3 Star Umrah Packages from
the UK

What 3-star really means for an Umrah

In most holiday destinations, a hotel’s star rating tells you about the pool, the restaurant and the size of the room. In Makkah and Madinah, the factor that shapes your stay far more is how far you walk to the mosque, five times a day. A 3-star package keeps the cost down mainly by placing you a little further from the Haram, while still within walking distance.

That trade-off works brilliantly for some pilgrims and less well for others. This page sets out exactly which hotels we use, how long the walk takes in practice, and who tends to be happiest at this level.

Our 3-star hotels and their distances

We pair one Makkah hotel with one Madinah hotel. Distances are to Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi respectively.

*Walking times are our own rough estimates for an adult at an easy pace. Allow longer with children, older relatives or after Jumu’ah and Taraweeh, when the streets around the mosques fill up.

Emaar Andalusia or Al Kiswah Towers?

If you are choosing between our two Makkah options, Emaar Andalusia is the closer, at 700–800 metres. Al Kiswah Towers covers a wider range, from 900 metres to 1.4 kilometres depending on the building and route, and is usually the one we use to keep the lowest prices on the table. Tell us if the shorter walk matters to you and we will price Emaar Andalusia specifically.

Madinah is where 3-star shines

Zowar Alalami is only 300–350 metres from Masjid an-Nabawi, which is closer than some 4-star options in other parts of the city. Al Aqeeq Al Rawda by Sedra, at around 650 metres, is still an easy walk. Many of our 3-star travellers tell us the Madinah leg felt anything but budget.

Prices and what is included

Our 3-star Umrah packages start from £625 per person. That is based on four people sharing a room and includes return flights, the Umrah visa, both hotels and all transfers. The exact price is confirmed at booking and depends on dates, departure airport and room occupancy.

The £625 figure applies to standard months such as November, January and March. Peak periods cost more; see our Ramadan and Christmas pages for those dates. Ask us to confirm the deposit and payment dates before you book. Full details are on our booking policy page.

Flights on 3-star packages

Almost all 3-star packages fly with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, whichever UK city you start from; the exception is Glasgow, where Emirates connects through Dubai. The connection adds time, with a total journey of around nine to twelve hours, but it keeps the price low and gives you a chance to stretch your legs halfway. The Istanbul to Jeddah leg takes about four hours. If you would prefer Saudia’s non-stop flights from Heathrow or Manchester, those come with our 4-star and 5-star packages.

The Istanbul routing also means 3-star travellers can start from the airport nearest home. Pilgrims in Greater Manchester, for example, fly from Manchester Airport, about 30 minutes by road from Oldham, as our Oldham Umrah packages page explains, while Scottish travellers can depart from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Who 3-star packages suit

A great fit for

• Budget-conscious first-timers who want to perform Umrah properly without stretching the family finances.
• Young adults, students and groups of friends who are happy to walk and plan to spend most of their time in the mosque anyway.
• Longer stays. Money saved on the hotel can go towards a 12 or 14-night trip, giving you more time in the holy cities.
• Return pilgrims who know the area and prefer to spend their money on extra nights or a second trip.

Think twice if

• You are travelling with elderly parents or anyone with limited mobility. A walk of 10 to 20 minutes each way, five times a day, adds up quickly. The 4-star packages roughly quarter that distance.
• You are going in peak heat, when a 1.4 km walk in July or August is tiring. See the summer advice on our July Umrah page.
• You have toddlers or a pushchair and expect to return to the room several times a day.

A typical day when you stay a little further out

It helps to picture how the distance plays out over a full day in Makkah, because that is where the 3-star walk is longest.

1. Before Fajr: leave the hotel around 40 minutes before the adhan, pray Fajr, and stay for dhikr or Qur’an until sunrise.
2. Morning: walk back to eat and rest. This is a good time for ziyarat to Jabal al-Nour or Masjid Aisha, arranged for the cooler part of the day.
3. Dhuhr and Asr: in the cooler months, pray both in the Haram and stay between them; in warmer months, many pray Dhuhr near the hotel and head in for Asr.
4. Maghrib to Isha: the most popular stretch. Arrive early, pray Maghrib, and remain until Isha to save a second round trip.
5. Late evening: perform an extra tawaf if you wish, when the Mataf is often calmer than straight after Isha.

Done this way, most fit adults make three round trips a day rather than five, and the extra walking simply becomes part of the rhythm of the trip. Pilgrims who come in November, when Makkah’s average high falls to around 35.6°C, find this routine especially comfortable.

Comparing 3-star with the other tiers

The step up to 4-star is £100 per person at the starting price, so it is always worth comparing both. Our 5-star Umrah packages page explains the top tier in detail.

Getting the most from a 3-star stay

• Go early for Fajr and Jumu’ah. Leaving 30 to 40 minutes before the adhan means you will find space inside rather than praying on the outer streets.
• Stay on between prayers. Many pilgrims pray Maghrib and remain in the mosque until Isha, saving a return walk.
• Use the cooler months. November to February is the most comfortable time to walk; Makkah averages about 30.9°C in January compared with over 43°C in July.
• Book your Nusuk slots wisely. Your Umrah needs a Nusuk permit for a set time; pick a slot that avoids the midday heat. The Rawdah in Madinah is limited to one visit every 365 days.

Before you book

Your passport needs six months’ validity from your arrival date, and everyone aged one and over needs a meningitis ACWY vaccination at least 10 days before landing. Take a moment to read the UK government’s travel advice for Saudi Arabia, which currently advises against all but essential travel, and confirm that your insurer will cover the trip.

Our flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 11203), and we confirm the protection that applies when you book. To see current 3-star prices for your dates and airport, request a quote or contact us on WhatsApp. If you have already been quoted elsewhere, send it to beat my quote, and browse departure options on our UK cities page.