Trip to Makkah
Umrah package · UK pilgrims
5 Star 12 Days Umrah Package
£1049 pp · 12 Nights · Swissotel Makkah (6 Nights) · 0203 727 6364
- ATOL protected
- IATA accredited
- Written quotes
Umrah + Hajj gallery
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Package overview
Six nights in each city at the top of the 5-star range. Swissotel Makkah sits inside the Abraj Al Bait complex with covered access to the mataf, which removes the walk in the open sun entirely. That is the single biggest comfort factor for pilgrims travelling in the summer months and for anyone managing limited mobility. Breakfast and guided Ziyarat in both cities are included.
What £1049 covers
Included
- Return flights from your chosen UK airport to Jeddah or Madinah
- Saudi Umrah visa processing
- Nusuk permit registration — Umrah permit and Rawdah booking
- 6 nights in Makkah at Swissotel Makkah or similar, named on your quote with the walking distance to the Haram
- 6 nights in Madinah at Emaar Royal or similar, named on your quote with the walking distance to Masjid an-Nabawi
- Breakfast daily
- Guided Ziyarat in both Makkah and Madinah
- Airport transfers, both ends
- Makkah–Madinah ground transport
- ATOL protection on the flight-inclusive booking, certificate issued on payment
- A named UK contact before departure and a reachable team throughout the trip
- Wheelchair assistance and infant cots, free on request
Not included
- Travel insurance with medical cover — required before the Saudi visa is approved
- MenACWY meningitis vaccination and certificate
- Lunch and dinner
- Single, twin and triple room supplements
- Haram-view and Kaaba-view room upgrades
- Personal spending, gifts and Zamzam shipping
Your hotels
Makkah — Swissotel Makkah or similar, 6 nights
Swissotel Makkah sits inside the Abraj Al Bait complex with covered access to the mataf, which removes the walk in the open sun entirely. That is the single biggest comfort factor for anyone travelling between June and August or managing limited mobility — the approach is climate-controlled from room to prayer.
Madinah — Emaar Royal or similar, 6 nights
Emaar Royal is a central-area property a short walk from Masjid an-Nabawi, with six nights allowing the full Ziyarat circuit at an unhurried pace and no coach timetable governing the day.
Day-by-day shape of the trip
No package carries fixed dates, and the city order depends on which airport you land at. The table shows the Jeddah-first routing; arriving into Madinah swaps the two blocks.
| Day | Where | What is realistically achievable |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | UK to Jeddah, transfer to Makkah | A road transfer of roughly 1.5 hours. Many enter ihram before landing and perform Umrah that night; others go after Fajr. |
| Days 2 to 6 | Makkah, 6 nights | Umrah completed, then several full days of prayer in the Haram, with time for a second Umrah from Masjid Aisha at Tan'im. |
| Day 7 | Makkah to Madinah | Morning road transfer of about 4.5 hours, then Maghrib and Isha at Masjid an-Nabawi. |
| Days 8 to 12 | Madinah, 6 nights | Your booked Rawdah slot, Masjid Quba, Jannat al-Baqi, Uhud and the wider Ziyarat circuit including Badr. |
| Day 13 | Madinah to UK | Transfer to Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz airport, 20 to 30 minutes from the central zone. |
Who this package suits — and who it doesn't
A good fit for
- Summer travel, when Makkah runs above 40°C and the walk itself becomes the limiting factor
- Pilgrims with limited mobility who need covered, step-free access to the mataf
- Anyone who wants twelve nights without compromising on either hotel
Look elsewhere if
- You are price-sensitive. The 4-star tier delivers a longer fortnight, with breakfast, for a good deal less: 4 Star 14 Days Umrah Package, £769.
- You want the full fortnight at the same grade — two extra nights for £30: 5 Star 14 Days Umrah Package, £1,079.
The full range sits on the Umrah packages page.
