Certain Muslims use the time during which Hajj takes place as an excuse to delay every year the performance of Islam's fifth pillar or Umrah.

How long does it take?! Only 2-3 weeks! We spend so much time enjoying holidays!

Umrah can be performed within a few hours at any moment of the year, but Hajj has to be performed during the month of Dhul-Hijjah.

Hajj requires normally between five and six days, but there are exceptions. To have the time, planning is everything. Plan to leave from now on for Hajj.

For next Hajj, you can note your availability of holidays and use it for the most important journey of your life. Or, you just have to choose express Hajj (approximately 10-14 days by counting the durations of movements and transport).

And remind yourselves that the stay in Medina is not a part of Hajj.

Namely: Hajj should be situated between November 14-18th, 2010.

Time necessary for Umrah:

It is necessary to plan approximately 10 in 15 days of deadline enter the moment of deposit of the file "Umrah" to the Consulate of Saudi Arabia and the obtaining of the visa.

In itself, Umrah can be performed in 2 to 3 hours. Once completed you enter into Ihram from Taniim.

However, if the Pilgrim takes his Ihram to Abâr ' Aly ( Dhoû-l-Houlayfa) in 12 kilometers from Medina, he has to count then approximately a day for this first Umrah (he can leave in the middle of morning and finish his 'Umrah at the end of evening according to his rhythm).

Are there direct flights to Mecca?

No There is no civil airport in Mecca. The closest civil airport is in Djeddah.

How do I have to go to Mecca?

Once arrived at Djeddah and  accomplished all the administrative formalities, you will be taken in Mecca by bus. These services of bus are assured by the local transport companies, through the general Labor union(Syndicate) of the automobile transport.

How long does it take to travel from Jeddah to Mecca?

Mecca is in around thirty kilometers of Djeddah. If you take a taxi, you will need approximately one hour and a half. If you take the bus, you will need longer. It is necessary to pay between 50 and 60 Saudi riyals to go from Mecca to Medina to taxi.

How can I enter Saudi Arabia?

There are more than 24 points of entrance, as you arrive by air, ground or maritime traffic, which welcome the pilgrims in the central, oriental, north and western part of the Kingdom.

among those points of entrance by ground way ,appear: Halat Ammar, Jadidat Arar, Al Ragei, Salwa, King Fahd Causeway, Al Khadra, Al Tewal, Elab and Al Wadeah.

Among the points of entrance by sea route, appear : the Islamic seaport of Djeddah, the port of Yanbou and the port of Damman.

Among the points of entrance by air traffic , appear : the international airport of King Abdul Aziz in Djeddah, the international airport of King Khaled in Riyadh, the airport of Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz in Medina and the international airport of King Fahd to Damman.

Most of the pilgrims go to Djeddah by plane and also  join  Mecca by bus by the highway Djeddah- Mecca.

How many airports are there in Djeddah? What is the time of transfer between the various airports?

There are three airports in Djeddah:

Al SALA - AL CHAMALIYYA airport: international airport (company Royal Jordanian, Middle East, Emirates)

Al SALA - AL JANOUBIYYA airport: the airport reserved for the national company Saudi Arabian Airlines

MADINAT Al-Hujjaj airport: this airport works only during the period of Hajj to allow to manage the flow importing Pilgrims.

The time of transfer between the airport where settled Royal Jordanian and Middle East during the period of ' Omra is from 25 till 30 minutes (price) in taxi: 50 - 100 riyals (that is between 11 and 22 euro)).

Hiw early should I arrive before my return flight ?

You should arrive 3 hours before the scheduled departure. Given the time of flight (1:30 am at 2 am to make Mecca-Djeddah), you thus have to leave Mecca 5 at 6 am before the takeoff of your plane.

Choose the date of departure:

The Arafat Day should fall near November 15th, 2010.

So,  Hajj should be situated between November 14-18th, 2010.

Note: the exact dates of the Islamic fest cannot be determined in advance, because of the nature of the Islamic lunar calendar. The estimations are based on the visibility planned by Hilal (The crescent moon after the new moon)

Click Here to read the Hajj and Umrah latest news