HAJJ 2024: TRAVEL GUIDE AND THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW AS YOU PREPARE FOR PILGRIMAGE (EPISODE 2)
By Leke Yusuf, Ajape Sefiu A.
Following the release of the first episode of our Hajj preparation and guide on Tuesday, here comes the second episode.
This episode focuses primarily on timing, luggage, and flight-related information.
Intending Hajj pilgrims from outside the kingdom of Saudi Arabia can only use a valid Hajj visa for Hajj pilgrimage. This means that all other classes of Saudi Arabian visas, such as Umrah visas, business visa and others, are not tenable to be used for the Hajj pilgrimage.
HAJJ 2024: TRAVEL GUIDE AND THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW AS YOU PREPARE FOR PILGRIMAGE (EPISODE 1)
In addition, be sure that your travel itinerary conforms to the conditions of the Hajj visa. For instance, intending pilgrims traveling with Hajj visas from Nigeria can only enter Saudi Arabia through Jeddah and Madinah airports.
Pilgrims traveling from Nigeria must possess a valid yellow card vaccination certificate. In previous years, some airlines also demanded a COVID-19 vaccination card.
However, it is important to have all the aforementioned documents ahead of your travel date.
Furthermore, for pilgrims traveling with government Hajj boards, virtually all of their documentation will be handled and processed by the respective boards. On the other hand, it is the pilgrim’s responsibility to provide for the documentation, excluding the visa, while travelling with private tour operators. The documents presented should be obtained from official and reliable sources to avoid the penalties and punishments associated with presenting forged documents.
For convenience, make a few photocopies or extra copies of every document that you’re traveling with and ensure that throughout your stay in Saudi Arabia, you keep at least one copy each of your international passport and Hajj visa with you at all times.
On your expected travel date, ensure that you adhere strictly to the advice of the Hajj tour operator and Hajj board relating to the time you must present yourself at the designated convergence point. Note that you’re travelling in a group, and as such, the trip coordinator may not have the privilege to delay the whole traveling team due to the lateness or non-arrival of one or a few passengers.
Likewise, the travel coordinators would give you guidelines on the items that you can travel with and the maximum weight of your luggage, and never let any of your luggage be out of your sight, even when you’re using the restroom.
Relatively, intending pilgrims are advised never to take items from people for whom they cannot be held accountable. At every point in time when you’ve reported to the airport or the convergence point of your trip, do not leave the company of your travelling group, and also ensure that you have the phone numbers of your travel coordinator and some members of the group you’re traveling with.
In case of any pressing issue that will make you leave the company of the group, such as using the restroom, ensure you notify at least one of your travel coordinators and a member of the group of your whereabouts.
Also, an important means of communication during the trip is a mobile telephone; hence, ensure that you have enough airtime on your line at all times.
It is also advisable to keep a minimal amount of local and foreign currency within your immediate reach at all times.
We pray that Almighty Allah make the Hajj trip easy for us. Ameen.
Watch out for the next episode of our Hajj series.
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