Departure airports
The £1049 is built on the cheapest sensible routing from your airport, usually one stop through a Gulf or Turkish hub. Regional connections go on a single ticket, so a late first leg stays the airline's responsibility.
| Departure airport | Typical routing |
|---|---|
| London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton | Widest choice; direct to Jeddah, or one-stop at a lower fare |
| Manchester | Direct to Jeddah, or one-stop; the strongest option outside London |
| Birmingham | Direct to Jeddah, or one-stop through a Gulf or Turkish hub |
| Leeds Bradford and Newcastle | One-stop through a Gulf or Turkish hub |
| Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast | Connection through London or Manchester on one ticket |
Price, room basis and what moves it
£1049 is a quad-sharing price, four pilgrims to a room, which is how the figure gets this low and how most families travel anyway. Fewer people in the room splits the cost fewer ways, so a triple carries a modest supplement, a twin a larger one, and a single is the most expensive way to travel per person. Supplements are quoted in pounds before you commit. Three things move the headline price.
- Season. Shawwal is the cheapest window of the year, with late January and September to November close behind. June to August is cheap too, but Makkah runs above 40°C.
- UK school holidays. December, Easter and half-terms push flight prices up sharply. The hotel cost barely moves; the seat does.
- Ramadan. The highest prices of the year, and the last ten nights close first, so book four to six months ahead. One Umrah per person is permitted during Ramadan, and the Taraweeh permit for the last ten nights is separate.
We contract hotel rooms in Makkah and Madinah directly and buy flights through consolidator access, so where a published price can be beaten on your dates, we say so.
Visa, Nusuk permit and vaccination
The visa
British passport holders can perform Umrah on a Saudi tourist eVisa or an Electronic Visa Waiver outside the Hajj season, or on a dedicated Umrah visa through an authorised operator, and GOV.UK sets out the e-visa route. Passports need six months' validity from entry. Medical insurance is bundled into the visa fee, and it is worth checking what that policy covers.
The Nusuk permit
A visa gets you into the country; a Nusuk permit is what allows you to perform Umrah and enter the Rawdah in Madinah. The two are separate registrations, and Rawdah slots are limited, released in batches roughly a week ahead. We register both for you.
The meningitis certificate
There is no flexibility in this one. A valid MenACWY certificate must be dated at least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia, and it applies to everyone aged one year and over. Conjugate certificates are accepted for five years, and the NaTHNaC Hajj and Umrah factsheet carries the detail. Most GP surgeries charge adults privately, so book about six weeks out.
Frequently asked questions
What does covered access to the mataf actually mean?
Swissotel Makkah sits inside the Abraj Al Bait complex, so the route from the room to the prayer area is enclosed and air-conditioned rather than across open ground. In summer, when Makkah runs above 40°C, that removes the single hardest part of the day for elderly pilgrims and anyone with mobility difficulties.
Is this package worth it outside the summer months?
Less so on comfort grounds alone. The covered mataf access earns its keep between June and August, or for pilgrims with mobility difficulties. Outside those cases the 5 Star 10 Days package gives a central-area stay in both cities for £90 less, with a short outdoor walk instead of a covered one.
How far is the hotel from the Haram on this package?
Hotels on this package are 5-star and sit 1 to 2 minutes on foot from the Haram. That distance is the main trade-off built into the £1049 price. Pilgrims who want a shorter walk should compare the higher grades, where the approach is measured in minutes rather than a quarter of an hour.
Is 12 nights long enough for Umrah?
12 nights is comfortably enough for more than one Umrah, unhurried prayer at both Harams and the full Ziyarat circuit. The extra nights cost far less per night than the first seven, because flights and the visa are fixed costs whatever the length of stay.
Do I need a Nusuk permit as well as a Saudi visa?
Yes. A visa gets you into Saudi Arabia and a Nusuk permit lets you perform Umrah and enter the Rawdah in Madinah. Rawdah slots are limited and released in batches roughly a week ahead. Registration of both is part of this package, so there is nothing separate for you to apply for.
Is the meningitis vaccination compulsory?
Yes. A MenACWY certificate dated at least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia is compulsory for every pilgrim aged one year and over. Conjugate vaccine certificates last five years. Most UK surgeries treat it as a private travel vaccine for adults, so book the appointment around six weeks before departure.
What room basis is the price based on?
£1049 is quoted per person on quad sharing, four pilgrims to a room. Triple, twin and single rooms are available and carry a supplement, which we quote in pounds before you commit rather than as a percentage. Family and connecting rooms can be requested at the quote stage.
Are these live fares?
No. £1049 is a from price, the lowest we publish for this package, on quad sharing and off-peak departures. Flight and hotel costs move with the season, the departure airport and how far ahead you book, so your confirmed figure comes from a written quote for your specific dates and group.