Mecca 5 Day Umrah Itinerary
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Non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca; this plan is for Muslim travellers performing Umrah, built on the 4 day itinerary with a day trip to Medina added at the end, since pairing the Prophet’s Mosque with Mecca is the most common extension pilgrims make. For a fuller two-day Medina stay, see the 6 day itinerary .
Before you travel: a Nusuk Umrah permit and visa confirmed, a MenACWY meningitis vaccination certificate in hand, ihram prepared, a Haram-area hotel booked, and a Haramain train ticket, which also covers the Medina leg.
Day 1: Arrival and Umrah
Fly into Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, then take the Haramain High-Speed Railway or a pre-booked car into Mecca. Enter ihram at or before the miqat if you have not already, check in, rest, then perform Umrah: tawaf, sa’i, and halq or taqsir.
Day 2: The Grand Mosque, in full
Spend the day at the Masjid al-Haram without rushing: pray, perform additional tawaf, drink from the Zamzam well, and take in the scale of a mosque that can hold up to around 3 million worshippers at peak Hajj. Halal food courts ring the Haram for meals between prayers.
Day 3: Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira
Climb Jabal al-Nour to the Cave of Hira, where the Prophet received the first Qur’anic revelation, around 1,750 steps and one to two hours each way. Go at dawn or late afternoon, carry extra water, and skip it if mobility is a concern.
Day 4: Ziyarah and rest
Visit Jannat al-Mu’alla, where Khadijah bint Khuwaylid is buried, then rest ahead of the Medina trip; the Haramain train covers Makkah to Madinah in around two to two and a half hours, so an early departure the next morning gets you a full day there.
Day 5: Medina, then return or onward
Take the Haramain train to Medina and visit Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque, and Jannat al-Baqi, the cemetery holding many of his family and companions. Return to Mecca in the evening if you are flying out of Jeddah, or continue home from Medina airport if your booking allows it.
Five days at a glance
| Day | Focus | Key site |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, ihram, the full Umrah sequence | Masjid al-Haram |
| 2 | An unhurried day at the mosque | Masjid al-Haram |
| 3 | The Cave of Hira climb | Jabal al-Nour |
| 4 | Ziyarah and rest | Jannat al-Mu’alla |
| 5 | Medina day trip | Masjid an-Nabawi, Jannat al-Baqi |
For the Grand Mosque itself, see the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba , and for lodging near it, see staying near the Grand Mosque in Mecca .
Book your Medina-bound Haramain train tickets before you leave home if you can; the route fills up during Ramadan and around Hajj, and a same-day walk-up fare is not guaranteed.