Most people want to know, "When is the best time to book your own DIY Ramadan Umrah Packages From London?"
The funny thing is that thousands of people always decide at the last minute, so they always pay thousands of pounds more than they should.
As the expert on DIY Umrah and the person who started the movement almost five years ago, I've talked to thousands of people and answered thousands of questions about the best times to book Umrah each year.
People usually ask this question when Ramadan is coming up because they want to know when the best time is to book their Umrah. Most of the time, though, it's already too late.
So let's talk about the best time to book your Umrah and how to plan the Ultimate Umrah, insha'Allah.
When does the Umrah season start after Hajj?
A lot of people ask this good question. After Hajj, it used to take Saudi Arabia almost two months to start the season.
Umrah season ends about 15 days into Ramadan, so you have to apply in the first 10 days if you want to go for Ramadan.
After this, Umrah is over for the year, and Saudi Arabia gets ready for Hajj.
After Hajj, it's time to do Umrah. Over the past few years, they have gotten much better at cleaning and getting ready for the new Umrah season.
Currently, they begin around the first of Muharram.
Don't forget that this date is not set in stone. It could change from year to year, and they might open a few days or weeks earlier or later.
Most of the time, they don't tell anyone. Instead, the agents will start handing out visas and packages on that date.
Why I don't think you should book an Umrah trip at the beginning of the Umrah season.
As I said above, I've spent a lot of time writing, reading, and working to help people plan their own cheap Umrah. This also means that I know the rules and how things work for getting an Umrah visa.
When the Umrah season starts, Saudi Arabia often changes the rules on how to get an Umrah visa. They've added the 2000 SAR fee and the rules for it in the last two years.
Last year, the fee was supposed to cover all Umrah visas, even for first-time visitors, and hundreds of people paid the 2000 SAR fee. Saudi Arabia changed its mind after hearing complaints and decided that visas would only be given to people who were already in the country.
The people who paid the fee, on the other hand, NEVER got their money back. (Or, I've received a lot of emails, but I haven't heard of any success stories.)
If you think you can get your Umrah visa on the first of Muharram, give yourself 3 more weeks.
So, the dust would have had time to settle, the dates for Umrah would have been set, and the new rules for getting an Umrah visa would have been in place before the season started. how things might change,
You might be better off waiting for this instead of paying fees that might not be needed.
I'm always careful when I plan my own Umrah because thousands of people read this site.