How to perform Umrah in 4 days from UK? Every UK Muslim traveller who wants to make his pilgrimage in a short time asks this question. Yes, you can do Umrah in 4 days, depending on your expectations.
Furthermore, the completion of Umrah doesn't take even a single day. Generally, an individual can accomplish his pilgrimage within 3 to 5 hours. Umrah is a collection of four remarkable rituals that take only a few hours to complete.
However, we assume you are discussing an Umrah journey to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Many travel agencies offer 7-day Umrah Packages from London. However, there are no travel packages for the pilgrimage to Mecca that last less than seven days. But now, tackling this situation is very easy. The Saudi government introduced a 4-day free transit visa for foreign tourists. This free transit visa enables Muslims to complete an Umrah journey within 4 days.
Performing Umrah in 4 Days
Before discussing the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, knowing about completing Umrah within 4 days is critical. It is important to remember that most travel agencies offer only 7-day, 14-day, and 21-day Umrah packages. This thing is not appropriate for travellers who want to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in less than one week. However, the Saudi government has eased this difficulty by introducing a 4-day free transit visa. This 96-hour transit visa opens the doors to performing Umrah in 4 days. Apart from performing Umrah, individuals can visit historical sites, attend business meetings, and participate in Saudi national events through this transit visa.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you can only take advantage of a 4-day stopover by travelling through some specific airlines. These airlines include the following:
- Saudia
- Flynas
However, if you do not travel through the above airlines, you can stay in Saudi Arabia for 96 hours. Moreover, there are various advantages of taking a 4-day free transit visa, including performing Umrah, a 96-hour stay in Saudi Arabia, and attending any business meeting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). With a free one-night hotel stay in Saudi Arabia, an individual has four days to do as he likes. Also, the Saudi 4-day free transit visa benefits those travellers who often ask, "How to perform Umrah without travel agent?"
Umrah can be completed within a few hours. However, completing other rites and visiting numerous sacred locations is also crucial. For first-time travellers, making an appropriate travel itinerary is beneficial. Let's explore the 4-day travel itinerary for Umrah below:
Day 1: Arrival in Mecca and doing Umrah
Reaching Mecca within 1 hour is easy if you land at Jeddah International Airport. Some travellers land at Medina International Airport. However, many travellers to Mecca consider Jeddah Airport a favourite landing airport in KSA.
Although travelling from Jeddah to Mecca can take 1 hour, you can reduce your travel time through the Haramain High-Speed Railway. The Haramain train takes only 40 minutes if you go to Mecca from Jeddah. Moreover, Haramain High-Speed Railway is advantageous for travellers asking, "Can you do Umrah in 1 day?"
After arriving in Mecca:
- Take some rest in your hotel.
- Go to Masjid al-Haram and perform Umrah.
- Remember, Umrah consists of only four remarkable rituals: wearing Ihram clothing, performing Tawaf, accomplishing Sa'i, and shaving the head/trimming the hair. When you complete these four rituals, your Umrah pilgrimage will be complete.
Day 2: Exploring Mecca
After performing Umrah, stay in Mecca and visit various Islamic historical sites. Explore the Cave of Hira and strengthen your connection with Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the Quran. Visit Mount Arafat and remember the last sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which is one of the historical events in Islam.
Moreover, visit Jannat al-Mualla, home to the Prophet's wife and ancestors' graves. Go to Jabal al-Thawr to remember the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca and Medina. Besides visiting historical landmarks in Mecca, exploring modern sites is also essential. Visit Mecca Clock Tower, one of Saudi Arabia's tallest buildings. Go to Mecca Mall and buy souvenirs for you and your loved ones.
Day 3: Arrival in Medina
After staying in Mecca, travel to Medina, the most sacred city in Islam. Travelling from Mecca to Medina by bus or car takes approximately 4 to 7 hours. However, if you want to reach Medina quickly, the Haramain train is the best option. The Haramain train can reach you in 2 hours from Mecca.
After arriving in Medina, go to the Prophet's Mosque and offer your prayer. Reciting the Quran and doing Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) is also essential after entering Masjid al-Nabawi. After entering Masjid al-Nabawi, visit Rawdah Shareef by issuing a permit through the Nusuk app. Remember, you cannot enter Rawdah Shareef without a valid permit for only 30 minutes.
Apart from visiting Masjid al-Nabawi, explore numerous historical landmarks in Medina. Al Baqi Cemetery, Quba Mosque, Masjid Qiblatain, Mount Uhud, and the Salman Farsi Garden are the remarkable historical landmarks in Medina. Visiting these Islamic historical sites will strengthen your connection with Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and Islam. Moreover, go to old markets and modern malls in Medina and buy souvenirs for your loved ones.
Day 4: Departure from Saudi Arabia
If you depart from Medina International Airport, stay in Medina and explore more tourist destinations. However, if your departure airport is Jeddah International Airport, check out of your Medina hotel and travel to Jeddah. You can typically reach Jeddah from Medina within 5 to 6 hours. However, if you reach Jeddah from Medina within 2 hours, choose the Haramain train.
To Summarize
The duration of an Umrah journey can be four days. However, many travel agencies typically do not offer a four-day Umrah travel package. You can avail yourself of this opportunity through a four-day free transit visa issued by the Saudi government. Remember, making a proper travel itinerary before embarking on Umrah is also essential.
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