It is the second holy trip of course, and with millions of Muslims around the world Umrah is becoming one of top special trips available to this date. The journey of this pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, is a spiritual replenishing trip to the holiest mosque on earth and an opportunity to be closest to the Kaaba back home revitalised like no other.
In contrast to Hajj, which is a compulsory part of the life cycle for all able Muslims and can only be done on specific dates in the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed almost any time during the year. This flexibility can make it much easier for UK Muslims who need to juggle annual leave, school terms and family commitments. Sometimes, it is referred to as the minor pilgrimage, the minor meaning that it is shorter and also not obligatory, not in lesser spiritual terms.
He said that the Prophet ﷺ said: Umrah is an expiration of sin between it and the revious umrah. (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim). To many, this is reason enough for UK Muslims.
What Is the Meaning of Umrah?
Umrah is literally from the Arabic word which means to visit a populated place. It is a non-obligatory (Sunnah) pilgrimage to Makkah consisting of the specific act(s) Ihram, Tawaf (circumambulation), Sa’i and Halq or Taqsir in servitude to Allah.
The term Umrah, often referred to as the lesser pilgrimage, is a highly recommended Sunnah rather than a mandatory obligation like Hajj. But so minor can be deceiving. As the Prophet ﷺ said in Islamic tradition, Umrah during Ramadan is equivalent (in reward) to Hajj with me which tells how important this specific act has.
An Umrah is a personal act of worship for UK Muslims, something many save towards for years and hold as an intention during much of their adult lives before they finally make the pilgrimage.
Who Can Perform Umrah?
Regardless of whether one is male or female, young or old, Umrah can be performed whether for the first time or for the fifth. Hajj is the no-age, no-quota pilgrimage. However, certain conditions apply.
You must be Muslim. You are to be of mental capacity. You should be focused with intention at all times to perform pilgrimage for The sake of Allah. And you must be physically capable of carrying out the rituals, although Islamic rulings do take into consideration those with medical conditions or with physical limitations.
For women travelling from the UK, rules have radically changed in recent years. Women of any age can now perform Umrah without a Mahram male relative that does not require supervision while traveling and staying. This is a genuine shift away from the old rule that women under 45 must be accompanied by a Mahram; this means that many UK Muslim women, who found it logistically difficult, now have access to Umrah.
For children, Umrah has no age limit that you have to realize. The physical rigor and spiritual legitimacy are an accepted element of what many UK families endure travelling with dependents or younger children.
When Can You Perform Umrah?
Hajj Vs Umrah: One of the profound differences between hajj and umrah is that almost any day in a year umrah can be performed. The only exceptions are the set days of Hajj itself when those travelling for Umrah cannot enter Makkah. In 2027, we expect Hajj to fall from late June until the very start of July; therefore there is a short timeframe that will comprise one of these breaks during such time this phase where Umrah travel stops.
Beyond that, the rest of the year is flexible, and many UK Muslims choose to perform Umrah during peak periods:
Ramadan is the period where spiritual energy will be at its highest, and the return For worship multiplied. With Saudi authorities confirming 904,000 pilgrims undertaking Umrah on one day in the first week of Ramadan 2026 alone, it gives some indication as to just how busy this part of the year can get.
December: Families avoiding school absence make late December a popular travel window.
November and October are the months with the lowest crowds at the Haram and their prices are also relatively cheaper. Perfect for devotees looking for a serene, concentrated experience.
Summer July and August coincide with the UK school summer holidays making them convenient for families, although daytime temperatures in Makkah constantly top 40°C.
What Are the Main Steps of Umrah?
It consists of four main rituals that are performed sequentially. Collectively, these last anywhere from two to four hours, depending on the crowd level of the Haram.
Ihram
Ihram is a state of spiritual purity, and is the name of the simple clothes worn whilst in this state. You will need to make the intention (niyyah) for Umrah or Hajj and change into Ihram clothing before crossing several boundary points, called Miqat for pilgrims flying to Jeddah from the UK this is usually during the flight.
Men put on two pieces of simply un-stitched white fabric and ladies wear common modest clothing. Faces and hands of women stay uncovered And certain things you are becoming haram on being in Ihram till the state is over, like perfume application, cutting nails and hair, or marital relations.Talbiyah (Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk) is recited continuously from the Miqat until Tawaf.
Tawaf
That is to make Tawaf around the Kaaba in a counter-clockwise motion, starting and ending at the Black Stone (Hajr al-Aswad) for a total of seven circuits. You start the next cycle aware of where you stand before the Black Stone, and uttering your first words there: Bismillah [In the Name of Allah], Allahu Akbar.No need to recite any special dua or anything in that particular round, just recite whatever comes on your mind or the thing you wanna put forth before Allah and continue with the circling.
Once this is done after finishing all seven circuits pilgrims pray two rakats preferably at Maqam e Ibrahim that is the stone where Prophet Ibrahim (AS) stood while making the Kaaba with the Maqam between him and kaaba.
Sa’i
The Sa’i is the act of walking seven times between the two low hills of Safa and Marwah, located at Masjid al-Haram. The ritual recalls the deeds of Hajar, wife of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) who trotted between these hills seeking water for her son Ismaeel (AS), till the miracle of Zamzam water appeared.
Every single way walk between Safa and Marwa is taken as 1 lap. The Sa’i consists of seven laps starting from Safa and ending with Marwa. The distance between the two hills is about four hundred fifty metres, making the total distance around three and a half kilometres altogether. Men can jog between the two green lights which indicate a short segment of the road, but it’s not mandatory.
Halq or Taqsir
This is the last step, and it ends your Umrah completely. MEN Halq (head shave) or Taqsir (trim all around). Shaving brings more reward. Women fasten a tiny inch-long chunk towards the end of their hair. Then you are relieved from the rules of Ihram, and it is possible to wear normal clothes again.
