Umrah 2022 انشاءاللہ

[pwuser157518398767]

Asalamualaikum Everyone!

I hope and pray everyone reading this post is in great spirits. Pakwheels family has always been of great support not only in automotive discussions but also in general decision-making and information. I am planning to perform Umrah this year InshaAllah and by the will of Allah, I am aiming at August-end to mid-September time brackets for the travel.

Alhamdulillah, I have been very lucky and have performed numerous Umrahs. The last one was in December 2018. All of my previous visits have been through travel agents in which the agent provides you with a hotel+visa+inter-city travel facility. I want to make the arrangements myself this time as I have seen very good deals on Kayak and booking.com for hotels and tickets, I am also planning to obtain an international driving license as traveling in a taxi there is quite expensive.

I am also taking my better half and this will be her first Umrah inshaAllah. I really want to make this a memorable and pleasant trip where we can do ibadat and also visit historical holy sites in Makkah and Medina.

My questions are below, and I request everyone to add your input please and make this moment special for me and my wife.

1: What sites are good to find hotel deals + air tickets. Also please do share your experience of how the payment is made and are the deals for real? ( I don't have a credit card yet and am planning to go for HBL, not sure if this would be useful)
2: Will I be able to drive there? I have seen rental cars available on the sites I mentioned but I am not sure what paperwork I would need to be able to drive legally there. (planning to apply for an international driving license)
3: What is your view about the visa, will it be an Umrah visa or a visit visa that would give me more liberty?
4: My uncle lives in Medina, he has his own car. Can I borrow it from him and use it over there?
5: What are the benefits of booking ahead of time?
6: In 2012 I went through emeritus with my father and we had a stay in Dubai for 11 hours, we were housed in an emirates hotel and also provided with dinner+ snacks vouchers. Can we avail some deal like this en route to Umrah?
7: Please share your general learnings and experiences of Umrah so that I can take the maximum benefit of this opportunity.

P.S please keep in mind the budget of 3 lac (flexible) for airfare and Makkah residence + a rental car. I am planning to stay at my uncle's home in Medina.

[nnabeel]

Wishing you good luck for making a plan to perform Umrah.
I guess you need to meet some local travel agent in your area to get basic info as now a days the saudis have changed many rules related to Visa entry, hotel booking etc. they have introduced an app which does it all.

the budget can go from 200k to 300k depending on the USD and the no of days.
planning ahead will save you some bucks.

[pwuser157518398767]

Thank you so much for your kind response and for providing your insight. Yes, I am planning to meet a travel agent in this regard, but also wanted to collect information from everyone here to ensure I get a good deal.

[capsat]

Umrah Visas for foreign nationals will be re-opened by END AUGUST 2022.
Get an International Driving license to drive a rental or borrowed vehicle.

further information for visa can be read here.

Tour operator is here

UB Umrah Package info

[nnabeel]

Keep few things while u travel for Umrah:

Spend full days in makkah and spend full days in Madina. dont make it like 6 day makkah, 7 days madina and then back. becuase travelling from makkah to madina and vice verse will eat one whole day so u dont want to waste the day.

Take a clean and better hotel in terms of price and luxury so you wont feel bad while going back for rest and then ibadaat. Make sure it also remains in the walking vicintiy.

Keep with you some home cooked tin food, thats my experience. it helped a lot.

Always get a sim for both persons as soon as u land and get out of airport. Thats a mistake or i would say lesson learnt when u r going for the first time there :).

[pwuser157518398767]

Thank you so much @capsat for your response. The links are helpful.

[pwuser157518398767]

Thank you @nnabeel. I appreciate you for stepping forward and sharing your personal experience. Yes, I am planning to spend 10 days in Makkah and 10 Days in Medinah. I have also previously travelled to Medina first and then we went to Makkah to perform Umrah and our flight was from Jeddah back to Pakistan.

I am not sure how would it be planned this time, but I do agree its wise to travel once only between Makkah and Medina.

[Proverbial_Slang]

May Allah grant you a pleasurable and comfortable trip.

[ak0364377]

any progress

Asalamualaikum Everyone!

I hope and pray everyone reading this post is in great spirits. Pakwheels family has always been of great support not only in automotive discussions but also in general decision-making and information. I am planning to perform Umrah this year InshaAllah and by the will of Allah, I am aiming at August-end to mid-September time brackets for the travel.

Alhamdulillah, I have been very lucky and have performed numerous Umrahs. The last one was in December 2018. All of my previous visits have been through travel agents in which the agent provides you with a hotel+visa+inter-city travel facility. I want to make the arrangements myself this time as I have seen very good deals on Kayak and booking.com for hotels and tickets, I am also planning to obtain an international driving license as traveling in a taxi there is quite expensive.

I am also taking my better half and this will be her first Umrah inshaAllah. I really want to make this a memorable and pleasant trip where we can do ibadat and also visit historical holy sites in Makkah and Medina.

My questions are below, and I request everyone to add your input please and make this moment special for me and my wife.

1: What sites are good to find hotel deals + air tickets. Also please do share your experience of how the payment is made and are the deals for real? ( I don't have a credit card yet and am planning to go for HBL, not sure if this would be useful)
2: Will I be able to drive there? I have seen rental cars available on the sites I mentioned but I am not sure what paperwork I would need to be able to drive legally there. (planning to apply for an international driving license)
3: What is your view about the visa, will it be an Umrah visa or a visit visa that would give me more liberty?
4: My uncle lives in Medina, he has his own car. Can I borrow it from him and use it over there?
5: What are the benefits of booking ahead of time?
6: In 2012 I went through emeritus with my father and we had a stay in Dubai for 11 hours, we were housed in an emirates hotel and also provided with dinner+ snacks vouchers. Can we avail some deal like this en route to Umrah?
7: Please share your general learnings and experiences of Umrah so that I can take the maximum benefit of this opportunity.

P.S please keep in mind the budget of 3 lac (flexible) for airfare and Makkah residence + a rental car. I am planning to stay at my uncle's home in Medina.

any progress?

[pwuser157518398767]

Alhamdulillah returning back today from Medinah. Had a great experience Alhamdulillah.

[ak0364377]

mashaAllah ..can u share package details
hotel names
flight no of days in Makkah and Madinah
per head coast etc...