In recent years, with Saudi Arabia opening up tourist visas for Westerners, there has been a significant increase in the faithful visiting the two holy cities. Many are now booking their own flights, arranging their own accommodations, and experiencing the blessings of this spiritual journey on their own terms. It’s incredible to see how affordable it has become, you can now find flights from European cities to Jeddah for as little as £60. In this blog, I’ll share my personal experience of performing Umrah on a budget, with the hope of inspiring you to go on this spiritual journey yourself.

My eldest holding the Ka’bah during our Umrah in 2022

The traditional way of performing Umrah involved joining a particular group, waiting for your visa to be approved, and feeling great excitement when you found out you were actually going. However, you were at the mercy of the tour group you travelled with, sometimes it turned out to be a fantastic experience, while other times it could be a complete disaster. But you would remind yourself, “It’s Umrah; I must be patient!”

The nature of performing Umrah has drastically changed. Now, you can apply for a visa within minutes for as little as £35. So, how do you go about organising your own Umrah?

WizzAir – a game changer for Umrah travel

I first went to Umrah in 1998. As a 12-year-old, I don’t have many memories of that trip. After that, I went again in 2022, 24 years later! This time, I planned everything by myself. We travelled from Yemen to Jeddah, and then via Qatar back to Scotland.

A few weeks ago, in 2024, I had the opportunity to go again. This time, I travelled without the kids and thought to myself, How would I manage on a budget Umrah?

I discovered that Wizz Air had cheap flights to Jeddah, especially from cities like Rome, Milan, Budapest, Vienna, and Bucharest. I then started searching for the cheapest ways to get to these cities, thinking it would also be a great chance to experience a European city. Since visiting Berlin earlier this year, I’ve become fascinated by European cities, their Muslim tapestry and rich heritage.

City of Milan, a vibrant hub of culture

I booked my ticket on EasyJet for £16 from Manchester to Milan and travelled with other family members. We stayed in Milan for the night, but train strikes hindered us from, exploring the city! Ah well, we thought, let’s focus on the next leg of our trip.

The five-and-a-half-hour flight from Milan to Jeddah cost me £60. I didn’t take any extra luggage, just a carry-on bag, thinking I could buy more clothes and essentials along the way in whichever city I stopped. The journey to Jeddah was wonderful, full of Muslims excited about visiting the House of Allah.

I didn’t change into Ihram in Milan but rather on the flight. We had a lovely Egyptian group on board, and their leader stood up during the flight, chanting the Talbiyah with the rest of the plane joining in unison, all this on a cheap Wizz Air flight!

I sat next to a kind German Muslim convert, and we chatted about Germany, Islam, and the rise of the far right. He had been to Umrah a few times before but was heading to Medina first this time.

Bilal – my WizzAir buddy from Germany. Hope to meet him when I visit next

Reaching Jeddah, we passed through customs and had our driver ready. Uncle Aslam’s Taxis have become popular ever since being advertised on the DIY Umrah UK Facebook group. For a 12-seater, he charged us 250 SAR (around £53), which saved us from haggling with the drivers there. If I had been traveling alone, my plan was to catch a local bus to Makkah, keeping it budget-friendly and experiencing how the locals travel.

My hotel in Makkah was the Voco Hotel, costing me £30 a night (4 beds in the room). Initially, I thought I’d sleep on a different bed each night, only to find out that my brother and cousin were crashing with me. Should I charge them? Well, they did laugh at how ‘great’ this Voco Hotel would be, only to be surprised when we got there and saw how good it actually was.

The hotel is a 20-minute walk from the Masjid al-Haram. It’s a massive hotel with more than six blocks, a shopping centre at the bottom, and within walking distance of desi food places on Ibrahim Khalil Road. The hotel also provides coach services to the Haram, which fill up quickly, so you’re not waiting long. The bus drops you at the station right next to the Clock Tower. From there, I walked through the entrance, passed through the Clock Tower, and straight into the Haram.

The way back was a bit tricky. I walked it once but later managed to find buses. From the drop-off point, we took a bus to Kuday Bus Station and then another to Voco, not bad for the price.

My other family members stayed at the Pullman Makkah and even got a free upgrade to an executive suite, but I’d still say my Voco was much better! 😊

Voco (Makkah) Hotel – 4 beds for £30 a night

Food-wise, I pretty much stayed around the Clock Tower. The last time I came, I eagerly visited the desi places for biryani, only to end up upsetting my stomach. This time, I decided to stick to the Clock Tower. I ate once a day to keep it easy on my stomach and make the Umrah experience smoother.

