On May 29, 2025, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) will welcome guests from around the world to The Courage to Love: Anabaptism@500. The day-long celebration commemorates the birth of the Anabaptist movement in Zurich, Switzerland. Following workshops, concerts, a panel [...]
Recently, we talked to TourMagination traveller Shirley Ratzlaff about her travels with TourMagination. She has been on 15 tours and counting. Listen in on our conversation to hear about some of Shirley's incredible experiences. Tour #1: Australia “My mom [...]
Day 3 – Regensburg Today we were able to get a slower start to our day which was nice after our busy excursions in Nurnberg the day before. We had a seated breakfast in the restaurant with attentive table […]
Day Two – Nürnberg We woke up to sunny skies in Nürnberg on Sunday morning. Our boat had not left the port overnight which gave us an opportunity to choose our own journey into the heart of the historic […]
Day One – Arrival in Nürnberg Our first day aboard AMAwaterways’ Amasonata began with a smooth and welcoming onboarding after many long hours of travelling. Reception and cruise line staff were there to greet us hospitably in the on-board […]
I just returned from a 15-person tour to the former USSR republic of Uzbekistan. We went to retrace the steps of a group of Mennonites who lived there from 1880-1935, seeking exemption from military service and some also influenced […]
After a lunch overlooking the falls at Rhine Falls, our walking tour of Zürich began with a visit to Grossmunster where Ulrich Zwingli, the most important reformer of the Swiss Reformation movement, served as pastor. A statue outside the […]
We had an early start today, visiting the Aalsmeer Flower Auction where millions of flowers are sold by auction every day of the year. Flowers come in from many parts of the world within 24 hours of being […]
Our first day on the Anabaptist tour included a visit to Asperen, the village outside of Amsterdam where Dirk Willims lived. We took a walking tour of the village that included the street where he lived, although buildings from [...]
Go to Alaska, they said, It will be beautiful, they said, and they were right!! The Alaska cruise on the Majestic Princess from Whittier to Vancouver was everything I hoped it would be and more! I was a little […]
Tuesday, July 4 – Icy Strait Point – the ship actually sailed to the port during the evening of July 3rd and docked at the port. No rocking of the boat during the night. This was a day […]
Friday, June 30 – A day of leisure or excursions. Some went into Valdez for kayaking and two of us went to Kennicott Mines to learn about the copper mining town and the frontier town of McCarthy. Shuttle bus […]
On the final day of our Heritage tour we explored Salzburg, Austria. We had a 4 hour bus tour with our guide Roman who gave us the inside scoop on the Sound of Music which was filmed in Salzburg […]
Today we toured Dachau concentration camp. Dachau was the first concentration camp built by Nazi Germany, opening in March 1933. A place with a history of blatant injustice, medical experiments, and murder, some words that attempt to describe the […]
Schleitheim, Switzerland – we walked 2 miles into the woods to witness an Anabaptist marker stone. This is where the Anabaptists hid in the Randen Hills. We took a few moments to honor those that came before us through […]
Zurich, Switzerland – we had a walking tour & increased our knowledge of the Anabaptist birthplace of 1525. In Zurich the first death sentences were given & marked the beginning of Anabaptist martyrs. 1640 marked the end of martyrs […]
We stopped in the city of Steffisburg, Switzerland & visited the Steffisburg Reformed Church. This is where the Yoder family originated. The Yoders were village people, not Mennonites. In the church, 2 Yoder family shields were located on a […]
Trachselwald Castle- we visited this sombre sight which was used as a prison from the 10th century up to the 19th century. Jacob Haslibacher lived in a nearby village & converted many Anabaptists. He was arrested & jailed in […]
We explored & lunched at Triberg, Germany located in the Black Forest. The village is known for its cuckoo clocks, and has the smallest, largest and most expensive ($25,000). There is a cuckoo clock museum. A gushing waterfall & […]
