Umrah Packages
July 2027

July 2027 in brief

• Season: expected to be open under the new 1449 calendar, which has not yet been announced.
• Weather: Makkah averages 43.2°C by day and 29.8°C at night; Madinah 43.0°C and 29.8°C.
• School holidays: Scottish schools are off all month; English schools (Birmingham City Council) break up for summer on 22 July.
• Prices: from £685 (3★), £795 (4★) and £975 (5★) per person, four sharing.
• Crowds: building through the month as British families arrive.

A month that changes on 22 July

July is really two months for British pilgrims. For the first three weeks, English schools are still in term, so the people travelling from the UK are mainly couples, retired parents, students finished for the year and Scottish families, whose holidays began in late June (Glasgow closes on 25 June, Edinburgh on 29 June). Flights and hotels are a little easier to come by and prices sit at our July starting level.

From around 22 July, when English schools break up, demand rises sharply. Many families are booking the one long holiday of the year, and summer is often the only time parents, children and grandparents can all travel together. Departures in this second part of the month are generally priced as summer holiday trips.

If your children are at school in Scotland, early-to-mid July is close to ideal: you are on holiday while English demand is still low. If you are in England and want to avoid the very busiest weeks, the first few days after 22 July are usually a better bet than mid-August. Whichever half you choose, the earlier you confirm, the better your chances of direct flights and rooms close to the Haram.

July and summer prices compared

All prices are per person with four sharing a room and include return flights, the Umrah visa, hotels and transfers. They are confirmed at the time of booking. You can choose 7, 10, 12 or 14 nights; a family with six weeks off can comfortably take the full fortnight, split seven nights in each city. For more on peak holiday dates, see our summer Umrah packages.

Is the season confirmed for July?

Not yet. The 1448 season closes on 23 March 2027 for new arrivals, and the dates for the following 1449 season have not been published. Last year the Ministry reopened Umrah immediately after Hajj, with visas from 31 May 2026, so on that precedent the new season would open around late May 2027, well before July. Until the official calendar is out, though, we describe July dates as expected rather than confirmed.

We take July bookings on that basis and will contact you as soon as the Ministry publishes its dates. Flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 11203): if your booking has an ATOL Certificate, you would be entitled to a refund if the licence holder failed before you travel.

Heat, children and health in July

July nights are among the warmest of the year, with average lows near 30°C in both cities, so the air barely cools even at 3am. For families this changes how you plan each day.

Looking after children

• Keep little ones out of the sun between late morning and Asr; plan Haram visits for after Maghrib and Fajr.
• Carry water at all times and offer it before children say they are thirsty.
• Light, loose cotton clothing and a sun hat for younger children, and plenty of sun cream for the courtyards.
• Children aged one and over need the meningitis ACWY vaccine at least 10 days before arrival; check that every passport has six months’ validity.

Making the trip meaningful for children

A summer Umrah is often a child’s first, and a little preparation at home helps them understand what they are seeing. Before you go, read together about the Hijrah, the battles of Uhud and the Trench, and the first revelation, then link each story to a place you will visit.

• Jabal al-Nour, Makkah: the mountain of Cave Hira, where the first revelation came.
• Jabal Thawr, Makkah: the cave where the Prophet and Abu Bakr sheltered on the journey to Madinah.
• Masjid Quba, Madinah: the first mosque, where two rak’ahs of prayer carry the reward of an Umrah according to hadith.
• Mount Uhud: the site of the battle and the graves of the martyrs, including Hamzah (RA).
• The Seven Mosques: marking the site of the Battle of the Trench.

In July, all of these are best seen in the first hours after sunrise. Older children who are five or over may be able to have their own Nusuk Umrah permit (a 2022 report gave five as the minimum age; we check the current rule), which lets them perform the rites alongside you as full pilgrims.

Looking after older relatives

Grandparents who come along on a summer family trip often find the walking harder than expected. A wheelchair for tawaf and sa’i, a hotel close to the Haram and a slower itinerary make the trip far more enjoyable for everyone. If anyone has a heart condition, diabetes or breathing problems, discuss the heat with their GP before booking.

Choosing hotels for a summer family trip

At 43°C, every minute on the street counts. For July we generally recommend 4★ or 5★ for the Makkah part of the trip.

In the 4★ range, the Sheraton Makkah Jabal Al Kaaba is around 200 m from Masjid al-Haram with a pedestrian bridge, and Elaf Kinda is 160–280 m away. In Madinah, Dallah Taibah is 160–200 m from Masjid an-Nabawi and Elaf Taiba 220–500 m.

The 5★ hotels are in the Abraj Al Bait complex, Pullman ZamZam Makkah at about 100 m and Swissôtel Makkah at 210 m, paired with Anwar Al Madinah Mövenpick (50 m) or Pullman Zamzam Madinah (110 m). For families with pushchairs or a grandparent in a wheelchair, that short distance is often worth the extra cost.

The 3★ hotels, Emaar Andalusia at 700–800 m and Al Kiswah Towers at 900 m to 1.4 km, keep costs down for larger groups, but expect to use taxis or travel only at night during a July stay.

Flying out in the summer peak

Direct Saudia flights from Heathrow (about six hours) and Manchester (about six and a half) are used for our 4★ and 5★ packages from those airports. Lancashire and Yorkshire families from Blackburn, Oldham and Sheffield typically use Manchester, between about 30 minutes and an hour and a quarter away by road. Other packages fly Turkish Airlines through Istanbul, while Glasgow packages fly Emirates via Dubai.

On the way home, each pilgrim can bring one sealed 5-litre bottle of Zamzam bought at the official counter at Jeddah or Madinah airport. It travels in the hold as a separate item, and Saudia carries it as a free extra piece, which is handy when the whole family wants a bottle.

Because Jeddah is inside the miqat, adults need to be in ihram before the aircraft crosses the line. On a busy summer flight with children, it is far easier to change at the UK airport before boarding than in a cramped aircraft toilet, then make the niyyah when the crew announce the miqat.

Book your July Umrah

Remember to check the latest FCDO advice for travellers to Saudi Arabia before you pay and before you fly, as travel insurance can be affected by it.

Comparing months? June is slightly cheaper and quieter, August is the peak of the English holidays, and September drops back to our lowest prices once schools return.

Holding another agent’s July price? Let us look at it through Beat My Quote. Otherwise, request your July package through our quote form or message us on WhatsApp with your dates and number of travellers.