How Long Does Umrah Take?
The rites of Umrah itself – Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i and Halq or Taqsir take 2-4 hours (start to end) depending on the crowd level in the Haram. The last ten days of Ramadan are the busiest time in the Haram as well, Tawaaf will be taking longer by itself.The same circuits can be done in the fraction of that time, on softer pavement, and in milder conditions come October or November.
The majority of UK pilgrims spend seven to 14 nights split between Makkah and Madinah. A week is sufficient to perform an Umrah trip and see all preferable locations in every city without trouble. Having ten or fourteen nights gives you the opportunity to slow down, spend more time in the Haram, get bigger Ziyarat tours and basically just have a less rushed experience overall.
What Should UK Pilgrims Prepare Before Umrah?
Spiritual and Practical Aspects of Preparation For Umrah Both Matter
Passport and documents: Make sure you have at least six months remaining on your passport past the dates in which you are traveling. You will also require recent passport photos and to be able to prove you have had the MenACWY meningitis vaccination, something Saudi Arabia has made compulsory for all pilgrims.
Visa and Nusuk: Please note that the Umrah visa and Nusuk permit are two different requirements. You possess a visa, which allows you to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Nusuk permit that you register through the Nusuk platform is what actually permits you to perform the rituals, such as Tawaf and visiting Rawdah in Madinah. Among other reasons booking via a package agency makes it much easier is due to the fact that since June 2025 confirmed hotel accommodation has needed to be registered on the Nusuk system before any visa can be granted.
Physical preparation: For one, your feet could end up walking four to eight kilometres everyday on marble floors for up to seven hours of performing umrah.One complete Tawaf at ground level is 150 to 200 metres, so seven altogether are about 1.4 kilometres in length. In the weeks before you leave, aim to walk for approximately 30 to 45 minutes every day leading up to this physical activity. It will be especially useful for seniors and other persons who are not used to walking such long distances.
Spiritual preparation: Learn what each step of your trip involves, what you need to recite, and the rules and rituals of Ihram before your trip. Be determined about the duas you want to make whilst in the Haram, at Rawdah and drinking Zamzam water. An important aspect of arriving spiritually prepared is that you spend your time in Makkah worshiping as opposed to trying to remember what comes next.
Financial preparation: Get your Saudi Riyals organised via a UK bank or exchange service prior to flying. Jeddah airport currency rates are significantly marked up on high street so you must buy cash within your first hour in Makkah.
Umrah Travel Tips for UK Pilgrims
Here are some tangible things that actually matter:
Wear comfortable footwear. You are going to be walking for miles on end and being able to easily take off your shoes at the entrance of the Haram can be essential replacing them with comfortable slip-on shoes when walking on marble floors. One such avoidable mistake is wearing brand-new shoes on the day you perform Tawaf.
Pack unscented toiletries. You are not allowed to use fragrant products while in the state of Ihram. Pilgrims often forget this until they reach for their shampoo or deodorant of choice.
Bring a small bag for shoes. There are shoe zones at the entrances of the Haram, but carrying your shoes in a small fabric purse allows you to take that inside with you so you do not have to backtrack from where they are left on the way out.
Plan worship around cooler hours in summer. Tawaf after Fajr or Tawaf after Isha in July/August is many times more bearable from a temperature and crowd perspective than midday.
Keep your hotel address written down. If the battery of your mobile dies and you miss-out from your group, at least if you have had a printed hotel address in hand before rather than having saved it on a dead phone.
Bring a power bank. Extensive periods at the Haram, relying on GPS for navigation, taking photographs and communicating with family members mean that most pilgrims will drain their phone battery life faster than expected.
How to Choose Umrah Packages from the UK
An Umrah package consists of everything from the visa for umrah to flights, staging a guided tour and offering accommodation. Prices of such packages range based on services, such as distance from the Haram to hotel, luxury type services, transportation and meals.
Here are the things which actually matter when you choose a package:
ATOL protection. ATOL protected holidays Always make sure to ask if the holiday is ATOL protected. Once you have paid, request your ATOL Certificate in writing and check that your flights, hotels and transfers are all included on it. We issue the ATOL certificate as soon as you confirm your booking with us and our flight-inclusive umrah packages at Umrah Packages from UK are covered in full by our suppliers through the ATOL scheme–please ask for details.
Hotel distance from the Haram. The star rating has less to do with it than its distance from the mosque. For the majority of pilgrims, a 3 star hotel at half-a-kilometre to the Haram is better than a posh 4 star two kilometres away. We then reconfirm the hotel name and distance on each package before you book.
What is included in writing: Do not make a payment before asking for a complete list that clarifies what is included like flights, visa, transport, hotel and meals & what is excluded. This is offered by any legitimate agency with no hesitation.
24/7 support. On trips of this complexity, things sometimes go awry. An agent contactable by telephone and WhatsApp while you are in Saudi Arabia represents a tick-in-the-box that a phone-only UK office hour contact simply cannot provide.
At Umrah Packages from UK we offer 3, 4 and 5* packages from £655pp across a duration of 7,10 &14 nights including flights at your nearest UK airport as standard.
Conclusion
One of the greatest types of worship a Muslim can do is to perform Umrah: it takes only a few hours (but definitely not easy) yet the spirituality gained from it lasts until death. The day to actually get there is far easier (on paper) than it looks: timing, package, documents and a body and mind that were ready for what was coming.
Performing Umrah is a deep spiritual aspiration that many UK Muslims hold in their hearts for years. If this intention has been brewing with you, then this guide is a springboard. Now it is simply a matter of turning your intention into action
