Umrah Guide
Shop My Umrah Essentials
After our DIY Umrah, I get asked constantly what we packed and what was actually worth bringing. Everything I recommend — ihram, prayer essentials, travel comfort and more.
Must have
My Umrah Essentials
Tap the collage to shop the full set on Amazon
What you'll find
Ihram & prayer essentials
Ihram belts, prayer mats, tasbeeh counters and the small items that make the journey smoother.
Travel comfort
Neck pillows, compression socks, toiletry organizers and the things that save you on long flights and hotel stays.
Free download
Free Umrah Checklist & Packing List
Umrah prep involves a lot of moving pieces — permits, visas, vaccines, flights, hotels and packing. This guide covers all of it in one place, built from real trip experience.
What's inside
- Pre-booking checklist (permits, e-visa, vaccination requirements)
- Flights, hotels & transport
- What to buy before you go
- Plane essentials
- Packing cubes breakdown (separate men's and women's lists)
- Umrah day bag essentials
- Toiletries & extras, including ihram fragrance-free guidance
The checklist
The Complete Umrah Checklist & Packing Guide
Every single thing we sorted, bought and packed before our DIY Umrah — from permits and vaccines down to what goes in the day bag.
Part One — Pre-Booking Checklist
Documents & permits
- Apply for Nusuk permit
- Apply for visa (Saudi eVisa: visa.visitsaudi.com)
- Passport photo (for e-visa, use Visafoto or similar service)
- Get any required vaccines before travel — the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine is mandatory for all travelers regardless of country of origin, given at least 10 days before travel (certificate valid 3 years for the polysaccharide vaccine, 5 years for the conjugate vaccine). Polio and yellow fever vaccines may also be required depending on your country of origin — check current requirements before you go.
Part Two — Flights, Hotels & Transport
- Book flight
- Book Makkah hotel
- Book Madinah hotel
- Book Haramain high-speed train, or other transportation, between Madinah and Makkah
- If landing in Jeddah first, book transport from the airport to Makkah, if applicable (Uber is a solid option if you'd rather skip organized transfers)
- Book a Makkah and Madinah transport tour, if you'd like one (optional)
Part Three — Before You Go: What to Buy
- List of duas
- Abaya
- Ihram outfit (men)
- Slippers for tawaf, plus a separate pair to wear outside the masjid (men)
- Comfortable shoes for tawaf — new, if you plan to wear them specifically for that (women)
Part Four — Plane Essentials
Tip: pack everything in labeled packing cubes with clean clothes so you can grab what you need without unpacking your whole bag.
- Passport
- Visa
- Government-issued ID as a backup (not required for entry, just a personal safeguard)
- Vaccination proof
- Health insurance — your visa includes basic coverage, but separate travel insurance is worth having
- Wallet
- Phone charger
- Portable charger (recommended)
- Printed or downloaded copies of visa, permit & hotel confirmations
- Small amount of Saudi riyal cash
- Reusable water bottle, to fill after security
- Neck pillow, eye mask & earplugs
- Offline Quran/dua app or a small printed dua booklet
- Prescription medication in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription
- Snacks for the flight and layover
- Hand sanitizing wipes, preferably alcohol-free and fragrance-free
- A pen
- A layer — cabin air conditioning runs cold
If married, it's also worth keeping a copy of your marriage certificate. Physical proof of marriage is rarely requested by immigration or hotel check-ins once you arrive in Saudi Arabia, but carrying a copy is a good just-in-case.
Part Five — Packing Cubes
Pack clean clothes into cubes by person so everything is easy to pull out on travel days. The packing set of cubes that I recommend are available on Amazon.
Men's essentials
- Ihram
- Thobe (at least 2, preferably more)
- Belt
- Drawstring bag
- Prayer mat
- 2 pairs of slippers (1 brand new, if wearing for tawaf)
- Undergarments
- Comfortable shoes
- T-shirt & sweatpants
- Nail cutter
- Vaseline
Women's essentials
- Abayas — pack at least 3 (1 for Umrah, 2 for other outings so you can shop for the rest there)
- Hijabs (a few) + hijab undercaps + pins
- PJs
- Comfy shirt / t-shirts, cotton preferred
- Comfy pants / light sweatpants, cotton preferred
- Dresses — breathable and comfortable
- Undergarments
- Socks with grip
- New shoes or slippers for Umrah, if applicable
- Bathroom slippers
- Black slides
- Comfortable shoes
- Nail cutter
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Hairbrush
- Scissors, for trimming hair after Umrah is complete
- Drawstring bag
- Prayer mat
Part Six — Umrah Day String Bag
Ready to be used — a small string bag to carry with you for the Umrah itself.
- Scissors (women)
- New slippers or shoes for Umrah, if applicable
- Dua book for Umrah
- List of duas (or saved on your phone)
- Portable charger (recommended)
- Refillable bottle of water (recommended)
- Protein bar (recommended)
- Portable prayer mat
Part Seven — Extras & Toiletries
Electronics & comfort
- AirPods / headphones
- Sunglasses
- Compression socks
- Converter / adapters
Health & medication
- Multivitamins
- Advil
- Gravol
- Polysporin
- Probiotics
- Bandaids
- Heartburn medication
- Heat patch
- Vitamin C
- Melatonin
Toiletries
- Cleanser
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Serum
- Mouthwash
- Lip balm
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet seat paper (optional)
- Vaseline (men)
- Perfume
Keep soap, lotion, sunscreen, cleanser, serum, moisturizer and deodorant fragrance-free while in the state of ihram — scented products aren't permitted during that time. Once Umrah is complete and you're out of ihram, you're free to switch back to your usual scented products.
