Domestic Haj pilgrims from the capital will begin their journey to Makkah on Friday.
Various groups and Haj operators in the capital are offering attractive travel packages for local pilgrims for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage.
Around 200,000 pilgrims from the Kingdom are expected to perform Haj this year. The Passport Department has issued Haj permits for domestic pilgrims and has warned those without a permit not to travel to the holy sites.
The Dawah Center in Rawdah has offered an eight-day package for SR3,500 for bachelors, which includes all three meals during the journey. The pilgrimage will begin from Riyadh on Friday.
According to the center’s organizer, the organization provides an equal amount in subsidies for each pilgrim. Besides the meals, pilgrims will be given accommodation in Minah, transport within Makkah and a guide to help them perform the Haj rituals methodically.
“We have divided the groups according to their native language. These languages include Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Tagalog,” he said.
The Dawah groups in Shifa and Dallah have also arranged their own package deals ranging from SR3,500 to SR4,500 per pilgrim. These services are restricted to bachelors only.
A private group, which is linked to a Haj operator, offers SR7,000 for pilgrims traveling with their family.
“We will take care of all the Haj formalities with the exception of the ‘qurban’ (animal slaughter),” a spokesman from the group told Arab News, adding that the pilgrims have to pay for the animal sacrifice. He explained that those who cannot afford to slaughter an animal should fast for 10 days in lieu of the qurban.
The spokesman said that the offer is open both to families and bachelors who wish to perform the pilgrimage this year. He added that the increase in the package is solely due to the increased cost of accommodation, transport and food expenses. He added that pilgrims would be given an orientation program before their departure to the holy city.
A religious scholar who leads a group in Riyadh said that he charges SR11,500 for the entire pilgrimage, which includes airfare, meals, accommodation, transport, train fares and medical aid. However, he said that pilgrims would be responsible for their own meals during their travels to and from Makkah. He explained that pilgrims would be ferried to and from Makkah in luxury coaches and that pilgrims’ accommodation would be based in new Minah. An accredited Haj operator in the capital arranged the program.
Travel operators also undertake responsibility for processing Haj permits for the pilgrimage. Pilgrims are required to asked to provide standard forms issued by the Passport Department, together with copies of their resident's certificate, passport, certificate of vaccination against meningitis, employer’s consent letter and three photographs.
Local pilgrims are allowed to perform Haj once every five years. Pilgrims can log onto the Ministry of Interior’s online service to check their eligibility to participate in the pilgrimage.
The Saudi government has made arrangements for pilgrims to offer animal sacrifice through the Saudi Project for the Utilization of Haj Meat in coordination with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The prescribed timeframe for animal sacrifice extends from the end of Eid prayers until sunset of the third day of Eid.
Primary healthcare centers throughout the Kingdom offer vaccination against meningitis free-of-charge to pilgrims, while private clinics charge around SR40 per pilgrim.