December Umrah Packages 2026: The Main Facts
- Islamic Travel Agency UK December Umrah packages cost from £649 (5 nights, 3-star) to £1,250 (14 nights, 5-star) per person, flights included.
- A 7-night package costs £695 with a 3-star hotel, £725 with a 4-star hotel and £929 with a 5-star hotel.
- Early December is cheaper and quieter. The Christmas and New Year dates are busier and cost more.
- Most English schools break up on or around Friday 18 December 2026 and go back on or around Monday 4 January 2027.
- Daytime temperatures are around 28 to 31°C in Makkah and 20 to 24°C in Madinah. Nights in Madinah can drop to 10°C.
- Book by the end of October 2026 for the Christmas holiday dates.
- Every booking with flights is ATOL protected, licence number 12192. A £50 deposit holds your place and your price.
How Much Does a December Umrah Package Cost from the UK?
Our December Umrah packages cost between £649 and £1,250 per person. This price includes your return flights, your Umrah visa, your hotels in Makkah and Madinah, and all your transfers. The price depends on how many nights you stay and which hotel you choose. A 5-night package with a 3-star hotel is £649. A 14-night package with a 5-star hotel is £1,250.
|
Nights
|
3-Star |
4-Star |
5-Star
|
|
5 nights
|
£649 |
£665 |
£845
|
|
7 nights
|
£695 |
£725 |
£929
|
|
10 nights
|
£739 |
£835 |
£1,030
|
|
12 nights
|
£815 |
£925 |
£1,165
|
|
14 nights
|
£889 |
£1,029 |
£1,250
|
Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a room. Prices are correct on the date shown at the top of this page. The Christmas and New Year dates cost more than early December, because more people travel then. You can book any package with a £50 deposit and pay the rest monthly.
If you can travel in another month, our year-round Umrah packages from UK start at £349. If you want to travel in Ramadan, see our Ramadan Umrah packages.
Cheap December Umrah Packages
Our cheapest December Umrah package is 5 nights with a 3-star hotel for £649 per person, flights included. This is the lowest price we offer for December. It includes the same flights, visa, hotels and transfers as every other package.
There are five ways to keep the cost of a December Umrah down:
- Travel in the first two weeks of December. Prices go up from about 18 December, when the schools break up.
- Choose a 3-star hotel. Our 3-star hotels are about 300 metres from the Haram, so you still walk to every prayer.
- Book early. Prices go up as the flights fill.
- Ask about flights from Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds Bradford or Glasgow. They are sometimes cheaper than London.
- Travel as a group. If four or more people book together, the price per person is usually lower.
If you already have flights, we can arrange your visa, hotels and transfers only. Ask us for a price.
All Inclusive December Umrah Packages
All of our December Umrah packages include your return flights, your Umrah visa, your best hotels in Makkah and Madinah, your airport transfers and your transport between the two cities. You pay one price and there is nothing else to pay for your travel, visa or hotels.
Meals are not included as standard. If you want an all inclusive December Umrah package with meals, we can add breakfast, or Suhoor and Iftar, or full board at your hotel. Tell us when you book and we will give you the price. We can also add guided ziyarat in Makkah and Madinah, a private car for your transfers, and extra nights.
When Is the Best Time in December to Go for Umrah?
The first two weeks of December are the cheapest and the quietest. The Christmas and New Year holidays, from about 18 December to 4 January, are the busiest and cost the most. Both are good times for Umrah. It depends on whether you need the school holidays.
1 to 17 December. Fewer people, lower prices and the widest choice of hotels. This is the best time if you are not tied to school dates.
18 December to 4 January. Most English schools break up on or around Friday 18 December 2026 and go back on or around Monday 4 January 2027. Scottish schools break up a few days later. This is when most UK families travel. Flights and the hotels nearest the Haram sell out first, so book these dates by the end of October.
Flights home in the first days of January cost more than flights home before Christmas, because everyone is going back for school and work.
What Is the Weather Like in Makkah and Madinah in December?
Makkah is warm in December, around 28 to 31°C in the day and 18 to 21°C at night. Madinah is cooler, around 20 to 24°C in the day and 10 to 14°C at night. It is one of the most comfortable months of the year for Umrah.
|
City
|
Daytime |
Night and early morning
|
|
Makkah
|
28 to 31°C |
18 to 21°C
|
|
Madinah
|
20 to 24°C |
10 to 14°C
|
What to pack. Light clothes for the day. A jumper or light jacket for Fajr and for the evenings in Madinah. Comfortable shoes that you have already worn in, because you will walk a lot on marble. A small umbrella, because it does rain sometimes. Men should keep their Ihram in their hand luggage, because you pass the Miqat before the plane lands.
Why Go for Umrah in December?
Cool weather. In summer, Makkah can reach 45°C. In December it is under 31°C. Tawaf, Sa'i and the walk to the mosque are much easier. This matters most for older pilgrims and families with young children.
