Performed at any time of year, and far simpler to arrange than Hajj. What varies most between packages is not the flights — it's how far you will walk to the Haram five times a day.
Two packages at very different prices often differ by a few hundred metres.
Hotels are priced by walking distance to Masjid al-Haram, and it changes the trip completely. Inside the Haram complex or immediately opposite means minutes to each prayer. Eight hundred metres means a long walk five times a day in the heat, and shuttle buses that run to their own timetable. Neither is wrong, and the cheaper one is a genuine saving — but it should be a decision you make, not one you discover on arrival. We give the distance in metres, not adjectives, and the same for Madinah and Masjid an-Nabawi.
The rites themselves, and what a package should cover around them.
Ihram, tawaf, sa'i between Safa and Marwa, then halq or taqsir. Most packages allow four to seven nights here.
Masjid an-Nabawi, the Rawdah and the Prophet's ﷺ resting place. Usually three or four nights, and calmer than Makkah.
Visits to the Rawdah are booked through the Nusuk app on a timed slot. We show you how, and when slots typically open.
Quba, Uhud, Masjid al-Qiblatain in Madinah; Jabal al-Nour and Mina in Makkah. Usually a half-day each, often an add-on.
The Haramain high-speed train runs Makkah to Madinah in about two and a half hours. Ask whether your package uses it or a coach.
Return flights, visa processing, both hotels with stated distances, inter-city transport and airport transfers. Ask what isn't included.
Distance to the Haram, stated in metres. That is the whole comparison.
Hotels within or adjoining the Haram complex. Minutes to every prayer, and the highest prices by a wide margin.
Across the road or a short walk. The usual middle choice, and where most four-star packages sit.
A ten to fifteen minute walk each way. A real saving, and it adds up over five daily prayers.
Shuttle buses to the Haram. Lowest price, least flexibility, and shuttles run to their own schedule.
Any month except the days of Hajj. Cost and crowding vary enormously.
October to March is comfortable, with daytime temperatures manageable and prices at their most reasonable. Ramadan is the most spiritually sought-after time and the most expensive by some distance, with the final ten nights the peak of both. Summer in Makkah regularly exceeds 45°C, which is demanding during tawaf and sa'i — worth weighing carefully for elderly pilgrims. Umrah is not performed during the Hajj days themselves.
About 6h 30m to Jeddah (JED) for Makkah, or Madinah (MED). Many packages fly into one and out of the other.
Jeddah to Makkah is roughly an hour and a half; Madinah airport is close to the Haram.
Umrah or tourist visa depending on route. We confirm the current requirement for your passport before you book.
Meningitis ACWY certificate required. Check other recommendations with a travel clinic well ahead.
We'll quote with the distance to the Haram stated in metres for both cities, and write the payment plan out in full.
It depends on your party. With elderly travellers or young children, under 300 metres is worth paying for. Otherwise 300–800m is a genuine saving.
Demand. The last ten nights are the most sought-after time of the year and hotels near the Haram book out many months ahead.
A meningitis ACWY certificate is required for entry. Arrange it with your GP or a travel clinic well before you travel.
Saudi rules changed in 2021 and no longer require one. Individual operators may still have their own group policies — tell us your party and we'll check.
Same rites, same visa, same flights — what changes is how much room you have around them. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
Many pilgrims break the journey on the way out or back. These itineraries can be reshaped around your pilgrimage dates.
10 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
10 nights · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · from £849pp
10 nights · Apr, Oct–Nov · from £2,449pp
14 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,899pp
12 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,849pp
10 nights · May–Jun, Sep · from £1,149pp
