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Three Festivals to Experience in Saudi Arabia
With a long history that goes back thousands of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to a number of cultural festivals that date back centuries. Many visitors will want to plan a visit around one of these event. Here are three that stand out.
Three Festivals to Experience in Saudi Arabia2
With a long history that goes back thousands of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to a number of cultural festivals that date back centuries. Many visitors will want to plan a visit around one of these event. Here are three that stand out.
Three Festivals to Experience in Saudi Arabia3
With a long history that goes back thousands of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to a number of cultural festivals that date back centuries. Many visitors will want to plan a visit around one of these event. Here are three that stand out.
Three Festivals to Experience in Saudi Arabia4
With a long history that goes back thousands of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to a number of cultural festivals that date back centuries. Many visitors will want to plan a visit around one of these event. Here are three that stand out.
Three Festivals to Experience in Saudi Arabia5
With a long history that goes back thousands of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is home to a number of cultural festivals that date back centuries. Many visitors will want to plan a visit around one of these event. Here are three that stand out.
Best Time to Visit Makkah
You could say that the best time to visit Makkah is the time that best suits you and your lifestyle. If you aren’t visiting Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage, then you have no restrictions when it comes to the month or the day of travel. This allows you to select a date that fits your professional, social, and family responsibilities. This is a big journey which requires financial and physical strength, and you will want to give yourself the time to grow spiritually as you explore the holy sites. If your availability is rather open or you have the choice of multiple seasons or months, you may want to consider the weather and the active pilgrimage periods. This will help you explore Makkah without millions of people crowding the streets or high prices at the hotels. If you plan and book your trip with care, you can save money while exploring the popular sites and restaurants in more depth.
Things to Do in Makkah
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām is the largest mosque in the world and the centerpiece of the annual Hajj. It was designed around Kaaba, which is an ancient sanctuary that Muslims face when they pray. The mosque is now large enough to hold up to four million people and is an ornate structure that causes many visitors to stop and stare in awe. You will visit this mosque and the Kaaba as you move through your Hajj or Umrah, but many businessmen and other visitors are drawn to it as well. During Hajj, the great Mosque is extremely crowded during daylight hours. You will wait for hours to get inside to pray, and spending quiet time for personal reflection is difficult. If you wait to visit after dark, you will have a different experience with fewer people in attendance at that time.
Discover Madinah Quick Tips for the Smart...
You’ll find Madinah, also known as Medina, approximately 100 miles from the Red Sea and less than 300 miles from Makkah. This is one of the holiest cities for anyone with sincere Islamic faith because this is where the Prophet Mohammad (Peach Be Upon Him) was laid to rest. Masjid-al-Nabawi incudes Prophet Mohammad’s tomb and is marked by an elaborate green dome that stands above the tomb. Millions of visitors visit to the city every year, and many visitors traveling to Makkah for Hajj and Umrah also visit Madina city. Most leisure trips to Madina are connected to Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, but there are many businessmen who find their way into the city each year as well. When you aren’t enjoying the open markets and simply walking through the streets to discover the hidden restaurants and street vendors, there are many cultural and historical attractions that you may want to visit.
Makkah Shopping: The Muslim Traveler’s Guide
If you want to shop in air conditioning and with the luxury of well-stocked stores and a variety of merchandise, there are many shopping centers and malls from which to choose. The most popular is the Makkah Mall, which has three floors and is a short taxi ride from most hotels. You can expect to find a variety of stores with many options for shopping in addition to dining options. Shopping the mall feels much like shopping anywhere else in the world, except you will find many new brand names for clothing, shoes, and other items. Other malls that you may run into as you explore Makkah and surrounding areas include the Red Sea Mall, the Mall of Arabia and the Al Salam Mall. If you want to shop on your way to or from the Jeddah airport, look for Souq Al Hijaz. It’s not located within mecca, but it is one of the oldest and most prized Makkah shopping malls in the area.
Makkah Accommodation: Where to Stay in Makkah
Makkah accommodation is one of the biggest concerns when traveling to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah. You don’t want to end up in a tent or stuffed into a room with five or more roommates, so it’s important to start looking for quality hotels as early as possible. Some hotels will book up a full year prior to the next Hajj, so don’t hesitate to book your accommodations as soon as you are fully committed to Hajj or Umrah. If you’re not traveling for pilgrimage, then you may have a much easier time finding accommodation that suits your lifestyle and expectations. You can work with an experienced travel agent to get suitable rates in hotels that are close to the Grand Mosque and other popular destinations.
Makkah Travel Getting to Makkah City Safe...
Since there is no airport within Mecca city limits, your journey will always include at least a brief road trip. If you’re an international visitor, you will fly into a nearby airport and then take a taxi or bus to reach the city. Let’s take a look at the closest airports to see which one is best for your trip. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah: Located approximately 60 miles from Makkah, this is the closest airport to the holy city. There are many taxis waiting to take travelers to Makkah, and you can easily share your taxi with others in order to save money. Taxi drivers can negotiate their rates, so you may end up paying more or less than someone else. In most cases, the taxi ride doesn’t cost much more than the bus, and you will arrive faster by car. Ta’if Regional Airport: This airport is more than 65 miles from Makkah, but you can still reach the holy city in a reasonable amount of time. You can drive, take a taxi, or board a bus, with cars being the fastest route. Expect to travel through scenic mountains and take in picturesque landscapes along the way. The beauty of Saudi Arabia isn’t limited to Makkah.
Discover Makkah for Hajj, Business or Personal...
Makkah, which is often referred to as Mecca, is a an amazing place to visit for Hajj, on business or a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. It’s a blessed land and the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, and it was on this land that the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Located approximately 40 miles from the city of Jeddah in a peaceful valley, this is the holiest city in the Middle East. Makkah is best known as the site of an annual religious pilgrimage known as Hajj and a secondary pilgrimage known as Umrah. Muslim pilgrims come from all over the world to retrace the footsteps of Prophet Mohammed PBUH, and every Muslim is required to make this trip at least once if physically and financially able. While religious pilgrimage is the most common reason that visitors are admitted into Makkah, the city also receives a healthy number of business travelers each year. Many Hajj and Umrah visitors also participate in some tourist activities before completing their journey, but the religious observation must be their central reason for taking the trip.
Saudi Arabia Tourist Visa for Pakistani Citizens:...
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A Spiritual Sojourn: Exploring Makkah and Madinah's...
Step into the sacred realm of Makkah and Madinah, where history and spirituality converge. Explore the wonders that make these cities a pilgrimage for millions.