pilgrim
walks. Most individual or parish itineraries are tailor-made and
self-guided (the company arranges maps and route notes,
accommodation, and luggage transportation), but some group guided
trips are also available. Pilgrim walks include routes in Austria,
Italy, Portugal, Greece, France, England, and the Camino de
Santiago. All payments are paid into a trust account until the
holiday has been taken.
Contact:
Phone 01242 254353, or visit www.worldwalks.com.
Christian House and
Church Swap
CHRISTIAN House and Church
Swap has been overseeing holiday house swaps between Christians
since 2003. About 150 active members are registered with the site,
about 30 of which are outside the UK. All registrations are
verified with the applicant's church leader. Enquiries about
potential house-swaps are made through CHCS. Fees are charged per
swap (£40 initially, £20 after that; £15 for 2/3 nights), ten per
cent of which is credited to the charity Supporting Tanzanian
Orphans and Widows.
Contact:
Phone 01728 663298, or visit www.christianhouseandchurchswap.co.uk.
Christian Home
Exchange Fellowship
THE Christian Home Exchange
Fellowship, a non-profit company, was founded by a clergyman in
1976, to provide affordable holidays. The site currently has about
250 active members, about half of whom are outside the UK.
Applications are taken on trust, and enquiries about potential
swaps are made direct. Annual membership is £25 for UK house swaps;
£30 for UK and international. A printed list is available for
members without internet access.
Contact:
Phone 01243 586751, or visit www.christianhomeexchange.net.
Oak Hall
Expeditions
OAK HALL offers a diverse
range of summer and winter holidays, from beach, cycling, and
walking breaks, to ski trips. The company, which began in 1961,
also offers regular trips to Israel and Pales- tine, taking in
sites in Jerusalem, Galilee, and Bethlehem. Week- end breaks,
camping holidays, and "Unlocking the Bible" breaks are also
available. Otford Manor, formerly Hildenborough Hall, in Kent, is
now the home of Oak Hall Expeditions. ATOL protected.
Contact:
Phone 01732 763131, or visit www.oakhall.co.uk.
Richmond World
Holidays
BEACH holidays in Samos,
Greece, and Bodrum, Turkey, are just two of the summer
destina-tions on offer through Richmond World Holidays. Others
include Croatia, the French Alps, and the Austrian Alps. The
company, which was established in 2007, also offers ski and
winter-sun destinations, and also tours of Israel (bespoke tours
can be arranged for groups). All resorts are run by Richmond staff,
and holidays include daily prayer, worship, and (optional) Bible
talks led by a visiting Richmond pastor. Travel Trust Association
protected; Samos: ATOL protected.
Contact:
Phone 020 3004 2661, or visit www.richmond-holidays.com.
Gold Hill
Holidays
SKIING, snowboarding, and
walking holidays in Switzerland are Gold Hill's most popular
breaks. The family-owned company, established in 1987, also offers
UK-based activity holidays, and biannual trips to Israel (the next
one is in 2014). There is an accent on adventure on a Gold Hill
Holiday, and a certain level of fitness is required. Holidays are
fully inclusive, including ski- and lift-passes, instruction, and
coach travel. Holidays feature an evening Bible study/talk, with
worship and prayer.
Contact:
Phone 01753 880753, or visit www.goldhillholidays.co.uk.
Lightline
Pilgrimages
LIGHTLINE Pilgrimages
arranges tailor-made tours for parish and diocesan groups, many of
which are open to others to join. Destinations include the Holy
Land, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Poland,
and trips that follow St Paul's missionary journeys. Most tours are
led by Anglican or Roman Catholic clergy, and many offer a daily
eucharist. Lightline supports Christian communities and companies
in Jerusalem, the Palestinian territories, and Israel. A percentage
of profits goes to charities in Nablus, Bethlehem, and Gaza. ATOL
protected.
Contact:
Phone 0845 610 6447, or visit www.lightline.org.uk.
Travelink
TRAVELINK has been
specialising in all aspects of travel to Israel for over 30 years.
You can book a flight only, join an organised tour, or book a
tailor-made holiday, pilgrim-age, or self-drive tour of the
country's many kibbutz. Pilgrimages include trips tailor-made for
church groups; ministry-led tours by various Christian leaders,
which are open to all; and historical and archaeological tours, led
by licensed Holy Land guides. ATOL and ABTA protected.
Contact:
Phone 0208 931 8000 or 0161 792 9666 (Manchester branch), or visit
www.travelinkuk.com.
Living the
Gospel
LIVING the Gospel
specialises in offering retreats and journeys connected with Celtic
Christianity, mainly in northern England, Scotland, Wales, and
Ireland. The company was started in 2000 by the Revd Rob Marshall,
in order to offer low-cost trips. It is now part of the Tailor-Made
Groups Company, which specialises in small-group travel. Most LTG
trips are arranged for church groups, and are led by Anglican
clergy; many are also open to individuals. TOPP protected.
Contact:
Phone 01992 579 697, or visit www.livingthegospel.co.uk.
Norman Allen Group
Travel
NORMAN Allen Group Travel,
which started more than 40 years ago, initially specialised in
selling ready-made wholesale holiday packages to coach companies.
For the past 20 years, this family-owned company has also offered
tailor-made pilgrimages by coach and air for church groups.
Destinations include Israel, Egypt and Jordan, Turkey, Ireland,
Armenia and Georgia, Greece, Italy, Spain, and France. The company
has recently started to offer individuals the opportunity to join
group departures. ABTA and ATOL protected.
Contact:
Phone 01432 277666, or visit www.group-travel.com/.
Journeying
JOURNEYING is an ecumenical
organisation that takes small groups of between five and 12 people
to sites off the beaten track in Britain and Ireland, many of which
have a Celtic connection. Walk leaders are lay Roman Catholics or
other Christians, and each day begins and ends with a time of
reflective worship. Journeying, which started out as Pilgrim
Adventure in 1988, is a not-for-profit venture, and each booking
includes a donation to Christian environmenal chari-ties.
Contact:
Phone 01799513750, or visit www.journeying.co.uk.