sara international travel hajj 2022

• +1 (718) 848-1222
• [email protected]

Hajj and Umrah Travel Tips

Are you up for Hajj and Umrah this year of any time soon? Then there are a few key points you need to take care of during your Hajj and Umrah travel. The Hajj and Umrah are the most sacred events one could perform in their life-time to earn higher rewards. Well, these sacred events have also got you some difficulties and challenges to face amidst the journey.

Below are few travel tips for your journey before and after reaching the sacred land, Mecca and Medina. Let’s hope you find them useful and make your journey fruitful and as easy as it can get.

Before you reach the Sacred Land

• Learn basic Arabic phrases

Learn some basic Arabic survival phrases, as no eve4ryone in the security or guide there will have a good grasp of English and even the signboards are in Arabic, and understanding them would get difficult. So having the knowledge a few basic words and direction will help.

• Rehearse Walking and hydrating yourself

Make sure you don’t subject your body to extreme walking or hydration during Umrah or Hajj for the first time, this may lead to many bathrooms turns, the luxury of which you may not have 24/7. Bathrooms are very far away from the Kaaba and are super crowded. So, start walking daily prior a month of your travel and hydrate yourself regularly.

• Label your luggage clearly

Every bag you are carrying must be labeled with your name, city, or something that represents you. While returning make sure you label the Zamzam package as well. You are allowed to bring 5 liters per person in a unique box. So, if you don’t label them correctly there might be chances that you may lose it. It is also suggested to keep your ihram in your carry-on if in case you lose the luggage, you will still have the important items with you.

• Do not pack cameras

Both in Mecca and Medina, all the bags of the pilgrims are checked at the entrance of the mosque, so make sure not to carry any inappropriate stuff. Don’t pack your cameras (especially the big ones) or the knife. They may confiscate them.

• Take enough provision for your trip

Pack enough pairs of clothes and undergarments. Don’t ever pack light in this regard, that you would have to shop there or wash them constantly. You could rather spend that time worshipping or resting. Also keep some exchanged cash in hand for fidyah, for sadaqah, or for other means. After you Reach the Sacred Land

• Get a Saudi Sim card

For your safety and security in the huge crowd, it is must to have a constant connection. For around 100 riyals you can get a phone line in Saudi Arabia. The outgoing calls for which are charged and the incoming are free. The phone lines can be the savior when you lose your way or get lost in the crowd and couldn’t spot your family. Since men and women are segregated in mosques and Mina tents. Buying a sim card for all will have you on the safe and secure side.

• Get your money exchanged at the exchange center

Instead of exchanging the money at the hotel’s lobby try exchanging the money at the exchange center. You can find the money exchangers everywhere, they are called Sarf. But, it is always good to carry some exchanged cash beforehand than having to stand in long lines when in an emergency.

• Avoid carrying expensive things with you

Even in such sacred places, the thefts happen. So, make sure not to carry the expensive stuff with you that would keep your attention more towards them and less towards our purpose and rituals.

• Don’t throw garbage

Don’t litter around on roads, paths, corridors, or anywhere even if everyone else has done. Think before you buy food, don’t by too much food that you may have to dispose of it to alter. This mostly happens in Mina. If you see someone littering then stop them too because the littering increases the possibility of tripping.

Your patient gets tested to an extreme level. Don’t push or hurt someone else just to get ahead in some rewarding deed. Allah is forgiving, but the people aren’t all the times. So, make sure you don’t hurt someone for your comfort. Rather be kind and give way to the people instead of fighting. The strong is ho controls his anger and there comes many moments where you get frustrated in a massive crowd. But staying calm and dealing with the situation with the utmost patience will be rewarding. Make the most of your journey in getting rewarded for your good deeds. If walking becomes too difficult especially for the elder individuals) then get a wheelchair. People on wheels get to do the Tawaf in the upper area where there are fewer crowds but the circumambulation gets longer.

Additional tips

• If you have chosen the group package for the pilgrimage, then make sure you stay with the group or in pairs during the whole journey, because your passport maybe with the group coordinator and you will need some sort of identification in case you fall unconscious or cannot find your way back. Make sure stay together with the group and choose the places with the fewer crowds to keep from the stampede.
• Never try to retrieve anything from the ground if you lose it, not even a golden ring, it may cost your life. Because when you are in those crushing crowds, it is easy to get trampled on and get suffocated to death. So, nothing is more important than life and everything else is replaceable.
• If you are traveling with kids who didn’t hit puberty yet then the packing list may vary and you get additional responsibilities of taking extra care for them amidst the crowd. It is suggested to leave the kids below 10-12 years back at home with the loved ones.

