Traveling for Umrah requires pilgrims to either book their Umrah packages offered by credible travel agencies or even opt for DIY (Do It Yourself) Umrah. Therefore, you have the option to book your own Umrah package by custom-designing every single one of your travel and accommodation needs or opting for pre-designed Umrah travel packages offered by travel agents. From 3-star economy to 7-star luxury – all sorts of Umrah travel facilities are supported in this regard.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to book your Umrah package.
Table of Contents
Research and Planning
You must begin your Umrah journey by learning about the various aspects associated with planning and travel. Not only you must educate yourself on the rituals of Umrah but also have sufficient knowledge of the visa requirements, transportation, accommodation, and flying choices you have to make in order to make your Umrah journey feasible.
So, start by researching the market. Do your homework and explore the variety of Umrah travel packages offered by different travel agents. Only when you are satisfied with a particular travel agency and the type of Umrah travel services it is offering in that price range, then invest.
Setting a Budget
Setting a budget for your Umrah travel helps you efficiently navigate through the available options and make the decision-making easy for you. A pilgrim must set a rough estimate for all of the expenses of Umrah travel, including;
- Flights.
- Visa processing.
- Vaccination.
- Hotel accommodation.
- Ziyarath Travel.
- Local transportation services in the kingdom.
- Eating and drinking.
- Medical expenses.
In addition, one must have a sufficient amount in reserve for any emergency and unforeseen incidents. So, determine your Umrah travel budget keeping in view all of these things.
Flight Booking.
There are many flight options for your travel to Saudi Arabia. You can choose to travel with renowned, premium airlines of the world, and also, the option for budget airlines is always there. Thus, search for flights that best suit your preferences and budget.
Compare prices, routes, destinations, duration, services provided, and airline reputation. If you are satisfied, prebook your flight to get the best deals.
Hotel reservations
In the same way, hotel reservations should be made with extreme care and thoughtfulness. This is because this is the place where you are going to rest. Thus, it has to be extremely peaceful, comfortable, and cozy. So, research the various hotel options present near Haramain and choose the one that fits your needs and budget.
You can get the benefit of a variety of promotional deals and discounts in this regard as well but only through proper market research and intelligent booking.
Visa approval
Though Umrah visas are free of cost by the Saudi authorities, travel agencies charge a particular amount for the visa service/processing/booking fee.
So, to get a valid visa, check the visa requirements for Umrah from your country of residence and fulfil all the legalities involved. Gather necessary documents like your passport and photographs, and submit your visa application as instructed.
Transportation arrangements
For your daily commute in the region or Ziyarath travel, decide how you’ll get around within Saudi Arabia. The options available include taxis, public transportation, or private cars as well. So, research the availability, feasibility, costs, and convenience factors associated with each one of these transportation options and then hire a particular one.
Booking and Confirmation
Once you’ve finalized your choices, make the necessary bookings through your travel agent by making payment and providing your personal information and contact details.
One thing to be mindful of in the booking process is that you must choose trusted and reputable service providers/travel agencies for a hassle-free Umrah travel experience. Therefore, read about their reviews, compare prices, and also seek recommendations from others who have performed Umrah before. Then make your decision and hire a travel agent.
Traveling through Umrah packages 2024 from London and from across the world, pilgrims arrive in the holy region of Makkah for the rituals of the minor pilgrimage throughout the year. Millions in number, they gather in Haramain and begin the holy rituals individually.
However, as with any other international travel trip, traveling to Umrah also requires a pilgrim to obtain a visa as well as fulfill all the prerequisites of foreign travel. Therefore, the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia offers specific visa types allowing Muslims to perform the holy pilgrimage on their visa.
Previously
- In the past decades, Muslims intending to travel for Umrah to Saudia Arabia were required to obtain a specific ‘Umrah visa’ for it from the ministry.
- Umrah visas were issued throughout the year as it is a sunnah pilgrimage and can be performed at any time. However, excluding the days of the obligatory hajj pilgrimage.
- Piglgirms necessarily had to obtain their Umrah visas only through the channel of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah-certified travel agencies. Otherwise, visa applications obtained individually from the pilgrims might be rejected upfront.
- Umrah visas were free of cost but only valid for a total of two weeks (after the pilgrim’s arrival in the region). Meaning that he/she has to perform all the rituals of the minor pilgrimage during this time and depart on the 15th day from arrival.
- Overstaying your Umrah visa would result in legal prosecution, hefty fines as well as deportation.
- For the second Umrah within the same year, pilgrims had to pay additional fees/taxes to get their visas approved.
However, it is advised for the pilgrims traveling to the region to keep themselves updated on the latest rules and regulations regarding Umrah travel on visit visas. So that any change in policies could be duly noted and taken into consideration, for this reason, consult your travel agent or contact the Saudi Embassy in your region for detailed guidance on Umrah on a visit visa. So, that’s how you can book your Umrah package.
