1. Ihram
Umrah begins before you reach Makkah, at the appointed boundary called the miqat. Pilgrims bathe, put on the two unstitched white cloths (men) or ordinary modest dress (women), and make the intention for Umrah.
From that point certain things are not permitted while you remain in ihram — cutting hair or nails, perfume, and marital relations among them. Your group leader will remind everyone before the miqat is reached; nobody is expected to know the timing themselves on a first journey.
2. Talbiyah
After entering ihram the pilgrim recites the talbiyah, repeating it on the way to Makkah. It is the sound most pilgrims remember from the whole journey — a coach full of people saying the same words together.
3. Tawaf
On arriving at Masjid al-Haram, the pilgrim performs tawaf: seven circuits of the Ka’bah, beginning and ending at the Black Stone, moving anticlockwise.
The mataf is crowded at almost every hour. Older pilgrims and those who tire easily may perform tawaf on the upper levels, where the circuit is longer but far less pressed. Wheelchairs are available. Say beforehand if this is likely to be needed.
After the seven circuits, two rak’ah are prayed near Maqam Ibrahim if there is room, and Zamzam is drunk.
4. Sa’i
Then sa’i: walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah, seven times, beginning at Safa and ending at Marwah. The whole path is now enclosed, air-conditioned and level, with a separate lane for wheelchairs.
It is roughly three and a half kilometres in total. For a pilgrim who is not used to walking that far, this is the part of Umrah to prepare for.
5. Halq or taqsir
Finally the hair is shaved (halq) or trimmed (taqsir). Women trim a short length. With that the Umrah is complete and the state of ihram ends.
What happens around the rites
The rites themselves take a few hours. The rest of the journey — and it is most of it — is the days spent in Makkah and Madinah, and the Ziyarat programme: 18 sites in Makkah and 15 in Madinah, with 8 more beyond Madinah taken by choice.
Our hotels sit 1,150–1,250 m from Masjid al-Haram and 600–650 m from Masjid an-Nabawi, which decides more about how your days go than anything else in the package.
Practical things worth knowing
- Keep your hotel card and your group leader’s number on you at all times. The Haram has many gates and they look alike.
- Agree a meeting point with your family before entering, every time.
- Drink far more water than feels necessary.
- Do not carry more than you need. Shoes come off constantly.