Umrah from the UK costs less than most people expect, and the headline figures quoted around the internet are usually missing the parts that matter. As of September 2026, our own 7-night packages from London Heathrow start at £590 per person for 3★, £795 for 4★ and £950 for 5★ — each including return flights, hotels in both Makkah and Madinah, private ground transfers and visa assistance. What those figures assume, and what still sits outside them, is where budgets usually go wrong. This guide breaks down the real cost, the extras nobody mentions, and why two packages that look identical can differ by several hundred pounds per person.
Last verified: 15 September 2026. Package prices are live at the time of writing but move with availability, exchange rates and season — always confirm a current quote before booking.
What does an Umrah package from the UK actually cost?
Below are our current published package prices. Unlike most cost guides, these are not market estimates — they are real, bookable packages with named hotels.
| Tier | Price per person | Length | Makkah hotel | Madinah hotel | Makkah walk to the Haram, as listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3★ | From £590 | 7 nights (4 Makkah, 3 Madinah) | Emaar Andalusia, Emaar Al Khalil | Emaar Taibah, Al Mokhtara International | Under 5 to 10 minutes, depending on package |
| 4★ | From £795 | 7 nights, with 9 and 10-night options to £895 | Voco Makkah | Saja Al Madinah | Doorstep to 10 minutes, depending on package |
| 5★ | From £950 | 7 nights, with 8 and 10-night options to £1,100 | Jabal Omar Marriott, Address Jabal Omar | Emaar Royal | Doorstep to under 5 minutes, depending on package |
Walking times are the figures listed on each package and can differ between packages at the same hotel, so treat them as a guide and confirm the exact distance for your room when you get a quote. Every Madinah hotel in the range is a short walk from Masjid an-Nabawi.
Two things about these numbers deserve to be said plainly rather than buried in a footnote.
All prices are per person based on four people sharing a room. This is the standard basis across the UK Umrah market, and it is why quoted prices look so low. If you are travelling as a couple and want a twin room, or as a family of three, the per-person cost rises — sometimes considerably, because the room cost is divided between fewer people. Ask for a quote on your actual group size rather than assuming the headline figure applies.
All our current packages depart from London Heathrow. If you are travelling from Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow or elsewhere, you will need either domestic connecting travel or a different routing, and that changes the price. Tell us your departure city and we will quote it properly.
You can see the full current range on our Umrah packages page, or go straight to 3★, 4★ or 5★.
What is included in the package price?
Every tier we sell includes the same core components. The difference between tiers is hotel quality and proximity to the Haram, not what you get.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Return flights from the UK | Travel insurance |
| Hotel in Makkah, bed and breakfast | Personal spending money |
| Hotel in Madinah, bed and breakfast | Optional Ziyarat (sightseeing) tours |
| Private ground transfers | Meals beyond the stated board basis |
| Visa assistance for every pilgrim in the booking | Makkah–Madinah intercity transfer, unless specifically listed |
That last exclusion is worth checking carefully on any quote you receive, from us or anyone else. The intercity transfer between Makkah and Madinah is a real cost on a journey of roughly 450km, and whether it is bundled or added later makes a meaningful difference to what you actually pay.
All our packages are bed and breakfast. Lunch and dinner are not included at any tier — budget for them, or plan to eat at the food courts around the Haram, which are plentiful and inexpensive.
The costs that sit outside every package
These are the ones that catch first-time pilgrims out, because they are not part of any operator's headline price.
| Cost | Who needs it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meningitis ACWY vaccination | Everyone performing Umrah | Mandatory. GOV.UK states you must hold a valid certificate dated at least 10 days before arrival. Available from pharmacies and travel clinics; NHS availability and price vary by area. |
| Travel insurance | Strongly recommended for everyone | Not included in our packages. Check it covers your full trip length and any pre-existing conditions. |
| Spending money | Everyone | Food beyond breakfast, gifts, Zamzam water, local transport. Highly personal, but plan realistically rather than optimistically. |
| Intercity transfer | Depends on package | Confirm whether Makkah–Madinah is included in your specific quote. |
| Ziyarat tours | Optional | The historical site visits in and around both cities. Usually booked locally or added to a package. |
We have deliberately not put a single fixed figure against the vaccination or insurance. Prices vary widely by provider and by personal circumstances, and quoting a precise number that is wrong for your situation would be worse than telling you to check. What we will say is that the vaccination is not optional — it is an entry requirement, and arriving without a valid certificate dated 10 or more days before you land creates a problem at the border, not an inconvenience.
Do you need an Umrah visa from the UK?
This is where a great deal of published advice is simply out of date, so it is worth being precise.
