This Umrah checklist covers what to sort before you fly from the UK: documents, vaccines, medicines, bags, and packing lists for men and ladies. It is for first-time and returning pilgrims, couples and families travelling with children or older parents.
The tables list the essentials, so you can tick them off as you pack. Rules that change, such as vaccines, medicines, liquids and power banks, were checked on 19 October 2026. Each one links to its official page on GOV.UK, TravelHealthPro or the Civil Aviation Authority.
Religious points link to quran.com and sunnah.com. For a personal ruling, ask a qualified scholar.
Key takeaways
- Passport: valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Saudi Arabia.
- ACWY certificate: the meningitis vaccine, given at least 10 days before you arrive.
- Hand luggage: your ihram clothes, medicines and power banks travel with you, not in the hold.
- Unscented toiletries: pack them for the days you are in ihram.
Your Umrah checklist at a glance
Work through this checklist for Umrah in order: documents, health, money and phone, your two bags, then the personal items for men or ladies.
| Area | What to check or pack | Why it matters | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documents | Passport, visa, Nusuk permit, copies | Valid 6 months after arrival | Documents |
| Health | ACWY vaccine certificate | At least 10 days before arrival | Vaccinations |
| Medicines | Full supply, GP letter | Some are controlled in Saudi Arabia | Medicines |
| Money and phone | Cards, money belt, phone, charger | Charge before you travel | Hand luggage |
| Hand luggage | Ihram clothes, medicines, power banks | No power banks in the hold | Hand luggage |
| Suitcase | Modest clothes, sandals, shoe bag, sun cream | You carry your own bag | Suitcase |
| Men’s ihram kit | Two cloths, belt, sandals, spare set | No shirt, trousers or turban | Men |
| Ladies’ list | Modest clothing, headscarves, unscented products | No niqab or gloves in ihram | Ladies |
| Prayer | Prayer mat, dua list, notebook | Learn the steps first | Prayer |
| Family | Everyone’s documents and medicines | Older pilgrims avoid direct sun | family Umrah packages |
| Return | Space in your case | Liquids rules vary by airport | Flying home |
What your package covers. Our Umrah package pages list the visa, transfers and guided ziyarat as included; we apply for the visa once your documents are complete. Every package includes a group guide or scholar, and your written quote confirms the baggage allowance.
Documents to sort before you fly
Your passport’s expiry date must be at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Saudi Arabia, and you need a visa that allows Umrah. Put both first on your Umrah travel checklist.
- Visa: GOV.UK lists an ETA, an e-visa or an electronic visa waiver for Umrah outside the Hajj season (entry requirements, checked on 19 October 2026). Routes, fees and how to apply are in our guide to the Umrah visa from the UK.
- Umrah permit: it is issued free in the Nusuk app and website. You choose a date and time slot (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, checked on 16 October 2026).
- Bookings: your flight, hotel and package confirmations, plus your written quote.
- Travel insurance: GOV.UK advises cover for your trip, local treatment and unexpected medical evacuation (insurance and health advice).
- Copies: GOV.UK puts it simply: “Take photocopies and keep one copy with you. Leave a copy with friends or family.” A photo of each page on your phone helps too.
Vaccinations, medicines and health
You need a certificate for the ACWY meningitis vaccine, given at least 10 days before you arrive (GOV.UK pilgrimage advice, checked on 19 October 2026).
A conjugate vaccine counts for 5 years and a polysaccharide vaccine for 3; if the certificate does not show the type, it counts for 3 years (TravelHealthPro).
A yellow fever certificate is needed only if you arrive from a country listed as a transmission risk (entry requirements). Book your GP or a travel clinic early.
Medicines and a doctor’s letter
Some prescribed or over-the-counter medicines are controlled substances in Saudi Arabia (GOV.UK health advice). Carry a prescription or GP letter showing the amount prescribed, the drug and dose, your doctor’s signature and the clinic’s stamp.
UK prescriptions are not accepted in Saudi Arabia. Take enough medicine for the whole trip, including a delayed return. Essential liquid medicines over 100ml can go in hand luggage with a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription (GOV.UK).
First aid and heat
Pack a small first aid kit for cuts, grazes, headaches and travellers’ diarrhoea, with oral rehydration powders (TravelHealthPro). Daytime temperatures in Saudi Arabia can reach over 30°C, even in winter. Use SPF 30+ sun cream and reapply it every two to three hours.
