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What Haram Zone Travel arranges for your trip to Makkah and Madinah
A trip to Makkah for Umrah involves four separate things that all have to line up: the flight, the visa, the hotels and the ground transport. We book all four together so the dates match, and we tell you in writing what each part includes.
| Service | What we arrange | Good to know |
| Umrah packages | Flights, visa support, hotels and transfers as one booking | 3-star, 4-star and 5-star options, priced per person |
| Flights for Umrah | Return flights from UK airports to Jeddah or Madinah | Direct or connecting, depending on your airport and season |
| Umrah visa | Help choosing the right visa and applying for it | Approval is decided by the Saudi authorities, not by us |
| Hotels in Makkah near the Haram | Hotels in Makkah and Madinah matched to your budget and mobility needs | Hotel names and walking distances are shown in your quote |
| Transfers | Airport pick-up and drop-off, plus Makkah–Madinah travel | By private car, coach or the Haramain train |
| Hajj Packages 2027 | Help preparing for Nusuk Hajj registration and planning your travel | Hajj packages for UK pilgrims are sold only on Nusuk Hajj |
| Instalment plans | Paying for Umrah in stages before you travel | Full balance is due before departure |
Hajj and Umrah: what’s the difference?
Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah and one of the five pillars of Islam. It takes place on set days in Dhul Hijjah and is obligatory once in a lifetime for adult Muslims who are physically and financially able. Umrah is a shorter pilgrimage that can be performed at most times of the year and is not obligatory in the same way.
| Hajj | Umrah | |
| When | Set dates in Dhul Hijjah each year | Most of the year, outside the Hajj period |
| Obligation | Once in a lifetime, if able | Highly recommended, not obligatory in the same way |
| Main sites | Masjid al-Haram, Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah | Masjid al-Haram in Makkah |
| How UK pilgrims book | Only through Nusuk Hajj | Through a travel agency or independently, with a Nusuk permit |
| Typical length | Around 2–4 weeks | Usually 7–15 nights |
Most pilgrims also visit Madinah to pray at Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque. It isn’t part of the Umrah rites, but nearly every package from the UK includes nights there.
Umrah packages from the UK
An Umrah package from the UK usually costs from around £610 per person for a 3-star, 7-night trip outside peak season, rising to £1355 or more for 5-star hotels close to the Haram in school holidays or Ramadan. The price depends mostly on when you travel, how close your hotel is to the mosque and how many people share a room.
You can compare every current option on our Umrah packages page or look at packages built for families and groups travelling together.
Umrah in the UK school holidays and Ramadan
Most of our customers travel when school is out, so demand and prices rise in the same weeks every year. Planning around these dates early gives you more hotel choice.
- October half-term Umrah: a week in late October, with milder weather in Makkah than summer.
- December and Christmas holiday Umrah: the longest winter break and one of the busiest periods for UK families.
- Ramadan Umrah: the most requested season, especially the last ten nights. Book as early as you can.
- Easter holiday Umrah: two weeks in spring, popular with families.
- Summer holiday Umrah: the longest break, but daytime temperatures in Makkah are very high, so hotel distance matters even more.
School term dates vary by council and nation (England, Scotland and Wales set their own), so check your local authority’s dates before you book.
Flights to Saudi Arabia from UK airports
Umrah flights from the UK land at either King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which is the usual entry point for Makkah, or Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. London Heathrow has direct flights to Jeddah. From most other UK airports you will connect through a hub such as Istanbul, Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, depending on the airline.
| Departing from | What to expect | Package page |
| London (Heathrow, Gatwick) | Widest choice of direct and connecting flights | Umrah packages from London |
| Manchester | Good range of connections for the North West | Umrah packages from Manchester |
| Birmingham | Connecting flights, usually one stop | Umrah packages from Birmingham |
| Glasgow / Edinburgh | Connecting flights, usually one stop | Umrah packages from Glasgow |
| Bradford / Leeds | Leeds Bradford or Manchester departures | Umrah packages from Bradford |
Should you start in Makkah or Madinah?
If you land in Jeddah, you normally go to Makkah first and perform Umrah soon after arriving, so you need to be in ihram before you pass the miqat, which for flights from the UK is usually crossed in the air. If you fly into Madinah, you spend your first nights there and enter ihram at the Madinah miqat (Dhul Hulayfah) on the way to Makkah. Starting in Madinah gives first-time pilgrims and older travellers a gentler first few days. We’ll suggest the order that suits your flights.
Umrah visa and permits for British pilgrims
British citizens can currently perform Umrah outside the Hajj season on Saudi Arabia’s electronic visa options, including the tourist eVisa. According to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive, and Hajj or Umrah pilgrims must have the meningococcal ACWY vaccination.
A visa lets you enter Saudi Arabia. It is not the same as an Umrah permit. Pilgrims book their Umrah permit through the Nusuk app, and a separate Nusuk booking is used for visiting the Rawdah at Masjid an-Nabawi. We explain how to do both before you fly.
Two things to be clear about:
- Visa decisions are made by the Saudi authorities. We help you apply and check your documents, but no agency can guarantee approval.
- Rules change, sometimes at short notice. If you hold a non-British passport, or UK residency with another nationality, the options can be different. We check the current official position for your passport when you book.
How Hajj works for UK pilgrims
UK pilgrims book Hajj through Nusuk Hajj, the official online platform run under Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The UK is part of the Direct Hajj Programme, which means Hajj packages are sold on Nusuk Hajj by Saudi-licensed service providers, and payment is made through the platform itself.
