Sunderland Umrah Packages
Flight
Makkkah
Madina
Trasnport
Introduction
We provide premium Umrah services designed to support you from the moment you begin your journey until you safely return home. Unlike standard service providers, we stay with you 24/7 throughout your entire Umrah experience, ensuring complete guidance, comfort, and peace of mind at every step.
No matter your package or budget, we treat every client with the same level of care and premium service. Our goal is to make your spiritual journey to Makkah and Madinah smooth, stress-free, and truly memorable with dedicated support before, during, and after your sacred trip.
What's Included
Enjoy a hassle-free Umrah journey with visa processing, flights, accommodation, transfers, and complete travel support included.
Visa
Complete Umrah visa processing with expert assistance for a smooth and stress-free journey.
Return Flights
Comfortable return flights with trusted airlines, ensuring a convenient travel experience.
Ground Transfers
Reliable airport and local transportation services throughout your Umrah trip.
Ticket
Confirmed flight tickets with flexible travel arrangements tailored to your needs.
3–4 People Sharing
Comfortable shared accommodation options designed for convenience and affordability.
Peace
Perform your Umrah with complete peace of mind while we manage all travel arrangements.
Dar Al Eiman Al Khalil Hotel
(Hotel In makkah)
Stay in premium hotels in Makkah offering comfortable accommodation, modern amenities, and easy access to Masjid al-Haram. Whether you are visiting for Umrah or Hajj, enjoy exceptional hospitality, spacious rooms, and a peaceful stay near the Holy Kaaba.
Free Wi-Fi
Comfort
4km Walk




Dar Al Eiman Al Khalil Hotel
(Hotel In madina)
Discover the best hotels in Madinah offering comfortable stays, modern facilities, and close proximity to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. Whether you are visiting for Umrah, Hajj, or a spiritual journey, enjoy exceptional hospitality and a peaceful atmosphere near the Prophet’s Mosque.
Free Wi-Fi
Comfort
4km Walk




More Than Just Umrah Packages
Umrah packages from Sunderland for 2027 start at £679 per person for 7 nights in 3-star accommodation, rising to £1,329 for 14 nights in 5-star hotels beside the Haram. These are advance booking rates, £20 per person below our standard rate, held for pilgrims confirming ahead of the season. Return flights, Umrah visa, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, all Saudi transfers and 24/7 support are included, and a £99 deposit secures the price.
Sunderland has a relatively small settled Muslim community — around 4,900 people, or 1.8 per cent of the city. What it also has is one of the most internationally diverse student populations in the country. The University of Sunderland hosts nearly 6,000 international students from over 100 countries, making up 37 per cent of its student body, and ranks second in the UK for international student diversity.
That produces a particular kind of enquiry we get from Sunderland more than almost anywhere: someone in the UK on a student visa, holding a passport from Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or elsewhere, who wants to perform Umrah and cannot get a straight answer about whether they can. You can, almost always. This page explains what to check. For a quote, message our team on WhatsApp or call +44 7737 144 335, or start from the Packages Umrah homepage.
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Package price from | £679pp — 7 nights, 3-star, quad sharing |
Deposit | £99 per person |
Departure airport | Newcastle — around 20 miles, the shortest run in this series |
Can I book on a non-UK passport? | Yes, in almost all cases — see the guidance below |
Can I go while on a UK student visa? | Usually yes, but check your re-entry position first |
Ramadan 2027 begins | Expected Monday 8 February 2027 |
Umrah unavailable | Approximately early April to early June 2027 |
Durations | 7, 10, 12 and 14 nights |
Nights in Madinah | 3 to 7 depending on package |
Best window for a first Umrah | Late September to November 2027 |
Areas covered | Sunderland, Washington, Houghton, Seaham, South Shields, Durham |
If you hold a British passport, booking Umrah is simple and every website assumes you do. If you are in the UK on a student or work visa holding a passport from somewhere else, you are dealing with two separate immigration systems at once and almost nothing written for UK pilgrims acknowledges it.
The short version: you can almost certainly go. International students perform Umrah from the UK every year. But there are two things to get right, and getting the second one wrong is far more serious than getting the first one wrong.