Saudi health advice asks all pilgrims, especially older people, to avoid direct sun during the rites and to drink enough fluids. In an emergency in Saudi Arabia, call 911 and ask for an ambulance.
What to pack in your hand luggage
Keep everything you cannot travel without in your hand luggage: documents, medicines, your ihram set, phone, charger and power banks.
| Item | Hand luggage | Suitcase | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport, visa, permit, copies | Yes | No | Keep them with you |
| Medicines and GP letter | Yes | — | Liquids over 100ml need proof |
| Ihram set | Yes | Spare set | In case your bag is delayed |
| Power banks | Yes, at most two | No | CAA rules |
| Phone and charger | Yes | — | Charge before you travel |
| Liquids | Small containers | Larger bottles | Limits depend on the airport |
| Toiletries | Travel-size, unscented | The rest | For the ihram days |
| Sandals and clothes | A change | Yes | You carry your own bag |
| First aid kit | A small kit | Yes | Cuts, headaches, upset stomachs |
Check before you fly. Liquids rules depend on the airport: most allow containers of 100ml at most, and some allow up to 2 litres. Check your departure and return airports (GOV.UK, checked on 19 October 2026).
Power banks must go in your cabin bag, at most two per person. Each must be protected when not in use. Do not recharge them on board or use them to charge other devices (Civil Aviation Authority, rules from 27 March 2026, checked on 19 October 2026).
Travelling between Makkah and Madinah by train? Check the luggage rules on the Haramain train.
What to pack in your suitcase
Pack light: you carry your own bag between hotels, and your written quote confirms the baggage allowance.
- Clothes: loose, breathable, modest clothing. GOV.UK tells pilgrims to prepare for extreme heat.
- A warm layer: in winter, nights can be very cold.
- Footwear: comfortable sandals or shoes, plus a small bag. Shoes come off for prayer, so TravelHealthPro advises pilgrims to “carry their shoes in a bag” to avoid losing them.
- Sun protection: SPF 30+ sun cream for the daytime heat.
- Water bottle: a refillable bottle, so you can drink enough fluids.
- Toiletries: unscented soap, shampoo, deodorant and wet wipes for the days you are in ihram.
- First aid kit: the kit described in the health section above.
- Space: leave room for what you bring home.
Umrah packing list for men: the ihram kit
Men wear two sheets of cloth in ihram, a waist cover (izar) and an upper-body cover (rida), with sandals on their feet. The Prophet ﷺ put on two such sheets when he set out from Madinah for Hajj (Sahih al-Bukhari 1545).
When a man asked what clothes a pilgrim in ihram should wear, the Prophet ﷺ replied:
“He should not wear a shirt, a turban, trousers, a headcloak or leather socks except if he can find no slippers, he then may wear leather socks after cutting off what might cover the ankles.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1542 (English: sunnah.com).
Your Umrah checklist for men:
- Two ihram sets: one to wear and a spare, with a belt or money belt to hold the izar.
- Sandals: comfortable and already worn in.
- An umbrella: your head stays uncovered, and TravelHealthPro notes that an umbrella gives shade.
- Unscented toiletries: the same reply forbids clothes scented with saffron or wars (kinds of perfume). Of a pilgrim who died at Arafat during Hajj, the Prophet ﷺ said: “neither perfume him, nor cover his head” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1265).
Tying the cloths, underwear and medical exceptions are covered in our guide to ihram rules.
Umrah packing list for ladies
Your Umrah packing list for ladies needs no special ihram garment: pack ordinary modest clothing that covers properly, with your head covered. Stitched clothing is permitted and white is not required.
Your Umrah checklist for women:
- Clothes: loose, breathable abayas or long dresses for the heat, and several headscarves.
- Unscented products: soap, shampoo and deodorant without fragrance for the ihram days.
- Footwear: comfortable shoes or sandals and a shoe bag.
- Personal items: sanitary pads and your own medicines.
- Girls: they wear ordinary modest clothing exactly as adult women do.
Face and hands in ihram. The Prophet ﷺ said that a woman in ihram “should not cover her face, or wear gloves” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838). The Arabic word refers to the niqab.
Scholars hold different views on how a woman may screen her face. If you normally wear a niqab, ask the group scholar before you travel.
