Umrah for the first time: a practical preparation guide

Most of the questions we are asked about a first Umrah are practical rather than spiritual, and they tend to be the same ones. This guide covers them in the order they usually come up.

The visa

Umrah visas are issued electronically and are linked to a confirmed booking, which is why they are arranged with a package rather than bought separately. You will need a passport valid for at least six months, a recent photograph on a white background, and whatever vaccination is required for the current season.

Women under 45 travelling without a mahram should check the current position at the time of booking — this has changed more than once in recent years and general advice found online is often out of date.

Vaccination

Requirements are set by the Saudi authorities and reviewed each season. Meningococcal vaccination has been a standing requirement for pilgrims; other requirements come and go. Your agency should confirm the current list in writing — if they cannot, ask again.

Allow time. Some vaccinations need to be given a set number of days before travel to be accepted.

How to read hotel distance

This is the single most important thing to get right, and the most commonly fudged. "Close to Haram" means nothing on its own. Ask for the walking distance in metres to the nearest gate, and whether a shuttle is provided instead.

As a rough guide: under 300 metres means you can walk comfortably for every prayer. Between 300 and 800 metres is a real walk five times a day, which is fine for most people but tiring for the elderly. Beyond that, you are relying on a shuttle, and shuttle frequency matters more than hotel category.

The same applies in Madinah, though the Masjid an-Nabawi's surrounding hotels are generally closer.

What to pack

• Ihram: two sets for men, so one can be washed. Women wear ordinary modest clothing.
• An unscented soap and toiletries. Scented products are not permitted in the state of ihram.
• Comfortable sandals you can slip on and off easily and are not upset to lose.
• A small drawstring bag for shoes at the Haram.
• A refillable bottle for Zamzam.
• Any regular medication in its original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.
• A light jacket — the Haram is heavily air-conditioned even when it is 40°C outside.

Arrival day

Most groups fly into Jeddah and drive to Makkah, a journey of about ninety minutes. If you are entering in the state of ihram you will have assumed it before crossing the miqat — on a direct flight, that usually means changing on the aircraft, and the crew announce it.

After hotel check-in, most groups perform Umrah the same day, often at night when the mataaf is cooler and less crowded. Expect it to take two to three hours including tawaf, sa'i and the closing rites. If you are travelling with elderly parents, wheelchairs are available at the Haram and there is a designated upper level for wheelchair tawaf.

Ziyarat

In Makkah the usual half-day covers Jabal al-Nour, Jabal Thawr, Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat. In Madinah it covers Masjid Quba, Masjid Qiblatain, Jabal Uhud and the date market. Both are best done in the morning before the heat.

Money and phones

Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for taxis and small purchases. A local SIM or an eSIM is inexpensive and worth having — hotel Wi-Fi is unreliable during peak periods.

The most useful piece of advice

Pace yourself. Pilgrims routinely arrive determined to pray every prayer in the Haram from day one, and are exhausted by day three. The walk, the heat and the crowds add up. Rest properly in the afternoon, and you will get more out of the whole trip.