For Umrah, I decided to stay awake through the night and sleep after Fajr, and it worked out beautifully. In three days, I completed three Umrahs. For those intending to do Umrah and haven’t been, brace yourself for a lot of walking. The Haram is massive, and you’ll be doing serious walking, so start practicing! Umrah is beautiful, exhausting, and deeply spiritual.

For my Duas, I used Habib Umar’s book on Umrah and continued reading the Awrad from the BaAlwi App . One thing you definitely should check out is the Prophet’s Museum in the Clock Tower; we thoroughly enjoyed it! With modern technology, they reconstructed the house of the Prophet and how it looked, along with many other things from the Seerah.

The gift shop was great too, I was about to pay £200 for a ring with an original piece of the Kaabah in it, only to be pulled back by my aunty!

The amazing Museum of the Prophet (ﷺ) – Makkah

With our farewell to Makkah, a city of many Prophets, the city where the Quran was first revealed, the city of the earliest converts to Islam, and the city of the Holy Prophet himself, it was time to journey to the illuminated city of Medina.

Some members of our group travelled to Medina on the Haramain High-Speed Railway (booking through the app is easier). The journey took around 2 hours. By booking in advance, you can get a ticket for around £30, and the ride is very comfortable.

We chose to take a 10-seater vehicle again, which cost us around 450 SAR (£95) and took approximately 5 hours. Initially, we planned to take the scenic Badr route and stop at Badr, the site of the famous battle, but since we left late, we decided to head straight to Medina.

The Stunning Green Dome of the Prophet’s Mosque (ﷺ)

Medina is much calmer than Makkah, offering a different type of spirituality. My hotel in Medina was the Medina Deluxe Hotel, costing me £37 a night. It’s more of a B&B than a hotel. The rooms were very nice and clean, but there were no lounge or dining facilities. It was about a 12-minute walk to the Haram of Medina.

The rest of the family stayed at the Pullman and Elaaf Taqwa Hotel, which is an excellent hotel in a great location, right next to Masjid al-Ghamamah. There are plenty of eating places nearby, and you can catch a golf cart to Masjid Quba for around 10 SAR.

I liked the area where my hotel was located; it’s where many Pakistani foreign workers live. There were lots of desi places nearby, and it was only a few minutes’ walk to Quba Street, which is great for shopping. Everything there is fixed price, so you don’t have to worry about being ripped off.

Photo of Quba Street – famous for its shops

In Medina, it was more relaxing. Once again, I stayed awake between Isha and Fajr, completing a Quran and performing Ziyara of our beloved Messenger. Habib Umar recommends doing Ziyara four times, each with specific duas and salutations.

I also managed to book a visit to the Rawdah. I made the booking around 4 a.m., knowing I would also pray Fajr there, and the booking was extended to about an hour, Alhamdulillah.

In Medina, there were many ziyaras to explore. After Fajr, you can hear the bus drivers shouting, “Quba! Quba!” For just 4 SAR, I took a local bus to Masjid Quba. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever purifies himself in his house and then goes to Masjid Quba and prays there will have a reward like that of Umrah”

I also visited the newly opened As-Safiyyah Museum & Park. It features an excellent interactive exhibition about the lives of various Prophets.

Saffiyah Park Museum – Medina

We bade our farewells to the City of the Prophet and headed to the airport. Our next destination was Cairo, and I managed to get this flight for £70, with luggage included. In Medina, I had bought a suitcase and filled it with jubbas and gifts. The flight to Cairo took around two hours, and for many of the family, it was their first time visiting the city.

I hope this short blog helps you plan your very own D.I.Y. Umrah, insha’Allah. It might feel daunting the first time, but once you’ve done it, you’ll be itching to go again and again!

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Essential Tools and Links for Your DIY Umrah Journey

📱 eSIM – GoMoWorld
🌍 Saudi Visa – Link to Visa
🏨 Hotel Bookings – Booking.com, Trip.com
✈️ Flights – EasyJet, WizzAir, Skyscanner
🕌 Rawdah Booking – Nusuk App
🚄 Haramain Train App
📖 Duas for Umrah
🕌 Ziyara of Rasulullah (ﷺ), al-Baqi, and more – App

🕋 DIY Umrah UK Facebook Group

🚖 Uncle Aslam Taxi