Every package includes a group guide or scholar who helps with the rites. For the detail, see what women wear in ihram.
Prayer and spiritual preparation
Alongside your bags, prepare yourself: in a verse about the pilgrimage of Hajj, the Quran says the best provision is righteousness. It is quoted here as a reminder, not as a packing rule.
وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ
Transliteration: watazawwadū fa-inna khayra l-zādi l-taqwā
Meaning: “Take ˹necessary˺ provisions ˹for the journey˺—surely the best provision is righteousness.”
Reference: Quran 2:197 (meaning: Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran).
- Learn the steps: read how to perform Umrah before you go.
- A dua list: keep the duas for Umrah on your phone or in a small booklet.
- A light prayer mat and a notebook for your personal duas.
Your Umrah preparation timeline
Start with the things that take longest: your passport, the vaccine certificate and any medicines letter.
| When | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| As soon as you plan | Check your passport expiry date and your visa route | GOV.UK |
| When you book | Check the baggage allowance in your written quote and arrange travel insurance | Your quote, GOV.UK |
| At least 10 days before you arrive | Have the ACWY vaccine and keep the certificate | GOV.UK, TravelHealthPro |
| Before you fly | Ask your GP for a letter about your medicines | GOV.UK |
| Before you fly | Set up Nusuk for your Umrah permit; a visit to the Rawdah needs a Rawdah permit booked there in advance | Nusuk, our Rawdah guide |
| The week you fly | Check the liquids rules at your departure and return airports | GOV.UK |
| The day before | Charge your devices, pack power banks in your cabin bag and leave copies with family | GOV.UK, CAA |
Before you fly home
Check the liquids rules at your return airport and leave space in your case for what you bring back. GOV.UK asks you to check the rules at every airport you travel through, including your return journey.
- Zamzam water: read our guide to bringing Zamzam water home before you pack it.
- Medicines: keep enough for a delayed return.
- Documents: keep your passport and copies together and safe until you are home.
Umrah checklist FAQs
What should I pack for Umrah?
Pack your passport, visa and copies, medicines with a GP letter, and an ihram set (men) or modest clothing (women). Add unscented toiletries, comfortable sandals, a shoe bag, SPF 30+ sun cream, a water bottle, and your phone and charger. Documents, medicines, the ihram and power banks go in your hand luggage.
What should men pack for Umrah?
Men need two sheets of cloth for ihram: a waist cover (izar) and an upper-body cover (rida), as the Prophet ﷺ wore (Sahih al-Bukhari 1545). Pack a spare set, a belt or money belt, comfortable sandals and unscented toiletries, and carry the ihram in your hand luggage.
What should ladies pack for Umrah?
There is no special ihram garment for women: pack ordinary modest clothing, headscarves, unscented toiletries and comfortable shoes. A hadith says a woman in ihram should not cover her face or wear gloves (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838). If you normally wear a niqab, ask the group scholar before you travel.
Which vaccinations do I need for Umrah from the UK?
You need a certificate for the ACWY meningitis vaccine, given at least 10 days before you arrive. A yellow fever certificate is needed only if you arrive from a country with a transmission risk. See your GP or a travel clinic early (GOV.UK, checked on 19 October 2026).
Can I take a power bank on my flight?
Yes, in your hand luggage only. Under Civil Aviation Authority rules from 27 March 2026, you can carry at most two power banks, each protected. Do not recharge them on board or use them to charge other devices, and check your airline’s rules too.
Can I take my medicines to Saudi Arabia?
Check first: some prescribed and over-the-counter medicines are controlled substances in Saudi Arabia (GOV.UK). Carry a prescription or GP letter showing the amount, the drug and dose, your doctor’s signature and the clinic’s stamp. UK prescriptions are not accepted there; take enough for the whole trip, including a delayed return.
Packed and ready: your next step
Sort your documents and health checks first, then pack your hand luggage and suitcase, then add the personal list for men or ladies. Rules change, so open this Umrah checklist again in the week you fly and check the linked official pages.
Ready to plan your Umrah? Tell us your dates and departure airport, and we will send a written quote that itemises every line. Message Babul Haram Travels on WhatsApp.
Reviewed by Babul Haram Travels team · last reviewed 23 October 2026. For a personal ruling, ask a qualified scholar.
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari are cited without a separate grade, as on sunnah.com.
