Welcome to DIY Umrah Packages.
I know many people stress about planning their Umrah, especially those who are going for the first time.
So after popular demand, I have put together DIY Umrah packages for every month of the year. This is to help people understand the process, compare prices with Umrah agents, and see which is the cheapest / best option for them.
Even though my book DIY Umrah – Plan your Umrah like a Pro can help you plan one of the cheapest Umrah possible, I take your questions seriously, and you always ask for “done for you packages as examples”.
You will find each month in the table below to help guide you to either book as you see them if the dates work for you or use the steps to book your own and have this as a guide.
Please note these are only cash prices Umrah packages and not using points or other travel hacks, which you can find in my book.
The reason is that not everyone wants to have to save points and earn points, learn how to manage and book awards to save on their holiday or Umrah, even though the savings can be significant.
If you want to learn more about using loyalty points to save for Umrah or a dream holiday, then you can check the book, of course.
How the DIY Umrah Packages work
We will structure those with flights from our readers’ most popular locations, London, Manchester and New York. As we go along I might other from other cities as well depending on your demand, so message below.
You can, of course, follow the same example below: look for your own flights from your home destination and then book the hotels from the links below.
The Umrah packages are structured one per month for a 10-day Umrah package with the cheapest flight options available. The hotels and prices will be for two people. Note that children normally sleep free in the same bedding. I will share tips on saving money, and you can look for your own flight dates.
There will be structured for six days in Makkah and four days in Medinah.
I know most people stay longer in Medinah hence the option.
If you want to extend your Umrah, you can do that as it is a flexible and budget DIY Umrah package example.
We make a small commission from the links in the post, which you don’t pay extra, but we appreciate your booking through them since we can support the blog. So thank you for enjoying the content and supporting us.
I will always share the cheapest best options for my readers and not the most commission earning, which I honestly don’t even track.
Steps I follow for my own DIY Umrah package planning
- The Visa
- The flights
- The Hotels
- Transportation
#1 Saudi Tourist Visa
The tourist visa for Saudi allows you to perform Umrah and explore the country. It is the easiest and cheapest way to enter Saudi Arabia for Umrah, and I have an entire post with updates for you.
Check this article for everything you need to know and a step-by-step guide for the Saudi tourist visa.
The price of the visa is £120 approximately, depending on exchange rates.
#2 Flights to Saudi for Umrah
You can find my favourite websites for booking travel in my resources, but I will tell you I always start with Google Flights and then check and book via Skyscanner.
Sometimes not all prices are shown on both websites, and Skyscanner is usually cheaper to book through.
I use both because they give me a quick look at monthly availability.
With flight prices crazy and airports at capacity, it is no wonder people are struggling to find deals. Prices for flights have skyrocketed, and sadly school holidays and peak travel dates are always more expensive, which is why I use points to reduce costs and book in advance.
For many, it is not always possible, especially parents with school kids, but flexibility or reducing the days you stay if you are on a budget can bring the cost down significantly.
Pro Tip: If you cannot find the cheapest flights, try using open jaw tickets, which lets you leave one airport and depart from another. This can reduce the cost of your Umrah flights.
You can also look for flights to Medinah and depart from Makkah, which is what I always recommend.
#3 Hotels in Makkah & Medinah
I am always asked about hotels as there are so many options in Makkah and Medinah.
You can read my favourite hotels in Makkah here as well as budget hotel options in both cities.
With hotels, it is always important to see what is your budget, and how much you want to walk especially if you have children and the elderly and then decide on the best option.
The hotels I mention here and the sites provide you with the best price at the time this post is written but also it is hotels I would take my family to stay or we have already stayed.
You can read some of the reviews of hotels here.
I normally book hotels directly with the hotel especially if I am an elite member because I receive benefits like free breakfast, free upgrades and lounge access. As well as points that count towards earning more free nights. You can read more about these in my book.
However here we are talking about cash options and there are many occasions when I book in cash and almost 95% of I will book through Hotels.com simply because I earn a free night for every 10 I accumulate.
If you are going on Umrah for 10 days and you book all your nights via Hotels.com you will essentially receive 10% back. You get this free night in a voucher format equivalent to the average spend of your nights. For example, if each of your nights is 100 then the vouches will be 100 (less than the taxes of that country).
I personally don’t book via booking simply because I rather receive a discount and pretty much all of the sites are very close in price and part of the same group.
#4 Transportation
The best way to travel between the two cities is to get the Haramain train, which is new, fast reliable, comfortable and safe.
You can read the review and everything you need on the train here.
I have travelled between Makkah and Medinah by taxi and I just found it so hard and long. Definitely possible but since the train was introduced I have not even looked at that option.
If you are a large family then it might be the best for you and you can easily find taxis and negotiate a price to take you.
