Getting around Makkah is different from any other city on this site. Most visitors are here for the Masjid al-Haram, the roads around it are restricted and crowded, and hotels can be a walk from where a car can stop. A pre-booked private taxi gives you a driver who knows that and a fixed time, instead of looking for a ride when thousands of people leave a prayer at once.
Hotels near the Haram
Many hotels are within walking distance of the Haram, but vehicles may not reach the entrance. The access rules and the closures change with the crowd, the prayer and the season. When you book, give us the hotel name and tell us what you will be carrying. We will confirm where the car can wait. An older passenger or a family with a pram may need a closer point than a fit adult would.
Prayer times and Fridays
The busiest moments are the minutes after the congregational prayers and, above all, the Friday prayer. If you can, schedule a pickup either well before or well after. For Ramadan and the Hajj season, book as early as you can.
Send your pickup, destination, date and passengers and we will confirm the vehicle and price.
Umrah and the trips around it
Umrah usually needs more transport than people expect: the airport transfer, the hotel, Masjid Aisha (At-Tan'im) for those who go out to enter ihram again, and the journey on to Madinah or home. We arrange individuals, families and groups. See Umrah transportation for how the stages of a trip fit together. Entry to Makkah is restricted to Muslims.
Makkah Ziyarat
The places pilgrims commonly visit around Makkah include Jabal al-Noor, which holds the Cave of Hira, Jabal Thawr, Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and Jannat al-Mu'alla. A driver who waits while you visit saves you from finding a ride back from a hillside. Some places involve steps and climbing, so tell us who is coming. See Ziyarat tours for what each place is.
Leaving Makkah
Makkah has no commercial airport, so most departures start with a road journey. To fly home you go to Jeddah Airport, about 100 km away: see Makkah to Jeddah Airport for how to time it. To go on to the second Holy City, see Makkah to Madinah. For the coast, Makkah to Jeddah, and for the mountains, Makkah to Taif.
Vehicles for families and groups
Tell us how many passengers and bags. A Premium SUV takes five passengers and four bags, and a Luxury Van takes eight passengers and six bags. For a group bigger than that, we plan several vehicles. If you need a child seat, tell us when you book so we can confirm what is available. See the fleet.
Makkah is not open to everyone
Entry to Makkah is restricted to Muslims, and there are checkpoints on the main roads into the city. Carry your passport and any permit in hand luggage, not in a bag in the boot, since officers may ask to see them. Visitors who are not Muslim can still stay in Jeddah or Taif and travel between them without entering the restricted area, and we can plan routes accordingly.
If you are travelling for Hajj, special arrangements and permit requirements apply, and they are set by the authorities and your operator, not by us. We plan around the instructions you receive.
Quiet hours in Makkah
Mid-morning and the hours after midnight are often easier on the roads than the half hour around any of the five prayers. If a family member is frail, or if you need to move several people and their bags, choose one of those windows for the pickup. Ask your hotel which hours are busiest at its entrance, and tell us, so that we can pick a time when the car is able to stop for as long as the loading takes.