There is no single best time for Umrah — there is a best time for your priority: cool weather (December to February), lowest prices (early December, late September to mid-November, and the weeks after Hajj), or the greatest reward (Ramadan).
The one time you cannot go is the annual pause around Hajj, roughly early April to early June in 2027 (expected). Below is every month from September 2026 to August 2027 with expected Hijri dates, weather, crowds and cost, so you can pick your window with open eyes.
Cheapest · Early Dec · Oct–Nov · Post-Hajj
Most reward · Ramadan ~Feb 8 – Mar 9, 2027*
“When is the best time to go for Umrah?” is the first question most first-time pilgrims from the United States and Canada ask us — and the honest answer is a question back: best for what? A retired couple who want to walk to the Haram in comfort should not travel in the same month as a family bound to a school calendar, and neither should travel in the same month as someone whose heart is set on the last ten nights of Ramadan. This guide lays out the whole year so you can choose deliberately — and it starts with the three factors that actually move the decision.
The Three Things That Decide Your Month
1. Weather
Makkah has two seasons: hot and very hot. From late November to February, daytime highs sit around 29–32°C (84–90°F) with mild evenings — the only months when a mid-afternoon walk from a Haram-area hotel is comfortable and when Tawaf in the open mataf is easy for older pilgrims. March and November are transitional (32–36°C). April and October are hot (high 30s°C). May through September is extreme — 40–44°C (104–111°F) — and Tawaf is best done after Isha or before Fajr. Madinah runs several degrees cooler than Makkah year-round; its winter nights can drop near 10–12°C (50–54°F).*
2. Crowds
Ramadan is by far the busiest month, and the last ten nights are the busiest of the busy. The weeks before Hajj (Shawwal) bring pilgrims combining Umrah with their arrival, then Umrah closes entirely for the Hajj season. Summer (mid-June to mid-August) is busy with families from South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Gulf on school holidays. Late December brings a smaller Western school-break bump. The quietest windows are the weeks just after Hajj reopens, late September, and the second half of November.
3. Price
Prices follow flights and hotels, and both follow the crowds. Historically the cheapest windows are mid-June to late July (right after Hajj — hot, but flights to Jeddah drop sharply versus Ramadan), late September to mid-November, the first two weeks of December, and mid-January. The most expensive are the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Eid al-Fitr week, and the pre-Hajj weeks. Late December sits in between — higher than November because of holiday airfares. For reference, Hisar Tour’s November 2026 group departures from New York and Toronto start around $2,950 per person (quad), December departures from about $3,200–$3,990, and the Ramadan last-ten-nights group from about $3,300.*
Month-by-Month: September 2026 to August 2027
Hijri months and Islamic dates below are expected, based on astronomical calculation; the actual start of each month depends on the moon sighting in Saudi Arabia and can shift by a day.
| Month | Hijri (expected) | Weather* | Crowds | Price | Notes for US & Canadian travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Rabi al-Awwal / Rabi al-Thani 1448 | Very hot (~40°C) | Low | Low | Quiet Haram, good hotel availability; plan Tawaf at night. Good for experienced pilgrims and students before term pressure. |
| Oct 2026 | Rabi al-Thani / Jumada al-Ula | Hot (high 30s°C) | Low | Low | One of the year’s best-value months. Fewer group departures from North America; couples and retirees do well here. |
| Nov 2026 | Jumada al-Ula / Jumada al-Akhirah | Warm (32–36°C) | Low–moderate | Low–moderate | The value sweet spot: cooling weather, moderate crowds, Thanksgiving-week departures. Hisar Tour groups depart New York and Toronto Nov 20–29. |
| Dec 2026 | Jumada al-Akhirah / Rajab | Mild (29–32°C) | Moderate; higher Dec 19–Jan 3 | Low early; high late | Best month for families — school break plus coolest weather. Late-December departures sell out earliest. See our December school-break guide. |
| Jan 2027 | Rajab / Sha’ban | Mild (29–31°C) | Low after Jan 5 | Low | Excellent for retirees and anyone flexible; the calm before Ramadan. Isra and Mi’raj (27 Rajab) falls around Jan 5–6 (expected). |
| Feb 2027 | Sha’ban / Ramadan (from ~Feb 8) | Mild (30–32°C) | Low early; very high after Ramadan starts | Rises sharply after Feb 8 | First week of February: last quiet, cool window before Ramadan. From ~Feb 8: Ramadan Umrah — the most spiritually rewarding and the most crowded and expensive time of year. |
| Mar 2027 | Ramadan / Shawwal (Eid ~Mar 9–10) | Warming (32–35°C) | Extreme in the last 10 nights (~Feb 27–Mar 9); drops after Eid | Highest of the year | Last ten nights of Ramadan — the peak. Hisar Tour’s Ramadan group runs Mar 1–10, 2027. Book by December; hotels are quoted per night at Ramadan rates. |
| Late Mar – early Apr 2027 | Shawwal | Hot (35–38°C) | Moderate | Falling | Short post-Ramadan window before the Hajj-season pause. In 2026, the last Umrah-visa entry was in early April and departure was required by 1 Dhul Qi’dah; expect similar cut-offs about 11 days earlier in 2027 (expected: late March / ~Apr 7). Confirm before booking. |
| Apr 7 – early Jun 2027 | Dhul Qi’dah / Dhul Hijjah (Hajj ~May 14–19) | Very hot (40°C+) | Hajj only | — | Umrah pause (expected). Umrah visas are not issued and Umrah permits are suspended for the Hajj season. Only registered Hajj pilgrims (via Nusuk) may perform the rites. |
| Jun 2027 | Dhul Hijjah / Muharram 1449 (~Jun 5–6) | Extreme (43–44°C) | Low once reopened | Lowest of the year | Umrah reopens after Hajj (in 2026, around June 10). Cheapest flights and hotels of the year — but plan every rite for night hours and take heat seriously. Ashura (10 Muharram) ~Jun 14–15 (expected). |
| Jul 2027 | Muharram / Safar | Extreme (43°C) | Rising (Asian & Gulf school holidays) | Low–moderate | Summer-break option for North American students; hot but affordable. |
| Aug 2027 | Safar / Rabi al-Awwal | Extreme (43°C) | Moderate | Low–moderate | Last summer window before US schools reopen; Hisar Tour has run August groups from New York in past seasons. |
Which Window Fits You?
