Read every word, top to bottom. Best TR ever.. You are a great spokes person for your religion the way you describe the reason for the rituals and the personal journey you went on. Bravo!

What an outstanding trip report - thank you so much for sharing the personal journey of yourself and your wife. I really appreciated reading about it, and seeing the pictures. Thank you!

Absolutely fascinating. A must read. Information not easily found anywhere else. Thank you so very much for posting.

And congratulations!

Great report - thanks for sharing this very interesting and unique experience. It's still staggering to see how many people there are in your photos. Amazing!

Outstanding trip report! Beautifully written with great pictures! Thanks for taking us on such a personal journey.

Loved this report. Thanks.

I agree. Truly a fascinating trip report.

I, like many others, have often had the opportunity to learn about Hajj from others that I have met on my travels. Not being Muslim myself, it makes the subject matter all that much more interesting. Seeing it here first hand was a fascinating experience.

Thank you for the effort taken to post this. ^

Fantastic experience to share, and great read for people (like me) who will never be allowed in such places.

Thanks again for sharing.

What an amazing trip report. I guess because I'm not religious at all, the whole experience sounds pretty awful.

Can I ask why you have done it twice? I thought the Haj was a one off thing?

Very interesting TR, thanks for posting. I must say i'm (half) surprised that the Saudi government hasn't tried to "streamline" and improve certain aspects of the Hajj. Banning fruit is an interesting method of disease control, but if everyone comes away with the Hajj cough, that sounds like an issue. Overcrowding and exhuastion sounds endemic. And never ending waits for buses sounds infuriating!

Fantastic report, as a non-Muslim living in the UAE I've often wondered what Hajj truly entails and now I know.

Congratulations and thank you for the write-up.

Thank you chococat. Glad you liked it.

Appreciate it ExpatSomchai

You are welcome polandspringuy. I'm happy to share the experience with you.

Thanks greg99 for your kind words. I am hoping this will be a future reference for those going to Hajj.

Thanks Ashasan2005. Just make it a goal, and Inshallah you will make it.

Thank you roadwarriorafrica for reading it.

Thanks DL17 for reading. Great pictures of your trip to Buenos Aires, BTW.

Thanks thekfc for reading.

Thanks exilencfc and wrp96. Indeed, Hajj is a very unique experience.

I'm happy that you have learned something themapelligroup. There is really a lot to learn from the Hajj journey itself.

Thank You so much uk1. Coming from you, that means a lot.

Thanks dancingal. The logistics are truly unique for Hajj. The main issue, is the so many different cultures, education levels, and experiences the Saudi government has to deal with. One time, for example, there was an older gentlemen blocking a path to an escalator. It turns out, he had never seen one in his life and didn't know what to do. A member of our group eventually held his hand and went down the escalator together.

Thanks LH4116. Depending on which package you choose, you can definitely have a more comfortable hajj.

Thanks CRAZ8. You never know ;)

Thanks EuropeanPete for the feedback and the article. I read the article, and to be honest, I disagree. When I went there, I thought that I would be distracted by the new Royal Clock Tower building, and all the other developments, but when you are there, with the Kaaba in front of you, nothing will overcome that magnificence. Plus, honestly, the Saudi government must develop and build in order to handle the number of people. The best example, is the Jamarat. It used to really be a disaster. With the new structure they put in, it is now the easiest and most enjoyable part of the hajj.


I'm happy to hear that rmalamud. Thanks.

Thanks for reading llamaesque.

I'm glad you liked it JamesYVR.

Thank you for taking the time to read cyclogenesis. I'm humbled by your feedback.

I'm very happy that you enjoyed it makin'miles.

Thank You flyr16. I hope others will read this and learn about the logistics and what to expect.

Thanks shogunate03. Forget about having your "personal space" ;)

Thank you for reading gpeso8 and csdf.

Thanks worldtraveller73. Your trip reports are amazing as well. Enjoy all of them.

I'm happy to share. Thanks for reading straniero.

Thanks camsean for the feedback. Yes, there are hardships during the trip, but when you keep in mind the purpose of the trip, you would be willing to go through a lot more. This trip was actually easier than my first hajj trip, because I knew what to expect and set my standards very low. Yes, Hajj is a requirement only once, if you have the monetary and health ability. I went the first time by myself after college. This second time was to take my wife. I don't think I'll go again; I'll let someone else have the space.

Thanks shefgab. The Saudi government has actually done a lot in the last years. The expansion of the Jamarat, a gigantic expansion of the Mosques, building of sub system (VIPs only at this point), and they are currently developing a commuter train between the major cities. Additionally, the Saudi government and security workers I interacted with were extremely kind. They often gave us words of encouragement. When they wanted something from someone, like to clear the path, they would always include a nice name like "mother", "father", or "hajji". I give them high praise for what they do during Hajj.

I'm happy you liked it derekmines. A lot of Hajj Pilgrims will be going through DXB to reach Jeddah. You might bump into some.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. It is very different compared to all the F and J reports and very refreshing to read. :)

Fascinating report; thanks so much for providing this insight into something I previously knew very, very little about!