Planning Umrah from the UK, in short
If you're a British resident planning Umrah, you'll need either a UK Electronic Visa Waiver (if you're eligible) or a dedicated Umrah visa arranged through an approved agent — which one applies depends on your passport and how you're travelling. Umrah can be performed at any time of year, though Ramadan and the months either side of Hajj season are the busiest and should be booked well ahead. A typical package includes return flights, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, private transfers, and visa assistance, with 3★, 4★ and 5★ tiers differing mainly in hotel comfort and proximity to the Haram rather than in what's included. Travel Orbit arranges Umrah travel only — not Hajj — and is ATOL protected via our licensed ATOL supplier partners.
What is the difference between Hajj and Umrah?
Hajj and Umrah are both pilgrimages to Makkah, but they are not the same journey. Hajj is the larger annual pilgrimage performed during a fixed period of the Islamic calendar, is obligatory for Muslims who are able, and is managed through a government-controlled quota and permit system. Umrah is a shorter, voluntary pilgrimage that can be performed at almost any time of year outside the Hajj period, with far more flexibility on dates and duration. To be clear: Travel Orbit arranges Umrah travel only. We do not sell Hajj packages, and nothing in this guide should be read as an offer of Hajj travel.
Do I need a visa for Umrah from the UK?
Yes — every UK traveller performing Umrah needs a valid entry visa for Saudi Arabia, and there are two routes depending on your circumstances. Travel Orbit is not a visa-issuing authority; we provide visa assistance and confirm the correct route for you at the time of booking, rather than issuing the visa ourselves. Which route applies depends on your passport eligibility and the nature of your trip, so this is always checked individually rather than assumed. Last checked: 27 August 2026.
What is the difference between an Umrah visa and a tourist visa?
The two main routes UK travellers use are the Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) and a dedicated Umrah visa, and they are not interchangeable. The EVW is a lighter-touch entry route available to eligible British passport holders, and it's the route referenced in Travel Orbit's own Umrah package listings as "EVW visa assistance." A dedicated Umrah visa, by contrast, is issued specifically for pilgrimage travel via an approved agent and is tied to Saudi Arabia's official Nusuk platform — the government's digital gateway for Umrah bookings.
| Route | Who it suits | Entry restrictions | How Travel Orbit helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) | Eligible British passport holders travelling short-term, including many standard Umrah trips | Standard short-stay visitor entry conditions apply | We check your eligibility and include EVW visa assistance in the relevant package |
| Dedicated Umrah visa (via Nusuk) | Pilgrims booking through the formal Umrah visa channel, including longer stays, group bookings, or where EVW isn't applicable | Commonly reported to restrict entry to Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, with an annual suspension window ahead of the Hajj season | We confirm which route applies to you and handle visa assistance through approved channels |
A note on our sources: the specifics above are widely reported by travel agents and pilgrimage guides, but our research did not turn up a primary Saudi government source stating the current position in plain terms. Treat this as commonly reported rather than confirmed fact, and always ask us to confirm which route applies to you at booking. For the authoritative position, check the Nusuk platform and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah directly. Last checked: 27 August 2026.
When is the best time to perform Umrah?
Umrah can be performed at any point in the Islamic calendar outside the Hajj period, so "best time" really means matching your priorities — crowd levels, weather, cost, and spiritual significance — to a season. Ramadan is widely considered the most spiritually significant time to perform Umrah, but it is also the busiest and most expensive, with hotels near the Haram filling months in advance. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, but this is subject to moon sighting and should not be treated as a fixed date until confirmed closer to the time.
Outside Ramadan, the cooler months (broadly November to February) are popular for comfort, since daytime temperatures in Makkah and Madinah are lower than in the summer. The period immediately before and after Hajj season sees restricted Umrah visa issuance, so travel is not typically possible in that window regardless of season preference. If flexibility matters more to you than a specific date, travelling outside Ramadan and outside the summer heat generally gives the calmest experience and the widest hotel choice. Last checked: 27 August 2026.
What is included in an Umrah package?
A Travel Orbit Umrah package is built around the essentials of the journey rather than optional extras, and the same core inclusions run across all three tiers. Every package includes return flights from a UK airport, accommodation in both Makkah and Madinah on a Bed & Breakfast basis, private ground transfers, and visa assistance for the number of pilgrims travelling. What changes between the 3★, 4★ and 5★ tiers is the quality and location of the hotels — not the presence of flights, transfers or visa help.