We are in the Alsace region of France. We stopped and enjoyed lunch in the beautiful village of Riquewihr. It seemed like some of the villagers might be related to the Yoder sisters. Numerous villagers had similar features of […]
In Cologne, Germany, we visited the renowned Cologne cathedral. A unique combination of Gothic & Catholic styles, it is considered an architectural masterpiece. Construction began in the 4th century and was completed in 1880. It is one of the […]
This morning, we woke up with our homestay families. Berlikum is the Dutch province of Friesland which has its own culture, language & food. This area is also known for its extensive dike system and the graceful Friesland horse […]
Today’s first stop was Edam, Netherlands where we visited our second hidden Mennonite church, built in 1702. The hidden churches had a house in the front & a church in the back. This church has an organ that was […]
Today was a full day! We started at 7:00am at the Flower Auction in Alasmeer, Netherlands, the largest flower auction in the world: a pallet of bright & diverse flowers & plants. We were mesmerized by the bustling forklifts […]
Our group of 12 Canadian and American travellers arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Our first stop was Asperen, Netherlands where we learned about the Dirk Willems story. Dirk Willems was an Anabaptist martyr, who in 1569 was arrested by […]
It’s Tuesday and I’m typing this from England where Mary and I are spending a few days before our return to Canada. This truly spectacular TourMagination trip is over. Done. Finished. How did that happen? (In our long experience […]
There are many travel companies out there and therefore lots of options to consider. But for us – and we know we’re biased – there is nothing like TourMagination for its ability to take you off the beaten track […]
It’s the start of our last full day in the Swiss Alps. Amazing! Yesterday started off rainy but it cleared by 9 a.m. and left us with some cloud cover off and all on day; and rolling mist. Put […]
After reflection and singing at the Steinsfurt cellar and after viewing the fertile fields (once farmed by Mennonites) from the Steinburg tower, we made our way through too much road construction, to Augsburg in Bavaria. Wolfgang Krauß, MJ’s former […]
We made the shift from Mürren to Grindelwald yesterday. These two villages are in adjacent valleys but to get from the other you take a train, a gondola, another train, and another train. By train I mean almost a […]
It’s our final morning in Mürren, this great Alpine cliff-perched car-free village. Speaking of car-free I had this funny sensation as I awoke and stepped out onto our balcony, looking down about 1200 feet into the valley floor below […]
Our September European Heritage travellers have had a full few days exploring history, heritage, and scenery. Here are some highlights of their journey so far:
We started out on top of the world yesterday and it went from there. After a scrumptious breakfast at the cliff-perched Hotel Alpina we caught the two-stage gondola to the top of Schilthorn. The setting is so dramatic that […]
We woke up in Zurich yesterday and went to sleep in Seventh Heaven. After a healthy Swiss buffet breakfast – coffee-infused – we set out for the train station. There are wonderful tours out there that take you door-to-door […]
We’re off and running for this Swiss Alps Tour, which might go by a few other names but is basically about this: the magnificent Swiss Alps! We gathered together in Zurich yesterday from many directions: Canada, the United States, […]
Do you know a young adult with connections to the 1920s migration of Mennonites from Russia to Canada? Would they like to participate in the upcoming Memories of Migration: Russlaender 100 Tour? Thanks to the generosity of the David […]
Q: Where can I find the latest travel restrictions related to my tours? Enter your destination into this TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS tool powered by Sherpa to find out up-to-date information about travel requirements, from visas to vaccinations for the countries […]
museum in Schleitheim Friday, June 10th Today we headed out to Schleitheim, where we visited a museum in town, featuring a room that chronicled the beginnings of the Swiss Reformation Movement in 1523. Lots of artifacts to view as [...]
