Umrah from India: visa, Nusuk booking, flights and hotels
Plan Umrah from India: the tourist eVisa and Umrah visa, Nusuk permits, nonstop flights to Jeddah and Madinah, hotel distance from the Haram, timing and costs.
By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 3 min read
About Umrah
Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, performed at any time of year except during Hajj days. The rites take a few hours: ihram, tawaf around the Kaaba, sa’i between Safa and Marwah, and halq or taqsir. Most pilgrims from India combine Makkah with a stay in Madinah to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Visa routes for Indians
- The Umrah visa, issued through licensed Umrah operators linked to the Saudi system
- The tourist eVisa from visa.visitsaudi.com, which also allows Umrah outside the Hajj season. Indian travellers qualify for the eVisa if they hold a used US, UK or Schengen visa, or a GCC residence permit
- Other Indian pilgrims apply for the Umrah or tourist visa through operators or VFS Tasheer centres
Women of all ages perform Umrah without a mahram when travelling in a group. Rules checked in October 2026.
Nusuk permits
Every pilgrim books time slots through the Nusuk app: the Umrah permit for Masjid al-Haram and the Rawdah slot at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Book the Rawdah slot early, since slots fill weeks ahead in Ramadan. We help register every member of your group.
Flights
Nonstop flights run from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Kolkata and other cities to Jeddah, and from several cities to Madinah. Saudia, flynas, IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express serve these routes. Fly into Madinah and out of Jeddah, or the reverse, to avoid a backtrack.
The Haramain high-speed train links Madinah, Makkah and Jeddah airport. The Madinah to Makkah ride takes about two and a half hours.
Hotels and distance
Distance to the Haram decides the price. Hotels on the first line, facing the mosque plazas, cost the most. Hotels within 500 m cost less and still suit older pilgrims. Hotels further out run shuttle buses, which slow down at prayer times. Tell us who is travelling, including elderly or wheelchair users, and we pick hotels accordingly.
When to go
- Ramadan: the most rewarding and the most crowded and expensive, especially the last ten nights
- December and January: cool, busy with school holidays
- Rabi al-Awwal and the months after Hajj: quieter, better prices
- June to August: very hot, 42°C to 46°C in Makkah
Umrah closes to non-Hajj pilgrims for a period around Hajj. Check the dates for your year.
How many nights
Most pilgrims spend 10 to 15 nights: four to five in Madinah and six to ten in Makkah. Shorter trips of seven nights work for working professionals.
What Umrah costs
Our Umrah package of seven nights starts from about ₹74,000 per person on quad sharing, without airfare, with hotels, ground transport and visa assistance. Ramadan dates cost more. Return flights usually add ₹22,000 to ₹45,000 per person depending on the season.
Practical tips
- Men need two white unstitched sheets for ihram, and a belt
- Comfortable sandals, since you walk many kilometres
- Carry a small bag for shoes inside the mosques
- Zamzam water is carried home in airport-sealed cans only
- Keep copies of passport and visa on your phone
Share your dates and group size. We send hotel options within 24 hours on working days.
