What to Pack for Umrah: A Complete Checklist

Packing the right way keeps you comfortable throughout the trip and lets you focus on worship. The golden rule: travel light. You will walk a lot between your hotel and the Haram, and most everyday needs are easy to find there. Here is the list, grouped by priority.

1. Documents (always in your hand luggage)

• Your passport, checking that it is valid for long enough before you travel.
• Your Umrah visa and flight ticket (printed, plus a copy on your phone).
• Your national ID card.
• A photocopy of your passport, kept separately from the original.
• Your trip supervisor’s number and your hotel addresses in Makkah and Madinah, written on paper.
• A prescription or medical report for any medicines you take regularly.

2. Ihram clothing

For men

• At least two ihram sets (two white unstitched sheets each), so you have a spare.
• An ihram belt with pockets for money and your phone.
• Comfortable sandals that leave the heel and the top of the foot uncovered.

For women

• Loose, modest and comfortable clothing, ideally in light colours and cotton fabrics.
• More than one headscarf or prayer garment to change between.
• Comfortable shoes for walking long distances.

3. Everyday clothing

• Light cotton clothes for the number of days of your trip, plus a warm layer in winter, as the air conditioning in the Haram and hotels can be cold.
• Sleepwear.
• An extra pair of comfortable shoes.

4. Health and personal care

• Your personal medicines, enough for the whole trip and a little extra, in your hand luggage.
• Basic painkillers and cold and stomach remedies, after checking with your doctor.
• Moisturiser or petroleum jelly for your feet and skin, because of all the walking.
• Face masks, wet wipes and hand sanitiser.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste, and a razor or scissors for leaving ihram.

5. Useful items for the Haram

• A small backpack or light shoulder bag.
• A small cloth bag for your shoes inside the Haram.
• A small Quran and a booklet of Umrah supplications.
• A light, foldable prayer mat.
• A reusable water bottle.
• A small umbrella for the sun in the summer months.

6. Electronics and money

• Your phone, charger and a power bank.
• A small extension lead, as hotel rooms sometimes have few sockets.
• Some cash in Saudi riyals for daily expenses, plus a bank card that works abroad.

What you don’t need to bring

• Large amounts of food: restaurants and supermarkets are everywhere around the two Holy Mosques.
• Lots of clothes: most hotels offer a laundry service.
• Valuables you don’t need on the trip.

A final tip

Write your name, passport number and hotel name on every bag, and always keep your documents and medicines in your hand luggage. If this is your first Umrah, ask your trip supervisor about anything before you travel. At Belquis we provide specialised religious supervision on our Umrah trips so you can feel confident at every step.