Mecca Planning Checklist: Permits, Dates, Costs

Travel advisory: Washington currently advises reconsidering travel to Saudi Arabia because of the regional conflict, and Houthi missiles and drones have been aimed at Saudi cities. The UK’s restrictions are confined to the Yemen border zone plus Abha and Khamis Mushait, so they do not touch Mecca. Read the US State Department and UK FCDO pages when you start planning and again a week before you leave.

A Mecca trip is easiest to plan backwards from the date, because the date decides the permit, the heat and the price of a room.

Mecca’s Haram area admits Muslims only, a rule of Saudi law enforced at road checkpoints that look at ID or visa. Readers who are not Muslim can plan around Jeddah and Taif instead, both open to all.

Step 1: pick the season

Hajj 2027 is expected to run around 14 to 19 May, with the Day of Arafah on Saturday 15 May and Eid al-Adha on Sunday 16 May, though moon sighting can move it by a day. The eVisa never covers Hajj. Umrah can be done in the rest of the year, and the current season’s visas are issued until about March 2027, so confirm the exact cut-off on Nusuk. Summer brings the heat: Hajj 2024 saw at least 1,301 deaths in temperatures above 50C, and cooler months are kinder to older pilgrims.

Step 2: sort the documents

  • Visa: an Umrah visa and a tourist eVisa are separate products, and eVisa holders may perform Umrah outside Hajj season.
  • Permit: a timed Umrah permit from nusuk.sa for the Grand Mosque, plus a second Nusuk booking for the Rawdah in Medina.
  • Health: proof of MenACWY meningitis vaccination.
  • Women: since 10 October 2022 women of any age can do Hajj or Umrah without a mahram when joining an approved group. Check any extra rules from your own country or operator.

Treat any site promising guaranteed Hajj places with suspicion. Valid permits and packages come from Nusuk and licensed operators.

Step 3: budget in riyals

The riyal has been fixed at 3.75 per US dollar since 1986. Hajj and Umrah packages come in tiers, so compare what each includes before paying. On the ground, a shave or trim at a licensed barber runs about 15 to 30 SAR, an ihram set about 35 to 60 SAR, and the bus network costs a few riyals a ride. Entry to the Grand Mosque and Zamzam water cost nothing.

Step 4: lock in the rooms

Tower hotels near the Grand Mosque book out around Hajj and Ramadan. You can compare Makkah rooms on Booking.com and check distance to the nearest gate on the map before paying.

Step 5: plan the route in

Most pilgrims land in Jeddah and take the Haramain train, about 30 to 45 minutes, to Makkah station. Fares vary by class, so book at sar.hhr.sa .

Once the basics are set, the Mecca 3-day plan and the family day guide fill in the days. The first booking to make is the Nusuk slot, and the second is the room.