Umrah Packages
October 2027

The month the heat begins to break

After four months of temperatures above 42°C, October is the turning point. Makkah’s average high drops to just over 40°C and Madinah’s to the high thirties, and by the end of the month the evenings start to feel noticeably gentler. It is not yet the mild winter weather of December and January, but for many pilgrims it marks the start of the more comfortable half of the year.

October also has the autumn half-term, giving families a short window to travel without missing school, and in Scotland the October break is a full week. For everyone else, the weeks outside half-term are relatively calm.

Who October works for

Pilgrims who found the summer too hot but do not want to wait until winter often settle on October. It suits retired couples, people who want to arrive before the Christmas rush, and families who would rather fit a short trip into half-term than pay peak summer prices. Converts planning a first Umrah also like it: the Haram is less pressured than in the holidays, and the cooler evenings make learning the rites in person less tiring.

October weather, and how it compares

The biggest change is in Madinah, where October is about five degrees cooler than September by day. Nights there average around 23.5°C, pleasant for walking to Fajr and sitting in the courtyards after Isha. The Madinah leg is where you will feel the difference most, and you can ask for an itinerary that starts there, although with no direct UK–Madinah flights it involves a connection on the way out. Makkah remains hot during the day, so plan tawaf and sa’i for the evening or late night, and use the afternoons for rest.

What to pack for October

• Lightweight, loose clothing for daytime, as Makkah is still around 40°C.
• A thin long-sleeved layer for air-conditioned hotels, the mosques at night and the flight.
• Sun cream, sunglasses and a small umbrella for courtyard shade.
• Comfortable footwear you have already walked in, plus a small bag for carrying shoes inside the mosque.

October 2027 prices

Prices are per person, four sharing a room, and include return flights, the Umrah visa, hotels and transfers. All are confirmed at booking, and you can choose 7, 10, 12 or 14 nights.

One detail is worth noticing. Outside half-term, our October 5★ packages start only £50 per person above 4★. For that difference you move to Pullman ZamZam Makkah (about 100 m from Masjid al-Haram) or Swissôtel Makkah (210 m), and to Anwar Al Madinah Mövenpick (50 m from Masjid an-Nabawi) or Pullman Zamzam Madinah (110 m). In October, the 5-star Umrah packages are an unusually easy upgrade to justify.

The 4-star packages use Elaf Kinda (160–280 m) or the Sheraton Makkah Jabal Al Kaaba (about 200 m, pedestrian bridge) with Dallah Taibah (160–200 m) or Elaf Taiba (220–500 m) in Madinah. For the lowest price, our 3-star packages from £655 pair Emaar Andalusia (700–800 m) or Al Kiswah Towers (900 m to 1.4 km) with Zowar Alalami (300–350 m) or Al Aqeeq Al Rawda by Sedra (about 650 m); with the cooler evenings, those walks become far more manageable than in summer.

October half-term 2027

Half-term dates vary across the UK, and not all of them have been published yet:

• Edinburgh: the October break 2027 runs from Monday 18 to Monday 25 October, as published by the City of Edinburgh Council.
• England: the Birmingham City Council dates for October 2027 were not yet available when we checked. English half-term usually falls in the second half of October; confirm with your school or council before booking.
• Glasgow and other areas: check your local council’s term-dates page.

A half-term Umrah is short, so most families take a 7-night package (four nights in Makkah, three in Madinah), leaving on the first weekend of the break and returning before school resumes. Scottish families have a slight advantage, with the Edinburgh break running into a second Monday, which allows a slightly more relaxed return. Full details are on our October half-term Umrah page. Families from Edinburgh fly via Istanbul, as there are no direct flights to Jeddah from Scotland.

Is the season open in October 2027?

October falls within the period that the 1449 Umrah season would normally cover, but the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has not yet published that calendar. The 1448 season opened on 31 May 2026, straight after Hajj, and the new one is expected to reopen after Hajj 2027 in a similar way, typically around late May or June. Once the official calendar is released we will confirm October dates in writing.

When you do book, note that your Nusuk Umrah permit is issued for a specific date and time slot. In October, with comfortable evenings in Madinah, an after-Isha slot in Makkah followed by a relaxed Madinah stay is a popular pattern.

Flights and ihram

Our 4★ and 5★ packages from Heathrow and Manchester fly direct to Jeddah with Saudia, about six hours from London and a little more from Manchester. Pilgrims from Leeds generally drive to Manchester, around an hour and a quarter away, to use the direct route. Other packages connect via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, where the second flight to Jeddah takes about four hours; Glasgow packages instead change in Dubai with Emirates.

Flying straight to Jeddah means wearing ihram before the miqat. The announcement usually comes about half an hour before you cross it, so be ready well beforehand. Ask your scholar if you are unsure where the line falls on your route.

Health checks before an autumn trip

The meningitis ACWY vaccine is compulsory and must be given at least 10 days before you arrive. If you had a conjugate vaccine on an earlier trip, its certificate stays valid for five years; a polysaccharide certificate, or one that does not state the type, lasts three. October is also when UK flu vaccination gets under way, and the Saudi Ministry of Health recommends both the seasonal flu jab and a COVID-19 vaccine for Umrah pilgrims, so ask your GP or pharmacy about them at the same time. Finally, check that each passport is valid for at least six months from your arrival date.

Ziyarat in the cooler autumn days

With Madinah’s daytime highs back below 40°C, October is a much better month for ziyarat than the summer. A morning circuit of Masjid Quba, Masjid al-Qiblatayn and Mount Uhud is comfortable before the sun is high. In Makkah, a visit to Jabal al-Nour and Cave Hira, or a drive to Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, is worthwhile for anyone who hopes to return for Hajj one day.

These outings also suit children on half-term, who often remember the places tied to the stories of the seerah better than anything else on the trip.

Book your October 2027 Umrah

Our flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 11203). Do read the latest Foreign Office guidance on Saudi Arabia before booking and travelling, since insurance cover may depend on the advice at the time.

If you are weighing up the autumn, September is cheaper but hotter, while November and December bring the mildest weather of the year. You can compare them all on our Umrah packages by month page.

Already have an October quote? Send it to Beat My Quote. Or tell us your dates and departure airport through our quote form, or on WhatsApp, and we will send October options with live prices.