Thursday, June 9th Today we headed out towards our final destination on this amazing Reformation Tour. Absolutely incredible journey through the mountain passes, as we made our way to Zurich. In the afternoon, we met up with Peter Dettweiler, […]
Wednesday, June 8th We travelled to Brienz to take a one-hour cog rail train ride up Rothorn Mountain to view absolutely breathtaking views of the Alps! We were blessed with beautiful, sunny skies and warm temperatures. An incredible experience. […]
Tuesday, June 7th Today was a busy day, first visiting Trachselwald Castle, a fortress once used to imprison Anabaptists. We then visited many churches and heard stories of our Anabaptist heritage. We enjoyed free time in Thun, exploring this […]
The Bethany Church group has made stops at several Anabaptist landmarks. Highlights include the Menno Simmons monument, which was erected on the site where the meetinghouse of the Witmarsum Mennonites once stood, the hidden church at Pingjum, and the […]
Thursday, June 2nd As we headed toward Germany, we shared wonderful stories of our individual experiences during our homestays with lovely hosts. Many great memories & friendships made here! We enjoyed a beautiful canal cruise through the scenic village […]
After almost two weeks of pilgrimage and learning, this TourMagination group feasted for a “last supper” in Jerusalem. We celebrated safe travel, new friendships, bonds of Christian love, and abundant new insight into the biblical world. – Nelson Kraybill
Kaub castle on the Rhine Flexibility is the operative word on any tour, but this day required more than usual. On Friday morning, we learned that our Rhine River cruise was cancelled because the crew was infected with Covid. [...]
Allen and Ginny Liechty and Robb Esh wait their turn to see an empty first-century tomb at Jerusalem—possibly where Jesus’ body lay. Our group celebrated communion, prayed, and sang in the adjacent garden. – Nelson Kraybill
Journey of Hope pilgrims Esther and Ernie Reesor cool their feet in the Jordan River at Yardenit Baptismal Site near the Sea of Galilee. From this cool start to our day, our group went on to see the ancient […]
Look closely at this picture and you’ll see that Martha and Thom Moore found a coin in the mouth of their fish by the sea of Galilee just like Peter did for paying the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27). – […]
Our group of 23 Canadians has been warmly welcomed to the Netherlands! The past three days have been busy & full of fun & knowledge. On arrival, we visited the historic Dutch village of Zaanse Schans, enjoying the traditional […]
Elsie Martin and Roseanne Frey chose to tour the amazing ancient city of Petra by camel today. Others in our group climbed 700 steps to the top of a rocky mountain that served as a “high place” of worship […]
Talk about a mountaintop experience for your birthday! Today is Marlys Tieszen’s birthday, and she hiked with her husband Duane to the top of the mountain of Herod the Great’s Machaerus Fortress in Jordan, where (according to Josephus) John […]
Twenty-two TourMagination pilgrims have arrived safely in Jordan and are enjoying our first day of travel together. The group is in good health and great spirits despite being a bit jetlagged! We have an outstanding national guide, Elias […]
If you are travelling on an upcoming tour, we highly recommend purchasing COVID-19 insurance. For Canadians Manulife Travel Insurance Plan is available to Canadians travelling in Canada and internationally. It covers Emergency Medical Expenses if you are hospitalized due to contracting […]
It’s been almost 100 years since 1923, when thousands of Mennonites from the Soviet Union began migrating to Canada. A train tour commemorating their journey will wind across Canada in the summer of 2023 to mark the anniversary. Ingrid […]
Below are links to updated information for Canadian and American travellers from their respective governments. Requirements could change prior to your travel date. We recommend that you double check documentation and entry requirements for each country visited prior to […]
Learn from experts and discuss with peers in collaboration with the Centre for Transnational Mennonite Studies and Anabaptist History Today. WEBINAR: A New Home in Canada Thursday, October 28, 2021, 6:30 CT/7:30 ET Explore the experiences of Mennonites as […]
Fare Per Person: CAD: Double Occupancy $3,928; Single Supplement $562 USD: Double Occupancy $3,142; Single Supplement $415 What do “Double Occupancy” and “Single Supplement” mean for my tour fare? Important note: Costs could increase if you sign up less […]
Ichan Kala is the walled historic city centre of Khiva, Uzbekistan, where travellers can see some of the best-preserved examples of Islamic architecture in Central Asia. Among the original and restored buildings dating from the 12th to the 19th […]
Hear messages of hope and gratitude for TourMagination travellers from some of our favourite in-country guides in Poland, The Netherlands, Tanzania, and Turkey. If you have been on tour with Roberto, Kasia, Ayold, or Gocken you know how special [...]