Umrah visa requirements vary by nationality. Some passport holders can use one route, others need a different one, and the arrangements have changed several times in recent seasons. What we can tell you plainly is that we process Umrah visas for non-British passport holders regularly and it is routine work rather than an exception.
What we need from you at the enquiry stage: your nationality, your passport details, and your UK immigration status. From that we confirm exactly what applies to you and what it costs, before you pay anything. We will not take a deposit and then discover a problem.
This is the part people underestimate, and it is the one that can actually strand you. Leaving the UK is easy. Coming back requires valid UK immigration permission.
We are a travel company, not immigration advisers. On anything touching your UK status, check the official UK government guidance and speak to your university’s international student support team — at Sunderland they deal with this constantly and the advice is free. What we will do is tell you what we need for the Saudi side and flag anything that looks like it needs checking. What we will not do is guess.
Check | Why It Matters | When to Do It |
|---|---|---|
Passport validity — six months beyond return | Required for the Umrah visa | Now |
UK leave covers your return date | You cannot re-enter on expired permission | Now |
You can access your UKVI account and share code | Digital status is how you prove your right to return | Before booking |
No pending UK application affected by travel | Leaving can affect some applications | Before booking |
MenACWY vaccination arranged | Mandatory for Saudi entry | At least 10 days before travel |
Travel insurance covering both countries | Medical care abroad is not free | Before travel |
Your dates fall outside the Umrah closure | Umrah is suspended April to June 2027 | Before booking |
If you are studying, your dates are set by term rather than by annual leave. The 2027 calendar interacts with the academic year in one way that matters a great deal.
Academic Window | Approximate 2027 Dates | Umrah Status | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
Christmas vacation | Mid-December 2026 to mid-January 2027 | Open, comfortable weather | Strong option |
Semester break / February | Mid-February | Ramadan first Ashra | Possible, short and busy |
Easter vacation | Late March to late April 2027 | Closing, then closed | Largely unusable |
After exams / May | Late May to early June | Closed for Hajj | Not possible |
Summer vacation | Mid-June to September | Open, cheapest of the year | Best availability |
Late September | Before term restarts | Open, heat easing, low prices | The best window of the year |
The Easter vacation is the trap. It is normally the obvious choice for a student trip, and in 2027 it collides almost entirely with the Umrah closure ahead of Hajj. If you are planning around Easter, plan around something else. Late September is the strongest window — cheapest prices, comfortable temperatures, and you are back before term.
International students are often paying UK-level fees and living costs on funds from home, so the money side matters. Our arrangement is straightforward:
One honest word. If the numbers only work by borrowing or by leaving yourself short during term, wait. Umrah is not worth debt or hardship, and the long booking window exists precisely so you can plan for it properly rather than stretch for it.
Every Umrah package includes nights in Madinah, and almost no travel page says anything about what to do there. Pilgrims arrive knowing exactly what happens in Makkah and very little about the second city. Here is what to expect.
Makkah is intense. The Haram operates around the clock, the crowds are dense, and the rites give the days a structure. Madinah is calmer, flatter, slower and considerably easier. The hotel district around Masjid an-Nabawi is compact and level, so even mid-range hotels are usually a short walk from the mosque.
Most pilgrims we speak to afterwards describe Madinah as the part they remember most warmly, and a good number wish they had booked more nights there. If you are choosing how to split your time, that is worth knowing before you decide rather than after.
The area between the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) pulpit and his blessed chamber. Entry requires a free permit booked through the Nusuk app, and slots are released on a rolling basis and go quickly. Men and women have entirely separate time windows.
Book your permit as soon as your travel dates are confirmed. This is the single most common thing pilgrims leave too late and then cannot get. If you are travelling as a couple or a family, expect to visit at different times.
The first mosque built in Islam, a short drive from the centre of Madinah. There is a well-known narration regarding the reward for praying two rak’ahs there after purifying oneself at home, and many pilgrims make a point of visiting for that reason. It is calm, uncrowded compared with the main mosque, and easily reached — most Ziyarat tours include it.
The site of the Battle of Uhud, with the graves of the martyrs including Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him). The mountain itself is visible from much of the city. Most pilgrims find it a sobering stop rather than a sightseeing one, and it is usually the part of the Ziyarat tour that stays with people.
