Preparing for Umrah: a step-by-step guide for your first trip
What you need to know before your first Umrah — documents, visa, the ritual, the hotel, what to pack, and what to avoid. No filler, only what matters.
The first Umrah is at once a spiritual moment and a serious piece of logistics. Visa, hotel in Mecca, ihram, understanding the ritual, the route with transfers. This guide is a step-by-step companion, drawn from over 5,000 pilgrims who have travelled with us since 2022.
1. Documents and visa
Russian citizens do not need a visa: since 2024, entry is visa-free with an international passport (valid at least 6 months from the date of entry). There is nothing to apply for or pay separately — and Umrah may be performed under this visa-free entry.
For citizens of other countries we arrange an electronic visa (eVisa): issued online in about 10 minutes, it arrives by email within 24–48 hours, costs around $130, is valid for one year and allows multiple entries. You need a passport (6+ months), a colour selfie on a white background, a scan of the first page, and a hotel booking (name and address).
Important: both visa-free entry and the eVisa permit Umrah specifically. Hajj requires a separate Hajj visa, issued only by licensed operators and in a strictly defined time of year.
2. When to travel
Umrah may be performed on any day of the year — this is its key distinction from Hajj. But three months of the year are considered especially blessed: Ramadan, Rajab, and Shawwal.
If you want a quiet program without crowds — April, May, October, November. In January and February the weather is ideal (22–28°C by day), but hotel prices are higher due to the 'winter season'. Summer (June–August) reaches 45+ °C, not recommended for a first trip.
Ideal duration: 7–10 days. Of these, 3–4 days in Mecca, 2–3 in Medina, with 2 spare days for AlUla or Jeddah.
3. The Umrah ritual — what you will do
Umrah consists of four required parts: ihram (entering the sacred state), tawaf (seven circuits around the Kaaba), sa'i (seven runs between the hills of Safa and Marwa), halq/taqsir (cutting the hair to complete the ritual).
In Mecca you will change into ihram — for men, two seamless white cloths; for women, ordinary modest clothing, without gloves or a face covering. Before beginning, the talbiyah is recited and the intention is formed.
Tawaf takes 30–60 minutes depending on crowd density. Sa'i — about 40 minutes. The whole ritual from start to finish — 2–3 hours. The best time for tawaf: after the night prayer or early in the morning, when fewer people are present.
4. Where to stay in Mecca
The main criterion is distance from Al-Haram (the mosque housing the Kaaba). Hotels within 200 meters — 5-star Movenpick, Swissotel, Fairmont Clock Tower, Hilton Suites. Rates of $200–400 per night in low season, higher during Ramadan.
If your budget is tight — hotels 5–15 minutes on foot (Ajyad, Jabal Omar) cost 2–3× less and remain comfortable. The key is walkable access to the mosque, so you are not reliant on transfers for every prayer.
Our Standard tier places you in a 5★ hotel within 15 minutes of Al-Haram — an excellent balance of comfort and price. In Signature — directly in Clock Tower or Fairmont, above the mosque.
5. What to bring
Clothing: 1–2 ihram sets for men or 3–4 long modest dresses for women, light cotton clothing for the daytime heat, a warm cardigan (hotel air conditioning is set to 18°C), comfortable shoes for long walks (slippers can be bought locally for $5).
Items: a waterproof document case, a Russian MIR bank card works in Saudi Arabia via the mada network, cash riyals (1 USD ≈ 3.75 SAR) for small purchases, a portable battery of 10,000+ mAh, a bottle for Zamzam (available locally).
What NOT to bring: alcohol and pork are forbidden; photos of sacred places inside the Kaaba are a sensitive topic (general photos outside are fine); GPS trackers and drones — confiscated at customs.
6. What is not permitted in Mecca and Medina
Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the sacred zones (Haram) — this covers Mecca entirely and the centre of Medina. If you are travelling with a non-Muslim partner — plan the route so that one of you remains in Jeddah or another city.
Inside the mosques and during tawaf: no loud conversation, do not walk in front of someone praying, phones on silent. Photos inside the Kaaba and in the immediate area — a delicate matter; better to refrain.
General etiquette: modest dress for all (even non-pilgrims), men should not wear shorts above the knee; women do not need a hijab (abolished in 2019), but shoulders and knees should be covered.
7. After Mecca — what else to see
Most pilgrims add Medina — 4 hours by car or 2 hours on the Haramain Express high-speed train. The Prophet's Mosque, ﷺ, Quba, and Uhud are the three essential points. The atmosphere is quieter than in Mecca.
AlUla — ancient facades carved into rock (UNESCO), massive sandstone formations, the oasis city of Dadan. This is an entirely different Saudi Arabia — touristic, for the eye, not for the soul. Ideal as a contrast after the religious portion.
Jeddah — the old town of Al-Balad, the corniche, restaurants on the Red Sea. Fits best as the first or last day — Jeddah hosts the main international airport.
8. How much it costs
Minimum 7-day budget including flights: $1,200–1,500 per person (depending on departure city). This is a base hotel, group transfer, meals including Zamzam.
Premium tier with a Clock Tower hotel, private Mercedes transfer, and a personal guide: $3,000–4,500 per person.
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