Umrah is the “lesser pilgrimage”: Ihram, seven circuits of Tawaf around the Kaaba, seven laps of Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, and shaving or trimming the hair. It can be performed almost any time of year and takes a few hours. Hajj adds the days at Mina, Arafah, Muzdalifah and the Jamarat on fixed dates of Dhul Hijjah, and is obligatory once in a lifetime for those able. Full comparison: Hajj vs Umrah.

Scholars differ. The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools hold Umrah to be obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are able; the Hanafi and Maliki schools consider it an emphasized Sunnah. All agree on its great reward: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Umrah to Umrah is an expiation for what is between them” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1773; Sahih Muslim 1349).

Any time of year except the annual pause around Hajj. For the current season the Saudi authorities have announced that the last Umrah visas are expected to be issued on March 9, 2027, with final entry by March 23 and final departure by April 7, 2027; Umrah is expected to resume in June 2027 after Hajj. Dates can be adjusted, so confirm when booking. See the best time for Umrah, month by month.

The rituals take about two to four hours depending on the crowd: Tawaf 45–90 minutes, the two rak’ahs and Zamzam 10–15 minutes, Sa’i 45–60 minutes, then the haircut. A complete trip from North America is usually 9–10 nights including Madinah. Step by step: How to Perform Umrah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told a woman who had missed Hajj with him that “Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to a Hajj” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1782; Sahih Muslim 1256) — equivalent in reward, not a replacement for the obligation of Hajj. This is why Ramadan is the most crowded and most expensive Umrah season and books out earliest.

Yes, and it is easy to obtain. Most US passport holders use the Saudi tourist eVisa — about SAR 535 (~$143) including mandatory insurance, valid one year, multiple entry, up to 90 days per stay — which permits Umrah outside the Hajj season. A dedicated Umrah visa can also be arranged through a licensed travel company; on Hisar Tour packages visa processing is included. Details and current fees: Umrah visa for US citizens.*

Yes. Canada is among the countries eligible for the Saudi tourist eVisa under the same terms as the United States, and Hisar Tour operates departures from Toronto. Canadian permanent residents on other passports should check their own passport’s eligibility at the official portal or send us the details for a written answer.*

Usually yes, but the route depends on the passport. Saudi Arabia has extended eVisa or visa-on-arrival eligibility to holders of valid US, UK or Schengen visas and to permanent residents under specific conditions; passports outside those programs use the Umrah visa through a licensed operator. Rules change — verify at visa.visitsaudi.com or ask us early. See Saudi visa types compared.*

The visa lets you enter Saudi Arabia; the free Umrah permit booked in the official Nusuk app is what schedules your Umrah in the Haram. International pilgrims on tourist or Umrah visas need one. On Hisar Tour groups our team books the permits for the whole group; independent travelers should book before departure, not from the hotel lobby.

The quadrivalent meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine is required and must be given at least ten days before arrival; carry the stamped certificate. Saudi health requirements are updated each season, so confirm the current list once your dates are fixed. Our health guide covers medication planning and staying well in the crowds.*

At least six months beyond your arrival in Saudi Arabia, with blank pages. For US travelers, passport renewal — not the visa — is usually the slowest step in the chain, so check expiry dates for every family member before paying a deposit.

Yes. Every traveler, including an infant, needs their own passport and their own Saudi visa or eVisa. Children are not religiously obliged to perform Umrah before puberty, but they may, and many families bring them.

Hisar Tour’s published 2026–27 group packages range from about $1,990 to $4,600 per person including flights, hotels near the Haram, breakfast and dinner, transfers, guided Umrah and ziyarah, visa and insurance — the lowest figures for student groups and off-peak months in quad rooms, the highest for December and Ramadan in luxury hotels and double rooms. Exact hotels, dates and current prices are on the Umrah packages page.*

Demand. Hotels within walking distance of the Haram price by season, and school breaks and Ramadan are when North American and global demand peaks at the same time. Flights on those dates rise too. The package contents do not change; the two cost drivers you can control are dates and room occupancy. See our December school-break guide.

How many adults share one hotel room. “From” prices are almost always quad (four to a room, two beds shared or four singles depending on the hotel). Triple and double rooms cost more per person; a single supplement is the most. Families of four typically book one quad; couples book a double.

Round-trip flights ticketed as a group, visa processing, named hotels within walking distance of the Haram in both cities, daily open-buffet breakfast and dinner, all ground transfers by private coach, guided Umrah led by our imam, guided ziyarah in Makkah and Madinah, health insurance, pre-departure webinars and support throughout the trip. What differs by tier is the hotel category and distance, never whether you are fed, transported and guided. See what a quality Umrah package includes.

For December and other school-break departures, three to four months ahead; for Ramadan, four to six months. Groups are capped by hotel room blocks, not by our willingness to sell, and the best-located hotels close first. Off-peak months (October–November, January) can often be booked six to eight weeks out.

It is published in writing in our terms and conditions and confirmed on your booking form, with the deposit, the payment schedule and the cancellation charges by date. Read it before paying — and read any other company’s the same way. Our guide to Umrah refund and cancellation policies lists what a real policy must state.

Compare contents, not prices: airline and group ticketing, named hotels with distances, meals, every transfer leg, who leads the group religiously, what preparation is provided, who answers during the trip, and the written refund policy. Our checklist of 12 questions to ask before you pay is the one we would use ourselves.