Bottom Line

You may encounter many situations where you are put to the edge of anger but learn to be patient and it is the best luggage you could carry to this important journey of life. Take one bag of provisions and 10 bags of Taqwa to make this journey fruitful for you.

Sara International Travel (USA) is an Authorized and IATA-Accredited Hajj & Umrah Agency with the best and affordable hajj and umrah packages, founded in 1994 with the blessing of Allah SWT. 

Quick Links

• Umrah Packages 2024
• Umrah 2024 Registration
• Umrah Essentials
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Booking Terms and Conditions

We are now receiving registrations for Hajj 2024

ALL PRAISE IS FOR ALLAH IN ALL STATES AND AFFAIRS

By the Grace of Allah, we are excited to launch our Hajj 2024 interest forum.

We have affiliated with one of the most reputable Hajj service providers in Saudia Arabia - and working in tandem with the latest guidelines and protocols set forth by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah - we look forward to providing guidance and support to pilgrims throughout Hajj 2024.

Simply register your details to stay in the loop with all things related to Hajj 2024.

Step 1 of 2 Contact Details

Step 2 of 2 travel preferences.

• Hajj 2024 Packages UK
• Hajj 2024 Telegram Support Group
• UK +44 (0) 333 0119 786
• USA +1 718 848 1222

Current Configuration Invalid

• Register for Hajj 2024

For more information on our increasingly popular Hajj 2022 packages, simply complete the form below, and one of our Hajj facilitator's will get in touch.

Name  *

Phone  *

Email  *

Want to receive news from Sara International Travel and our partners straight to your inbox? Opt in to receive occasional offers and information from us via email or sms. We will not sell or distribute your data to any third party. View our privacy policy for more details

For more information on our increasingly popular Hajj 2024 packages, simply complete the form below, and one of our Hajj facilitator's will get in touch.

Want to receive news from Sara Travel and our partners? Opt in to receive occasional offers and information from us. We will not sell or distribute your data.

• Ruby VIP Non Shifting

Ruby VIP Non Shifting Hajj 2024 Package

During the Hajj season, hotel management at Makkah and Madinah hotel rooms are reconfigured to accommodate the hujjaj: Double rooms are converted to triple, and triple rooms are converted to quad by adding rollaway beds. Thus, rooms space will be tighter than what is reflected on the hotel websites.

Our Ruby VIP non shifting Hajj 2024 package is a 15 day luxury Hajj 2022 programme for the UK, which offers the ultimate Hajj 2024 experience. With exclusive access to VIP Hajj camps in Mina (nearest the Jamarat), Arafat and Muzdalifah, as well as unrestricted admission on the Makkah Metro Train Service during Hajj, our Ruby VIP Hajj 2024 package is focused on making you comfortable, and truly delivering a once in a lifetime experience.

• Outbound Flight: Mon 10 Jun (Manchester)
• Return Flight: Mon 24 Jun (Manchester)
• 15 Days Non-Shifting VIP Hajj 2024 Package
• 5 days of Hajj
• 5 days in Makkah
• 3 days in Madinah
• No Aziziyah shifting - single location in Makkah throughout trip
• 5* Swissotel Makkah Clocktower
• 5* 5* Sofitel Shahd Madinah
• Includes three meals (full-board) during days Of Hajj
• Includes breakfast and dinner (half-board) at Makkah/Madinah star Hotels
• Scholarly Guidance and Mentorship
• Includes Flights & Accommodation
• Includes Hajj visa
• Complimentary Provisions
• Dedicated Medical Support
• 24/7 Ground-staff support
• Triple and double room occupancy upgrades available

ATOL PROTECTED

Safe payment, 24/7 help center.

• Ruby VIP Non Shifting Itinerary

If Allah wills, our Hajj 2024 experience aims to offer a hassle-free trip that focuses on making you as comfortable as possible during the rites of Hajj, the places you will visit, the people you will meet, and the many scenarios you will encounter.

Please note that our Hajj 2024 itinerary is subject to potential change due to circumstances beyond our control; these include but are not limited to airline schedules, hotel arrangements, and the monthly Islamic calendar. In the unlikely event of any changes to this itinerary, we shall endeavour to give you as much notice as possible, terms and conditions apply.

Sign Up For Hajj 2022

Airport Preference  * Airport Preference Manchester Birmingham Heathrow

People  * No of people 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+

Hajj Package  * Select Hajj Package Gold Ruby Ruby VIP Platinum

Where Did You Hear About Us?  *

Your Message *

• Ruby VIP Non Shifting Overview

Enrich your Hajj experience by Performing your Hajj Under Scholarly Guidance and Mentorship

Ziyarahs & Historical Visits

Create an account to expedite future checkouts, track order history & receive emails, discounts, & special offers

Remember me Lost your password?

Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy .

• Back to login
• Don't have an account ? Create one now

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser .

Moscow Travel Guide

• Guide to Russia
• Russian Destination Guide

Why travel to Moscow

Contrasts: 12th century monasteries and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe can be found side-by-side in this complex and captivating city. The diversity of this mega-city is astounding. Only a few steps away from the solemn red facade of the Kremlin and the sounds of righteous church bells, a buzzing night scene and alternative-fashion boutiques can be found.

Culture: In Moscow only the best goes. Be it a theatre, restaurant or gallery, the standards are certain to be world-class. The Bolshoi ballet company is reputed to be even better than the Mariinsky’s and “MMOMA” (Moscow’s museum of modern art) exhibits works of art as profound as any that could be found in the famed MOMA.

Convenience: Unlike the rest of Russia, it’s easy enough to get by with just English in Moscow and, driving excepted, it is surprisingly safe: the murder rate is lower than in some of America’s major cities.

Top Sights in Moscow

St. Basil’s

Novodevichy Convent

MORE SIGHTS

• Moscow Fact File
• History of Moscow Russia
• Arriving in Moscow
• Getting Around
• Moscow Museums
• Nightlife in Moscow
• Moscow Restaurants
• Moscow Entertainment
• Activities in Moscow
• Outside Moscow

FEATURED MOSCOW TOURS

See tours which enjoy highest popularity with our customers

CLASSIC MOSCOW

A WEEK IN MOSCOW

WEEKEND IN MOSCOW

View all tours

Why visit Moscow

It would take more than two days to walk around the perimeter of the biggest city in Europe, Moscow. Many of its inhabitants barely know what’s beyond the few blocks around their flat and there are so many attractions that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. If there is such a thing as an antidote to boredom, Moscow City is it. The mind-boggling range and diversity of things to do, places to eat, parks, historical monuments and more means that a vacation in Moscow has a wealth of activities to offer for every type of traveler, from young families to retirees.

Reasons to Vacation in Moscow in 2022

The Bolshoi theatre is familiar to almost everyone as Russia’s grandest theatre, but what people don’t know is that there are many more bolshoi (big) sites in Moscow that are worth travelling all the way to Moscow to see. For more than 100 years, the world’s biggest bell has been hidden behind the Kremlin’s walls and inside Moscow’s main park (which is bigger than some countries!) there is the world’s largest outdoor ice-rink. Travelers that visit Moscow can stay at the Izmailovo, Europe’s biggest hotel, then eat at the largest and most historic McDonald’s in Europe and after that have fun at the largest European indoor theme park!

Ancient Past & Stunning Architecture:

As those who travel to Moscow will see, just because Moscow is a city of record-breaking, glitzy high-rises doesn’t mean that there is no history. On the famous Arbat street, time-worn, wooden storehouses and century-old churches are squashed up against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by 21st century office-blocks. Unlike its much younger sibling, St Petersburg, Moscow’s roots stretch way back to the 12th century. Within the walls of the Kremlin, the city’s oldest building the Cathedral of Assumption can be admired in all its 500+ years of age.

Culture & Convenience

For a foreigner who has never visited Russia, Moscow is the perfect stepping stone into this great land of mystery. From the country’s best classical ballet troupes to snow-white troikas trotting through the parks, all the highlights of Russian culture can be had in Moscow without any of the complications that would be expected in other, less developed regions of Russia.

Cheap as Caviar

In Moscow, everything is bargain when with the current foreign exchange rates being what they are. Even caviar doesn’t seem so dear when the exchange rate is at 60rub to the dollar, so go on indulge yourself! Take your 2022 vacation in Moscow and have the best of both worlds, with European luxury at very affordable prices.

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

We had a great time both in Moscow and St Petersburg. Your travel agency was excellent in coordinating the whole trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The guides assigned to us were very nice and friendly. They had a great knowledge of their subjects. The cars and the drivers were great. The hotels were good and the itinerary was good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice dealing with you and your company. Thank you very much for a great Russian experience. Have a great future ahead

• 31 reviews of Express to Russia Moscow Tours in Moscow

Our travel brands include

Express to Russia

Join us on Facebook

We invite you to become a fan of our company on Facebook and read Russian news and travel stories. To become a fan, click here .

Join our own Russian Travel, Culture and Literature Club on Facebook. The club was created to be a place for everyone with an interest in Russia to get to know each other and share experiences, stories, pictures and advice. To join our club, please follow this link .

We use cookies to improve your experience on our Website, and to facilitate providing you with services available through our Website. To opt out of non-essential cookies, please click here . By continuing to use our Website, you accept our use of cookies, the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service . I agree