Preparing for your pilgrimage

When to do what

1. When you bookCheck that your passport is valid at least six months after your return date. Buy travel insurance soon, especially if you need coverage for a pre-existing condition.
2. 60 days beforeThe balance of your pilgrimage is due.
3. In the months beforeStart walking every day, building up to 2–3 miles. Break in your walking shoes. Pray the Rosary daily.
4. The week beforeTell your bank and card companies you are traveling internationally. Sort out your phone plan. Pack and put $145 for tips in an envelope.
5. Travel dayBe at the airport three hours before an international flight. Passport, medicines and a change of clothes in your carry-on.
6. You landLook for the “Triumph Pilgrimages” sign. The drive to Mirjana’s, by motorcoach or taxi, can take three hours.

Preparing body and soul

Before your pilgrimage, begin preparing physically as well as spiritually:

• Walk. If you are not used to physical activity, begin walking briskly once or twice a day, building up to 2–3 miles with no discomfort.
• Go to Mass. If you can, attend daily Mass, or spend quiet time in church during lunch or after work.
• Pray to have an open heart, open to the graces you will receive on this very special retreat with Jesus and His Blessed Mother, and open to hear Them.
• Pray the Rosary daily. Start small if you are not used to praying the Rosary: begin with the Apostles' Creed and seven Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glory Bes, as Our Lady has requested. This is called the Peace Rosary. It takes about 5–7 minutes.

Passport and entry

All U.S. citizens need a valid passport book, valid for at least six months after your return date to the USA. A passport card is not accepted for international air travel. If yours will not be valid long enough, contact your passport office immediately and apply for an expedited renewal.

No visa is required for U.S. citizens entering Bosnia and Herzegovina, and there are currently no other entry requirements. If you hold a passport from another country, it is your responsibility to check whether you need a visa. For the latest advice, see travel.state.gov.

No inoculations are needed to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina or to return to the U.S. The CDC (cdc.gov, 1-877-394-8747) has current travel-health advice.

Flights and the airport

Your ticket is an e-ticket. At check-in, show your passport; the agent will locate your travel itinerary from it, check your bag and give you your boarding passes. Your gate is given at check-in.

Check in at least 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one. Check your own suitcase at the airline counter and tell the agent your destination, so your bag goes through to your final destination. That way you will not have to collect it and go through security to check it again at a connection city.

Online check-in may stop with a message saying "document verification is required". That is normal for international flights: the airline has to see your passport. Go to the check-in desk or a staffed kiosk with your passport and they will give you your boarding pass.

Code-share flights. Airlines share planes, so a ticket showing one airline (United, say) may be flown by another (Lufthansa). Your itinerary will say "Flight operated by…"; check in with the airline that operates the flight.

Connections are set by the airlines. We book everyone to arrive and depart at similar times so the group transfers together to and from the arrival airport.

Jet lag. On the day you leave, get up earlier than usual. Drink plenty of water on the flight. After your evening meal on board, set your watch to local time and try to sleep. On arrival night, go to bed around 10pm. Some pilgrims find melatonin helps them sleep on the plane, and ginger helps with motion sickness.

Arriving in Medjugorje

After you land, go through passport control, then collect your luggage. In the arrivals hall a GOYA Tours representative will be holding a "TRIUMPH PILGRIMAGES" sign. It is usually about a three-hour drive to Medjugorje by private, air-conditioned motor coach.

We stay at the guest house of the visionary Mirjana. When we arrive, wait by the bus while the driver and our guide Miki unload the luggage, then pick out yours and bring it to the lobby. You will be directed straight to the dining room for a warm, large meal, and there you will be given your room key.

Luggage and security

Your pilgrimage includes one checked bag, one carry-on and one personal item:

• Checked bag: no more than 62 inches (length + width + height) and 50 lb (23 kg). An extra bag usually costs about $100 with the airline.
• Carry-on: please keep it to about 17 × 14 × 8 inches so it fits easily on the coach.
• Personal item: a backpack, purse, laptop bag or briefcase, in addition to your carry-on.

Liquids in your carry-on: the 3-1-1 rule. Containers of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less, all in one quart-size clear zip-top bag, one bag per person, taken out for screening. Liquids of any size can go in your checked bag. Medically necessary liquids, baby formula and breast milk are allowed in larger amounts; tell the TSA officer and have them screened separately. Full details are at tsa.gov.

