How long does Umrah take? The rites themselves — Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i and cutting the hair — take about three to six hours, according to UK charity guides. Crowds, the floor you use and your own pace decide where you fall in that range.
A trip from the UK takes longer: our Umrah packages run for 7, 10 or 14 nights. So how long is Umrah for you? This guide helps you plan both the hours and the nights, including how to split them between Makkah and Madinah.
Counts come from hadith on sunnah.com and distances from official Saudi sources. Where scholars differ, we say so and give no ruling.
Key takeaways
- Hours, not days: the rites take about three to six hours, and longer at busy times.
- Two counts of seven: Tawaf is seven circuits of the Kaaba; Sa’i is seven lengths of about 394 metres each.
- Madinah: a separate, recommended visit to the Prophet’s Mosque, not a rite of Umrah.
- Trip length: our 7, 10 and 14-night packages split the nights 4 + 3, 5 + 5 and 7 + 7 between Makkah and Madinah.
How long does Umrah take, step by step?
The four parts of Umrah take a few hours in total, and the crowds decide how many, so plan around what changes them.
How long does it take to do Umrah at each step? No official source gives minutes for each rite, so we give none. What the sources do fix are the counts and distances in the table below.
| Step | What you do | What changes the time | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ihram | Make your intention and enter Ihram at the Miqat, the boundary you pass on the way to Makkah, not after it. See the rules of Ihram. | Your journey on from the Miqat: you stay in Ihram until the last step | Sahih al-Bukhari 1524 |
| 2. Tawaf | Seven circuits of the Kaaba, then two rak’ahs of prayer behind Maqam Ibrahim | Crowds, and the level you use: ground floor, first floor, two mezzanines or the roof | Sahih al-Bukhari 1645 |
| 3. Sa’i | Seven lengths between Safa and Marwah. The Sa’i area runs 394 metres, so seven lengths come to about 2.8 km | Crowds and your pace; older and disabled pilgrims have dedicated pathways and electric carts | Sahih al-Bukhari 1645; Quran 2:158; SPA |
| 4. Shaving or shortening the hair | The head is shaved or the hair cut short, which ends Ihram | Where you have it done; the rules of Ihram apply until then | Sahih al-Bukhari 1731; Quran 48:27 |
The counts never change, but the crowds do, so the same four steps can take very different times on different days.
Tawaf runs on several levels: the ground floor, the first floor, two mezzanines and the roof (Saudi Press Agency). To choose a quieter time or level, check the General Authority’s live Tawaf and Sa’i crowd levels page. It lists each Tawaf and Sa’i area, floor by floor.
For the words and actions of each rite, read how to perform Umrah, step by step.
What can make Umrah take longer?
The same rites can take far longer when the mosque is crowded. As one UK charity guide puts it, the time “varies depending on how busy it is, also your health, age and stamina levels”.
- Busy times: the Grand Mosque’s digital services show live crowd density in the Tawaf and Sa’i areas. Indicators highlight less crowded times (Saudi Press Agency, 17 October 2026). Use them to choose when to start.
- Ramadan: the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque received more than 96 million worshippers in the first 20 days of Ramadan 1447, in 2026 (Saudi Press Agency).
- Age and mobility: the Sa’i area has dedicated pathways for older and disabled pilgrims, as well as electric carts (Saudi Press Agency). If you are travelling with older parents, plan a slower pace.
Arriving tired? Ask your group guide whether to rest before you start. Remember that the rules of Ihram still apply until your hair is cut.
Every Babul Haram Travels package includes a group guide or scholar who helps with the rites. You do not have to work out the order alone.
If your period starts before Tawaf
You can enter Ihram during your period, but Tawaf waits until you are pure. IslamQA, answering a woman on a ten-day Umrah trip, says she “should not do ‘Umrah until she becomes pure and does Ghusl”. So build spare days into your Makkah stay if you can.
When Aisha’s period began on the way to Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ told her to wait for Tawaf “till you are clean” (Sahih al-Bukhari 305).
If your dates cannot move, scholars differ. In a Hajj answer, IslamQA gives the majority view: stay in Makkah until you are pure. It also quotes the Standing Committee on a woman in Ihram for Umrah.
Her mahram had to leave at once, and she had no one else in Makkah. Out of necessity, she could do Tawaf and Sa’i, unless she could easily leave and come back. We give no ruling: ask a qualified scholar or your group guide before you travel, and see where the rites differ for women.
How many days is Umrah from the UK?
The rites fit into one day, but a trip from the UK needs more. You need travel at each end, the rites, and time to pray in Makkah and, on all our packages, Madinah. Our packages run for 7, 10 or 14 nights.
So how long is an Umrah trip with us? Here is how each length splits your nights:
| Trip length | Nights in Makkah | Nights in Madinah | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 nights | 4 | 3 | 3-star · 4-star · 5-star |
| 10 nights | 5 | 5 | 3-star · 4-star · 5-star |
| 14 nights | 7 | 7 | 3-star · 4-star · 5-star |
How many days for Umrah is right for you? It depends on what you want beyond the rites. Seven nights cover the rites and time in both cities; 10 or 14 nights leave more time for prayer, rest days and ziyarat.
Each package in the table includes hotels in Makkah and Madinah, transfers, the Umrah visa and guided ziyarat. Compare our 3-star, 4-star and 5-star packages, or see all our Umrah packages to choose your trip length.