You can also explore the VIP Saptco bus, which is comfortable, they provide you with a snack and the seats and space are great. If I were to choose between the options, I would definitely say that it would first be a train and then the VIP coach.
For the purpose of our DIY Umrah package building, I will add each transport option below and a price so you can see the full package. Again this is for guidance and of course, you can choose a different transport method.
If you are arriving in Jeddah and going straight to Medinah then a taxi is the most convenient and easy as they are available from the terminal and have a set price and you pay at the taxi counter. Everything is signposted and easy to follow once you exit the baggage claim.
| Transportation options | Careem / Uber / Taxi |
| Train to/from Makkah to Medina | 135SAR / £30 |
| Taxi from Jeddah to Makkah | 190-270SAR / £35 -£60 |
| Taxi from Medinah Airport to Masjid same from the train station | 25SAR / £5 |
| Taxi from Makkah train station to Haram | 30 SAR / £7 |
| Bus from Makkah train station to Haram | FREE |
DIY Umrah Packages September
Here are the details on the DIY Umrah Packages for September 2022.
The below are valid as of the time of writing, the links are affiliates but as I mentioned you don’t get charged extra and we receive a commission. However, the sites I recommend earn you points and free nights.
Skyscanner is generally one of the cheapest for flights and Hotels.com gives you a free night after 10. So if you book both hotels for 10 days with the links below which is the DIY Umrah package you will receive 10% back on an average night as a voucher to use for your next stay!
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| London to Jeddah | 13th to 23rd | £400pp | Book here |
| Lond to Med / Jed to Lon | 14th to 24th | £495pp | Book here |
| Manchester to Jeddah | 17th to 27th | £425pp | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 15th to 25th | £578pp | Book here |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 4 nights from |
| Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman (review) | 13th to 17th | 5 star | Book from £626 |
| Intercon Dar Al Hijra | 13th to 17th | 4 star | Book from £381 |
| Crown Plaza Medinah | 13th to 17th | 4 star | Book from £340 |
| Pullman Medinah | 13th to 17th | 4 star | Book from £379 |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 6 nights from |
| Swisshotel Makkah | 17th to 23rd | 5 star | Book from £697 |
| Pullman Makkah | 17th to 23rd | 4 star | Book from £483 |
| Hilton Makkah Convention (review) | 17th to 23rd | 4 star | Book from £639 |
| Double Tree by Hilton | 17th to 23rd | 4 star | Book from £571 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 17th to 23rd | 5 stars further away | Book from £185 |
As I mentioned above these are flexible done-for-you Umrah packages that you can mix and match insha’Allah.
What I Would Pick as DIY Umrah Package for September 2022
The DIY Umrah Package for September I would pick will be the flights from London to Medinah with open jaw return to London £495, the Intercon Dar al-Hijra £381 for two people, because although older it is close by to the mosque.
In Makkah, I would pick the Pullman Makkah for £ 483 which is near the Clock Tower so a good location if I had the budget I would go for the Swisshotel.
The whole DIY Umrah Package for September would cost me approximately including transport, and a visa £2164 for two people.
DIY Umrah Packages October
Here are my top options for DIY Umrah Packages for October 2022. These again are an example of what I would personally book for my family.
Please read through the above information so you can understand my way of thinking and the tips I share.
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| London to Jeddah | 10th to 21st | £460pp | Book here |
| Lond to Med / Jed to Lon | 1st to 10th | £508pp | Book here |
| Manchester to Jeddah | 10th to 21st | £597pp | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 28th to 7th Nov | £711pp | Book here |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman (review) | 1st to 5th | 5 star | Book from £696 |
| Shahd Al Madinah Hotel | 1st to 5th | 5 star | Book from £363 |
| Crown Plaza Medinah | 10th to 15th | 4 star | Book from £456 |
| Pullman Medinah | 10th to 15th | 4 star | Book from £565 |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Swisshotel Makkah | 5th to 10th | 5 star | Book from £762 |
| Hyatt Regency | 10th to 15th | 5 star | Book from £1129 |
| Sheraton Makkah | 10th to 15th | 5 stars further away | Book from £439 |
| Double Tree by Hilton | 5th to 10th | 4 star | Book from £544 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 10th to 15th | 5 stars further away | Book from £172 |
What I Would Pick as DIY Umrah Package for October 2022
Here is what I would pick for October Umrah with the above prices. Since October is sadly an expensive month with all the family on school holidays this reflects the prices.
I would pick the £508pp flight from London to Medinah and then Jeddah to London because this will save me on transport costs. I would go with Shahd Al Medinah as the hotel is cheap and also very close to the Prophet’s mosque costing £363 for two people. If you have a young child it will be a free stay for them.