Travel insurance, personal spending, optional Ziyarat (sightseeing) tours, and the Makkah–Madinah intercity transfer are typically not included unless a package specifically says so, so it's worth checking these against your own needs before you book. Hotel proximity to Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi is always subject to availability — we do not guarantee a specific distance or a named hotel until your booking is confirmed.
| 3★ | 4★ | 5★ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board basis | Bed & Breakfast | Bed & Breakfast | Bed & Breakfast |
| Hotel style | Practical, value-focused | More space, higher finish | Premium finish and service level |
| Typical proximity to the Haram | Within walking distance (subject to availability) | Often closer, in some cases a short walk | Frequently doorstep or near-doorstep in available inventory |
| Typical night splits offered | Around 4 nights Makkah / 3 nights Madinah | Ranges from 4/3 up to 6/4 nights | Ranges from 4/3 up to 5/5 nights |
| Best suited to | Pilgrims prioritising value | A balance of comfort and cost | Those wanting maximum comfort, including elderly parents or larger family groups |
You can see live examples of each tier on our 3★ Umrah packages, 4★ Umrah packages and 5★ Umrah packages pages. We've deliberately left prices out of this guide, since package rates change with the season and the airline fare on the day — the pages above and our team will always have the current figure.
How long does Umrah take?
There's no fixed length for an Umrah trip — the rite itself can be completed in a matter of hours once you're in Ihram and at the Haram, but almost no one travels for just that. In practice, most UK pilgrims build a trip of around seven to ten nights split between Makkah and Madinah, which allows time to perform Umrah without rushing, visit Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah, and rest before the journey home. Travel Orbit's packages reflect this: night splits commonly range from around 7 nights total up to 10 nights, divided between the two cities depending on the package you choose.
Shorter or longer stays can usually be arranged to suit your time off work or reflection needs — the exact Makkah/Madinah split is something we'll confirm with you at booking.
Can I take children or elderly parents with me?
Yes — Umrah is regularly performed as a family journey, and Travel Orbit arranges travel for pilgrims of all ages, including young children and elderly parents or grandparents. There is no upper age limit for Umrah, though anyone with a significant health condition should speak to their GP before travelling, given the walking, standing and warm climate involved. For elderly or less mobile travellers, choosing a 4★ or 5★ package with closer proximity to the Haram (subject to availability) can meaningfully reduce the amount of walking required each day.
If you're travelling as a family or multi-generational group, tell us this when you enquire — we can look at hotel room configurations, quieter travel periods, and realistic day-to-day pacing so the trip works for everyone in your party rather than just the fittest members of it.
Health and vaccination requirements — including the meningitis ACWY vaccination commonly required for Umrah travellers — are set by the Saudi authorities and can change. Confirm the current requirements with your GP or travel clinic and with official UK and Saudi government sources before you travel, rather than relying on any single guide, including this one.
How far in advance should I book?
As a general rule, the closer your travel dates are to Ramadan or to school holiday periods, the further ahead you should book — ideally three to six months for Ramadan travel, given how quickly hotels near the Haram fill up. For travel outside these peak windows, six to eight weeks is often workable, though earlier is always safer if you have a preferred hotel tier or a specific night split in mind. Group and family bookings, in particular, benefit from an early enquiry, since holding several rooms together at the same hotel gets harder the closer you get to departure.
Cost is often the deciding factor in how far ahead people book, and we understand that paying for flights, hotels and transfers all at once isn't always practical. If spreading the cost would help you commit to dates sooner, our in-house Book Now Pay Later option lets you secure your package with a deposit and pay the balance in instalments, rather than needing the full amount upfront.
Booking with confidence
Travel Orbit is ATOL protected via our licensed ATOL supplier partners, giving your flight-inclusive Umrah package that scheme's financial protection. We are also an IATA Accredited Agent — a professional credential allowing direct ticket issue, not a form of financial protection in itself, and one that sits alongside ATOL cover rather than replacing it. Read more about our credentials on our About page.
Every Umrah journey is personal, and the right visa route, tier and travel window for one traveller won't always be right for the next. If you'd like to talk through your circumstances — your passport, your dates, who's travelling with you — get in touch with our team via WhatsApp on +44 7853 072479 or email info@travelorbit.co.uk, or start by browsing our Umrah packages. We'll confirm the details that matter and put together options that actually fit your journey.
For a full breakdown of what the trip actually costs — real package prices by tier, and the extras that sit outside every package — see how much Umrah costs from the UK. If the upfront cost is the obstacle rather than the decision, our guide to paying for a holiday in instalments sets out the options.