It depends on your first city. If you go to Madinah first (most organized groups), you travel in normal clothes and enter Ihram at Dhul-Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), about 20 minutes outside Madinah, before the coach to Makkah. If you fly into Jeddah with Makkah first, you must be in Ihram before the aircraft crosses the Miqat, which crews announce about an hour before landing — so men change before boarding the final leg. Details: Jeddah or Madinah first?

There is no special Ihram garment for women. Any loose, non-transparent clothing in any color is Ihram; white is custom, not law. In Ihram a woman does not wear a face veil fastened over the face or gloves (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838). Outside Ihram, the abaya and headscarf worn in the Haram are ordinary modest dress. Comfortable closed shoes or sandals are fine.

You enter Ihram, recite the Talbiyah and do everything a pilgrim does except Tawaf, which requires purity (Sahih al-Bukhari 305). You wait in Ihram until you are pure, then perform Tawaf, Sa’i and trim your hair. If the group’s schedule makes waiting impossible, speak to the imam early; there are scholarly options for this situation.

Yes, according to the majority of scholars, provided you have performed your own Umrah first. You make the intention on their behalf at the Miqat and perform the same four acts. Many of our travelers dedicate a second Umrah from Tan’im on the same trip to a parent.

Most scholars permit it: you enter Ihram at Masjid Aisha in Tan’im, the nearest Miqat boundary, and repeat Tawaf, Sa’i and the haircut. Some scholars, notably in the Maliki school, consider repeated Umrahs within a single journey disliked. Ask your group imam, and keep your obligatory prayers in the Haram the priority.

Sa’i is a pillar of Umrah in the Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools and an obligation in the Hanafi school — never optional. Wudu is required for Tawaf but only recommended for Sa’i; if your wudu breaks during Sa’i you may continue. Those who cannot walk perform Sa’i in a wheelchair or electric cart.

For first-time pilgrims and families, Madinah first: no Ihram on the plane, two or three calm days to recover from the flight, the imam’s preparation before the Umrah, and Ihram at Dhul-Hulayfah rested. Makkah first suits experienced travelers and certain Ramadan or New Year itineraries. Twelve of our fourteen published 2026–27 departures go to Madinah first. Full comparison: Jeddah or Madinah first?

By private coach, about five to six hours including the stop at the Miqat, or by the Haramain High-Speed Train, about two hours twenty minutes station to station (the stations sit several kilometers from each Haram, so add transfer time at both ends). Group programs use the coach because it stops at the Miqat, carries the luggage, and delivers the group to the hotel door.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in both cities, from hotels to pharmacies to most shops around the Haram; Apple Pay and Google Pay are common. Carry some Saudi riyals in small notes for barbers, taxis, small vendors and charity — the riyal is pegged at SAR 3.75 to the US dollar. Airport exchange rates are poor; ATMs and exchange offices near the hotels are better.

Yes. US and Canadian carriers offer international roaming plans, but a local eSIM bought before departure or a physical SIM from STC, Mobily or Zain at the airport is far cheaper for data. Hotel Wi-Fi is standard. Keep WhatsApp active — it is how the group communicates all trip.

Generally yes when flying from Jeddah or Madinah: sealed 5-liter containers bought at the official airport counters travel as specially tagged checked baggage, typically one per passenger. Policies vary by airline and change, so confirm your airline’s current rule before you fly. Zamzam from the mosque coolers is for drinking there, not for packing. See our flights guide.

Entry to the Rawdah is by a timed permit booked in the Nusuk app, with separate sessions for men and women. Slots can fall at unusual hours and the visit itself is short. Rules on how often a visitor may book have changed several times, so check the current rule in the app. On organized groups the coordinator books the permits for you.

Two sets of Ihram sheets for men, broken-in sandals or slip-on shoes, modest light clothing, a small mosque bag, a refillable bottle, medications in original packaging, an unscented soap for the Ihram day, a power bank and a universal adapter. The complete list with a printable version is in our packing guide from America.

Yes. Saudi Arabia removed the mahram requirement, and women may apply for a visa and perform Umrah without a male guardian. Most women traveling alone choose an organized, imam-led group for practical and social support; Hisar Tour also runs dedicated sisters’ departures for students.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons families travel with us. Tell us at booking: we choose the closest hotels, arrange wheelchairs (with a pusher) for Tawaf and Sa’i, keep ziyarah days short, and seat the family by the coach door. Sa’i and Tawaf performed in a wheelchair or electric cart are fully valid. Travelers with conditions such as dialysis should contact us before booking so we can advise honestly on what the schedule allows.

Yes. Children are not obliged to perform Umrah before puberty but may, and families do bring them. Most carry toddlers through Tawaf on the quieter upper levels; strollers are generally not permitted in the Mataf area. Our imams will tell you frankly which days to keep small children at the hotel with one parent. Hotels within a few minutes’ walk make the difference between a hard week and a happy one.

Yes. Every group receives pre-departure webinars covering the rituals, Ihram, the day-by-day schedule, health and packing, plus a WhatsApp group with the imam and coordinator for questions before departure. The imam repeats the Ihram briefing in the Madinah hotel the night before the Umrah.

A qualified imam or group leader travels with the group from the departure airport and leads the Umrah, the daily sessions and the ziyarah. Our staff handles hotels, coaches, permits and problems on the ground, and the US office is reachable throughout. The number you call at 3 a.m. in Makkah is answered by someone who knows your name.

Yes. Published 2026–27 departures leave from New York (JFK), Washington (IAD), Los Angeles (LAX) and Toronto (YYZ), and we can often connect travelers from other cities to a departure hub. Check the Umrah packages page or message us with your city and dates.*