Everything to sort before you fly: the documents and meningitis vaccine Saudi Arabia requires, a full Umrah packing list for men and women, your daily Haram bag and a medicine kit.
A good Umrah checklist saves you from the two problems that spoil most first trips: being stopped at the airport because a document or vaccine certificate is missing, and arriving in Makkah with the wrong things in your bag. This guide covers both. It starts with the papers and the meningitis vaccine that Saudi Arabia requires, then gives a full Umrah packing list for men and women, what to carry into the Haram each day, a medicine kit, and what to leave at home. Everything is checked against official sources as of October 2026, and it works whether you fly from the UK, Europe or Egypt.
Your Umrah checklist at a glance
The six things to sort before you zip the suitcase
When to do what: a simple countdown
- 8 weeks before: check your passport has at least six months left, apply for your visa or travel authorisation, and book flights and hotels. For a calmer first trip, our guide to the best time for Umrah compares the seasons. - 4 weeks before: book your meningitis (MenACWY) vaccine at a GP surgery, pharmacy or travel clinic, and buy anything you do not own yet, especially ihram and comfortable footwear. - At least 10 days before: the vaccine must be done by now. Download the Nusuk app and book your Umrah permit for the dates you will be in Makkah. - 48 hours before: pack using the lists below, print your documents, charge your power bank and put the unscented toiletries in your ihram bag. - On the day: keep your passport, phone, ihram and medicines in your hand luggage, not in the hold. If this is your first Umrah, our guide on how to perform Umrah step by step walks you through each rite.
1. Documents checklist
Keep these in one travel wallet, with photos on your phone and a printed copy in a different bag: - Passport with at least six months of validity left on the day you arrive, and at least two blank pages. - Visa or travel authorisation that allows Umrah. British, EU and many other passport holders can use the Saudi tourist e-visa, and some can use the ETA or visa waiver; check which applies to your passport before you book. Print it as well as saving it on your phone. - Meningitis (MenACWY) vaccination certificate for every traveller, including children (see the next section). - Nusuk permit for Umrah and, if you are visiting Madinah, for the Rawdah. They live in the app, but a screenshot helps when the signal drops. - Flight tickets and hotel confirmations, with the hotel address written in Arabic for taxi drivers. - Travel insurance that covers medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. - For UK travellers on a package with flights: your ATOL certificate. - Children travelling with one parent: a signed consent letter from the other parent and a copy of the birth certificate avoid questions at the airport. If you hold a UK passport, our guide to the Umrah visa from the UK compares the ETA, the e-Visa and the visa waiver.
2. Umrah vaccination requirements
This is the item that most often goes wrong, because the timing matters as much as the jab itself. According to TravelHealthPro, the UK's official travel health service, Saudi Arabia requires everyone arriving to perform Umrah to show proof of vaccination against meningococcal disease: - Which vaccine: the quadrivalent conjugate MenACWY vaccine (brands include Menveo, Nimenrix and MenQuadfi). The certificate should name the vaccine and its type. - When: at least 10 days before you travel. A vaccine given the week you fly does not count. - How long it lasts: Saudi Arabia accepts the conjugate vaccine for five years for visa purposes, so a certificate from a previous trip may still be valid. - Proof: ask the clinic for a certificate with your full name, the vaccine name and type, the date and the clinic's official stamp, and carry it with you. Saudi officials can ask to see it at the airport. - Who: every pilgrim, including children; your clinic will advise on the dose for young children. Other vaccines: travellers from countries where polio is still circulating may need proof of polio vaccination, and a yellow fever certificate is only needed if you arrive from, or transit through, a yellow fever risk country. A flu jab is not required but is sensible if you are older or have a long-term condition: coughs and colds spread fast in the crowds. Ask your clinic about your own route and health.
3. Ihram checklist for men
- Two sets of ihram (two white, unstitched sheets each): one to wear and one spare in case of spills or if you stay in ihram longer than planned. Towelling ihram is warmer and more absorbent; cotton is lighter in summer. - An ihram belt with zipped pockets for your phone, cards and hotel key. - Open sandals that leave the top of the foot and the ankle uncovered, worn in for a few days before you fly. Bring a second pair for after Umrah. - Unscented toiletries: soap, shampoo, deodorant and lip balm without perfume, because scent is not allowed once you are in ihram. - A small pair of scissors or a trimmer if you plan to trim rather than shave at the end. Barbers near Marwah are quick and cheap if you prefer to shave. - Petroleum jelly or anti-chafing balm: long walks in ihram cause chafing, and this is the item men most often wish they had packed. If you fly to Jeddah, you will cross the miqat before landing, so pack your ihram in your hand luggage and change before you board or on the plane. Our guide to the five miqat and entering ihram on a plane explains exactly when to make your intention.
4. Umrah packing list for women
Women have no special ihram clothing: you enter ihram in your normal modest clothes, and while in ihram you do not wear a niqab or gloves. Pack for comfort and long walks: - 3 to 4 abayas or loose, non-transparent outfits in breathable fabric, plus one warmer layer for air-conditioned mosques and cooler winter nights. - Several hijabs that stay in place while you walk, and underscarves or pins. - Socks and comfortable closed shoes or trainers for Tawaf and Sa'i, which together are several kilometres. - Unscented toiletries for the days in ihram, and a separate bag for your normal products afterwards. - A small prayer mat and a light prayer garment for praying in the outer courtyards when the mosque is full. - Sanitary products and a plan: if your period starts, you can still be in ihram, but you wait until it ends before doing Tawaf. Ask your group leader to help you plan the dates. - A cross-body bag that zips shut, so your hands are free in the crowds.