Can you do Umrah in one day?
Yes. The rites take hours, so you can complete them on the day you arrive in Makkah or the day after.
Plan that day around your Umrah permit. When you apply, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah asks you to “Select the appropriate date and available time slot” (Umrah Permit Application). If you land tired, a slot the next day gives you time to rest first.
A one-day trip from the UK is another matter. The flights at each end make it impractical, so even short trips are counted in nights: our shortest package is 7 nights.
How should you split your nights between Makkah and Madinah?
Umrah itself is done in Makkah; the visit to Madinah is a separate, recommended journey to the Prophet’s Mosque, not a rite of Umrah.
Leaving Madinah out does not “diminish the reward” of your Umrah, says IslamWeb, and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque is Sunnah (IslamQA). The Prophet ﷺ named it among the three mosques to set out on a journey for (Sahih al-Bukhari 1189).
Prayer in both mosques also carries a special reward:
“One prayer in my mosque is better than one thousand prayers elsewhere, except the Sacred Mosque, and one prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.”
Reference and status: Sunan Ibn Majah 1406, Sahih (Darussalam) on sunnah.com.
The thousand-prayer part is also in Sahih al-Bukhari 1190. Our packages give Madinah 3, 5 or 7 nights. Read about the Makkah to Madinah train for the transfer day and visiting the Rawdah for your Madinah plans.
Planning your Umrah dates from the UK
Fix three things before you book the length: the visa, the permit slot and the last day in Makkah.
- Your visa: GOV.UK says the type of visa you choose “depends on your reason for travelling and how long you want to stay”. If you overstay, “you could face large fines, detention and deportation” (GOV.UK entry requirements, checked 19 October 2026). Our guide to the Umrah visa from the UK explains the options.
- Your permit: Umrah permits are issued through the Nusuk app (Saudi Press Agency), for a date and time slot you choose. Plan your first day in Makkah around it.
- Your last day in Makkah: leave time for a farewell Tawaf before you go, and ask your group guide how to fit it in.
Scholars differ on that farewell Tawaf: the Standing Committee says it is prescribed after Umrah, especially if you stay on in Makkah. In the more correct of two opinions, it adds, it is not obligatory (IslamQA). The hadith that orders Tawaf as the last thing before leaving Makkah is about Hajj (Sahih al-Bukhari 1755).
Travelling next spring? For the 1448 Umrah season, the last day for Umrah pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia is 23 March 2027. The final departure date is 7 April 2027 (Saudi Press Agency).
Travel insurance is not included in our packages, so arrange your own before you travel.
Frequently asked questions about how long Umrah takes
How long does Tawaf take?
No source gives a fixed time for Tawaf: it is seven circuits of the Kaaba, then two rak’ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim (Sahih al-Bukhari 1645). The crowds and your level, from the ground floor to the roof, decide how long it takes. Check the General Authority’s live crowd levels before you start.
How long does Sa’i take?
It depends on your pace and the crowds. Sa’i is seven lengths of 394 metres between Safa and Marwah, about 2.8 km in all (Sahih al-Bukhari 1645; Saudi Press Agency). Older and disabled pilgrims can use dedicated pathways and electric carts.
Is 7 nights enough for Umrah?
Yes, for the rites and a visit to Madinah. The rites take hours, and our 7-night packages give you 4 nights in Makkah and 3 in Madinah. If you want more time for prayer, rest days or ziyarat, our 10 and 14-night packages split the nights 5 + 5 and 7 + 7.
Do you need a farewell Tawaf after Umrah?
Scholars differ, so ask your group guide. The Standing Committee, quoted on IslamQA, says a farewell Tawaf is prescribed when you leave Makkah after Umrah, especially if you stayed on there. It is “not obligatory according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions”; Sahih al-Bukhari 1755, which orders it, is about Hajj.
How long is Umrah compared with Hajj?
Umrah rites take hours, while Hajj is tied to its months: “˹Commitment to˺ pilgrimage is made in appointed months” (Quran 2:197). Umrah visas follow the Saudi Umrah season: for 1448, they are issued until 9 March 2027 (Saudi Press Agency). Our guide to the difference between Hajj and Umrah compares how long each takes.
How long can I stay in Saudi Arabia for Umrah?
As long as your visa allows. GOV.UK warns that overstaying can lead to large fines, detention, deportation and a ban on returning to Saudi Arabia. Check the dates on your visa before you book your nights, and see our guide to the Umrah visa from the UK.
Umrah trip length: your next step
So, how long does Umrah take? The rites take a few hours, and longer when the mosque is busy. The whole trip from the UK is counted in nights: our packages run for 7, 10 or 14, split between Makkah and Madinah.
Choose the length by the time you want for prayer and rest, not by the rites alone.
Ready to choose your trip length? Send us your dates and we will come back with a written quote, every cost itemised. Message Babul Haram Travels on WhatsApp, or compare our Umrah packages first; nothing is booked until you tell us to go ahead.
Reviewed by Babul Haram Travels team · last reviewed 22 October 2026. Rules and dates change: check the linked official pages for yours. For a personal ruling, ask a qualified scholar.
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari carry no separate grade; the Sunan Ibn Majah hadith shows sunnah.com’s grade.
Photo sources: Location photographs are credited under each image and do not show our customers or a particular booking. Featured photo: Richard Mortel, CC BY 2.0. Resized and cropped for this guide.