Package | Nights in Makkah | Nights in Madinah | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
7 nights | 4 | 3 | Three nights is enough for the Rawdah and the main Ziyarat, but tight |
10 nights | 5 | 5 | A comfortable balance and what most pilgrims prefer |
12 nights | 6 | 6 | Room to visit sites more than once and to rest |
14 nights | 7 | 7 | Generous in both cities |
You can change the split. Many pilgrims want longer in Makkah; a good number, having been before, ask for longer in Madinah. Tell us at the quote stage and we will build it that way rather than defaulting to an even division.
Newcastle Airport is around 20 miles from Sunderland, roughly 35 to 40 minutes by car — the shortest journey to a usable airport of any town in this series. Newcastle offers connecting services through Gulf hubs that reach Jeddah with a single change.
Manchester, at around 140 miles and two and a half hours, is the alternative and flies direct. So the choice is between a very short journey with a connection, and a long journey without one.
Airport | Distance | Journey Time | Route Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Newcastle (NCL) | ~20 miles | ~35–40 minutes | One-stop via a Gulf hub | Most Sunderland pilgrims |
Manchester (MAN) | ~140 miles | ~2h 30m | Direct to Jeddah | Families with young children, elderly travellers |
Teesside (MME) | ~35 miles | ~50 minutes | No Saudi service | Not an option |
Leeds Bradford (LBA) | ~95 miles | ~2 hours | No Saudi service | Not an option |
For most Sunderland pilgrims, Newcastle is the right answer. Thirty-five minutes to the terminal is a genuine advantage, particularly for an early departure. We would only steer you to Manchester if you are travelling with children under ten or adults over sixty-five, where avoiding the connection is worth the extra two hours in the car.
Route availability from Newcastle varies by season and carrier scheduling, so we check what is actually operating on your specific dates rather than assuming. Ask us to price both airports and you can see the real difference side by side.
Method | Journey Time | Approx. Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Car | ~35–40 minutes | Fuel plus £60–£90 parking for 8 days | Simplest option |
Metro | ~1 hour | £4–£6 per person | Direct on the Tyne and Wear Metro, changing at Monument |
Private transfer | ~35 minutes | £40–£65 each way | Worth splitting across four |
Group coach | ~35 minutes | Included from 8 travellers | From a Sunderland pickup point |
The Metro is genuinely useful here — it runs from Sunderland directly into Newcastle Airport with one change, costs a few pounds, and removes any parking question. For a student travelling alone it is comfortably the best option.
Sunderland city centre, Hendon, Millfield, Pallion, Southwick, Roker, Fulwell, Barnes, St Peter’s, Ryhope, Silksworth and Doxford Park, together with Washington, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton, Seaham, Peterlee, South Shields, Jarrow, Boldon and Durham City.
All prices per person, quad sharing, including flights, visa, hotels in both cities, transfers and Ziyarat.
Duration | 3-Star 2027 Rate | 4-Star 2027 Rate | 5-Star 2027 Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
7 nights | £679 | £730 | £879 |
10 nights | £729 | £879 | £979 |
12 nights | £779 | £979 | £1,179 |
14 nights | £829 | £1,079 | £1,329 |
Three-star is where most first bookings sit and where students almost always start. Hotels are between roughly 800 metres and 1.5 kilometres from Masjid al-Haram with a free shuttle running day and night. Rooms are quad or triple, allocated single-sex. Breakfast is included at some properties and not others, and your quote states which.
Four nights in Makkah and three in Madinah, with return flights, visa, all Saudi transfers and the intercity leg.
At £679 this is the smallest amount of money you can commit to a properly organised Umrah with us. For a student paying from savings, that matters more than the per-night arithmetic. Three nights in Madinah is enough for the Rawdah and the main Ziyarat sites, though it is tight.
Five nights in each city. Fifty pounds more than seven nights for three extra nights, because your flight cost does not change. Cost per night falls from £97 to £73.
Five nights in Madinah rather than three is the difference between visiting the sites and actually spending time there. It also gives a first-time pilgrim room to settle, and if you are flying via Newcastle with a connection, it absorbs the longer travel days at each end.
