An Umrah package is a “combination of services’ taken care by the tour operator. In contrast to a DIY Umrah which its contains are arranged by the pilgrim himself.
The quality of a package is determined or assessed by the comfort of its contains. We must make sure that we don’t pay more for what we get. Let’s find out how to choose an Umrah package based on its quality.
An Umrah tour Package will include the following services in the package.
- Visa
- Flight tickets
- City to Airport transfers in your country
- Airport to Hotel transfers in KSA
- Hotel accommodations
- Madinah
- Food (optional)
- Islamic Tour guide
- Female tour guide
- Visits to historically important landmarks (ziyarath)
- Second Umrah
Umrah visa
The Umrah or omra Visa is applied through a travel agency anyway. You will submit your documents and the travel agency will take care of the Application. Its the same procedure for both DIY Umrah or Umrah package. The biometrics and vaccination will be done by yourself. There are travel agents who will help you to get the vaccination as well. The cost of an Umrah visa approximately US$100-125.
Click here to know about the umrah visa.
Flight Tickets
- What is the Airline? Its baggage allowances? And Zamzam water policy.
- Which class are we travelling?
- Is that a direct flight? If not, where is the transit? And how long is it?
- What are the arrival and departing airports?
Not All Airliners are equal. The extra price you pay for an Airline is for the extra comfort you expect in return. You must know the Baggage allowances. Though it won’t matter much since your stay is going to be short, but at least 30kg checked-in luggage and 7kg carried in luggage is a good deal. If you have an infant or a child, you are allowed to have another 10kgs of luggage and 5kgs of carried-in with baby stuff. Most Airlines even allow you to take your baby stroller without weighing it. However, most airlines only allow you to carry only one IATA stranded packed Zamzam Water. I have seen some airlines allowing to take two bottles of a similar standard.
Check out the travelling class. If your travel agency offering business class ticket, it would cost significantly more. But 90 percent of the travel agents provide economy class seats.
You must decide whether you want a direct flight or a transit flight. Some of you prefer direct flights where others prefer a short layover somewhere. If your trip is less than 4 hours, I advise you to take a direct flight. If you are getting a transit flight, make sure it’s only one stop between the two destinations. Of course, Excluding the domestic flight. In case if you want to wear ihram, Find out whether you can wear it in the transit/transfer Airport.
Find out which airport you are departing from and arriving in your country and KSA. KSA is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Usually, it will be Jeddah international airport. If not, it should be the Medina International Airport.
Jeddah international airport is the closet airport to the holy city of Mecca. Also known as the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Its relatively a busy airport compared to Madinah. Immigration clearance takes more time than Madinah.
Medina international airport is the closet airport to the holy city of Madinah. Also known as the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport.
City to Airport transfers in your country
- Will the travel agent pick you up from your house to the airport?
- Will the travel agent drop you off from the airport to your house?
This service is very convenient, but not every travel agent offers this service in their package. So, find out how are you going to the airport and going to come back from the airport. Some travel agents Drop and pick you up at their office in your city. So, this service is offered in various form. You have to find out from your travel agents. Some travel agents do not provide this service at All.
Airport to Hotel transfers in KSA
You have to find out how are you travelling from the airport to your hotel in Makkah and Madinah. The travel agent must provide transportation. All travel agents provide this service. They offer you a luxury bus to take you to your hotel. They also provide you with the same level of transport back to the airport.
But confirm it.
Hotel Accommodations
- Which hotels will you be staying in? And how far is from the mosque?
- How many occupants in a room?
- Can our family stay together?
- Will they provide free breakfast? If yes. What are the timings?
Madinah
Not all Umrah packages have Madinah as an option. You need to know whether they have included Madinah in the itinerary. If yes, how many days in Madinah? They will usually provide you with a luxury bus from mecca to mecca or vice Versa. Confirm it.
You don’t need to go to Madinah to perform an Umrah. I recommend you to go to Madinah. A peaceful city loved by our beloved prophet (PBUH). What I meant by a peaceful city is you find peace there. I can’t explain how. You need to feel it.
Food (optional)
- Will they provide you food?
- What kind of food?
- What frequency? Is it breakfast, lunch and dinner? What are the timings?
Islamic Tour guide
- Is there a guide? Is he Islamically qualified?
Female tour guide
Is there a female guide? Is she qualified Islamically?
In Islam, men and woman are not allowed to mix. There will be a point in the mosque men and woman are not allowed to mix. It is great to have a female guide to guide your woman folks. Like a male guide, she must know and understand what she is doing.
Note: Your guide may not help you with shopping which is not the purpose of the visit.
Visits to historically important land marks (ziyath)
- Is Ziyarth included in this package?
- What are the places we are going to visit?
- Jabal al Noor
- Masjid e Taneem
- mount Arafat (Jabal al rahma)
- mina
- masjid al khayf
- Muzdalifah
- Jannat al mauala
- cave of thaur
- birthplace of our prophet (PBUH)
- masjid al jinn
- Masjid al Bilal
- mount Abu Qubais
- jamarat (stoning satan)
- Zamzam factory.
- mount uhud
- Jabal e-ayr
- Masjid e quba
- Masjid e Juma
- masjid al Bilal
- masjid Abu Bakr
- Bir Shifa (well)
- Bir Othman (well)
- site of Khandaq
- Bir e Ali
- Masjid al Qiblatain
- wadi-e- jinn and site of Badr.
Second Umrah
Check with your agent whether a service for second Umrah is included in the package. Not many tour operators offer this service. It is not much. It is just taking you to the Aishah mosque and wait till you enter the state of ihram and drop you back to Al haram. You can arrange this by yourself. A taxi trip to the mosque is not more than SAR40.