Going for Umrah is a life changing event that will change your perspective and increase your spirituality in ways you can’t imagine, whether it’s praying in Jamaat with thousands of people around the Ka’bah or doing tawaf around it, it can be quite an overwhelming experience with Makkah being a place where people come from all different corners of the world. So here are a few tips that may be helpful from our recent journey to the holiest of places on this planet:

**You will need an agent if you hold a British passport or have permanent residency in the UK**

1. Plan your budget!

2. Apply for your visa online https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/travel-regulations

(Multiple entry for a year) 

3. Shop around for ticket prices depending on your needs (budget flights are available but there may be loads of restrictions, for example, they will not allow you to bring Zamzam water).

4. Shop around and book your hotels: Booking.com, Agoda, halalbooking.com. If you are looking for apartments then check out Airbnb’s (on mobile apps you may get cheaper prices for hotels).

The earlier you do the above, the more you will be able to save!

Once the ground work is done…

Study up on how to do Umrah - plenty of resources are available online but make sure you follow the authentic sources. This is the first thing you must do in order to be able to complete the Umrah according to Al Quran and Sunnah.

Convenience in Makkah:

1. Hotels - Makkah is a very accommodating place with the amount of hotels. However, the closer you are to the Masjid-al-Haram, hotel prices seem to get more expensive. In our experience, booking a hotel with five stars is highly recommended. Distance is not an issue - please see below. Some hotels provide breakfast with no charge but others don’t so clarify this before booking. 

2. Transport - if you book a hotel further away make sure to check if they provide shuttle services (most of them provide shuttles to and from Al-Haram). These shuttle services work 24 hours and are free - but make sure your hotel name is on the bus (most of the buses look the same).

3. Food - this is not a concern at all as you can buy all sorts of food. Comparatively, it’s cheap and tasty, and most importantly, everything is Halal!

Places other than Masjid-al-Haram you can visit:

1. Hira culture exhibition - this is an exhibition where they show animations of events during the Prophet’s different eras. There is a small-scale 3D map of Makkah and a timeline of events on it till the Revelation. Children are also accommodated and translation will run through the screen. Towards the end, an actual model of the Cave of Hira is shown. It is well worth a visit!

2. In Makkah - Jabal-an-Noor, Mina tent, Mount Arafat, Mount Thaour         

3. City of Ta’if - this is an amazing place to visit. Given the heat, hearing the Prophet SAW’s story is very moving and being there is a surreal feeling. They have the sweetest figs and you may have a chance to eat from Garden of Addas RA (find out about him and read about how he accepted Islam). You can visit the Masjid where Addas RA accepted Islam. Additionally, there are  many historic places including a dam built by Iqrima RA. Most importantly, where Abdullah Ibn Abbas RA stayed and was buried, a massive mosque has been built in his name: Masjid Ibn Abbas. The library has an amazing atmosphere - you don’t want to miss it!

4. Zamzam water packing place - this was a very exciting experience! You can purchase big bottles of Zamzam water for only SAR5.50 while you are there (you will need your passport and Visa number). You can also purchase Zamzam water in supermarkets like Bin Dawood.

Additionally, the blessed Madinah Al Munawwra is a must visit destination. The heartwarming sensation that envelops you at our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW’s city is indescribable. Travelling by bullet train is just a two and a half hours journey. The beautiful scenery of the desert and mountains make the journey comfortable and relaxing.

Obviously, Masjid-an-Nabawi, the point where history began, is a must-see but aside from the impressive green-domed masjid, here are some other places to visit:

1. Rawdah ‘Garden of Paradise’ - praying in this part of Masjid-an-Nabawi is an experience unlike any other, however, in order to to get into the Rawdah, you must have the Nusuk app - without it you cannot get in. If you miss your booked time, you will have to wait 45 days before you can book again. You can also pay a visit to the Prophet SAW’s Qabr.

2. The Quba Mosque - as the first masjid to ever be built, praying here is equated to doing a full umrah.

3. Masjid-al-Qiblatain - this is the masjid where the Prophet SAW received the revelation to change the Qibla from Jerusalem to Makkah.

4. Mount Uhud - this was an eye opening experience. You can climb part of the mountains and it helps you understand the events that occurred there. As well as that, visiting the graves of the Sahabah is a moving and emotional experience.

5. Quran printing place - this is a massive complex where Al-Quran is printed in all languages. Some of the historical Mushaf’s are displayed here.

6. Wadi Jinn - the biggest mystery of this valley is that cars and automobiles move on the road without being driven. It has been observed that the vehicles move towards Madinah, and locals believe that Jinn reside in the place. Whether this is just folklore or not is up to you to find out!

7. Garden of Usman RA - a huge date orchard which belonged to Usman RA.

8. The Seven Mosques - this is the site of Al-Ahzab where the Prophet Muhammad SAW prayed during the Battle of Al Khandak (the Trench).

9. Ghars Well - this is a historical well which the Prophet SAW is believed to have drunk from and requested to be bathed in after his demise. 

To travel in and around Madinah we have always used Uber taxis which are safe and gave us the chance to meet men born and brought up in Madinah.

A place we missed was the Hijas Railway Station (now a museum). During the time of the Ottoman empire, direct trains from Istanbul ran to Madinah.

These are all the tips and tourist destinations we noted from our umrah trip. There are many more places filled with the history of our beloved Prophet SAW as well as the Sahabah within Makkah and Madinah.

Have a blessed Umrah and a wonderful time - don’t forget to include the entire Ummah in your Duas!