Umrah 2026 health rules: meningococcal vaccine now mandatory
Saudi Arabia requires all Umrah pilgrims aged one and above to show proof of a quadrivalent ACWY meningococcal vaccine, alongside new heat-safety measures for the summer season.
thehajj.guide Analysis (Page 61 of 128)
World's largest cooling system keeps Grand Mosque at 24C
One of the world's largest cooling systems keeps the Grand Mosque in Makkah between 22C and 24C, protecting pilgrims from extreme summer heat.
Saudi Arabia launches 365-day multiple-entry Umrah visa
Saudi Arabia has introduced a multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for one year, allowing pilgrims a cumulative stay of up to 90 days across several visits.
Saudi Arabia releases Umrah and Visit Guide in 16 languages
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has published an official Umrah and Visit Guide in sixteen languages, offering step-by-step instructions from pre-travel preparation through the performance of the rituals.
Hajj 2027: Saudi Arabia scraps Package D in three-tier overhaul
Saudi Arabia has restructured its Hajj offerings for the 2027 season into three enhanced categories and discontinued the low-cost Package D, folding accommodation, transport and catering into a single mandatory package.
Rare 1,000-year-old Qur'an manuscript on display at the Grand Mosque
A rare Qur'an manuscript penned more than a thousand years ago by the master calligrapher Ibn Al-Bawwab is drawing visitors to the Iqra exhibition at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.