| If you are… | Best window | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A family with school-age children | Late December (Dec 19 – Jan 3), Thanksgiving week, or a February midwinter break | No missed school; December is also the coolest month. Book by early October. |
| Retirees or parents traveling with elderly relatives | November, early December, January, or the first week of February | Cool weather, low crowds, easy Tawaf, best hotel choice |
| Seeking maximum reward | Ramadan, especially the last ten nights (~Feb 27 – Mar 9, 2027) | Umrah in Ramadan is singled out in the Sunnah; accept crowds, heat in Sa’i, and premium prices |
| Budget-first | Mid-June to late July, or October to mid-November | Lowest flights and hotels; October–November avoids the summer heat as well |
| A first-timer who wants to learn the rites calmly | November, January, or early February | Quiet mataf, unhurried Sa’i, time for ziyarah with the imam |
| Combining Umrah with Hajj 2027 | Only within your Nusuk Hajj package (Tamattu’) | Standalone Umrah is closed for the season; see Hajj 2027 dates |
A Word on Ramadan — and on Not Going in Ramadan
Ramadan Umrah is precious, and we run a group for the last ten nights every year. But we also tell first-time pilgrims the truth: it is the hardest month physically (fasting, crowds, long walks around a packed Haram), the hardest to book (hotels sell by the night at their highest rates, and the closest hotels are gone by early winter), and the least forgiving for elderly parents and small children. Many families choose a quiet November or January Umrah for their first visit and return in Ramadan once they know the Haramain. There is no wrong answer — only an informed one.
How Hisar Tour’s Season Is Built
Our 2026–2027 group calendar follows exactly these windows: November groups from New York and Toronto over Thanksgiving week, December school-break and New Year groups from New York, Washington D.C., Toronto and Los Angeles, and a Ramadan last-ten-nights group in March 2027 — each with hotels within walking distance of the Haram, breakfast and dinner, private coach transfers, guided ziyarah, and a qualified imam or group leader with the group throughout. If your ideal dates fall outside a group departure, ask us; private and family itineraries are possible in most months outside the Hajj pause.
Tell us your month — we’ll tell you what it really looks like
Weather, crowds, hotel options and honest pricing for the dates you have in mind. No pressure, no “prices go up tonight.”
See 2026–2027 Umrah Departures
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A UAMA community organization · Serving pilgrims across the USA & Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best month for Umrah?
For comfort: November through February, when Makkah’s daytime highs are around 29–32°C (84–90°F). For price: October to mid-November, the first half of December, or the weeks after Hajj in June–July. For reward: Ramadan, especially the last ten nights (expected ~Feb 27 – Mar 9, 2027), accepting the highest crowds and prices of the year.
When is Ramadan 2027 and when are the last ten nights?
Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin around February 8, 2027 and end with Eid al-Fitr around March 9–10, 2027. The last ten nights are therefore expected from about February 27 to March 9, 2027. All dates depend on the moon sighting and can shift by a day.
Is Umrah closed during Hajj?
Yes. Each year Saudi authorities pause Umrah visas from around mid-to-late Shawwal, require Umrah-visa holders to leave by 1 Dhul Qi’dah, and suspend Umrah permits until Hajj ends. In 2026 the pause ran roughly from early April to about June 10. For 2027 expect roughly early April to early June; exact dates are announced by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
What is the cheapest time to go for Umrah from the USA?
Historically, mid-June to late July (right after Hajj), late September to mid-November, the first two weeks of December, and mid-January. October–November is the best combination of low price and bearable weather; June–July is cheapest but extremely hot.
How hot is Makkah in summer, and can Umrah still be done?
From May to September daytime highs reach 40–44°C (104–111°F). Umrah is possible — the mas’a is enclosed and air-conditioned and the mosque interior is cooled, but the open mataf is exposed to the sun — so plan Tawaf and Sa’i for after Isha or before Fajr, hydrate constantly, and be cautious with elderly pilgrims.
Is December a good time for Umrah?
For North American families it is usually the best non-Ramadan month: schools are closed, Makkah is at its coolest, and 9–10 night group trips fit inside the break. Late-December departures are in high demand, so book by early October.
*Weather figures are typical seasonal ranges, not forecasts. Hijri dates for 1448–1449 AH are astronomical estimates confirmed only by moon sighting. Umrah pause dates for 2027 are expected, based on the 2026 pattern, and are set annually by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Hisar Tour prices are published “from” rates for quad occupancy as of August 2026 and change with availability. Last reviewed: August 2026.
Last Updated on August 18, 2026