According to GOV.UK's Saudi Arabia entry requirements, British citizens have three relevant routes into the country, and only two of them permit Umrah:
| Route | Covers Umrah? | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) | Yes, outside the Hajj season | 730 days from issue, multiple entry, 180 days total stay |
| Electronic Visa Waiver | Yes, outside the Hajj season | Single entry, stay up to 180 days |
| Saudi e-visa | No — tourists only | 365 days from issue, multiple entry, 90 days total stay |
That middle distinction matters. Plenty of guides tell UK travellers to "apply for the e-visa" for Umrah. The e-visa is a tourist visa and does not cover pilgrimage. Our packages include visa assistance precisely so you are routed onto the correct permission for your trip rather than finding out at the airport.
Your passport must also have an expiry date at least six months after the date you arrive. If you are travelling for Hajj rather than Umrah, a separate Hajj visa is required — we do not arrange Hajj, only Umrah.
For the wider planning picture, our Umrah planning guide from the UK covers timing, documents and what to expect on the ground.
Why identical-looking packages differ by hundreds of pounds
Four variables move the price, and understanding them lets you spend where it counts.
Room occupancy. The single biggest lever. Quad sharing produces the lowest per-person price; a twin or triple costs more each. Nothing about the trip changes except how many people are in the room.
Nights. Our 4★ range runs from £795 for 7 nights to £895 for 10. The nightly rate barely moves — you are simply buying more of it.
Distance to the Haram. Our packages span three bands: doorstep, under five minutes' walk, and five to ten minutes. In Makkah, particularly during busy periods, that walk is done several times a day, often in extreme heat. For elderly travellers or anyone with limited mobility, paying up for a doorstep hotel is usually the single best use of extra budget — better than upgrading tier for its own sake.
Season. Covered next, and it dwarfs the other three.
When is Umrah cheapest?
| Period | Price effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan | Highest of the year, by a wide margin | Umrah during Ramadan carries particular spiritual significance; demand vastly exceeds hotel supply near the Haram |
| December and UK school holidays | High | UK family availability, not Saudi demand |
| Roughly June to September | Lowest | Saudi summer — temperatures in Makkah and Madinah regularly exceed 45°C |
| Shoulder months outside the above | Moderate | The most balanced combination of cost and conditions |
The summer saving is genuine, and so is the heat. GOV.UK's pilgrimage guidance warns that temperatures can exceed 50°C and advises preparing accordingly. For a fit adult travelling light, summer is excellent value. For elderly parents, young children, or anyone with a heart or respiratory condition, the shoulder months are worth the extra money.
Protecting yourself when you book
This section matters more for Umrah than for an ordinary holiday, and the warning does not come from us — it comes from the British government.
GOV.UK states plainly that "UK-based organised crime groups target people planning Hajj or Umrah trips", that criminals "advertise fraudulent deals through licensed travel companies", and that pilgrims should "make sure your travel agent or operator is ATOL protected when booking Umrah".
That is the single most useful piece of due diligence available to you, and it takes a minute. Practical steps:
- Check for ATOL protection before you pay. Flights and flight-inclusive holidays booked with Travel Orbit are financially protected via our licensed ATOL supplier partners, and we are IATA accredited — a professional credential allowing us to issue airline tickets directly, which is separate from financial protection. Our about page sets out both, and we explain what the protection actually covers in what "ATOL protected" really means.
- Get written terms before any payment, including exactly what is and is not included.
- Be suspicious of outlier pricing. A package hundreds of pounds below everyone else usually means something has been removed from it, or it is not real.
- Never pay into a personal bank account. Legitimate operators do not ask for this.
Spreading the cost
For a family of four at 4★, an Umrah trip is a meaningful sum to find at once, and that is the most common reason people postpone. Paying a deposit and spreading the balance is often the difference between going this year and going "next year" indefinitely. Our Pay Later options set out how that works, including deposit levels and payment timing.
Get a real quote
Every figure on this page is honest but generic — it assumes four sharing, a Heathrow departure and no special requirements. Your actual cost depends on your group size, your departure airport, your dates and the room configuration you need.
Tell us those four things and we will come back with a real price against real availability, not an estimate. If you are travelling with elderly parents, with young children, or coordinating a group across several households, say so — those are exactly the cases where the right hotel matters more than the star rating on the brochure.
If you are considering pairing your pilgrimage with time elsewhere, our guide to combining Umrah with a Dubai stopover explains how that routing works.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Saudi Arabia travel advice: entry requirements (checked 12 September 2026)
- GOV.UK — Saudi Arabia travel advice: pilgrimage (checked 12 September 2026)
- Travel Orbit live package pricing, 12 September 2026
Once you know the budget, the next question is which tier actually suits your group — we compare them on hotels, walking distance and price per night in 3★, 4★ or 5★ Umrah: which package should you book?.