Six nights in each city at £65 per night. Enough to visit the Ziyarat sites more than once and to perform Umrah again if you wish. Twelve nights at 3-star costs less than seven nights at 5-star.
Seven nights in each city at £59 per night all-in, including flights, visa, hotels and transfers. For a student with a long summer vacation, this is the package that extracts the most from a single set of flights.
Duration | 2027 Price | Per Night | Makkah | Madinah | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 nights | £679 | £97 | 4 | 3 | Lowest total cost, short breaks |
10 nights | £729 | £73 | 5 | 5 | Our recommendation |
12 nights | £779 | £65 | 6 | 6 | Time in both cities, multiple Umrahs |
14 nights | £829 | £59 | 7 | 7 | Best value, long vacations |
See our 3-star Umrah packages page and the dedicated 7-night 3-star package.
Four-star means walking to the Haram in six to twelve minutes rather than waiting for a shuttle. On a 7-night package the step up is £51 — the smallest gap in our range and worth taking if your budget allows, particularly if you are travelling alone and would rather be able to return to your room whenever you want.
Duration | 4-Star Rate | Step Up From 3-Star |
|---|---|---|
7 nights | £730 | +£51 |
10 nights | £879 | +£150 |
12 nights | £979 | +£200 |
14 nights | £1,079 | +£250 |
See our 4-star Umrah packages page.
At 5-star you are 100 to 350 metres from the Haram, generally in the towers around it. It matters most during Ramadan and for anyone with limited mobility. In Madinah the difference is smaller, because the central district is compact and walkable at every grade.
Duration | 5-Star Rate | Step Up From 3-Star |
|---|---|---|
7 nights | £879 | +£200 |
10 nights | £979 | +£250 |
12 nights | £1,179 | +£400 |
14 nights | £1,329 | +£500 |
See 5-star Umrah packages and luxury Umrah packages.
Stage | Amount | Timing |
|---|---|---|
Deposit | £99 | Today |
Package total | £729 | — |
Balance | £630 | Instalments |
Over 12 months | £53 per month | Until cleared |
Per week | Around £12 | Until cleared |
Metro to Newcastle Airport | £4–£6 | On the day |
Full terms are in our terms and conditions. Found a comparable package cheaper? Send us the written quote and we will beat it by £20 per person through our Beat My Quote page.
All Islamic dates are expected dates based on astronomical calculation and confirmed by moon sighting closer to the time.
Window | Timing | Cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
January | Sha’ban, pre-Ramadan | Low | Excellent value, comfortable weather |
Ramadan first Ashra | 8–17 February | High | Best Ramadan value |
Ramadan last ten nights | From 27 February | Highest | Extraordinary but physically demanding |
Post-Eid | Mid to late March | Falling | Good at short notice |
April to May | Hajj season | Not available | Umrah suspended entirely |
June to August | Summer | Lowest | Cheapest, but 40°C and above |
Late September to November | Autumn | Low | The best window of the year |
December | Christmas holidays | Moderate | Pleasant, book by June 2027 |
Ramadan 1448 AH is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, ending around 9 March, with Eid al-Fitr around 9 to 10 March. The last ten nights begin around 27 February, with Laylat al-Qadr most likely on one of the odd nights and the 27th night falling around 5 to 6 March. The first Ashra carries the full reward at a fraction of the cost of the final ten nights. See our Ramadan Umrah packages and February 2027.
Umrah is not possible from roughly early April to early June 2027. Saudi Arabia suspends Umrah visas ahead of Hajj and requires Umrah pilgrims to leave the Kingdom before the season begins. Hajj 2027 falls on 14 to 18 May, with the Day of Arafah on Saturday 15 May and Eid al-Adha on Sunday 16 May.
Phase | Expected Timing | Status |
|---|---|---|
Normal season | To around late March 2027 | Open |
Visa issuance stops | Late March / early April 2027 | No new Umrah visas |
Departure deadline | Around early April 2027 | All Umrah pilgrims must leave |
Hajj | Through 18–19 May 2027 | Hajj pilgrims only |
Season reopens | From around June 2027 | Open — 1449 AH |
These dates follow the pattern of recent seasons and have not been confirmed for 2027 by the Saudi authorities. This is the closure that makes the Easter vacation unusable for students in 2027, and removes Easter and May half term for families.