Back by popular demand! TourMagination is hosting Round 3 of the virtual museum and archive tour. Tuesday evenings, 8 PM ET/7 PM CT/5 PM PT, from January 5 to February 2, 2021 archivists and executive directors from Anabaptist and [...]
As Christmas approaches, we've been discussing how to do something special for our TourMagination community of travellers. We decided on a Virtual Christmas Party on Thursday, December 17 at 8 PM EST/7 PM CT/5 PM PT. Wear your favourite ugly holiday [...]
Local Attractions: (Follow the links for more information and to purchase tickets) Mennonite Related or Owned Attractions: Mennonite Archives of Ontario, Conrad Grebel University Brubacher House, Waterloo Pioneer Tower, Kitchener Jacobs Farmers Market, St. Jacobs Jacobs Horse Drawn [...]
Local Attractions: (Follow the links for more information and to purchase tickets) Mennonite Related or Owned Attractions: Bluffton University Swiss Community Historical Society homestead First Swiss Mennonite Church and other historical markers Behalt diorama German Culture Museum in Walnut [...]
TourMagination hosted Round 2 of the virtual museum and archive tour. Tuesday evenings, from November 3rd to December 1, 2020 archivists and executive directors from Anabaptist and Mennonite museums, archives, and heritage centres in the USA and Canada showed [...]
On his deathbed in 2014, David Riesen asked his daughter Ingrid to organize an event to remember Mennonites' historic migration from Russia to Canada beginning in 1923. While the First World War was underway, Vladimir Lenin’s Bolsheviks seized power [...]
Local Attractions: (Follow the links for more information and to purchase tickets) Mennonite Related or Owned Attractions: 1719 Herr House & Museum Mennonite Information Center Kreider Farms Tour MCC Headquarters Sight and Sound Music Theatre MEDA Herr Chips Brubaker [...]
Air: Some travellers wonder if the air on a jet makes it easier, or harder, for COVID-19 to spread. The CDC reports most viruses are not easily spread on flights because of how airplanes circulate and filter the air. Air […]
With restrictions on international travel, sometimes we forget that there are many things to see and do in our own backyards. Below are six tips to help you make the most of a local trip. Discover What’s Special [...]
Do You Need to Re-register for a Tour? Were you on a 2020 tour and need to re-register? You will receive a personal email with instructions on how to re-register for your specific tour. You will be given a two-week […]
Dear TourMagination Travellers, We have been alerted that Mennonite World Conference (MWC) decided to postpone the global Assembly until July 5-10, 2022. From an MWC media release: “The Indonesian Mennonite churches are committed to hosting the Assembly in Indonesia. […]
Walking through an “Empty Church” leads to reciprocal gifts and unique experiences. Reflection by Tour Leader ROD HOFER from October 2019. There is no remnant of the Hutterite colony in Alwinz remaining as the site was very flood-prone and […]
Fare Per Person: CAD: Double Occupancy $3,922; Single Supplement $542 USD: Double Occupancy $3,140; Single Supplement $395 What do “Double Occupancy” and “Single Supplement” mean for my tour fare? Important note: Costs could increase if you sign up less […]
Leading a Learning Tour & Pilgrimage Journey Since 2003, about every two years, I have led the Exploring the World of Paul tour. Initially, it was called In the Footsteps of Paul, but it quickly became apparent that it [...]
Learning and Loving in Cuba TourMagination Tour Leaders Jack & Irene Suderman have been leading faith-based cultural tours to Cuba since 2015. They have a 30-plus year history of connecting with Cubans and helping to train Christian leaders in [...]
