A step-by-step guide for the pilgrim: from the plane until the return

If you’re preparing to perform Umrah for the first time, you may feel excited and perhaps even a little nervous. Don’t worry! This comprehensive guide will guide you step by step from the moment you board your flight until you return home , so you can perform your Umrah with ease and peace of mind.

1. Before Departure: Preparing for Travel

What to prepare:

Valid passport and Umrah visa.
Airline tickets and hotel accommodation.
Book internal transportation if not included.
Ihram clothing (for men) and comfortable clothing (for women).
Basic personal items (toothbrush, unscented soap, masks, medications).
Useful apps: “Nusuk”, “Makkah Maps”, or the Umrah Agency app.

Tip:

Write a list of everything you need a week before you travel, don’t wait until the last minute.

2. At the airport: the intention of ihram and its location

Where do you start ihram?

From the time specified for your country.
Or from the plane , if it passes over the airspace.

What are you doing?

Put on Ihram clothing (for men) at the airport before takeoff.
When the plane approaches the Miqat, intend to perform Umrah and say:

“At your service, O Allah, for Umrah”

Start with the Talbiyah:

“At your service, O God, at your service, at your service, you have no partner, at your service…”

3. Upon arrival in Mecca: Directly to Umrah

After landing:

Head to the hotel for a short rest.
Then go to the Grand Mosque to perform Umrah, preferably at non-crowded times (for example, after midnight).

4. Performing the Umrah rituals (step by step)

stage	What you do
1. Tawaf	7 circuits around the Kaaba starting from the Black Stone
2. Prayer	Two rak’ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim (if possible)
3. Striving	7 rounds between Safa and Marwa
4. Shaving or shortening	For men: Shaving or shortening the hair – For women: Trimming the ends of the hair
End of Umrah	Congratulations! You have exited Ihram and can change your clothes.

5. The following days in Mecca

What do you do?

Pray in the Grand Mosque as much as possible.
Voluntary circumambulation (called voluntary circumambulation).
Visit Jabal Al-Nour or Al-Ma’la Cemetery.
Gain knowledge from lessons and lectures

6. Transfer to Medina (if included in the program)

🚍 The journey takes about 5 hours by bus.
🕌 Upon arrival, it is recommended to visit the Prophet’s Mosque and pray there.
✨ Do not repeat Umrah from Medina, as it was not prescribed in the Sunnah of the Prophet.

7. What to do in the city?

Visit the Holy Shrine (book an appointment through the Nusk app).
Peace be upon the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and his two companions, may God be pleased with them.
Visit Quba Mosque, Qiblatain Mosque, and Mount Uhud.
Spend time in worship and tranquility.

8. Preparing to return

Buy light and useful gifts (Zamzam water, siwak, dates).
Check your travel documents.
Allow enough time to get to the airport, especially during peak times.

9. Upon return: How do you preserve the effect of Umrah?

Maintain your prayers and Quran as you were in Mecca.
Share your experience with those around you to inspire them.
Make Umrah the starting point for a new spiritual life.

Trip summary

stage	Main reminder
Before traveling	Psychological and logistical preparation
During Ihram	Talbiyah, intention, and discipline
In Mecca	Humility in Tawaf, Sa’i and supplication
In the city	Prayer in Rawdah and peace be upon the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace
After returning	Maintaining spirituality and repeating the intention to perform Umrah again

The conclusion

Umrah is an unforgettable experience and can be the beginning of a new life.
Prepare for it as you would for the most important decision of your life, as it is a meeting with God in the holiest place on earth .