Hajj 2027 eSIM: stay connected in Makkah, Mina and Arafat

A Hajj stay is longer than Umrah, usually 2 to 6 weeks. With maps, messaging and photo sharing, most travelers use 0.5–1 GB a day; daily video calls push that higher.

• Up to 30 days, messages and maps: 10 GB · 30 days
• Up to 30 days, daily video calls with family: 20 GB · 30 days
• Longer than 30 days: 50 GB · 90 days — one plan for the whole trip

If a 30-day plan expires, you can add a top-up to the same eSIM — no new QR code needed. For city and network details, see Saudi Arabia eSIM; for Umrah, see Umrah eSIM.

Hajj takes place in Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. Based on the Umm al-Qura calendar, the Day of Arafah in 2027 (1448 AH) is expected on Saturday 15 May 2027, with Eid al-Adha on 16 May. The exact date is announced after the crescent is sighted at the end of Dhul Qadah and may shift by a day.

• Arrival: most pilgrims arrive in the weeks before Hajj, depending on their group's schedule.
• Length of stay: usually 2 to 6 weeks, including the days in Madinah. Choose your data plan for the whole stay.

Your group or authorised Hajj provider confirms your flight dates and whether you visit Makkah or Madinah first; always check the official announcement.

Registration

Each country receives a Hajj quota from Saudi Arabia. Depending on where you live, you register through your national Hajj authority or, in many countries in Europe, the Americas and Australia, through the official Nusuk Hajj platform and an authorised Hajj provider.

Visa and Hajj permit

Hajj can only be performed with an official Hajj visa and permit; it cannot be performed on a tourist or Umrah visa, and Saudi authorities enforce heavy penalties for Hajj without a permit. Keep the Hajj card (Nusuk card) issued by the Saudi authorities with you at all times; it is checked at the holy sites.

Vaccination and health

Saudi Arabia requires a meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination for pilgrims, given at least 10 days before arrival. If you have a chronic condition, bring enough medication for the whole trip together with your prescription.

The pillars of Hajj include ihram, standing at Arafah and Tawaf al-Ifadah. The main days of Hajj span five days:

1. 8 Dhul Hijjah — Day of Tarwiyah: pilgrims in ihram move to Mina and spend the night in the tents.
2. 9 Dhul Hijjah — Day of Arafah: the standing (wuquf) at Arafat in the afternoon, the heart of Hajj. After sunset pilgrims move to Muzdalifah, spend the night there and collect pebbles.
3. 10 Dhul Hijjah — Eid al-Adha: stoning of Jamarat al-Aqabah in Mina, the sacrifice, shaving or trimming the hair and leaving ihram. Tawaf al-Ifadah can be performed from this day.
4. 11–13 Dhul Hijjah — Days of Tashreeq: pilgrims stay in Mina and stone the three Jamarat each day.
5. Farewell Tawaf: performed before leaving Makkah.

For full guidance and supplications, follow a trusted Hajj guide or your group's scholar, who will lead you through each step.

During the days of Hajj, millions of people gather in a few square kilometres. At that density every network slows down; no line, eSIM included, is immune. To be prepared:

• Save your tent location: thousands of tents in Mina look alike. Save your tent number, group name and map location on your phone and take a screenshot.
• Download maps in advance: download Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah as offline maps so you can find your way when data is slow.
• Agree on a meeting point: decide before you travel where to meet if you get separated; do not rely on your phone alone.
• Send important messages at quieter times: the afternoon of Arafah and the stoning times are the busiest.
• Protect your battery: sockets are hard to find in Mina and Arafat; carry a fully charged power bank.

• Valid passport; Hajj visa and permit arranged by your provider
• Meningococcal (ACWY) vaccination certificate with your passport
• Phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked
• eSIM installed and named
• A copy of the QR code saved on another device or printed
• Data roaming off on your home SIM
• Joined your group's WhatsApp group
• Offline maps of Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah downloaded
• Power bank and Type G plug adapter packed