Late September to November brings moderate crowds, temperatures that have eased and prices at their comfortable low. For a first Umrah from Sunderland — student or otherwise — autumn 2027 with a 10 or 12-night 3-star package is the strongest combination available. See September, October and November 2027, or browse January, March, June, July, August and December 2027.
Sunderland City Council’s equality profile records the 2021 Census religious breakdown as 53.2 per cent Christian, 39.5 per cent no religion and 1.8 per cent Muslim — around 4,900 people in a city of roughly 274,000. Sunderland’s settled Muslim community is small by national standards, concentrated in and around the city centre wards including Hendon, Millfield, Barnes and St Peter’s.
Alongside that sits something quite different. The University of Sunderland hosts nearly 6,000 international students — 37 per cent of its student body — from over 100 countries, and ranks second in the UK for international student diversity in the QS World University Rankings: Europe. A significant proportion come from Muslim-majority countries or are Muslim themselves.
It means the Umrah market here looks different from anywhere else we serve. Rather than multigenerational families booking through mosque networks, a large share of enquiries come from individuals — often young, often on student visas, often performing Umrah for the first time and organising it entirely themselves, with no family nearby who has done it before.
That is why this page is written the way it is. If you are in that position, you are not an unusual case here. You are the typical Sunderland enquiry, and everything above was written for you.
Sunderland does not generate large group departures the way Bolton or Bradford do. If you would prefer not to travel alone, tell us — we can often place you on a group departure from elsewhere, and Newcastle, Middlesbrough and further afield all run them. See our Middlesbrough packages for the nearest Teesside departures.
Included | Detail |
|---|---|
Return flights | Economy from Newcastle or Manchester, checked baggage included |
Umrah visa | Processed by us, including for non-British passport holders |
Makkah hotel | Named property, distance from the Haram confirmed in writing |
Madinah hotel | Named property in the central zone |
Airport transfers | Arrival and departure in Saudi Arabia |
Intercity transfer | Makkah to Madinah or the reverse |
Ziyarat tours | Masjid Quba, Uhud, Qiblatayn and the sites around both cities |
Nationality-specific visa guidance | Confirmed before you pay a deposit |
Interest-free instalments | Paid directly to us, no credit agreement |
Pre-departure pack | Tickets, vouchers, Nusuk guidance, step-by-step Umrah guide |
24/7 support | UK and Saudi hours, with a named contact |
Financial protection | ATOL protected, certificate issued with confirmation |
In almost all cases, yes. International students perform Umrah from the UK every year. The two things to get right are your Saudi Umrah visa and your permission to re-enter the UK afterwards.
Yes. We process Umrah visas for non-British passport holders regularly. Send us your nationality, passport details and UK immigration status and we will confirm exactly what applies before you pay anything.
Yes, considerably, and the arrangements have changed several times in recent seasons. That is why we confirm your specific route at the enquiry stage rather than assuming.
That your UK immigration permission covers your return date. Leaving the UK is easy; coming back requires valid leave. Check the expiry on your permission, not just your passport.
The UK has moved from physical residence permits to digital eVisas. Make sure you can access your UKVI account and generate a share code before you fly, not at the airport.
Leaving the UK can affect some applications. Speak to your university’s international student support team before booking anything — at Sunderland they deal with this constantly and the advice is free.
It can. Your digital status needs to be linked to your current passport. Check this before you travel rather than at the airport.
No. We are a travel company. We confirm what we need for the Saudi side and flag anything that looks like it needs checking, then point you to official UK guidance and your university team for the rest.
That is between you and your course. Most students travel in vacations, and the calendar section above sets out which 2027 windows actually work.
Late September, at the end of the long vacation — cheapest prices, comfortable temperatures, and you are back before term. The Christmas vacation is the next best.
Almost certainly not. Easter 2027 falls in late March at the edge of the Umrah closure ahead of Hajj, and April is closed entirely.
From £679 for a 7-night 3-star package. After the £99 deposit the balance is £580, which is around £48 a month or £11 a week over a year.
We would say no. If it only works by borrowing or leaving yourself short during term, wait a year and use the long booking window instead.
Yes, and many Sunderland pilgrims do. You get a full pre-departure pack, a named contact and support in Saudi hours as well as UK ones.
