The author examines the two forms of cross-cultural contacts concerned with travelling to the East: cognitive tourism and pilgrimage. It is shown that these two forms of travelling are differently motivated, they purpose different aims and represent different levels of cultural reality. Pilgrimage is a way of self-actualization of a man, it implies a deep penetration into the other culture that results in the man’s changing essentially.As to tourism, it is a form of recreation, and it cannot provide a genuine contact with the other culture in spite of the long distances which travellers overpass.