5. What to carry into the Haram every day
Keep a small day bag ready by the hotel door. Large backpacks and suitcases are not allowed into the mosque, so keep it light: - A shoe bag. You remove your shoes at the door, and with hundreds of gates you may not leave by the same one. - A refillable water bottle. Zamzam coolers are everywhere inside the mosque. - Phone, power bank and charging cable. The Nusuk app, maps and your group chat drain the battery fast. - The hotel card, and a note of the gate number you used. Many gates look alike. - A small pocket Qur'an or dua card, tissues, unscented wet wipes and a small hand sanitiser. - In summer: a foldable umbrella for the courtyards and unscented sunscreen. For the exact words at each stage, see our Umrah duas step by step.
6. Medicine and first-aid kit
Pharmacies are easy to find in Makkah and Madinah, but you will not want to search for one at midnight with blistered feet: - Your regular medicines for the whole trip plus a few extra days, in their original boxes, with a copy of the prescription. Some medicines are controlled in Saudi Arabia (for example strong painkillers containing codeine, sedatives and some ADHD treatments), so carry a doctor's letter for anything like this and check the rules before you fly. - Painkillers and fever relief, such as paracetamol. - Blister plasters and a small roll of medical tape. - Oral rehydration salts, especially from April to October when temperatures pass 40°C. - Throat lozenges and a few face masks for the crowds. - Anti-diarrhoea tablets and any antihistamine you normally use. - Diabetes or heart conditions: carry snacks, your testing kit and a card listing your condition and medicines in English and Arabic.
7. Electronics, money and staying connected
- Plugs: Saudi Arabia uses the same three-pin (Type G) sockets as the UK, at 230 V, though some older buildings also have two-pin sockets. Travellers from Europe or Egypt need a Type G adapter; a multi-port USB charger saves arguments over the one socket by the bed. - Power bank: keep it in your hand luggage; airlines do not allow them in checked bags. - Phone data: an eSIM bought before you fly, or a Saudi SIM from the arrivals hall, is far cheaper than roaming. You need data for Nusuk, maps and ride-hailing apps. - Money: cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, but keep some riyals for barbers, small shops and tips. Tell your bank you are travelling.
8. Clothes for the season
- November to February: the most comfortable months. Makkah is warm by day (around 30°C) and mild at night; Madinah can drop to around 12°C at night in January, so pack a jumper or light jacket. - March to May and September to October: hot days, so choose light, loose cotton and a hat or umbrella for the walk to the mosque. - June to August: daytime heat often passes 40°C. Plan Tawaf for the night or early morning and drink water constantly. Three or four changes of clothes are usually enough: most hotels near the Haram offer a laundry service. If you are still choosing your dates, our winter Umrah packages cover the coolest months.
What not to pack
- Perfume and scented products in your ihram bag. Use them before ihram if you wish, but not once you are in it. - Banned items: alcohol, pork products and drugs are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, and medicines without a prescription can cause problems at customs. - Too much food. Makkah and Madinah have food at every price, open late. - A huge suitcase. You will walk with it at the hotel, and you will want space for Zamzam, dates and gifts on the way home. - Valuables you do not need. Expensive jewellery and watches are a worry in crowds.
Bringing Zamzam water and gifts home
Most airlines flying out of Jeddah and Madinah allow one sealed 5-litre Zamzam carton per passenger, bought at the airport. It is not allowed in your suitcase or hand luggage, and some airlines count it towards your baggage allowance, so check with yours before you fly home. Leave about a quarter of your suitcase empty for dates, prayer mats and gifts. For ideas, see our guide to gifts from Umrah.
Let Yuusr handle the logistics
Packing is the part you control. Yuusr takes care of the rest: flights, hotels a short walk from the Haram, transfers and visa support, with advisors who can talk you through every item on this list. Browse our Umrah packages from the UK or all Umrah packages, compare hotels in Makkah, or travel with a scholar on a group departure.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a vaccine for Umrah?
Yes. Every pilgrim needs proof of the MenACWY (meningitis) vaccine, given at least 10 days before travel. Saudi Arabia accepts the conjugate vaccine for five years, so check the date on an old certificate before booking a new jab.
How many sets of ihram should a man bring?
Two. Wear one and keep a spare in your hand luggage in case the first gets wet or dirty, or your flight is delayed and you stay in ihram longer.
What should a woman pack for Umrah?
Three or four loose, non-transparent abayas or outfits, several hijabs, socks and comfortable shoes, unscented toiletries for the days in ihram, a small prayer mat and a zipped cross-body bag. There is no special ihram dress for women.
Can I take a bag into the Haram?
A small bag or day pack is fine. Large backpacks and suitcases are stopped at the gates, so leave them at the hotel.
Do I need to print my visa and Nusuk permit?
Keep the visa on your phone and on paper: airline check-in staff often ask for it before you board. The Nusuk permit lives in the app; a screenshot is a useful backup when the signal is weak.
Browse our Umrah packages.
Yuusr.com helps pilgrims from the UK, Europe and around the world travel with ease: flights, hotels near the two Holy Mosques, transfers and guidance on Nusuk and the rites.