Physical & Financial Accessibility

Our pilgrimages often involve ~8 miles of walking each day (and sometimes more). We include these hikes because we understand walking together in nature as an important part of the practice of pilgrimage. Where possible, we attempt to create opportunities for people to adjust hikes as they need; for example, sometimes participants might choose not to participate in a particular walk, or they might choose to instead book a cab to the destination rather than walking. However, this is not always possible and is done at the expense of the participant.

As we develop new pilgrimage opportunities, we are working to create a variety of trip options. Until then, we hope that being transparent from the beginning about what each trip entails will help people discern if this program is the best fit for them.

If you are looking for more physically and/or financially accessible programs from Not Sorry, check out Literary Chaplaincy or What Matters! Both options are virtual programs that include the fundamental spirit of pilgrimages.

Our pilgrimages cost significantly more than our other Not Sorry programming because of 1) the intimate size of our groups, 2) our dedication to fair faculty wages, and 3) the quality of food, housing and programming.

1) We intentionally keep these trips small. Part of what makes these pilgrimages a magical experience is that we become a strong community together. Keeping the group small means we can't benefit from economies of scale that larger tours might have.

2) We want this work to be sustainable, and that means paying our staff fairly. At the moment, considering the time that goes into preparation, as well as during the pilgrimage, we are probably not quite at a living wage, but we aim to get there.

3) We want our pilgrimages to offer quality in every way. We prioritize yummy food, cozy housing and quality programming for our pilgrims.

That said, we are always trying to increase financial accessibility to our programs providing scholarships and creating payment plans. We also strive to create a variety of trip lengths and destinations, to help provide comparatively lower cost options. We completely understand that, even with these best attempts, these trips will not be financially accessible for everyone. If you have suggestions for ways we could make these trips more accessible for you or loved ones, please feel free to email us at commonground@notsorryproductions.com.

If you are interested in our model but are hoping to register for lower-cost classes, check out our other Virtual Programs.

Note: We know many professionals, teachers in particular, who have been able to use professional development funds to help pay for pilgrimages. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to us.

Should you be in a position to offer funding for prospective pilgrims who could not otherwise afford to join these trips, please consider making a contribution to our Common Ground General Financial Support Fund.