We understand that deciding between a full package or planning everything yourself can be tough. That’s why we’re here to help! We’ll break down the pros and cons of each option so you can make the best choice for your trip.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps of planning your own Umrah journey.
Blacklisted 56 Companies by Saudi Government
The Saudi government has recently cracked down on companies and individuals helping people perform Umrah illegally on tourist visas. To combat this issue, they’ve banned 56 Umrah package companies and added them to a blacklist. The list of these companies is included below.
Despite the Saudi government announcing new policies for visit visas, they are still not available to the public. This is happening even though the crackdown on illegal Umrah and Hajj has taken place.
So, you’re wondering which Umrah package is best and if you can do it yourself.
Umrah Package by Tour Companies and Travel Agencies
Booking an Umrah package often involves travelling in large groups. These groups can range from 10 to 50 people or even more. They make groups of people and provide them accommodation based on sharing. They facilitate pilgrims regarding transportation, and buses are available by these companies to take pilgrims from Makkah to Medina and Jeddah to Makkah from the airport.
These companies buy tickets in advance one month before the departure of the pilgrims, which makes them available at less expensive fares.
Umrah without Package
Umrah Visa
When a person decides to travel alone, the first thing to do is to acquire an Umrah Visa; this Visa can be obtained through the Nusuk App. The second option in this regard is to acquire an Umrah Visa with the help of a travel agency, as you can ask them if you only need an Umrah Visa.
Umrah’s Visa is for one month and three months.
Transportation
Once you acquire an Umrah Visa, transportation is also available with the Visa. Always ask them to provide transportation with the Visa. Transportation specifically involves bus travel from the airport to Makkah and back to the airport from Makkah/Medina by bus provided by the Umrah company.
Accommodation
When you reach Makkah, you can visit different hotels and book a room yourself. There is no language barrier; people in Makkah can mostly speak Urdu and English. You can easily communicate with people. Bargaining is widely used, so you can bargain on the price and get the desired room at a reasonable price.
It would help if you had your passport and Umrah Visa with you as they check before checking you in.
Important Tip: If you request any travel agent to help you book a room in any hotel, they will always keep their commission of 10 or 20 riyals. Hence, it is recommended that you help yourself in this regard, as it will help you save money and you can easily get a room without any trouble at a reasonable price.
Transport from Makkah to Medina
To reach Medina from Makkah, you can take a bus, train, or taxi. All these transportation means are available without any trouble. You can stay in Medina for as long as you wish and then come back to Makkah, unlike when you book an Umrah package and have to follow their plan.
Important Tips
- Don’t get involved in any illegal activity like working on Umrah or a Visit Visa. Refrain from any such activity and follow the laws and regulations.
- Travel back to your country before the expiration of your Visa.
- In Umrah visa, the date of the visa expiry cannot be extended, and you must leave KSA before visa Expiry.
- It is highly recommended to plan for self-plan Umrah ONLY if you have travel experience, you have any relatives in Jeddah, Makkah or Medina, or you are familiar with the roads and hotels. Otherwise, if you are travelling for the first time, never go for this option.
It has been observed that people opt for Self Plan Umrah, and because they are new and performing Umrah for the first time, they end up spending more money than required. They end up spending more money than they would with the Umrah Package.