What this means for you:
- Register on Nusuk Hajj when registration opens, then complete identity and eligibility checks.
- Choose a package on the platform once sales open. Packages are grouped by category and price.
- Pay only through Nusuk Hajj. Any request to pay for a Hajj package into a personal bank account, or anywhere outside the platform, should be treated as a warning sign.
As of 30 September 2026, Hajj 2027 registration dates have not been officially announced. Based on previous years, the Council of British Hajjis expects registration to open between late October and early November 2026.
Hotels near Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi
The distance between your hotel and the mosque makes more difference to your Umrah than the star rating does. You may walk to Masjid al-Haram five times a day, in heat and crowds, so a hotel 300 metres away and one 1.5 kilometres away are very different trips even if both are “4-star”.
In Makkah, the closest hotels sit around the Abraj Al Bait (Clock Tower) complex and along the roads leading to the Haram’s main gates. Hotels further out are cheaper and often run a shuttle bus, which is worth knowing if you’re travelling with older relatives, because shuttles stop running at peak prayer times. In Madinah, most package hotels are in the central area around Masjid an-Nabawi and are within walking distance.
What affects the price of an Umrah package?
| Price factor | Why it changes the cost |
| Travel dates | School holidays, Ramadan (especially the last ten nights) and the weeks before Hajj cost the most |
| Hotel distance | Hotels closest to Masjid al-Haram charge a premium; a shuttle hotel can save a lot |
| Hotel rating | 5-star hotels near the Haram cost considerably more than 3-star hotels further out |
| Room sharing | Quad and triple rooms cost less per person than doubles |
| Flight type | Direct flights usually cost more than one-stop connections |
| Departure airport | London usually has the most choice; regional airports may cost more in peak weeks |
| Nights and split | More nights, or more nights in Makkah than Madinah, raise the price |
| Meals and extras | Breakfast, half board, ziyarat and private transfers add to the total |
| When you book | Early bookings get more choice of hotels and fares, especially for Ramadan and December |
What’s included and what isn’t
Usually included in our Umrah packages:
- Return flights from the UK, with economy baggage allowance
- Saudi visa processing support
- Hotel stays in Makkah and Madinah (hotels named in your quote)
- Airport transfers and travel between Makkah and Madinah
- Pre-departure guidance on permits, documents and ihram
Not usually included:
- Travel insurance
- Vaccinations, including the required meningococcal ACWY vaccine
- Meals, unless your quote says breakfast or half board
- Ziyarat tours, unless listed
- Extra baggage, seat selection and airport lounges
- Personal spending, wheelchair or electric cart hire at the Haram, and qurbani
If something isn’t written in your quote, assume it isn’t included and ask us.
How booking with Haram Zone Travel works
- Tell us what you need. Dates, departure airport, number of travellers, budget, and anyone needing extra help (older relatives, wheelchair users, young children).
- Get a written quote. It names the flights, hotels, distances, room type and what is included.
- We will check your documents. Passport validity and the right visa option for each traveller.
- Confirm with a deposit or start an installment plan.
- We process your visa and finalise bookings.
- You receive your travel documents and a pre-departure briefing, including how to book your Umrah permit on Nusuk.
- Support while you’re away.
Paying for Umrah in instalments
Yes, you can pay for eligible Umrah packages in instalments with Haram Zone Travel. You pay a deposit to secure your booking, then spread the rest over monthly payments, with the balance cleared before you travel.
Instalment plans work best when you book early, because there is more time to spread the cost. Full terms are on our Umrah on instalments page.
Umrah with family, elderly parents or a group
Travelling with children, older parents or a large group changes what matters most, and we plan around that.
- Families: we can arrange connecting or family rooms where the hotel offers them, and plan dates around school holidays. See family Umrah packages.
- Elderly pilgrims and wheelchair users: choose a hotel close to the Haram and consider starting in Madinah. Wheelchairs and electric carts are available at Masjid al-Haram for tawaf and sa’i. Tell us about mobility needs when you enquire so we can pick suitable hotels and transfers.
- Groups, mosques and extended families: a single itinerary and shared transfers keep everyone together. See group Umrah packages.
How to choose a Hajj and Umrah travel agency in the UK
Whoever you book with, these checks protect your money and your trip.
- Check the ATOL number. A package that includes a flight sold in the UK should be ATOL protected. Search the number on the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL checker and make sure the name matches the company you are paying.
- Get the hotel names in writing. “4-star near the Haram” means little. Ask for the hotel name and walking distance.
- Ask what’s excluded. A cheap headline price can hide transfers, visa fees or meals.
- Check the company is real. Look for a UK address, a landline, and a company number you can find on Companies House.
- Pay the company, not a person. Be cautious of requests to pay into personal accounts.
- For Hajj, use Nusuk Hajj only. No UK agent can sell you a Hajj package outside the platform.
Why pilgrims book with Haram Zone Travel
We only list what we can show you:
- A UK team you can call at +44 203 504 2414 and our office in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.
- Written quotes with named hotels and a clear list of inclusions and exclusions.
- Instalment plans on eligible Umrah packages.
- Departures planned from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Bradford.
- Packages for every UK school holiday and for Ramadan.
Plan your Umrah with a UK team
Tell us your dates, departure airport and who’s travelling, and we’ll send a written quote with named hotels and everything that’s included.
Get a free Umrah quote | Call or WhatsApp at +44 203 504 2414
Office Address: 9C Waterborne Walk, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1DH UK
