Performed once a year, on fixed dates, under a quota system. From the UK, Hajj is booked only through Saudi Arabia's official Nusuk Hajj platform — so we don't sell Hajj packages. This page explains how it works and what to check.
UK pilgrims lose money to unauthorised Hajj sellers every year. The safest rule is the simplest one.
Saudi Arabia allocates the UK a Hajj quota, and since 2023 UK residents can only book a Hajj place and package through the official Nusuk Hajj platform, choosing from the providers approved there. Trading Standards advises not to pay any agent or tour operator offering a Hajj package outside Nusuk. Trip Tides does not sell Hajj packages. We arrange Umrah year-round, and we are happy to talk you through preparing for Hajj — but the booking itself must be made on Nusuk.
The rites, in order, and what to plan for at each stage.
Entering ihram at the miqat, then tawaf and sa'i. Most packages include several nights in Makkah before the Hajj days begin.
8 Dhul Hijjah. Tented accommodation, and the category matters enormously — location within Mina, air conditioning and occupancy per tent.
9 Dhul Hijjah, the day of wuquf and the essential pillar of Hajj. Long, hot, and the reason physical preparation matters.
The night at Muzdalifah, then the stoning at the Jamarat over three days. Ask how far your Mina camp is from the Jamarat bridge.
Usually before or after the Hajj days. Masjid an-Nabawi, and the Rawdah on a Nusuk timed permit.
The sacrifice, then halq or taqsir, then tawaf al-ifadah. Confirm whether qurbani is arranged within the package or separately.
Package tiers here are defined by the Mina camp, not the hotel.
Distance to the Jamarat bridge, tent category, air conditioning and how many share. This drives the price far more than the Makkah hotel.
Same principle as Umrah — ask for the distance in metres, and whether it's walking or shuttle.
Non-shifting keeps one hotel throughout; shifting moves you further out for the Hajj days at a lower price.
Ask the group size, whether there's an English-speaking scholar, and the ratio of guides to pilgrims.
Hajj falls on 8–13 Dhul Hijjah and moves roughly eleven days earlier each year against the Gregorian calendar.
Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the Hajj dates shift each year and have fallen in the hottest months in recent years, with temperatures in Makkah and Mina regularly exceeding 45°C. That has real consequences for elderly pilgrims and anyone with a health condition. Registration and package sales open on Nusuk Hajj ahead of each season, and places are quota-limited. We will confirm the expected dates for your intended year, noting that final dates depend on the moon sighting.
Direct to Jeddah (JED) or Madinah (MED), typically 6h 30m. Flights are normally part of the package you choose on Nusuk.
A Hajj visa is issued through the Nusuk Hajj platform as part of your booking there. It cannot be arranged independently or through a UK agent.
Meningitis ACWY certificate required. Discuss fitness with your GP well ahead — this is a physically demanding journey.
Pay only through Nusuk or the approved provider you chose there — never cash to an individual. Packages booked on Nusuk are not ATOL protected, so read the refund terms before you pay.
We don't sell Hajj, but we arrange Umrah year-round and can talk you through preparing for Hajj. Tell us what you have in mind.
No. Since 2023, Hajj for UK residents is booked only through Saudi Arabia's official Nusuk Hajj platform, with providers approved there. We don't sell Hajj packages, and you should not pay anyone who offers one outside Nusuk.
Register on the Nusuk Hajj platform when registration opens, then choose and pay for a package from the providers listed there. Keep everything inside the platform.
Yes. Umrah is open most of the year and we arrange it in 7, 10 and 14 night packages — see our Umrah page.
No. Packages bought on Nusuk are not covered by ATOL, so read the provider's refund terms carefully before you pay.