School holidays. The Christmas holidays are one of the few times in the year when children can go for Umrah without missing school. Most of our December bookings are families travelling in the second half of the month.
Fewer people than Ramadan. December is popular, but the Haram is much quieter than in Ramadan or at Hajj time. You can usually pray closer to the Kaaba, and Tawaf takes less time.
Time off work. Many people have leave to use before the end of the year. A 5 or 7-night package fits into the Christmas break with only a few days of leave.
December Umrah for Families and Older Pilgrims
Families. The Christmas holidays are the most popular time for families. We book rooms next to each other where the hotel allows this. Children and infants pay less. If your children are young, a hotel close to the Haram is more important than an extra star.
Older pilgrims and anyone who finds walking difficult. December is the best month of the year for older pilgrims, because the weather is cool and the Haram is not too crowded. Choose a hotel close to the Haram rather than a higher star rating. We can book ground-floor rooms and arrange a wheelchair for Tawaf and Sa'i. Bring your prescription medicine in its original packaging and a copy of your prescription.
Women travelling without a mahram. Under the current Saudi rules, women aged 18 and over can do Umrah without a mahram. We also arrange women-only trips with a female guide.
Groups and mosques. If four or more people book together, the price per person is usually lower. We arrange December trips for mosques, community groups and large families. We meet the group leader before you fly.
When Should You Book a December Umrah Package?
Book by the end of October 2026 if you want the Christmas and New Year dates. Book by the middle of November for early December. The flights and the hotels nearest the Haram for the Christmas holidays sell out first. If you wait until December, you will usually pay more for flights, and you may not get the hotel you want. A £50 deposit holds today's price and your hotel. If you want the school holidays without the December premium, our Easter Umrah packages cover the spring break.
The Two Halves of December: Before the 18th, and After
Early December, from the 1st to around the 15th, is the quiet half. Prices are at their lowest, the Haram is calm, and hotel availability is good right up to the closest properties. If your dates are flexible, travel now. This is where our £649 packages sit.
From around the 18th onwards, the UK school holidays begin, and everything changes. Families across Britain travel in this window, hotels near the Haram fill, and prices climb. The Christmas and New Year period is the most expensive fortnight of the entire month.
If you need the holiday dates, book two to three months ahead. The closest hotels sell out first and they sell out early. Booking in November for a 27 December departure usually means a hotel considerably further out than you wanted, at a price you would not have paid in early December.
The honest advice: if you can travel before the 18th, you will pay meaningfully less for the same trip. If you cannot, because of school or work, book now rather than later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do December Umrah packages cost from the UK?
From £649 per person for five nights in a 3-star hotel. Seven nights cost from £695 in a 3-star, £725 in a 4-star and £929 in a 5-star. Fourteen nights in a 5-star runs to around £1,250. All prices include flights, visa, hotels and transfers.
What are the cheapest December Umrah packages?
Five nights, 3-star, travelling between 1 and 15 December, from £649. Avoiding the Christmas and New Year fortnight is the single biggest saving available.
What does all-inclusive actually mean?
Return flights, Umrah visa processing, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, airport transfers and transport between the cities, and guided ziyarat. It does not include meals on 3-star packages, travel insurance or your vaccination.
What is the weather like in Makkah in December?
Around 28 to 31°C by day, falling to the high teens overnight. Madinah is cooler and can reach single figures before Fajr. It is one of the most comfortable months of the year for Umrah.
Is December a good time for Umrah?
Yes, and for families and older pilgrims it is arguably the best. Cool weather makes Tawaf and Sa'i far easier, and the UK school holidays fall inside the month.
When is the cheapest time to travel in December?
Between 1 and 15 December. From around the 18th, UK school holidays begin, hotels near the Haram fill and prices rise.
How far ahead should I book for Christmas and New Year?
Two to three months minimum. The closest hotels sell out first.
Which hotels do you use?
3-star: Al Kiswah Towers in Makkah, Artal International in Madinah. 4-star: [HOTEL NAMES], 300 to 600 metres from the Haram. 5-star: Makkah Clock Royal Tower, Raffles Makkah Palace or Pullman Zamzam Makkah, 100 to 200 metres out. We name your exact hotel in writing before you pay.
Is December cheaper than Ramadan?
Considerably. A seven-night December package starts at £695 against £1,239 for the last ten nights of Ramadan. The service is identical; the difference is demand.
Do I need warm clothes?
For Madinah, yes. Single figures before Fajr surprises people every year. A fleece or light jacket is enough.
Can I take my children out of school for Umrah?
The Christmas holidays run roughly 18 December to early January, so no absence is needed if you travel then. Outside those dates, you would need to request authorised absence from your school.
What Islamic month is December 2026?
The first part falls in Jumada al-Thani. Rajab 1448, one of the four sacred months, is expected to begin around 20 December 2026, subject to moon sighting.
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