Smiles Are a Language Fred and Shirley Redekop have led a variety of TourMagination tours. Beginning in 2005, Fred co-led World of Paul tours to Turkey and Greece with Tom Yoder Neufeld. “It was neat to watch people get [...]
Open to a Full Encounter with Culture & History After participating in several TourMagination experiences, Bob and Margaret Nally had an inclination that TM travellers might like to explore their homeland, Ireland. The Nallys mentioned the idea of a [...]
June 15-19, 2020 TourMagination is celebrating 50 years of helping people of faith explore, experience, and expand their worlds. The company began in 1970 to help North American Anabaptists explore their heritage in Europe. See a timeline of important […]
Updated: August 20, 2020 As you know, the municipality of Oberammergau postponed the Oberammergau 2020 Passion Play until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently we have only been able to reserve tickets for 2022 that had already been […]
Fare per person: September 6-14, 2020: rates starting from $4,150 USD September 20-28, 2020: rates starting from $4,150 USD October 4-12, 2020: rates starting from $3,750 USD October 18-26, 2020: rates starting from $3,750 USD *Please contact us for [...]
Rates per person (based on double occupancy): CAD: starting at $2,096 USD: starting at $1,664 What do “Double Occupancy” and “Single Supplement” mean for my tour fare? Fare includes: Hotel accommodations in 3.5-4* Hotels Via Rail from Montreal to […]
Rates per person (based on double occupancy): CAD: starting from $2,908 USD: starting from $2,308 What do “Double Occupancy” and “Single Supplement” mean for my tour fare? Fare includes: Hotel accommodations in 3-4* hotels 12 day intermediate car rental […]
Growing up in multicultural Winnipeg, Canada, Cheryl Gilmore vowed to one day travel and see the world. After graduating from design in Toronto (1991) and following a season of local theatre, a unique opportunity arose to experience the high […]
Thank you for your patience as we determine the best course of action for rescheduling tours that have been postponed due to COVID-19. To comply with travel restrictions and social distancing recommendations from the World Health Organization and the […]
Six years ago, Lorna Sawatzky (left) embarked on a remarkable trip to India and Bhutan. She kept meaning to make a photo book because she didn’t want to forget a thing. But life was busy with travel plans and […]
Tuesday evenings in May & June, archivists and executive directors from Anabaptist and Mennonite museums, archives, and heritage centres across North America showed unique artifacts, photos and documents as they shared part of the Anabaptist story. Watch the presentations […]
Updated: October 14, 2020 If you are registered for a TourMagination tour in 2020, we want you to know we are committed to informing you about the status of tours as soon as we have the information we need […]
MANULIFE UPDATE AS OF APRIL 9, 2020: Some travel insurance policies provide coverage that may pay for costs that consumers cannot recover when trips are cancelled. In the past, travel service providers usually provided consumers with refunds where the […]
We want you to know that we are doing everything we can to communicate with TourMagination travellers about the status of tours happening in the next 6 months. We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation and waiting to hear decisions from […]
We are providing the information below to bring clarity for TourMagination travellers during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. If your question is not answered, please contact us. We are here to help! TourMagination’s Governing Body Like all other travel […]
We care about your health and safety and want to assure you that we are attempting to make the best decisions we can with the information we have. We understand your frustration and your desire to know what will [...]
Forgiveness. Reconciliation. The urge to destroy and kill, and the commandment of love. One would not expect that such words would be the centerpiece of a tour, but that would be the wrong assumption in South Africa. For this [...]
Today we visited South Africa's renowned Cape winelands of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Less than an hour from Capetown, these lands are really relatively small valleys ringed with mountain ranges. It is immensely picturesque, even if a person is a [...]
On the final days of our tour as we cruised from New Zealand back to Sydney, Australia, we enjoyed lovely food—including the delicious chocolate dessert (above). We also spent time doing various activities on board the ship. Ed joined [...]
On February 20, we took a day trip from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope to what almost feels like the bottom of Africa (even if it is not--that honour belongs to Cape Argulhas). We stopped at [...]
