Umrah from Bangladesh: What a 14-Day Trip Is Really Like

A 14-day Umrah trip from Dhaka usually means about a week in Makkah and the rest in Madinah, with the flight, hotels, food, visa and transport handled as one package. This guide walks through the journey in order, so you know what to expect before you go. Our 14-day Umrah package follows exactly this shape: Riyadh Air flights with a short transit, hotels within walking distance of both Harams, three meals a day and an experienced alem with the group.

🕋 Before anything else: your Umrah visa comes through a Hajj and Umrah agency registered with Bangladesh's Ministry of Religious Affairs, working with a Saudi Umrah company. Check the licence number before you pay anyone.

Getting there: Dhaka to Makkah

Groups fly out of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, most often on a one-stop routing through a Gulf hub. Riyadh Air has flown Dhaka–Riyadh daily since August 2026 on a Boeing 787-9, connecting to Jeddah, which keeps the transit short. From Jeddah, it is roughly an hour and a half by air-conditioned bus to Makkah once immigration and baggage are done.

Wear or carry your ihram from Dhaka. Your group's alem will tell you exactly when to enter the state of ihram before crossing the miqat, and will lead the talbiyah with the group. Keep a small bag with your ihram, slippers, medicines and documents in your cabin baggage in case checked bags are delayed.

Umrah, step by step

1. Enter ihram before the miqat: two unstitched white cloths for men, ordinary modest clothing for women, then the intention and the talbiyah.
2. At Masjid al-Haram, perform tawaf: seven circuits of the Kaaba starting and ending at the Black Stone corner.
3. Pray two rak'ahs behind Maqam Ibrahim if there is room, and drink Zamzam.
4. Perform sa'i: seven trips between Safa and Marwah, starting at Safa and ending at Marwah.
5. Finish with halq (shaving) or taqsir (trimming). Umrah is complete and the restrictions of ihram end.

With a group, all of this is done together with the alem leading and explaining, which is why first-time pilgrims and elderly parents find a guided package far easier than travelling alone.

Your days in Makkah

Life settles into the five prayers at the Haram. A hotel 600–700 metres from the courtyard means a walk of roughly 10 minutes, and you can return to rest between prayers. Between prayers there is nafl tawaf, Qur'an, and time to sit in the Haram. Wheelchairs can be hired inside the mosque for those who need them, and the upper floors are less crowded for tawaf.

Ziyarah in Makkah

• Jabal al-Nour: the hill holding the Cave of Hira, where the first revelation came. Groups usually view it from the foot; the climb is long and steep.
• Jabal Thawr: the cave where the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (RA) sheltered during the hijrah.
• Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat: the Hajj sites, quiet outside the season, with Jabal al-Rahmah at Arafat.
• Jannat al-Mu'alla: the historic cemetery of Makkah.

Madinah: a different pace

The road to Madinah takes about five to six hours by air-conditioned bus, with rest and prayer stops. Madinah is calmer than Makkah, and most pilgrims describe it as the restful half of the trip. A hotel 700–800 metres from Masjid an-Nabawi keeps every prayer within walking distance.

To pray in the Rawdah (Riyad ul-Jannah) you need a free permit booked in the Nusuk app, and slots are released in advance. Your group leader helps with the booking; get it as early as you can, because slots fill quickly, especially for women's hours.

Ziyarah in Madinah

• Masjid Quba: the first mosque built in Islam; praying two rak'ahs there carries great reward.
• Masjid al-Qiblatain: where the qiblah changed towards the Kaaba.
• Mount Uhud: the battlefield and the cemetery of the martyrs, including Hamza (RA).
• The Seven Mosques: the area of the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq).

What to pack

Practical things first-timers ask

• Money: carry Saudi riyals for small purchases; cards work in shops and malls. Get your foreign currency endorsed by your bank before you travel.
• Food: a full-board package covers three meals a day, which matters most when you are tired after prayers. Bangladeshi and South Asian restaurants are everywhere in both cities.
• Water: Zamzam is free inside both Harams. If water in the hotel room isn't part of your package, carry a bottle back from the mosque or buy it locally.
• Zamzam home: each pilgrim may check in one sealed 5-litre Zamzam container in the aircraft hold; it cannot go in the cabin.
• Phones: a local SIM or eSIM makes Nusuk permits, maps and calls home easy, and keeps you in touch with the group.
• Walking: expect 8,000–15,000 steps a day. Break in your slippers before you fly, and tell your agency in advance if anyone needs a wheelchair.

Advice for elderly pilgrims

Choose a hotel close to the Haram even if it costs more; the walking is what tires older pilgrims most. Travel with a group that has a guide, keep a copy of prescriptions in English, carry a card with your hotel name and group contact, and plan the ziyarah day as a rest day. Wheelchairs and pushers are available at both mosques.

Ready to go?

See what our 14-day Umrah package includes at BDT 1,40,000 per person, read the Umrah visa rules before you apply, or tell us your plans and our team will walk you through the next group departure.