Keep in your carry-on: all your medicines, your passport, money, documents and jewelry, and one change of clothes, in case a suitcase is delayed. Keep copies of your passport and a list of important numbers separately from the originals. Never leave a bag unattended.

Locks: use a TSA-recognized lock (Travel Sentry or Safe Skies), which security can open and relock without cutting it.

Lost luggage: go to your airline's baggage office in the terminal, fill in a missing-luggage form and keep all the paperwork. When the bag is found, our guide arranges for it to be delivered to Mirjana's.

What to wear

Dress is conservative and comfortable. Cover your shoulders and chest, with legs covered to at least the knee, at the religious sites you will visit every day. Short shorts, miniskirts and bare shoulders are not appropriate. Women do not have to cover their heads, and no one needs formal clothes.

• Shoes: one or two good pairs of walking shoes or hiking boots, broken in before you go. Roads are uneven and cobbled; heels are not practical.
• Layers: a light jacket or sweater for cool mornings and evenings, and rain gear.
• Summer: a sun hat and loose, light clothing. Women may like a shawl or sarong in their backpack to cover shoulders; men may find zip-off trousers handy.
• For the flight: loose clothes, socks or slippers, and lace-up or flexible shoes, as feet can swell.
• Ladies: purses are awkward in Medjugorje. A backpack or fanny pack is better.

What to pack

• Travel Bible, journal and rosary
• An alarm (or your phone)
• Medicines: pain relief, motion sickness, Imodium and a laxative, Pepto-Bismol, allergy and cold tablets, Band-Aids
• Travel-size toiletries, soap and a washcloth (guest houses usually do not supply them), and a hair dryer if you need one
• Tissues and hand wipes
• Your phone or camera, chargers, and a type F European plug adapter
• A travel poncho, and bug spray from May to September
• A neck pillow, eye mask and earplugs for the flight
• One or two plastic bags for laundry
• A pen for the plane
• An open heart

Printable checklistSuggested packing list for MedjugorjeOur suggested list, ready to print and check off as you pack.→

Money and tips

Currency. The local currency is the Bosnian convertible mark (BAM), but the U.S. dollar and the euro are widely accepted.

Cards and cash. Bring a Visa or Mastercard; American Express and Discover are not accepted. Many of the smaller shops in Medjugorje take cash only, and some ask you to pay the card fee. At Mother's Village, Surmanci and the Cenacolo, only cash is accepted. ATMs are open 24 hours, offer English, and charge about $5–15 a withdrawal; know your daily limit. Avoid changing money at airports or exchange booths, where fees are very high. Tell your bank and card companies you are traveling, so they do not block your card.

How much to bring. Budget at least $30 a person a day on top of tips. Most pilgrims bring $500–1,000, depending on how many gifts they plan to buy. One meal a day is not included. Other extras: a translation radio for the week is $10, the group photo calendar taken with Mirjana is $8, and a USB drive of all the homilies and talks is $25. We take up a collection during Mass at Mother's Village and Surmanci. Taxis are $8 a ride, however many of you share it.

Tips are an important part of the earnings of your guide, driver and the house staff. We recommend:

Who	Suggested tip
Guide	$10 a person a day (9 days)
The house (cleaning and cooking staff)	$5 a person a day (9 days)
Bus driver	$5 a person each way to and from the airport

Plan on $145 a person. Put it in an envelope and give it to us at the start of the pilgrimage, or before you leave.

U.S. Customs. You may bring home up to $800 of purchases duty-free; a flat 3% duty applies on the next $1,000. Keep your receipts.

Your stay

Rooms in Medjugorje are simple: one or two twin beds, a nightstand, an armoire and towels, with a modest private bathroom (sink, toilet and shower). Most are air-conditioned and smaller than you may be used to. Smoking is not permitted at the house. There is free Wi-Fi.

Meals. Breakfast and lunch are served in the dining room at Mirjana's; please don't take food out of it. Dinner is available at any café or restaurant. The house tries to accommodate special diets, but Triumph cannot guarantee a special meal.

Tap water is mountain water, and we drink it freely and have never had a problem.

Each day's program is posted in the lobby by our guide, Miki. Check it after lunch for the next day, and remember to take a photo of it.

