It is with spiritual joy that we invite you to participate in the first joint pilgrimage hosted by St. John San Francisco and St. Vartan Oakland, in celebration of the 60th anniversaries of our churches.
During our two week journey, we will visit the most important spiritual and historical sites throughout the motherland of Armenia and Artsakh. This trip is a unique and exciting experience that we believe you would truly appreciate.
The package includes airfare from San Francisco to Yerevan, and all local accommodations and transportation, for $3000 per pilgrim. A deposit of $500 will be due by February 5, 2017, to confirm your place on the pilgrimage. Send a completed registration form and payment to St. Vartan Armenian Church, 650 Spruce St., Oakland, CA. Please review the included trip itinerary for more details, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
A pilgrimage to Armenia is a unique opportunity to strengthen your Armenian identity, your Christian faith, and even develop deep and lasting friendships. We pray that you will join us for this authentic and life-changing adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
As participants register for this exciting trip, we are asked many good questions, the answers to which we would like to share with you.
Where do I send my registration (post)?
Send in your printed registration form (if you aren't registering online) and your deposit check to St. Vartan Armenian Church, 650 Spruce St., Oakland, CA 94610. You can write "pilgrimage deposit" in the memo.
Does the registration include travel insurance?
The registration for our pilgrimage does not include trip insurance. However, we highly recommend that all of our pilgrims purchase individual travel insurance.
With what airline is the group traveling?
At this point, all travel plans may be subject to change. We are currently, planning to travel with Aeroflot, through Moscow.
Will I be able to accrue "miles" from this trip?
Aeroflot is a member of the Skyteam mileage partners program, which includes airlines such as Delta.
Can I make alternate plans for travel, such as upgrade my seat or depart Armenia via a different route?
It is possible to alter your personal travel plans, but we request that everyone departs from the United States and arrive with us in Armenia via the same itinerary. For more information about who to change your arrangements, please contact the offices of either St. Vartan or St. John.
The registration form only asks for information for one person. How do I provide the information for other people in my party?
We are asking that you submit one registration form and indicate how many people are in your party. After registration, we will contact you and collect all the necessary information about everyone in your group.
From which airport is the group departing?
Despite the fact that many of our pilgrims are originating from the Bay Area it is much more affordable to arrange travel from Los Angeles. Participants will have different means by which to travel to Los Angeles on the day of departure or earlier. Our offices will be happy to help facilitate this part of the trip for anyone should they need help.
The price in the itinerary is for double occupancy rooms. Can I have a single room?
This is not a problem, however, the price will increase. Please indicate your preference in the registration. A single occupancy room will increase the price by $335.
Do you have questions? Let us know!