This Baha’i Pilgrimage Haifa Israel blog will begin its journey from my boarding of EL Al Airlines. If you interested in reading the two earlier blog post’s I made about preparing for the trip, you can view them here (will open in a new window):

• Haifa Israel Travel Tips
• 48 Hours Until Takeoff to Haifa (More Tips)
• First Stop – Arrival to Hong Kong

The most secure airline ever....

The flight on EL AL from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv is around 11 hours. The length of this flight is largely due to the fact that Israeli airlines will NOT fly over Arab countries. I guesstimate if they did you could easily shave 3 hours off the trip. I’m not complaining because I slept for about 8 hours on this flight, and with the two meals it flew by.

A note about EL AL Israeli Airlines: Once you do finally board the plane and are airborne you feel extremely safe. They are the safest airline in the world for good reason and aside from having my luggage searched about 3 times it was an excellent flight.

Arrival to Tel Aviv was pretty speeding and I had no trouble picking up my baggage. The next decision you have is how to get to Haifa. You really have two options:

1. Get a train ticket. I rode a train direct to Haifa for around $30 Shekel
2. Take a Sherut. This is a good option especially if you are arriving to Haifa with other Bahai’s because you need 10 people to go on board. The good thing about Sheruts is that will drop you off right in front of your Hotel.

I stayed for the duration of my trip here at Dan Gardens, Haifa Israel

For my accommodation, I chose Dan Gardens Haifa. Its on top of Mt. Carmel at 124 Yaffe-Nof Street, only 5-10 mins walking distance from the top of the Terraces looking down on the Shrine of the Báb. I def recommend stayin ON TOP of the terrace rather than at the bottom. You will be around more Bahai’s there as most people do choose to stay at the top. Also you are able to walk down the terraces to go to the various things on your program which mostly use the Pilgrim reception center as the main meeting spot.

Wherever you book in Haifa make sure to let them know you are a Bahai. My room rate was discounted from $112 US per night to $70. Also its a good idea to choose a hotel that has FREE breakfast. It makes starting your day so much easier when you dont even have to think about food – just eat and go.

Note: More pics and info to come on this post…

For Bahai’s: Make sure to bring your Pilgrimage acceptance letter and your Bahai ID to board this flight to Tel Aviv

This is what the Pilgrim House looks like...

Day one of Bahai Pilgrimage is about getting registered and meeting the other people in your group.

Basically you just need to head down to the Pilgrimage Reception Center to get signed in. There is a lot of excitement and smiles as people begin to start their 9 day stay in Haifa.

There is also an orientation at the Auditorium of the International Teachin Centre Building. You will watch a short video on the what to expect, some basic rules for reverence and other useful info.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Shrine of the Báb and ‘Abdul-Baha.

Just a word about the Shrines – for some us this can be a very emotional experience. I had heard such amazing things about Haifa and the Holy Places, but I don’t think I was prepared for just how powerful an experience it is. The beauty of the gardens, the smell of roses when you enter, I had to fight back tears on at least my first 3 visits. They were ‘happy tears’ and ‘I feel so unbelievably lucky to be here tears’… The sense of peace and contentment you feel when you are on Mt. Carmel, The Shrines, and surrounding area including Bahji and the Shrine of Bahá’u'láh is truly like Heaven on Earth.

Note: More to come on this post

For Bahai’s: Be sure to write down the address of the Reception Centre before you head over for the first time because it is NOT labeled and will only have a St. number. I dunno if this is for security reasons or what?

The Bahji Reception Centre is the first thing you see when you arrive...

On your second day the excitement builds as you meet your Guide and take your first visit to Bahji. Our guides name was Anne and I simply cannot give her enough praise she was everything you could hope for in a guide, very informative, so sincere in her adoration of the Holy Sites and and such a sweet soul.

The most Holy place on Earth for the Baha'i Faith

A quick note on the Bahai Gardens at Bahji and the Shrine of Baha’u'llah, I dont think my words are even capable of doing just to the experience of going to Bahji, so I will let the pictures do most of the talking if that is even at all possible. Let me say this, no matter what you have heard or what other visitors to this Holiest of sites have shared with me could have prepared me with just how awe inspiring, beautiful and majestic it is.

When you first arrive, you are led into the large iron gates and see a rather large and modern Reception Centre (as shown above) surrounded by a very beautiful landscape. Its not, however, untill you walk down the large path that leads to the burial ground of the Prophet founder of the Bahá’i Faith, Baha’u'llah that the magnitude and size of the gardens become apparent.

As if the walk leading up to this most Holiest of spots on Earth isn’t enough, you become aware of the size and beauty of Bahji, it is a truly amazing experience that I feel so so lucky to have experienced.

Majestic Olive Trees at Bahjí

Depending on what time of year you visit Bahjí, you will see a wide array of different flowers. In this photo: Snapdragons

Another view of the Bahai Gardens in Bahji

For Bahai’s: Don’t forget to pack a lunch on this trip!

The Shrine of the Báb on Mt. Carmel, Haifa Israel

At least one Day of your Pilgrimage is left open for you to do an activity of your choosing. For my group, this was day 3 of my Pilgrimage and I ended up spending time with the new friends at the Pilgrim Reception Centre, and saying lots of prayers and enjoying the indescribable tranquility in the Shrine of the Báb.

Some of the activities I recommend doing include checking out the city of Haifa, walking down the Terraces on Mt. Carmel, enjoying the Bahai gardens, going to Bahji (I recommend going to Bahji as much as you can), Saying prayers in the Shrine of the Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, visiting the Bahai Cemetery, going to Akka (which is like stepping back in time), or any other of a number of different activities.

One of my first walks down the top of the Terraces on Mt. Carmel on a hazey morning

There was also a Talk by one of the Universal House of Justice Member (can’t find his name atm – forgive me) at 8:00 pm. You will have a least three presentations like this on your Pilgrimage, and there are held in the ‘International Teaching Centre Building.’ This building like most Bahá’í buildings on Mt Carmel was very classy and well made. I really looked forward to these talks in the evening and I still miss getting to go to them!

Pilgrims getting ready for a presentation at the International Teaching Centre Building

For Bahai’s: I recommend going to Temple Land and then over to the Monestary to the cave of Elijah. For those of you who sent me prayer requests before I left, I said about half of them on this day.