In Makkah, I would pick the Swisshotel as it is in the Clock tower and close to everything. I personally prefer the Jabal Omar development but sadly the prices are expensive to justify a stay there. The price is £765 for two people.
The total cost for two people including visas, transport and hotel is £2539 which is a good deal for 5-star hotels and in a peak travel season.
DIY Umrah Packages November 2022
Here are my top options for DIY Umrah Packages you can create yourself for November Umrah saving you a considerable amount of money.
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| London to Jeddah | 4th to 14th | £530pp | Book here |
| Lond to Med / Jed to Lon (direct) | 5th to 15th | £578pp | Book here |
| Manchester to Jeddah | 17th to 27th | £488pp | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 7th to 17th | £702pp | Book here |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman (review) | 9th to 14th | 5 star | Book from £1139 |
| Shahd Al Madinah Hotel | 9th to 14th | 5 star | Book from £793 |
| Crown Plaza Medinah | 9th to 14th | 4 star | Book from £456 |
| Pullman Medinah | 9th to 14th | 4 star | Book from £610 |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Swisshotel Makkah | 4th to 9th | 5 star | Book from £742 |
| Conrad | 4th to 9th | 5 star | Book from £993 |
| Park in by Radisson | 4th to 9th | 4 stars further away | Book from £198 |
| Double Tree by Hilton | 4th to 9th | 4 star | Book from £488 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 4th to 9th | 5 stars further away | Book from £172 |
What I would pick as my options will be the Manchester flights since I live in the North and also the Swisshotel in Makkah and the Crown Plaza in Medinah. November seems to be an expensive month for Umrah as more people can get time off work.
Overall however it is still a better option to do DIY than with an agency.
Total cost £2564 for two people sharing for DIY Umrah 5 star.
DIY Umrah Packages for December 2022
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| London to Jeddah (low cost) | 14th to 25th | £350pp | Book here |
| Lond to Jed / Med to Lon | 18th to 28th | £768pp | Book here |
| Manchester to Jeddah | 20th to 30th | £650pp | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 12th to 22th | £958pp | Book here |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman (review) | 25th to 30th | 5 star | Book from £1390 |
| Intercon Dar Al Hijra Medinah | 25th to 30th | 4 star | Book from £949 |
| Crown Plaza Medinah | 25th to 30th | 4 star | Book from £903 |
| Pullman Medinah | 25th to 30th | 4 star | Book from £793 |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Jabal Omar Marriott | 20th to 25th | 5 star | Book from £828 |
| Pullman Zam Zam Clock Tower | 20th to 25th | 5 star | Book from £1143 |
| Park in by Radisson | 20th to 25th | 4 stars further away | Book from £172 |
| Hyatt Regency Jabal Omar | 20th to 25th | 5 star | Book from £1177 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 20th to 25th | 5 stars further away | Book from £200 |
Considering that this Umrah package for December 2022 is in peak travel time, I find that the deals are pretty decent.
DIY Umrah Packages January 2023
One of the things I love the most about the new options for travelling to Jeddah with Wizz Air is the possibility of cheap flights.
This month there are so many options that it’s exciting. Considering that a flight with Saudi Airlines at the moment is £1200, it is a good option if you want to save money.
Also, this month the price from New York to Jeddah is reasonable.
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| Manchester to Jeddah (low cost) | 16th to 25th | £250pp | Book here |
| Lond to Jed / Jed to Man | 15th to 24th | £830pp | Book here |
| London to Jeddah | 23rd to 1st | £580pp | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 24th to 2nd | £790pp | Book here |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Anwar Al Medinah | 25th to 30th | 4 star | Book from £1400 |
| Marriott Apartments | 25th to 30th | 4 star | Book from £670 |
| Hilton Medinah | 28th to 2nd | 4 star | Book from £1400 |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Doubletree Jabal Omar | 23th to 28th | 5 star | Book from £1125 |
| Al Marwa Al Rayhan | 23th to 28th | 4 star | Book from £1400 |
| Four Points By Sheraton | 23th to 28th | 4 stars further away | Book from £167 |
| Hilton Convention | 23th to 28th | 5 star | Book from £1262 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 23th to 28th | 5 stars further away | Book from £178 |
DIY Umrah Packages February 2023
Depending if you want to travel with budget airlines or not, especially during the UK school holidays there are some good options for you.