Yes. Sunderland does not generate many large group departures itself, but we can often place you on one from elsewhere in the region. Tell us at the enquiry stage.
Your nationality and passport details, your UK status and its expiry, your available dates, and whether you are travelling alone. Plus any questions, including ones you feel you should already know.
Three on a 7-night package, five on a 10-night, six on a 12-night and seven on a 14-night. You can change the split — tell us at the quote stage.
Considerably. It is calmer, flatter and slower, and the hotel district around Masjid an-Nabawi is compact and level. Most pilgrims describe it as the part they remember most warmly.
The area between the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) pulpit and his blessed chamber. Entry requires a free permit booked through the Nusuk app, and men and women have entirely separate time windows.
Free through the Nusuk app as soon as your travel dates are confirmed. Slots are released on a rolling basis and go quickly — this is the single most common thing pilgrims leave too late.
No. Men and women have separate time windows, so expect to visit at different times.
The first mosque built in Islam, a short drive from central Madinah. Many pilgrims make a point of praying there, and most Ziyarat tours include it.
The site of the Battle of Uhud, with the graves of the martyrs including Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him). Most pilgrims find it the part of the Ziyarat that stays with them.
Masjid al-Qiblatayn, the Seven Mosques near the site of the Battle of the Trench, and Jannat al-Baqi beside the main mosque. The date markets are genuinely worth an hour.
Yes, though opening times are limited and access arrangements differ for men and women. Ask locally on arrival for current timings.
A good number of returning pilgrims do exactly that. If you have been before and found three nights short, ask us to weight your next trip the other way.
Generally yes at every grade. The central district is compact and flat, so the difference between hotel grades matters far less there than in Makkah.
Yes, on most packages, covering the historic sites in and around both cities. Your quote confirms what is included.
Newcastle, around 20 miles and 35 to 40 minutes away — the shortest airport run of any town we serve. It offers connecting services through Gulf hubs to Jeddah.
Not direct, but connecting services through the Gulf reach Jeddah with a single change. Availability varies by season, so we check what is operating on your dates.
Newcastle for most people — thirty-five minutes to the terminal is a real advantage. Choose Manchester and its direct flight if you are travelling with children under ten or adults over sixty-five.
The Metro runs from Sunderland into the airport with one change at Monument, for a few pounds. By car it is 35 to 40 minutes with long-stay parking available.
Yes, and for a student travelling alone it is comfortably the best option — no parking, no driving after a long return flight, and it costs a fraction of a taxi.
Yes, included from eight travellers, from a Sunderland pickup point.
Yes, along with Peterlee, South Shields, Jarrow, Boldon and Durham City.
Yes. Open-jaw routings work well and save a long intercity transfer at the end of the trip.
From £679 per person for 7 nights in 3-star, up to £1,329 for 14 nights in 5-star, including flights, visa, hotels in both cities and transfers.
The 7-night 3-star at £679 per person. On cost per night, the 14-night 3-star at £829 is better value at £59 a night.
They are advance booking rates for pilgrims confirming ahead of the season.
£99 per person, deducted from your total rather than added to it.
Yes. You pay us directly in instalments with no interest, no credit agreement and no third-party lender. The total is the same whether you pay upfront or over months.
No. Once your deposit is paid and the booking confirmed in writing, your price is fixed.
£679 per person, quad sharing, four nights in Makkah and three in Madinah.
£729 per person, five nights in each city, at £73 per night. Our recommendation.
£779 per person, six nights in each city, at £65 per night.
£829 per person, seven nights in each city, at £59 per night.
Yes. Send us a written quote for a comparable package and we will beat it by £20 per person via our Beat My Quote page.
No. Your written quote is what you pay, and everything excluded is listed openly above.
It carries the largest of the room supplements. Quad sharing at the headline rate is single-sex and entirely normal, so if you are happy to share the price does not change.
It works and it is the lowest total commitment we offer. Three nights in Madinah is enough for the Rawdah and main Ziyarat, though tight.
Ten nights. Five nights in Madinah rather than three is the difference between visiting the sites and spending time there.
The same core inclusions as every grade — flights, visa, hotels in both cities, transfers and Ziyarat. The difference is hotel standard and distance from the Haram.
