Discover how Umrah experiences change across seasons, including weather patterns and crowd levels, to help you plan your pilgrimage year-round. Unlike Hajj, Muslims can go for Umrah anytime of the year as it is not an obligatory worship. This allows pilgrims to pick a time and season of their choosing. For the pilgrims coming from the UK, each of the four seasons presents something different.
If you are looking to go for Umrah during this year or the next, this guide is a useful read for you. It doesn’t matter if you plan your journey yourself or book premade deals from the UK such as Umrah packages Bradford, London or Manchester; this guide will help as it is always better to know the conditions you will be facing.
Let’s explore what Umrah looks like during each season.
Umrah in Winter
Let’s start our discussion with the most popular window for doing Umrah for most of the pilgrims. The winter season with a temperature between 15°C and 28°C is also known as the most comfortable season for doing Umrah. The surroundings don’t get too humid or suffocating and pilgrims can complete the Umrah rituals without any issues.
The cool weather makes rituals like the Tawaf and Sa’I much easier than in the summer months. A pilgrim is usually required to walk around 3 to 5 kilometers in order to complete Umrah and cooler weather helps a lot during this time.
This weather is also great for elderly pilgrims or those with limited mobility. With the arrival of December, you will see an increase in the number of family pilgrims due to school holidays and office breaks; the crowds swell and typically reach the highest number after the holy month of Ramadan.
The winter season in Saudi Arabia runs from December to February. Apart from being highly crowded, Umrah is also extremely costly during this time. The airlines and hotels increase their prices due to a higher demand. If you want to go for Umrah in this season, you can keep the cost in check in two different ways. The first is to book your Umrah deal in advance. Tour operators usually offer huge discounts if you book 4 to 6 months in advance. The second way is to avoid the Christmas break or New Year’s and prefer working days. The flights are usually the cheapest during middays.
Umrah in Spring
This is the most pleasant weather to go for Umrah as it is neither too hot nor too cold. The spring season in Saudi Arabia runs from March to May and is characterized by temperatures around 30°C.
In the beginning of the march, the days are mild and the nights are cold, making evening a perfect time to go for Umrah. As May comes, the days start to get longer and hotter but things are still bearable. This is also the month when Hajj falls so Umrah takes a bit of a back step during these days for around 40 to 50 days.
However, if you want to go for a cheap Umrah, then May is an ideal month. The crowds are at the lowest and many tour agencies reduce the price of their deals. Plus, if you are planning for a group Umrah with mostly adult and healthy participants, this is an excellent time.
One benefit of going for Umrah during spring is that you can easily go for Ziyarats or explore key sites other than the two mosques in the holy cities. The weather is moderate and the crowd is on the lower side.
However, you must take good care of your health as the days get hot. It is recommended to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. If you are going at the end of May, we would suggest you go for Umrah during the evening or after the sun comes down.
Umrah in Summer
Now this is the hottest time to go for Umrah. Summer Umrahs are intense and physically challenging. The summer of Saudi Arabia is known as one of the harshest in the region as the temperature often soars above 42°C.
With that said, the crowds in summer change from low to high. At the start of July, you will not find too many pilgrims but as soon as August comes in, you will see a huge influx of family pilgrims making their way to the kingdom. The reason is school holidays in almost all parts of the world. August Umrah is particularly famous among Muslims living in the western parts of the world such as Europe and America. Muslims with their kids come to Makkah and Madinah to do Umrah. This is the reason that Umrah in August is costlier than in other summer months.
The month of September is quite hot and humid too but the prices are much lower. If you are an adult and can manage some extra humidity, you can find a very good deal during the month of September.
As summer Umrah is very intense and draining, we would suggest you avoid sun hours to go for rituals. Use ample amounts of sunscreen and drink lots of water to stay safe and hydrated. If you have kids with you, take good care of them.
Umrah in Autumn
This is quite similar to Umrah in spring, as the temperature is pretty much the same. The only difference is that you will see a lot of yellow trees during your journey. From October to November, the days are slightly warm and the nights are pleasant.
The crowds also start to swell as the season progresses. If you are going in these months, we would suggest that you bring some layered clothing as the nights often get cooler than anticipated. This is also a great time if you want to do Umrah at a relaxed pace.
Final Words
Umrah in any season or time of the year guarantees Allah’s countless blessings and rewards. If you are looking for a reliable tour operator that offers Umrah packages for all the seasons, contact Muslims Holy Travel now.