You can stay further away in Makkah and save on hotels and flights plus maybe take an extended holiday and enjoy your stop-over destination as well.
| Flights | Dates | Price from | Link to Book |
| Manchester to Jeddah (low cost) | 5th to 14th | £240pp | Book here |
| Manchester to Jeddah | 5th to 14th | £530pp | Book here |
| London to Jeddah (low cost) | 6th to 16th | £250pp | Book here |
| London to Jeddah (direct) | 6th to 16th | £760 | Book here |
| New York to Jeddah | 4th to 14th | £750pp | Book here |
| Hotels Makkah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Doubletree Jabal Omar | 6th to 11th | 4 star | Book from £790 |
| Swisshotel Al Makam Clock Tower | 6th to 11th | 4 star | Book from £1500 |
| Four Points By Sheraton | 6th to 11th | 4 stars further away | Book from £190 |
| Hilton Convention | 6th to 11th | 5 star | Book from £1050 |
| M Hotel Makkah by Millenium | 6th to 11th | 5 stars further away | Book from £178 |
| Hotels Medinah | Dates | Category | Price for 5 nights from |
| Anwar Al Medinah | 11th to 16th | 4 star | Book from £1000 |
| Dar Al Hijra Intercontinental | 11th to 16th | 4 star | Book from £780 |
| Dar Al Iman Intercontinental | 11th to 16th | 4 star | Book from £1370 |
| Pullman Medinah | 11th to 16th | 4 star | Book from £730 |
Other costs associated with DIY Umrah
These transport costs depend on what you will choose as your method. Not all will apply of course.
| Transportation options | Careem / Uber / Taxi/Train |
| Train to/from Makkah to Medina | 135SAR / £30 |
| Taxi from Jeddah to Makkah | 190-270SAR / £35 -£60 |
| Taxi from Medinah Airport to Masjid same from the train station | 25SAR / £5 |
| Taxi from Makkah train station to Haram | 30 SAR / £7 |
| Bus from Makkah train station to Haram | FREE |
| Saudi Tourist Visa | 535SAR /£120 |
In the end, I will pick the package, hotel, flights and transport that I would personally use for my family and price it accordingly.
As a couple, I would take the low-cost option as it is almost half price and because I can travel with hand luggage.
Now, if you add bags or have a family, it might be worth booking the more expensive flights. Unless you don’t mind stop overs. I personally do this all the time especially when I travel with hand luggage only since it is cheaper and I stop to enjoy the destination as well.
The Ultimate Guide on How to Do a DIY Umrah; (Do-It-Yourself) Umrah
How to use the Haramain Train from Makkah to Medinah
MTG’s Top 5 Best Hotels For Umrah in Makkah
The Saudi tourist visa 2022 / 2023 – Updated
DIY Umrah E-Book
Imagine going for Umrah, standing in front of the Kabah without having to pay thousands on flights, accommodations or agents.
In my DIY Umrah E-book, I share with you how you can save thousands every time for every trip. It truly changes the way you travel.
Paijee
Monday 26th of September 2022
Salam MTG, Fantastic newsletter. So detailed and informative.
I have a question regarding the online tourist visa which is approximately £125-£130 at the moment. Any tips on completing this successful? I have read so many instances on TripAdvisor of applications being rejected especially when a family applies and some are accepted and some not, even though properly completed. Thanks
Muslim Travel Girl
Tuesday 27th of September 2022
No tips, i have applied several times without issue even as a family. normally they reject one person if they cant get enough details or there is a flag but you should contact the embassy in cases as they check the same system as other countries. Doesnt mean anything is wrong.
Anisa Natha
Wednesday 21st of September 2022
Salams, hope you’re well. I always follow and buy your books and book umrah myself, but the taxi prices were a lot more in august when I went with my family of five. Taxi to Madina airport to Pullman zamzam was 150 diharam and taxi to makkah from Madina was 550 diharam. Which was a lot cheaper then some of our friends paid. Which was over 700 dihrams. Does it depend which month you go? Prices fluctuate that much?
Muslim Travel Girl
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
Thank you so much for your support. It will depend on the driver, the prices I mention are prices that I have paid and other people I know. Since there is no standard tariff, especially on Medinah ( Jeddah airport is standard). Let me know what prices they paid and I will include them as a note for others but these are indication since so many fluctuate.
Tahir
Tuesday 6th of September 2022
MaashaaAllaah subhaanAllah. very nicely written and well needed article. جزاک اللہ خیر
Muslim Travel Girl
Thursday 22nd of September 2022
Thank you for your kind comments
Mubeen Khan
Thursday 25th of August 2022
Very informative post. May Allah reward you for your efforts.
We are thinking of doing DIY Umrah next year during Christmas holidays due to schools not allowing kids to travel during term time and weather being more bearable in December. When would be the best time to book flights at cheaper rates. I heard booking 11 months in advance in January is the best?
I have been keeping an eye on this year flights 4+ months in advance from Manchester (preferable) and London Heathrow and prices are £3000+. It makes the cost of Umrah very expensive.
Muslim Travel Girl
Saturday 3rd of September 2022
I would say about 6-4 months and check when the airlines have sales. This is the best way to buy tickets. Sadly the Christmas holidays will be more expensive due to the schools. Look for non-direct flights as they are cheaper than direct.