Typically 800 metres to 1.5 kilometres in Makkah, with a complimentary shuttle. In Madinah the difference between grades is much smaller.
For a fit adult, comfortably. If you are travelling alone and want to be able to walk back whenever you like, the £51 step to 4-star is worth considering.
At some properties, not all. Your written quote states which before you pay.
Quad sharing at the £679 rate, allocated single-sex. Triple, double, twin and single occupancy are available for a supplement.
Usually yes, subject to availability and the price difference.
If you have the time, yes — it gives room to visit the Ziyarat sites more than once and to perform Umrah again if you wish.
Students with a long summer vacation, retired pilgrims, and anyone who wants the most from a single set of flights.
Yes, and more people should ask. Many want longer in Makkah; returning pilgrims often want longer in Madinah.
Yes, as a custom itinerary. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates.
Ramadan 1448 AH is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, ending around 9 March, subject to moon sighting.
Around Saturday 27 February 2027, running through to Eid.
On one of the odd nights within the last ten. The 27th night, considered most likely by many scholars, falls around 5 to 6 March 2027.
Expected around 9 to 10 March 2027, subject to moon sighting.
The main rites fall between 14 and 18 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah on Saturday 15 May and Eid al-Adha on Sunday 16 May.
Approximately early April to early June 2027, while Saudi Arabia prepares for and holds Hajj.
Late September to November — moderate crowds, comfortable temperatures and prices at their annual low.
From June, once the new season opens after Hajj, though daytime temperatures in Makkah regularly exceed 40 degrees.
The first Ashra. Full reward at far lower cost than the final ten nights.
We would not recommend it. Sleep patterns invert entirely and the physical demands are considerable.
Yes — comfortable weather, moderate crowds and pricing that has not yet moved towards Ramadan.
Close to your travel date rather than at booking. Saudi Arabia has shortened the window in which you must enter after issue.
Usually three to seven working days once we have a complete document set.
A passport valid at least six months beyond your return, a recent photograph, the application, proof of MenACWY vaccination, and confirmed travel and accommodation — which we provide.
Yes. Proof of MenACWY vaccination is required for entry. Arrange it at least ten days before you fly.
Most Sunderland GP surgeries provide it and it is normally free on the NHS for pilgrimage travel. University health services can usually advise students.
Saudi rules have relaxed considerably and women can generally perform Umrah without a male guardian, often when travelling in an organised group. Requirements have changed more than once, so we confirm the current position at booking. See our women’s Umrah packages.
Yes. It handles Rawdah permits and, at peak times, Haram entry permits. Register before travelling while you have reliable wifi.
Yes, and particularly if you are travelling alone or on a non-UK passport. Medical treatment in Saudi Arabia is not free for visitors.
Renew it now. You need at least six months of validity beyond your return date — and if you hold UK immigration permission, make sure your digital status is updated to the new passport.
Between two and four hours for the rites themselves, depending on how busy the Haram is.
If you are here because you are on a student visa with a non-British passport and could not find anyone who would give you a straight answer, send us your details and we will give you one. It costs nothing to ask and we would rather check properly than have you find a problem later.
Explore more: our full Umrah packages range, special offers, the Packages Umrah blog, or return to the homepage.
Umrah is a voluntary Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah that can be performed at any time of the year. It is open to all Muslims worldwide, regardless of age or gender, provided women under 45 are accompanied by a Mahram.
Hajj is the compulsory annual pilgrimage performed during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah and is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Umrah is a voluntary pilgrimage that can be performed throughout the year and is often referred to as the “lesser pilgrimage.”
The actual rituals of Umrah — Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, and Halq or Taqsir — can be completed in a few hours. However, most pilgrims spend 7 to 14 days in Saudi Arabia to maximise their time in worship at the Haram.
Umrah can be performed throughout the year. However, Ramadan is considered the most spiritually rewarding time, as performing Umrah during this month holds the reward equivalent to Hajj. January to March also offer cooler temperatures and a peaceful atmosphere.
Our Umrah packages typically include return flights from the UK, hotel accommodation in both Makkah and Madinah, airport transfers, Umrah visa processing, and 24/7 customer support. Full details are listed on each individual package page.