Good health lets you give your full attention to worship. Umrah and Hajj mean long walks, heat, large crowds and changes in food and sleep, so a little preparation goes a long way — especially for elders and anyone with a long-term condition.

Please note: this is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your own doctor about your health, your medicines and the vaccines you need, and confirm the current Saudi health requirements before you travel.

Required: meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination

Saudi health authorities require Umrah and Hajj pilgrims to be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis with the quadrivalent ACWY vaccine, and a vaccination certificate is usually needed. As a rule, the vaccine must have been given at least ten days before arrival and still be within its validity period, which depends on the type of vaccine; requirements for children differ. These rules are reviewed regularly, so check the latest Saudi Ministry of Health requirements and Indian guidance before you travel, or ask us to confirm. Your doctor or a government vaccination centre can tell you where the vaccine is available.

Other recommended vaccines

• Seasonal influenza: recommended, particularly for elders, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.
• COVID-19: follow the current Saudi and Indian guidance; requirements have changed several times in recent years.
• Others your doctor may advise: for example pneumococcal vaccine for elders or people with heart, lung or kidney disease, and routine vaccines such as tetanus.
• Polio and yellow fever: certificates are required only from travellers coming from certain affected countries. India is generally not on those lists, but check if you are travelling from or through another country.

Getting fit for the walking

Sa'i alone is about 3 km (each lap between Safa and Marwah is roughly 400–450 metres). Seven circuits of Tawaf are shorter close to the Kaaba but much longer on the upper floors and roof. Add the walk between the hotel and the Haram for each prayer, and several kilometres a day is normal; Hajj adds the days in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.

• If your doctor agrees, start walking daily six to eight weeks before departure, building up to 45–60 minutes at a steady pace, in the footwear you will use.
• Elders should build up slowly and plan for a wheelchair for Tawaf or Sa'i if needed. Tawaf and Sa'i in a wheelchair are valid for someone who needs it; if unsure, ask a scholar.

Heat, hydration and Zamzam

Makkah and Madinah are hot for much of the year. Hajj 2027 is expected in mid-May, when temperatures in Makkah and Mina commonly exceed 40°C.

• Drink water regularly, before you feel thirsty. Zamzam is available throughout the two Holy Mosques, chilled and not chilled. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said of Zamzam: “It is blessed; it is food that satisfies” (Sahih Muslim).
• If your doctor has asked you to limit fluids (for example for some heart or kidney conditions), follow that advice and ask how to adjust it for the heat.
• Avoid the midday sun where you can. Use an umbrella, sunglasses and unscented sunscreen; men may not cover the head in Ihram, but scholars generally allow the shade of an umbrella.
• Know the warning signs of heat illness: dizziness, headache, nausea, confusion, very hot skin or fainting. Move the person into shade, cool them down, give sips of water if they are alert, and get medical help at once.
• Look after your feet: wear footwear you have already walked in, trim your nails before entering Ihram, and treat blisters early. Courtyard floors can get hot in the sun.

Diabetes, heart conditions and elders

• See your doctor four to six weeks before travel for a check-up and a short letter listing your conditions and medicines.
• Carry all medicines in your hand baggage with prescriptions, enough for the whole trip plus extra, split between two bags in case one is lost.
• Insulin goes in hand baggage (never checked luggage, where it can freeze), in a cool pouch, with a doctor's letter for pens and needles. Saudi time is two and a half hours behind India; ask your doctor how to adjust dose timings.
• Extra walking lowers blood sugar, so check it more often and carry glucose tablets. People with diabetes should also check their feet every day, as small cuts and burns can go unnoticed.
• Heart patients and elders should pace themselves, rest between Tawaf and Sa'i, and avoid the busiest times.
• For Hajj, Saudi health authorities have in recent years listed serious conditions for which Hajj is not permitted or not advised, and a medical fitness check may be required. Confirm the current requirements before booking.
• Women who are pregnant, or considering medicines to delay their period, should speak to their doctor well in advance; airlines also have their own rules for travel in pregnancy.

Crowds, coughs and food hygiene

Coughs, colds and chest infections are very common among pilgrims, made worse by tiredness and by moving between the heat and strong air-conditioning.

• Wear a mask in crowded places, especially if you are elderly or have a lung condition, and clean your hands often.
• Do not share cups or towels. Seek medical help for a high fever, difficulty breathing or a cough that is getting worse.
• Eat freshly cooked, hot food. Avoid food that has been standing in the heat, and be careful with salads and cut fruit from roadside stalls.
• Health authorities advise avoiding raw (unpasteurised) camel milk and close contact with camels.

Wheelchairs and getting help

Wheelchairs, and in some areas electric carts, are available at Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi; some are free and some paid, and arrangements change, so ask your group leader to help. Request airport wheelchairs from the airline in advance.

• If you feel unwell, tell your group leader straight away, even if it seems minor. There are medical centres in and around the two Holy Mosques, and hospitals and clinics in both cities.
• Keep a pocket card with your name, hotel, group leader's number, blood group, conditions, allergies and medicines, and save the local emergency numbers your group leader gives you.
• Check what health cover your visa and travel insurance include, especially for existing conditions.

A printable packing checklist is on our resources page. If you or an elder in your family has a health condition, mention it when you contact us, so that Umrah with Ateeq can take it into account when suggesting hotels and transport. Above all, see your doctor before you travel. May Allah grant you a healthy journey and accept it from you.