Umrah Packages
August 2027

Why August is the busiest month of the British summer

For English families, August is the one month when everyone is guaranteed to be off school. Schools under Birmingham City Council are on holiday from 22 July right through to 1 September 2027, which means the whole of August is available, and it is when many households plan the trip they have been saving for all year.

That popularity has consequences. August departures sit at the top of our summer price range, direct flights fill early, and the hotels closest to the Haram are in highest demand. With careful planning, though, an August Umrah can still be a deeply rewarding family experience, provided you respect the heat and book well ahead.

There is a lot to be said for it. Children old enough to remember the trip will carry the experience of seeing the Ka’bah for the first time into adulthood, and a summer Umrah gives teenagers a stretch of worship and family time that term-time life rarely allows.

Madinah at its hottest

Most pilgrims think of Makkah as the hotter city, but in August the averages say otherwise. This is Madinah’s hottest month by daytime high, and both cities have their warmest nights of the year.

With lows of around 30°C, there is no truly cool time of day, only less hot ones. The practical answer is to keep outdoor walking to a minimum, perform your rites in the small hours, and stay somewhere with a very short walk to each mosque. In Madinah especially, a hotel right by Masjid an-Nabawi turns five daily prayers from an ordeal into something manageable.

Heat checklist for August

• Pack oral rehydration sachets, high-factor sun cream and a lightweight umbrella for each adult.
• Choose sandals with thick soles; the stone outside covered areas gets extremely hot.
• Take cooling sprays or a small battery fan for queues and waiting areas.
• Agree a family meeting point inside each mosque in case anyone becomes separated in the crowds.
• Book the compulsory meningitis ACWY vaccine for everyone aged one and over at least 10 days before arrival; August GP appointments can be hard to get, so do it in June or early July.

August prices and the hotels behind them

August packages start from the figures below, per person, four sharing. They include return flights, the Umrah visa, hotels and transfers, and are confirmed when you book. Choose from 7, 10, 12 or 14 nights.

In August the gap between 3★ and 5★ in Madinah is not just comfort: it is the difference between a walk of several hundred metres at 44°C and stepping out of the hotel almost onto the mosque forecourt. If budget allows only one upgrade, many families put it towards the Madinah hotel rather than Makkah.

For a family of four sharing a room, the total from-price ranges from £2,860 in 3★ to £4,100 in 5★. Our summer Umrah packages page sets out the full holiday period.

How long should an August trip be?

With six weeks of holiday it is tempting to book the full 14 nights, and for older children that can work well, giving seven nights in each city and time to settle into a night-time routine. For families with toddlers or elderly grandparents, a shorter stay is often kinder. The 7-night package, four nights in Makkah and three in Madinah, gives enough time for Umrah, a few days of prayer in each Haram and a ziyarat morning in Madinah without stretching anyone’s stamina in the heat. The 10-night option, five and five, is a good middle ground.

Whatever the length, build in a quiet first day. Many families land, transfer to the hotel, sleep through the afternoon and perform Umrah together after Isha, rather than heading straight to the mataf in the midday sun.

England and Scotland: different Augusts

The school calendar splits August in two across the UK. Edinburgh pupils go back on Wednesday 18 August 2027, and Glasgow schools usually return in mid-August too, so Scottish families need to be home by the middle of the month. English families have until 1 September.

That has a knock-on effect on demand. The first half of August combines Scottish and English families; the second half is mostly English and tends to stay busy right up to the August bank holiday. Pilgrims without children who must travel in the summer may find a little more space in July or after schools return.

Is Umrah confirmed for August 2027?

August falls well inside where the next season would normally run, but the 1449 Umrah calendar has not yet been published by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. By precedent, the season reopens straight after Hajj, which in 2027 is expected in mid-May, so the reopening is expected around late May or June. We confirm August dates in writing as soon as the official calendar appears.

Our flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 11203), and the ATOL Certificate you receive names who protects your trip. ATOL is financial protection, not travel insurance, so you will still need a policy that covers your trip. Paying by credit card and keeping every confirmation in writing, as the UK government’s pilgrimage guidance suggests, adds a further layer of reassurance.

Getting there in peak season

Our 4★ and 5★ packages from Heathrow and Manchester use Saudia’s direct flights to Jeddah, roughly six hours from London. Families from London and Luton fly from Heathrow, and those from Nottingham usually use Birmingham for our packages. All other routes go via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, apart from Glasgow, where Emirates connects through Dubai, about nine to twelve hours door to gate depending on the connection.

From Jeddah, the road transfer to your Makkah hotel takes around 60–90 minutes outside peak traffic, and arriving in the cooler hours is a real advantage, so let us know if you would prefer an overnight flight when we quote. Remember to be in ihram before the miqat, which the cabin crew will announce before landing.

Planning around the crowds

A busy month calls for a little more organisation in the Haram itself. Book your Nusuk Umrah permit for a late-night slot as soon as you know your arrival date. If you hope to visit the Rawdah in Madinah, remember each person can do so once every 365 days through Nusuk, and men and women are allocated separate times, so plan who looks after the children.

Ziyarat trips to Quba, Uhud and Qiblatayn in Madinah, or to Jabal al-Nour and Arafat in Makkah, should start as early in the morning as possible. By 10am in August, standing at an open-air site is hard work for adults and unsafe for small children.

Secure your August dates

Payments are explained in our booking policy. Before you commit, and again before you travel, read the FCDO’s current advice on Saudi Arabia; travel insurers may decline or limit cover depending on what it says.

If you can be flexible, compare July for slightly lower prices, September for our lowest after-summer rates, or the October half-term for a shorter family trip in cooler weather.

August sells early, so do not leave it late. Tell us your dates, airport and family size on our quote form or WhatsApp us, and we will put together options straight away.