Getting around

Be prepared to walk. It is about 15–20 minutes on foot from the house to the church. The Blue Cross is a 5-minute walk and Apparition Hill (Podbrdo) a 10-minute walk. Cross Mountain (Mt Križevac) will need a taxi from Mirjana's. Many streets are narrow and cobbled, with uneven surfaces; access for wheelchairs is usually limited to the streets.

Taxis cost US$8 a ride anywhere in Medjugorje, for up to four people, so share the taxi and share the cost. Use only official taxis with a meter and a sign, and tip the driver. Surmanci is about 15 minutes away by coach, as a group excursion.

The weather

Medjugorje has hot, dry summers and mild springs and autumns. These are rough daytime highs and nighttime lows:

Months Triumph is traveling · the darker part of each bar is the nighttime low

In midsummer, wear a sun hat, drink at least a quart of water a day, and climb early in the morning or in the evening.

Phones and electricity

Plugs and power. Bosnia and Herzegovina uses the European type F plug at 220 volts (the U.S. uses 110–120). Bring an adapter; a universal adapter with USB ports lets you charge several things at once. Phones and laptops handle the voltage, but check anything else. A converter is only needed for things like a curling iron.

Your phone. Ask your provider about an international plan before you go; most offer a flat daily fee that lets you use your phone as at home. Without one, turn data roaming off to avoid high charges. There is no room phone, so plan to use your own.

Calling home: dial 00, then 1, then the area code and number. People at home can usually call your mobile number as normal. The country code for Bosnia and Herzegovina is 387. If you use WhatsApp (strongly recommended), calls over Wi-Fi are free.

Shopping

Shops are open Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, some are open and others are closed. Tell the Tomato shops (ask for Andrea) that you are with Triumph Pilgrimages (Debbie Womack's group) for a discount, and St Michael's Shop for 20% off.

Remember that the shopkeepers are earning a living, and that the sacramentals they sell help spread the message of Medjugorje. Our Lady uses them to touch even the most hardened heart. If you would rather not buy anything, a stone from Apparition Hill or Cross Mountain is always a treasure.

Good to know

• Language: the official language is Croatian, but English is widely spoken and many signs are in English.
• Public toilets (WC) are found at most sites; keep tissues in your pocket.
• Local customs: local people in Medjugorje are very hospitable and gracious. Be wary of "instant friends", and never accept food or drink from strangers.
• Distances are metric: a kilometer is about 0.6 miles, a kilogram 2.2 pounds.

If something goes wrong

Your flight is canceled or delayed. Work directly with the airline at the airport; once tickets are issued, only the airline can change them. Be persistent but courteous: it is not the agent's fault. If you get nowhere, call 206 Tours, our ticketing agent, at +1 (800) 206-8687. If the airline cancels the flight and you cannot travel, the airline will rebook you on different dates and you will not lose any money, and we will refund the land portion of your pilgrimage, less credit card fees, unless we have already paid the hotel: hotels do not refund. If your flights are not canceled and you cancel, changing your flight to another date will result in a change fee determined by the airline. We are not involved in change fees due to client cancellation.

You miss your flight because you reached the airport late. Again, work directly with the airline. You will be charged a change fee determined only by the airline. We have no say in what they charge.

You miss the group transfer because your flight was late or rerouted. Take a taxi at your own expense, or call us at +1 (740) 317-1547 at least four hours before your new arrival time, and Triumph will try to arrange a private transfer, at your expense. You will pay the driver directly in euros or US$. Keep every receipt to claim from the airline or your travel insurance.

A problem during the pilgrimage. Tell us or our guide right away. Very little can be put right once you are home.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended and cannot be purchased once your travel is underway. All insurance must be paid two weeks before departure. If you opt for Cancel for Any Reason insurance, it must be paid when your reservations are made: the insurance company will not honor Cancel for Any Reason insurance bought after the initial reservation. That is an insurance company policy. See our questions page or 206 Tours' travel insurance page, which answers most questions about coverage.

To make sure you will be refunded if you must cancel, get Cancel for Any Reason coverage or travel insurance. The airlines will not refund tickets for canceled flights without it, and Triumph Pilgrimages cannot be held liable for canceled tickets.

You may purchase your own travel insurance. One company to use is Trawick International.