December Umrah Packages

December is winter in Saudi Arabia and one of the most comfortable months for Umrah. Daytime temperatures in Makkah average 28-32°C (82-90°F), and Madinah is cooler at 22-28°C (72-82°F). Nights turn cold, especially in Madinah where they can drop to 12-17°C (54-63°F), so pack a jumper or light jacket for evening prayers. The cool, dry days make daytime Tawaf and the outdoor Ziyarat very pleasant — a major reason December is popular despite the holiday crowds.

December splits sharply into two pricing phases. Early December — roughly the first two weeks — is still low season, with packages from around £699 per person. From around the third week, as the Christmas and New-Year school break begins, demand and Haram-area hotel rates climb to one of the highest points of the year outside Ramadan, and the best hotels sell out. Flights drive much of the rise too — the main airlines fill fast over the Christmas break, with Saudia and British Airways flying direct and Qatar Airways and Emirates one-stop, so booking early locks the lower fare. For value, travel in early December; for the holidays, book the Christmas–New-Year week as far ahead as possible. For the lowest prices in any month, see our low-cost Umrah.

UK schools break up for the Christmas holidays from around 19-20 December until early January, giving roughly two weeks that suit a family Umrah without missing school. It is the only long family window in winter, so a 10 or 14-night trip across Makkah and Madinah fits well. Because it is a peak family period, family and quad rooms near the Haram book out early — reserve well ahead. See our family trips.

December's cool, dry weather makes it one of the best months for guided Ziyarat — the tours of historical Islamic sites — comfortable even at the outdoor and uphill sites. Every December package includes guided Ziyarat in both holy cities. Around Makkah you visit Jabal al-Nour (the Cave of Hira), the Cave of Thawr, Jabal Arafat and Mina; a day trip to Taif is crisp and clear in winter. In Madinah the tour covers Masjid Quba (the first mosque in Islam), Masjid al-Qiblatain, Mount Uhud and Jannat al-Baqi. For the rituals themselves — entering Ihram, performing Tawaf around the Kaaba and Sa'i between Safa and Marwah — an English-speaking guide assists you on arrival at Al-Masjid al-Haram.

Pick your December Umrah by hotel rating, length of stay or departure city:

• By rating: 3-star packages from £699 · 4-star packages from £749 · 5 Star from £899 · low-cost Umrah
• By duration: 7 nights · 10 nights · 14 nights
• By departure city: London · Manchester · Birmingham · Bradford · Glasgow